VIET LUAN - TIENG ANH 12

Topic: How to Write a Good Essay
ClassBrain Visitor:
How do I write good essays?
Thank You,
Cortnie
ClassBrain Response:
Hi Cortnie and thanks for stopping by ClassBrain.com!
What a good question! Even after graduating with a degree in English and writing hundreds of papers I still rely on
one single thing to help me write the best possible essay I can . . . an outline. See, the problem with most essays is
that the content is disorganized. You may have great ideas and facts that you want to write about, but somewhere
during the writing process you start mixing them up. Suddenly your perfect paper sounds all wrong and you want
to scream! I've found that the best papers I've ever written (meaning my A papers) have all started with a good,
solid outline. Once you have an outline down, your paper writes itself. Your thoughts are organized and the teacher
can understand your main point (which is your thesis) and how you supported that point. A focused paper is the key
to writing a good essay. Here's the format for the outline I usually follow:
I. Topic / Title
II. Introduction of Essay
A. Write a few sentences that lead into the main point of your essay
B. End the paragraph with your thesis statement (3 main points you are going to support)
1. First point in thesis
2. Second point in thesis
3. Third point in thesis
III. Body of Essay
A. Topic One - First Point in Thesis
1. Support your point with either quotations or solid evidence
2. Have at least five sentences
B. Topic Two - Second Point in Thesis
1. Support your point with either quotations or solid evidence
2. Have at least five sentences
C. Topic Three - Third Point in Thesis
1. Support your point with either quotations or solid evidence

2. Have at least five sentences
IV. Conclusion
A. Write a few sentences summarizing your essay
B. Restate your thesis and how you proved your point
Once you fill in the blanks to this outline with your topic and information, the rest is easy! Make sure to check your
spelling and punctuation, and then you're good to go!
Thesis Statement for Essay
The main task of the thesis statement of any essay is to show the reader the author’s position on the discussed
topic. It is the argument of the highest priority for the essay due to the fact that it is the thesis statement that is to
be proven throughout the paper. In the thesis statement the author makes his own point in the context of the
essay topic and delivers it to the reader by means of a logical chain. It is usually presented in one single sentence
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Writing a Thesis Statement for Essay
• Part one deals with stating the topic
• Part two deals with the point of the essay
How to Write a Good Thesis Statement
In order to create a strong thesis statement it is necessary to keep in mind its specific features:
• A good thesis statement is always an affirmation.
• It does not make an announcement or ask a question but asserts a definite point of view.
• It should always reveal a plan of development in its contents; reveal what concrete arguments will be
analyzed in the paper.
• The thesis statement needs to correspond to the length of the paper. If it is very long and the paper is
limited to three pages it is impossible to prove it and to persuade the reader that the author has a point.
A short thesis statement -> short essay;
A substantial thesis statement ->long essay.
• It can be neither too narrow nor too broad.
• A thesis statement does not present the author’s point as a subjective position but as an argument to
prove.
The thesis statement itself gives the direction and the jumping-off point for the essay. That is the reason it is so

important to make it right as the professionalism of the future essay absolutely depends on it.
Sample thesis statement
Being a successful psychologist
(Part 1)
requires a lot of knowledge and tolerance
(Part 2).
See other sample thesis statements. A vast collection of sample essays contents examples of thesis statement for
essay of all types.
How to Write an Introduction to Essay
The main purpose of the introduction is to give the reader a clear idea of the essay’s focal point. It must get the
reader’s attention as it is the part when he decides if the essay is worth reading till the end or not.
The introduction should be written according to the following scheme:
1. General information
2. Attention grabber
3. Information on the topic leading to the thesis statement
4. Thesis statement
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Introduction to Essay Writing
General information of the topic must be presented in verifiable data
The best way to attract the attention of the reader in the introductory part of any essay is to use special
literature passages.
 The goal of these passages is to make the reader pay attention to the introduction and the
whole essay by means of introducing a fact that is absolutely new to him/her.
 This fact has to reveals the point of the author explicitly and vividly.
 An appropriate anecdote on the topic can make a good job in getting the attention of the
reader. This is a story that will support the author’s main argument but to make it
effective it has to be highly relevant to the topic of the essay.
 A suitable dialogue technique can also be used in the introduction. Two or three speakers
are used to clarify the author’s point to the reader.

