Introduction One of the first questions students ask themselves when preparing for new modules and classes is the following: “How does one write a good argumentative essay?” The aim of this paper is to answer this question by addressing different factors that students should consider when drafting, writing, and proofreading their essays. The first section of the essay will introduce the concept of an argumentative essay and examine its features. The second section of the essay will emphasize the importance of literature in essay writing, pointing out why research of existing literature on the topic is necessary for composing an effective argumentative essay. The third section of the paper will discuss other factors (such as grammar, citation styles, and student’s skills) necessary for successful essay completion. The paper will prove the reader that an effective argumentative essay always relies on the student’s understanding of it as a concept and his or her ability to use literature and writing skills efficiently. Argumentative Essay: Characteristics Argumentative essays and their characteristics can vary depending on universities and tutors; nevertheless, the main value of such essay is the writer’s ability to display critical thinking, as well as present and develop an argument that aligns with the context of the curriculum (Wingate 2012). A good argumentative essay will define the author’s main thesis and use several reasons or consist of several sub-topics that support it. It will have a logical flow and rely on literature or other research that supports the point of view that the author expresses (Hughes & Lavery 2015). It may also use sub-arguments to support the main argument. The thesis statement is normally neither too short nor too long and is expressed in one sentence. The main difference of an argumentative essay from other types of essay that students often do not see is that it presents an idea or a statement to the reader and develops it throughout the paper, using research as means of support. Students tend to misunderstand the concept of the argumentative essay in general or the argument in particular, which results in the unstructured or illogical development of the argument (Wingate 2012). Another reason behind student’s misinterpretations is the different concepts of the argument presented at secondary school. Thus, it is essential to be familiar with the concept of the argumentative essay to write it successfully. Once the concept is understood, the research of relevant literature becomes the next step. Literature in Argumentative Essay The importance of literature research for an argumentative essay is in its ability to provide a back-up for writer’s thesis and transfer other vital ideas that will support the argument from different perspectives. The literature used for support should directly relate to the argument and present it in detail. Furthermore, it should not restate the ideas that the author presented earlier in the same way except if it can provide a new view of the issue or specific details that were not yet addressed in the paper (Clouse 2013). It can be possible, however, that the literature that addresses the argument in the essay is either sc