Eliminate Questions

Argument Writing

Should Never have Questions in Body Paragraphs
Must Limit Questions in the Introduction and Conclusion

The purpose of an argument is to persuade an audience to come to your side of the issue and believe what you are asserting as valid truth.  When you ask questions of a reader, you are working contrary to this purpose.

Remember, you can ask yourself questions to stimulate your answers before putting your ideas into an outline or draft.  However, once you begin the outline or draft process, you must stick to asserting points, not asking the reader to think through the questions.  They need to buy your answers and argument, not assess it for themselves.


Introductions
Introduction paragraphs establish the direction and goal of the academic argument.  They are there to lead the audience into the piece and clearly assert the viewpoint.  They should not ask questions of the audience unless the question is in the 'hook' line of the introduction paragraph.  that is the only spot a question can go in that paragraph.  See Questions in an Introduction for additional clarification on Introduction paragraphs and questions.

Body Paragraphs
The whole point of the body paragraphs in an academic, argument essay are to logically argue through ethos, pathos, and logos of the assertion made in the thesis statement.  

Body-paragraphs present a sub-point from the thesis statement—found in the last sentence of the introductory paragraph of the essay—and create a paragraph full of details, sources, analysis, and evidence to defend that sub-point of the thesis. 

If you are presenting information and you ask your reader a question here or there, then you are defeating the purpose of declaring your argument in the body paragraphs.

They argue and support a particular side of the issue. See Questions in Body-Paragraphs for additional clarification on body paragraphs and questions.

Conclusions

Conclusion paragraphs set the audience free from the writing.  A conclusion serves as a restatement of the thesis (in new words), followed by wrap-up and a send-off sentence.  They are there to 'release' the audience from the argument with a newly accepted viewpoint.  A conclusion paragraph will not ask questions of the audience unless the question is in the 'send-off' line of the conclusion paragraph (the very last line).  That is the only spot a question can go in a conclusion paragraph.  See Questions in Conclusions for additional clarification on Conclusion paragraphs and questions.

Use these links to learn more about eliminating QUESTIONS from your writing.

Questions in an Introduction

Questions in Body-Paragraphs

Questions in Conclusions