• The transition to the thesis statement is accomplished by dint of several sentences describing the
topic of the essay in the general character and gradually narrowing to the thesis statement.
• Thesis statement finished the introduction paragraph and proved the reader with a crystal clear
understanding of the author’s main argument on the topic of the essay.
This structure of the essay introduction gives the writer the ability to gradually initiate the reader into the topic
analysis and conclude with a strong thesis statement revealing the very essence of the essay.
You can view
example of introduction of essay
and
sample essay introduction
of our free example essays
and samples collection
How to Write Body Paragraphs
Every body paragraph must be written according one general structure:
1. Each body part starts with its main idea presented in a form of an essay sentence. This main
idea/argument must be accurately performed to make it more appealing to the audience.
2. Different established facts or points supporting the main idea of the essay. The supporting points should
not be positioned one after another, but general discussion of the point should be included in-between.
3. Each body paragraph should have a concluding sentence in order to make connection to the next
paragraph. This link is a must-have element as this is what makes the essay logically structured.
Writing Essay Body Paragraphs
In order to make each body paragraph truly convincing it is necessary to:
1. Stay focused on one idea/argument only in each body paragraph
2. Keep the thesis statement in mind because each of the body paragraphs supports a point from this
thesis statement
3. Make the topic sentence of each body paragraph as clear as it is possible without generalizations.
4. Prove the presented in the body paragraphs points through mentioning detailed and convincing
examples.
The body paragraphs are the core of each essay and therefore demand special attention and profound knowledge
on the matter from the side of the writer.

What Is the Conclusion Of An Essay
The conclusion is written in one paragraph and its main purpose is to sum up the arguments of the essay, which
the author revealed in the topic sentences of the body paragraphs. It summarizes the evidence in support for the
thesis statement of the essay and if proved restates this statement. It is a final glance at the presented facts,
which lead to a certain conclusion on the essay matter.
The conclusion does not have a set structure and can be written according to the peculiarities of the essay but
must always have the mentioned above argument summary analysis.
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Writing An Essay Conclusion
To make a good conclusion it is necessary to:
1. Review the main points of the essay (the topic statements)
2. Summarize them in favor for the thesis statement
3. Describe the writer’s subjective position on the topic
4. End the conclusion with a strong affirmation that will be beyond any question.
Does the Conclusion Summarize the Essay
The writer may consider implementation of emotional factors in order to make a memorable impression about the
essay.
This may include:
1. Emphasizing the importance of the topic
2. The ending lines may have an unexpected direction leading the reader to nonstandard thoughts).
3. A strong appeal for the reader’s actions
4. A provocation to thinking made by a quote or an anecdote.
It is vital to remember:
• Any conclusion should never repeat the assertions presented in the essay word-for-word.
• If the writer wants to make the conclusion really successful it must be short but very clear.
• This is the last part of the essay and it makes the final impression on the reader.
• A good conclusion is always creative and logically sound.
Sample Essay Conclusion
A vast collection of sample essays contents examples of essay writing conclusion of all types.

