How to Organize an
Argumentative Paper
TPEQEA- It’s easy once you have
the formula!!
Introduction
Hook
Summary
Thesis
Hook or Lead
Introduce the Topic with an interesting
lead or hook.
 This could be a compelling quote from
the text or that you heard somewhere
 This could be a question


Why do we hurt the ones we love?
Summary
Summarize the topic- if it is a text (like a
story, poem, or novel), spend about 3 to
4 sentences explaining what the text is
about.
 Make sure the first sentence includes the
title of the work (novel, story, whatever)
and the author.
 “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst

Thesis
Last sentence of first paragraph should
be the thesis.
 The thesis has three parts
 Counter claim (opposite of claim)
 However
 Claim

Example Thesis
Some may claim Brother is innocent
because he taught Doodle to walk;
however, he only taught him to walk for
his own selfish reasons making it clear
that Brother is responsible for Doodle’s
death.
Body Paragraphs
-
-
Write 3 body paragraphs
Each BP has a reason that support your
thesis
Organize the paragraphs by using
TPEQEA
(pronounced tuh-pee-kee-uh)
Body Paragraphs: TPEQUE Style
T: Topic Sentence
P: Point
E: Example
Q: Quotation
E: Elaboration
A: Analysis
T: Topic Sentence: Introduces the topic of
the paragraph
P: Point: Makes a clear argument about
the topic
E: Example: Provides an example to back
up the point
Q: Quotation: Research to prove the point
E: Elaboration: Explains how the example
proves the point
A: Analysis: Analyzes the importance of
the argument and takes the elaboration
one step further.
Layering
Example, Quotation, Elaboration
(AKA- EVIDENCE!!) can be
layered to make your argument
stronger!!
Example Paragraph
Thesis: People may feel that Brother is
innocent because he thought Doodle how to
walk; however, he only taught him to walk
because he was embarrassed about having a
brother who was disabled and his selfishness
lead him to pushing Doodle too hard and
causing his death.
Reason 1: Brother ignored doctors orders for
his own benefit
T: Topic Sentence: Introduces the topic of the
paragraph
Throughout his short life, Brother
constantly pushed Doodle to do
things he was incapable of for
his own selfish reasons.
HINT **use adjectives that promote an
emotional response**
P: Makes a clear argument about the
topic
The warnings of the doctor not to
physically exert Doodle fell on deaf ears.
E: Provides an example to back up the point
For example, the family was told not to
turn Doodle on his stomach. However,
the order was ignored.
Q: Quotation: Research to prove the point
“The doctor said that with his weak heart
the strain would probably kill him, but it
didn’t” (430).
E: Elaboration: Explains how the example proves
the point
Had brother not been so anxious to have
a “normal” sibling, he would not have
risked his brother’s life by turning him
over.
E: Provides an example to back up the point
Also, Brother was given specific
instructions on how to care for Doodle
when he took him out.
Q: Quotation: Research to prove the point
“The doctor had said that he mustn't get
to excited, to hot, too cold, or too tired,
and that he must always be treated
gently” (431).
E: Elaboration: Explains how the example
proves the point
Because he did not want his
burden of a brother accompanying
him, Brother constantly did the
opposite of what he was told.
E: Provides an example to back up the point
When Doodle was in his care, not only
did Brother not follow doctor’s orders, he
also further jeopardized his brother’s life.
Q: Quotation: Research to prove the point
“To discourage his coming with me I’d
run with him across the end of the cotton
rows and careen him around corners on
two wheels. Sometimes I accidentally
turned him over” (431).
E: Elaboration: Explains how the example proves
the point
This shows how reckless and selfish
Brother was.
A: Analysis: Analyzes the importance of the argument and
takes the elaboration one step further.
Time and time again, Brother was told by
a medical professional how to care for
his fragile brother. Each time the orders
were ignored, bringing Doodle closer to
his death.
Sample Body Paragraph
Throughout his short life, Brother constantly pushed Doodle to do things he
was incapable of for his own selfish reasons. The warnings of the doctor not to
physically exert Doodle fell on deaf ears. For example, the family was told not to
turn Doodle on his stomach. However, the order was ignored. “The doctor said
that with his weak heart the strain would probably kill him, but it didn’t” (430).
Also, Brother was given specific instructions on how to care for Doodle when he
took him out. “The doctor had said that he mustn't get to excited, to hot, too cold,
or too tired, and that he must always be treated gently” (431). Because he did not
want his burden of a brother accompanying him, Brother constantly did the
opposite of what he was told. When Doodle was in his care, not only did Brother
not follow doctor’s orders, he also further jeopardized his brother’s life. “To
discourage his coming with me I’d run with him across the end of the cotton rows
and careen him around corners on two wheels. Sometimes I accidentally turned
him over” (431). This shows how reckless and selfish Brother was. Time and
time again, Brother was told by a medical professional how to care for his fragile
brother. Each time the orders were ignored, bringing Doodle closer to his death.
The Conclusion Paragraph
The last paragraph in an essay that
neatly wraps up the paper
 Contains 3 main parts

Restate the thesis
 Lead-out
 Clincher

A Visual

Think of the Conclusion as a triangle.
Restatement of Thesis
Specific
Lead-out
Clincher
General
Transition

Should include a transition to indicate
that this is your concluding paragraph.

It is clear from the evidence provided that
Brother is innocent.
Restate the thesis
Summarize the thesis without repeating
yourself
 The most specific part of the conclusion


Though some may argue that Brother is
guilty because he wanted Doodle to die, the
evidence shows that he was an innocent
naive child who grew to love his Brother
immensely.
The Lead-out
Just like the lead-in only backwards
 Makes the topic larger to become more
general and less specific
 Smoothes out the conclusion paragraph


The facts that brother took Doodle with him
everywhere, plan their future, and his
reaction when Doodle died prove that he did
not want his brother to die.
The Clincher
Last sentence of the last paragraph
 Give the paper finality
 Similar to an attention getter because it
should make the reader think and leave
an impression
 Most general part of the conclusion
paragraph


All brothers have a love/hate relationship,
these two were no exception.
Sample Conclusion
Though some may argue that Brother is
guilty because he wanted Doodle to die, the
evidence shows that he was an innocent naive
child who grew to love his Brother immensely.
The facts that brother took Doodle with him
everywhere, plan their future, and his reaction
when Doodle died prove that he did not want
his brother to die. All brothers have a love/hate
relationship, these two were no exception.