Developing a Coherent Line of Argument

The heart of a high-scoring Extended Essay is a sustained line of argument: a connected chain of reasoning that carries the reader from the question to a justified conclusion. Many essays gather good evidence yet fail to build an argument, presenting information without ever making a case. This lesson explains how to develop and maintain a coherent argument through the body of the essay.

An argument, not a report

An essay that merely reports what sources say, or describes what happened, is not making an argument. An argument advances a position and supports it with reasoning and evidence, addressing the question directly at every stage. The difference shows in the verbs: a report explains, describes, and summarizes; an argument claims, weighs, evaluates, and concludes. Keeping the research