Your paper begins when you first identify your topic.  When writing a persuasive or argumentative essay, you are presenting your ideas and opinions about your essay topic.

To begin:

• identify your central topic (example: bicycle helmets)
• identify your perspective and the context (example:  context is rider safety; perspective is bicycle helmets increase rider safety) - this is the basis for your thesis statement
• identify possible sub-topics (example:  types of helmets; types of accidents; age of cyclists; experience of cyclists; type of bicycle activity - road riding; mountain biking; etc.)
• determine which sub-topics you wish to include in your essay - this often depends on available research and what you want to emphasize
• research each sub-topic and identify how it supports/contradicts your thesis statement
  
  • record citation information for each article, book, video, web page, etc. you find
  • organize your results by sub-topic
  • each sub-topic would provide the basis for one paragraph
• write a topic sentence for each paragraph
• write your paper integrating relevant information into the appropriate paragraph
• write a concluding paragraph
• compile your reference page
• make use of the writing help available to review and revise

Self-Help Guides to Writing Essays

• Guidelines for Writing an Essay. Hamilton University. Writing Resources- includes structure; grammar; writing for different topics (example: poetry, philosophy, the sciences, etc.)
  
• The Basics of Essay Writing. UNSW Sydney
• The Beginner's Guide to Writing an Essay: Steps & Examples. Scribbr
• Academic Essay Writing: Some Guidelines. Carleton University. Department of Economics
• How to Write an Academic Essay. EssayPro.com - explains the differences between the various types of essays (example: persuasive, narrative, etc.)

Templates to help you get organized:

• Essay writing templates.  State Library of Victoria, Australia