For instance, topics like “should students be allowed to wear hats in schools,” “is social media a bad influence on teens,” and “is recycling the best way to help the environment” are all debatable topics that have more than 1 opposing side.
For example, if you need to write a paragraph about what you think is the best holiday, then make a list of your favorites to help you decide. If the paragraph will be part of a larger essay, then identify 1 of the points you want to make with the paragraph. This point should support your essay’s overall argument.
For example, if you want to argue that Halloween is the best holiday of the year, then you might include reasons like getting to wear a costume, trick-or-treating, and eating candy. If the paragraph is part of a larger essay, then make a list of the reasons that support your topic sentence. For example, if the essay is about the importance of recycling, then your reasons might include reducing waste, saving energy, and conserving resources.
For example, in a paragraph about your favorite holiday, you might simply start with, “Halloween is the best holiday because it is filled with fun activities. ” In a larger essay, identify what each paragraph will cover and write a separate topic sentence for each paragraph.
For example, if you are arguing that Halloween is the best holiday, then you might cite candy sales statistics as good for the economy. You could also do a survey of your classmates to see how Halloween stacks up against other holidays in their opinions. If you are including a persuasive paragraph as part of a larger essay, then you may want to visit your school’s library to conduct your research. Talk to the librarian if you need help navigating the library’s resources.
For example, in a paragraph about why Halloween is the best holiday, you could include reasons like the costumes, trick-or-treating, and candy. Use the same strategy for a larger essay. Build on your topic sentence with additional sentences that cover the reasons.
For example, if you are writing about your favorite holiday, then you might talk a little about that holiday’s history and how it has evolved over the years.
For example, in an essay about why local honey is beneficial for immune health, you might start with a thesis that reads, “Eating local honey is better than eating honey from other regions since local honey helps you stay healthier all year long. ”
For example, in an essay about why people should vote in their countries’ elections, you might include background information about how certain populations have been excluded from voting and had to fight for the right to so.
If you’re having trouble identifying an opposing argument, do some additional research to find different ideas about your topic. For instance, let’s say you’re writing an essay arguing that students shouldn’t wear hats in school because they’re a distraction. Your topic sentence for your rebuttal paragraph might read like this: “Although hats allow students to express their personal style, they reduce student engagement by 25%. "
For example, if you are writing about the beneficial properties of green tea, then you might open with a brief summary of how consuming green tea can help people. Then, you could conclude your essay by briefly recapping the main benefits of green tea.
