LSAT Writing Section Template
LSAT Argumentative Writing Task: Overview
One of the most important things to remember about writing a strong LSAT Argumentative Writing task essay is that you must exercise time management skills when completing this section of the exam. Test takers are given 50 minutes to complete the Writing task, but the first 15 minutes are intended for what LSAC refers to as "prewriting analysis." During this time, you may use your digital notepad to make notes, jot down specific points you wish to make or quotes you want to use, assemble your thesis statement, and begin to outline your essay. Questions are also provided to help you think through what you have read, and these can assist you in identifying values, biases, counterarguments, or simply specific points you want to make in your argument.
You are then given 35 minutes to write your essay, and while this may sound like a long time, it will go by very fast. This is where having a mental template in mind can be helpful, particularly for managing your time and organizing your essay. There is no single best way to craft an essay, as many aspects of writing are subjective, but there are certain techniques and strategies you can use to make your essay more coherent, and therefore stronger.
The overall structure of your essay should look something like this:
- Open with an introductory paragraph that contains a clear thesis statement.
- Explain your reasoning and support your position with specific examples from the prompt, the given perspectives, and/or your personal experience.
- Restate your position as based upon the evidence you provided and summarize with a conclusion.
Structuring Your Essay: Clear Thesis Statement
A thesis statement is a sentence or two that clearly states the main point or argument you will make in your essay. It should be specific, as tightly written as possible, and make your position on the topic clear to anyone reading it. A thesis statement is usually located near the end of the introductory, or first, paragraph. Below are two sample thesis statements that take opposite positions on school uniforms:
Thesis #1: "School uniforms should never be required because they stifle individuality and self-expression."
Thesis #2: "School uniforms should be required because they help students to be more focused on academics than clothes."
Remember for your thesis statement that there is no "right" or "wrong" position to take on the topic you've been given. What matters is your position. Choose a position and then make that position clear.
Structuring Your Essay: Paragraphs
After you've written a clear thesis statement, you will support it with evidence from the prompt, the given perspectives, counterarguments, and personal experience. These will be spelled out in separate paragraphs and a good rule of thumb is that when you change ideas or topics, you should also start a new paragraph. But how many paragraphs should you include in your essay, given that you only have 35 minutes?
As we previously mentioned, there is no one "right" or "best" way to write an essay, and what works for one test taker might not be useful for another. That being said, most essays are 3 to 5 paragraphs long, and LSAC encourages test takers to focus more on the quality of their argument than the quantity of words used to make it. Below are some sample essay outlines to consider:
Essay Outline #1:
Paragraph 1: Introduce the issue and provide a thesis statement in which you make your position on it clear.
Paragraph 2: Make your first argument, Argument #1, drawing on one of the provided perspectives and incorporating any personal experience where relevant.
Paragraph 3: Make your second argument, Argument #2, drawing on a second provided perspective and incorporating any personal experience where relevant.
Paragraph 4: Offer an opposing argument and respond to that argument, highlighting flaws, paradoxes, or logical reasoning fallacies.
Paragraph 5: Write a brief conclusion that summarizes your thesis and demonstrates how the points made in your supporting paragraphs relate to the thesis.
Essay Outline #2:
Paragraph 1: Introduce the issue and provide a thesis statement in which you make your position on it clear.
Paragraph 2: Make your first argument, Argument #1, drawing on one of the provided perspectives and incorporating any personal experience where relevant.
Paragraph 3: Make your second argument, Argument #2, drawing on a second provided perspective and incorporating any personal experience where relevant.
Paragraph 4: Write a brief conclusion that summarizes your thesis and demonstrates how the points made in your supporting paragraphs relate to the thesis.
Essay Outline #3:
Paragraph 1: Introduce the issue and provide a thesis statement in which you make your position on it clear.
Paragraph 2: Make your first argument, Argument #1, drawing on one of the provided perspectives and incorporating any personal experience where relevant.
Paragraph 3: Offer an opposing argument and respond to that argument, highlighting flaws, paradoxes, or logical reasoning fallacies.
Paragraph 4: Write a brief conclusion that summarizes your thesis and demonstrates how the points made in your supporting paragraphs relate to the thesis.
Again, the number of paragraphs you write is not as important as crafting a strong argument that is well-supported by information from the prompt, the various perspectives, and/or your own relevant personal experience. The most persuasive arguments are focused, well-organized, and make logical sense as you progress from one paragraph to the next.
Transition Words to Navigate Paragraphs
You want your argument to effortlessly flow between paragraphs, making it easy for the reader to know what you're talking about without getting lost or wondering why you introduced a particular point. You will want to use certain words when connecting ideas, and other words when contrasting ideas or changing from one idea to another. We have listed some of the most widely used transition words below based on how they are best used in an essay:
| To demonstrate EMPHASIS | To demonstrate ADDITION | To demonstrate CONTRAST |
| Undoubtedly | Additionally | Nevertheless |
| Unquestionably | Along with | On the other hand |
| Clearly | Moreover | Despite |
| Especially | Furthermore | In spite of |
| Particularly/in particular | Also | Unlike |
| It should be noted | As well as | In contrast to |
| Importantly | Too | Contrary to |
| Definitely | Besides | Alternatively |
| Absolutely | Not only…but also | Whereas |
| Without a doubt | In addition to | Even so |
| Indeed | Conversely | |
| Obviously | Differing from |
While this is by no means an exhaustive list, using these words to demonstrate similarities between ideas, show differences between ideas, or highlight the importance of an idea will strengthen your essay by increasing its readability. Remember, you aren't just putting random words one after the other, you are building a case by presenting evidence and going from one point to the next in a logical manner that makes sense to the person reading it.
Structuring Your Essay: Conclusion
The conclusion of your essay does not need to be long, drawn-out, or even particularly memorable. All your conclusion does is restate your position on the topic. Are you in favor of the proposed idea or opposed to it? Do you agree or disagree with the prompt or a particular perspective? A conclusion often simply rephrases the thesis statement, which is perfectly fine. Your conclusion should be based on the evidence you have provided, and if you've made a strong argument, your conclusion should be predictable and make logical sense. Your conclusion should certainly not differ from your thesis or the argument you've been making throughout the essay.
Concluding paragraphs often begin with the following words:
"In conclusion…"
"In sum…"
"And because of X, Y, and Z, I therefore…"
"Given that…"
Using Personal Experience in Your Essay
Many test takers wonder if they should include personal experience in their Argumentative Writing essay. If you have personal experience that's relevant to the prompt and informs your position on the topic, then you should certainly include it in your essay. Personal experience can be used to support one or more of the given perspectives, or it can be used as a counterargument, demonstrating why you disagree with a specific perspective or why you disagree with the argument made in the prompt.
The key to using personal experience effectively is to be very specific about the examples you share. Do not include irrelevant or unnecessary details, and don't spend all your time focusing solely on your personal experience. Make sure you address at least one of the given perspectives, whether you agree or disagree with it. Personal experience should strengthen your essay by demonstrating why you hold certain feelings or beliefs about the topic and how those feelings or beliefs came to be.