Which of the following best explains why elaboration is important in argumentative essay body paragraphs?

To impress the reader with high-level vocabulary words
To confuse the reader and make them unsure of what side the writer is on
To make the essay longer and meet the minimum word count requirement
To provide evidence and supporting details that strengthen the argument

To provide evidence and supporting details that strengthen the argument. Elaboration in body paragraphs helps to provide depth and specificity to the points being made, giving credibility to the argument being presented. It helps to convince the reader of the validity of the argument by providing specific examples, evidence, and explanations.