Argumentative Essay Samples & Examples
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Free sample college essays written in argumentative style. These essay assignments are helpful for studying various report writing techniques
and getting ideas for possible essay topics. Summaries of each essay are provided here, with word and page counts.
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The following is a sample argumentative essay written for a college freshman English class. Using a persuasive style, it argues that war protesters should not be prosecuted for treason. The paper outlines how a person can be charged with treason and describes people who have been charged for this crime. This example essay received high marks because it featured a strong introduction, detailed body paragraphs, and an excellent conclusion. It would be useful reference for people in need of crime essay ideas, or those who want a proofread essay with excellent command of language.
1,804 words 9 pages
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Controversy surrounds the topic of this example high school AP Government paper. The author argues that the Supreme Court abused its authority when it struck down the juvenile death penalty in Roper v. Simmons (2005). This example argumentative paper and sample legal analysis essay explains that the Court ignored the heinous details of the case and improperly applied international law. It would be a good reference for a student who wants to analyze a controversial court decision.
1,676 words / 6 pages
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Affirmative action programs began in the 1960s but in recent decades have become controversial. This sample college politics paper examines the affirmative action controversy in the context of university admissions. The paper nicely lays out a background on affirmative action and sites relevant Supreme Court cases. It would be a good reference for a student who wants to write an objective analysis on a politically sensitive issue.
2,348 words / 10 pages
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The following sample essay was written about Massively-Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs) for a college freshman English course. This argumentative essay says that these popular online video games are a legitimate form of socialization. Using a unique essay topic, the assignment explores how these virtual worlds function and how people interact with each other within the game. This example paper would be a good reference for someone who wants an argumentative paper idea that is unique and topical.
1,446 words 6 pages
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Are professional baseball players being paid too much? This sample sports economics essay argues that the salary cap is needed to restore balance and fairness to the game. This sample social science essay draws comparisons with other professional sports leagues like the NFL that have salary caps in order to draw its conclusions. It would be a good reference for a student who wants to write about economics of a current event situation.
1,676 words / 7 pages
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Chinua Achebe, an essayist and scholar, denounced Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness as a racist work that cannot be considered great literature. The author of this sample high school AP English literature essay disagrees with Achebe and points out many instances where the novella differs from Achebe's interpretation. This well-crafted sample literary analysis paper was written for a high school English class, but the depth of its analysis suggest it could have been written at the college level as well.
3,772 words / 13 pages
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In 1973, the Supreme Court decided Miller v. California, a case which articulated a three-part test for determining whether material was obscene. This example law paper argues that the third prong of the Miller test is vague it needs to be clarified if we are to have a strong national policy that regulates obscenity. The paper is well organized and offers thoughts from outside sources on the topic. This sample argumentative legal paper would be a good reference for a student who wants to disagree with a major court holding.
1,567 words / 6 pages
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Was the Supreme Court right to uphold a federal law that bans marijuana usage? This example high school AP Government essay argues that the Court ruled correctly in Gonzalez v. Raich (2005). This argumentative essay sample details how the case reached the Supreme Court and the arguments used by both sides. This legal analysis paper shows an excellent understanding of the various opinions and the case in general. It would be a good reference for a student who wants to analyze a high profile court decision.
1,765 words / 7 pages
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Axe-murderer Raskolnikov, the main character of Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, butchers an old woman and her sister - but a Russian critic says the environment, not the man is to blame. The author of this sample AP English essay disagrees. This example argumentative and literary analysis paper rebuts the critic's position by deeply examining Raskolnikov's motives and finding him guilty of the heinous crime. It would be a good reference for a student who must argue against a specific prompt.
1,105 words / 4 pages
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The author of this example social sciences argumentative paper suggests that the presence of private military companies (PMCs) in Iraq pose difficult legal and financial issues. The author argues that because there is little legislative oversight over PMCs, the system is subject to potential abuses and fraud. Likewise, there is a potential conflict of interest between PMCs and ordinary soldiers, as PMCs are paid higher to do many of the same functions as a normal soldier. This example political science paper would be a good reference for a student who wants to conduct a thorough argument for a specific policy position.
1,601 words / 6 pages
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This sample essay was written for a college freshman English class. The paper uses an argumentative style to convince the reader that Hyphy music, a type of rap, is detrimental to teenagers. This pop culture paper examines the origins of the music and the reckless behavior it has inspired, from taking drugs to "ghost-riding." This assignment earned a high grade for its creative introduction, use of supporting evidence, and overall persuasive style. It would be a useful reference for someone who wants to write about a pop culture or hip hop essay.
1,408 words 6 pages
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