To write an effective argument essay, it is helpful to formulate a thesis addresses the question of what needs to happen and who is in a position to do something about it. Additionally, the essay should address what is at stake, or why the topic matters, and it should also address relevant counterarguments and acknowledge points of agreement. (For example, no matter how a person feels about gun control, they are likely to view school shootings as a bad thing.)

The draft of this essay should consist of an introduction, conclusion, and multiple well-formed body paragraphs with topic sentences. The essay should be a minimum of 1000 words in length and should include a properly formatted MLA Works Cited page.