The Crucial Second Step in Your Argumentative Essay Prewriting Process
What is the Second Step in Argumentative Prewriting?
Quick answer
The crucial second step in the argumentative essay prewriting process is conducting comprehensive research and evidence gathering. After you have selected a topic and identified your initial stance, you must find credible sources to validate your claims. This step is vital because it transforms a personal opinion into a scholarly argument backed by facts, statistics, and expert testimony.
Moving from Topic to Evidence
Once you have your topic, you cannot jump straight into writing. You need to look for academic journals, news articles, and primary sources. Focus on finding data that specifically addresses the 'why' behind your position. This phase often requires you to adjust your original thesis if the evidence suggests a different conclusion.
Evaluating Source Credibility
Not all information is equal. During this second prewriting step, check for author bias and publication dates. Use the CRAAP test (Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose) to ensure your argumentative essay stands on a solid foundation. High-quality evidence makes your final paper much more persuasive.
Identifying the Opposition
A strong argumentative essay must address the other side. Use this research phase to find the strongest points of the opposing view. Understanding these counterarguments early allows you to prepare rebuttals, which is a hallmark of advanced academic writing.
Organizing Your Findings
As you collect evidence, group your notes by sub-topic. For example, if you are writing about climate policy, group your research into economic impacts, environmental benefits, and social challenges. This organization makes the transition to the third step, outlining, much faster and easier.
Why This Step Cannot Be Skipped
Skipping the research phase leads to weak arguments and logical fallacies. By dedicating time to this second step of the prewriting process, you ensure that your essay is informative, authoritative, and ready for a high grade.