Introductions, Body Paragraphs, and Conclusions for Exploratory Papers
Many paper assignments call for you to establish a position and defend that position with an effective argument.
However, some assignments are not argumentative, but rather, they are exploratory. Exploratory essays ask
questions and gather information that may answer these questions. However, the main point of the exploratory or
inquiry essay is not to find definite answers. The main point is to conduct inquiry into a topic, gather information,
and share that information with readers.
Introductions for Exploratory Essays
The introduction is the broad beginning of the paper that answers three important questions:
1. What is this?
2. Why am I reading it?
3. What do you want me to do?
You should answer these questions in an exploratory essay by doing the following:
1. Set the context – provide general information about the main idea, explaining the situation so the reader can
make sense of the topic and the questions you will ask
2. State why the main idea is important – tell the reader why s/he should care and keep reading. Your goal is to
create a compelling, clear, and educational essay people will want to read and act upon
3. State your research question – compose a question or two that clearly communicate what you want to
discover and why you are interested in the topic. An overview of the types of sources you explored might
follow your research question.
If your inquiry paper is long, you may want to forecast how you explored your topic by outlining the structure of
your paper, the sources you considered, and the information you found in these sources. Your forecast could read
something like this:
In order to explore my topic and try to answer my research question, I began with news sources. I then conducted
research in scholarly sources, such as peer-reviewed journals. Lastly, I conducted an interview with a primary
source. All these sources gave me a better understanding of my topic, and even though I was not able to fully
answer my research questions, I learned a lot and narrowed my subject for the next paper assignment, the problem-
solution report.
For this OWL resource, the example exploratory process investigates a local problem to gather more information so
that eventually a solution may be suggested.
Identify a problem facing your University (institution, students, faculty, staff) or the local area and conduct

exploratory research to find out as much as you can on the following:
• Causes of the problem and other contributing factors
• People/institutions involved in the situation: decision makers and stakeholders
• Possible solutions to the problem.
You do not have to argue for a solution to the problem at this point. The point of the exploratory essay is to ask an
inquiry question and find out as much as you can to try to answer your question. Then write about your inquiry and
findings.
Organizing an Exploratory Essay
Exploratory essays are very different from argumentative essays. In fact, an exploratory essay is likely different
from any other essay you’ve written. Instead of writing to convince an audience of the validity of a thesis, you will
be writing to find out about a problem and perhaps to form some preliminary conclusions about how it might be
solved.
But there is another aspect the exploratory genre that is equally important. An exploratory essay is, in essence, a
retrospective of your writing and thinking process as you work through a problem. It describes when, how, and
why you completed certain types of research. This kind of writing is about how you work through problems that
require writing and research. You will have to be introspective and think about your thinking process in order for
your essay to turn out well.
Very roughly, then, your exploratory essay may follow this sort of structure:
Introduction
The introduction should outline the problem you explored and why it’s important. In addition, you should briefly
discuss 1) some of the problem’s possible causes; 2) the institutions and people involved with the problem; 3) some
of the possible solutions to the problem. A brief overview of the types of sources your researched during your
inquiry.
Body Paragraphs
Body paragraphs should discuss the inquiry process you followed to research your problem. These paragraphs
should include the following:
1. Introduction of source (title, author, type of media, publisher, publication date, etc.) and why you chose to
use it in your exploration
2. Important information you found in the source regarding your problem
3. Why the information is important and dependable in relation to the problem

4. Some personal introspection on how the source helped you, allowed you to think differently about the
problem, or even fell short of your expectations and led you in a new direction in your research, which
forms a transition into your next source.
Conclusion
The conclusion should restate the problem you explored, outline some of its possible causes, review the institutions
and people involved, and highlight some possible solutions. If you still have any questions about the problem (and
it’s ok to have some), you will discuss them here. Talk about why you think you still have questions regarding the
problem you explored, where you might look to answer these questions, and what other forms of research you
would have to do.
Introductions, Body Paragraphs, and Conclusions for an Argument Paper
The following sections outline the generally accepted structure for an academic argument paper. Keep in mind that
these are guidelines and that your structure needs to be flexible enough to meet the requirements of your purpose
and audience.
You may also use the following Purdue OWL resources to help you with your argument paper:
• Creating a Thesis Statement
• Establishing Arguments
• Organizing Your Argument
• Organizing Your Argument Slide Presentation
• Logic in Argumentative Writing
• Paragraphs and Paragraphing
• Transitions and Transitional Devices
Introduction
The introduction is the broad beginning of the paper that answers three important questions:
1. What is this?
2. Why am I reading it?
3. What do you want me to do?
You should answer these questions by doing the following:
1. Set the context – provide general information about the main idea, explaining the situation so the reader can
make sense of the topic and the claims you make and support
2. State why the main idea is important – tell the reader why s/he should care and keep reading. Your goal is to

