Unit 9 Overview: Developing a Complex Argument

Welcome to Unit 9! This is the last unit of our AP Lang study guide materials. Hopefully you’ve learned a lot so far. In this unit, we’ll be wrapping everything up with some final comments on how to develop a complex argument. Think of these guides as helping you put the final cherry on top of your essay. We’ll reference past study guides (such as guide 7.3) and expand on them. Let’s look at the main two parts of this unit.

In this guide, we’ll look at how a too simplistic argument can weaken the quality and persuasiveness of your writing. It isn’t enough to just argue for your point, you should also acknowledge other arguments. Sometimes it’s better to concede, while other times, rebutting an opposing argument is the best course of action. By the end of this guide, you’ll know what it means to concede, rebut, and refute, and how to strategically use each technique in your essay writing.

In this guide, we’ll look at how stylistic choices (referenced in previous study guides) can help shape your argument. Previously, we’ve discussed how they can help you support your argument in body paragraphs. In this guide however, we’ll see how they can be used within your thesis itself. Starting off with a strong thesis can be a solid indicator to the reader that the rest of your essay will be well organized and developed.

That’s a quick summary of each of the two guides in this unit. Read on for the full guides!