If a argumentative essay is a about a person then is it possible to start the paper with a biography?

Answer 1

Certainly, provided the biography is relevant to the argument. For instance, if you want to make an argument that particular person has strong family values, a biographical sketch would probably very appropriate, as it could be shown where the person developed their strong family values. This adds strength to the argument. On the other hand, if you want to argue that a particular person owes you money, a biographical sketch would probably not be helpful to the argument and therefore irrelevant.