Writing
An opinion composition
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| By Olivander. C. Commons |
It is common that you are asked to give your opinion on different subjects. It is very important that you carefully think about what your opinion is and the reasons why this is so before beginning to write.
Opinion essay is a formal piece of essay writing which presents the author's point of view on a particular subject supported by reasons and examples. The writer tries to convince the readers that his/her point of view is correct.
A successful opinion essay should have:
- An introduction (a topic sentence) where the topic and the author's opinion are stated clearly.
- A main body where viewpoints supported by reasons are presented in several paragraphs. This section has also the opposing viewpoint which is proved to be unconvincing.
- A conclusion where the main points of the essay are summarized and the author's opinion is restated in other words. It can offer a solution or recommendation.
Introduction
In the introduction, you should be very clear about the subject of your presentation. Name it in generic terms and define your line of argumentation. The reader must be informed about your ideas and attitude toward the topic since the very beginning of your essay.
Body - Paragraphs
In subsequent paragraphs you will elaborate on your arguments; that is, you will provide an argumentative context to the conviction you expressed in the introduction of the paper. Different elements of paragraphs will guide the reader through your fashion of reasoning.Use connectors to organize information
| Organize ideas |
Add information | Give opinions | Introduce a conclusion |
|
Firstly, first of all, secondly, |
Also, besides, too, furthermore, |
In my opinion, Personally, |
To sum up, in conclusion |
What you should do in Opinion Essays:
- Write in a formal style
- Introduce the topic clearly
- State clear topic sentences
- Use generalizations
- Use quotations
What you shouldn't do in Opinion Essays:
- Don't use colloquial expressions
- Don't use short forms
- Don't use emotive vocabulary
- Don't use over-generalizations
- Don't use statistics without proper referencing
- Don't give personal examples
Opinion Essay Topics
Opinion Essay Topics
These are some examples of opinion essay topics about Internet and New Technologies.
- We are becoming increasingly dependent on computers. They are used in businesses, hospitals, crime detection and even to fly planes. What things will they be used for in future? Is this dependence on computers a good thing or should we be more suspicious of their benefits?
- In what ways has information technology changed work and working practices in the past 10 years?
- 'Telecommuting' refers to workers doing their jobs from home for part of each week and communicating with their office using computer technology. Telecommuting is growing in many countries and is expected to be common for most office workers in the coming decades. How do you think society will be affected by the growth of telecommuting?
- Technology is making communication easier in today's world, but at the expense of personal contact as many people choose to work at home in front of a computer screen. What dangers are there for a society which depends on computer screens rather than face-to-face contact for its main means of communication?
- Will the Internet bring people of the world closer?
- Does modern technology make life more convenient, or was life better when technology was simpler?
- Does modern technology make life more convenient, or was life better when technology was simpler?
Sample of an opinion essay
Not many young people living in rural areas have access to university education. Universities should make it easier for people from rural areas. What is your opinion about this statement?
| Most universities are located in big cities. However, millions of people still live in villages and small towns, far from the city. How can they get a good university education? In my opinion, universities must serve rural as well as urban students. | INTRODUCTION |
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We don't need to build big colleges in every rural area. First of all, it would be too expensive. It's better and more efficient to locate universities in cities because thousands of students can use them. Secondly, small campuses would lack resources and would be boring. They would not offer many courses, and the staff might not be the best available. A third point is that rural students and urban students should mix and learn from each other. They should not be separate. In fact, there are many better ways to help rural students. First of all, they may need money. People living on farms or in small villages may be unable to afford fees and accommodation. So, colleges could help by reducing fees and housing costs. Besides, using technology can really help. Even in rural areas, many people have internet or email, and can take courses this way. |
BODY PARAGRAPHS |
| In conclusion, since universities are usually funded by the government, I think they should serve everybody, not just city students. | CONCLUSION |