create a compelling, clear, and convincing essay people will want to read and act upon
3. State your thesis/claim – compose a sentence or two stating the position you will support with logos (sound
reasoning: induction, deduction), pathos (balanced emotional appeal), and ethos (author credibility).
For exploratory essays, your primary research question would replace your thesis statement so the audience
understands why you began your inquiry. An overview of the types of sources you explored might follow your
research question.
If your argument paper is long, you may want to forecast how you will support your thesis by outlining the
structure of your paper, the sources you will consider, and the opposition to your position. Your forecast could read
something like this:
First, I will define key terms for my argument, and then I will provide some background of the situation. Next I
will outline the important positions of the argument and explain why I support one of these positions. Lastly, I will
consider opposing positions and discuss why these positions are outdated. I will conclude with some ideas for
taking action and possible directions for future research.
This is a very general example, but by adding some details on your specific topic, this forecast will effectively
outline the structure of your paper so your readers can more easily follow your ideas.
Thesis Checklist
Your thesis is more than a general statement about your main idea. It needs to establish a clear position you will
support with balanced proofs (logos, pathos, ethos). Use the checklist below to help you create a thesis.
This section is adapted from Writing with a Thesis: A Rhetoric Reader by David Skwire and Sarah Skwire:
Make sure you avoid the following when creating your thesis:
• A thesis is not a title: Homes and schools (title) vs. Parents ought to participate more in the education of
their children (good thesis).
• A thesis is not an announcement of the subject: My subject is the incompetence of the Supreme Court vs.
The Supreme Court made a mistake when it ruled in favor of George W. Bush in the 2000 election.
• A thesis is not a statement of absolute fact: Jane Austen is the author of Pride and Prejudice.
• A thesis is not the whole essay: A thesis is your main idea/claim/refutation/problem-solution expressed in a
single sentence or a combination of sentences.
• Please note that according to the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Sixth Edition, "A thesis
statement is a single sentence that formulates both your topic and your point of view" (Gibaldi 56).
However, if your paper is more complex and requires a thesis statement, your thesis may require a

combination of sentences.
Make sure you follow these guidelines when creating your thesis:
• A good thesis is unified: Detective stories are not a high form of literature, but people have always been
fascinated by them, and many fine writers have experimented with them (floppy). vs. Detective stories
appeal to the basic human desire for thrills (concise).
• A good thesis is specific: James Joyce’s Ulysses is very good. vs. James Joyce’s Ulysses helped create a
new way for writers to deal with the unconscious.
• Try to be as specific as possible (without providing too much detail) when creating your thesis: James
Joyce’s Ulysses helped create a new way for writers to deal with the unconscious. vs. James Joyce’s
Ulysses helped create a new way for writers to deal with the unconscious by utilizing the findings of
Freudian psychology and introducing the techniques of literary stream-of-consciousness.
Quick Checklist:
_____ The thesis/claim follows the guidelines outlined above
_____ The thesis/claim matches the requirements and goals of the assignment
_____ The thesis/claim is clear and easily recognizable
_____ The thesis/claim seems supportable by good reasoning/data, emotional appeal
Body Paragraphs
Body Paragraphs: Moving from General to Specific Information
Your paper should be organized in a manner that moves from general to specific information. Every time you begin
a new subject, think of an inverted pyramid - the broadest range of information sits at the top, and as the paragraph
or paper progresses, the author becomes more and more focused on the argument ending with specific, detailed
evidence supporting a claim. Lastly, the author explains how and why the information she has just provided
connects to and supports her thesis (a brief wrap up or warrant).
Image Caption: Moving from General to Specific Information
The four elements of a good paragraph (TTEB)
A good paragraph should contain at least the following four elements: Transition, Topic sentence, specific
Evidence and analysis, and a Brief wrap-up sentence (also known as a warrant) – TTEB!
1. A Transition sentence leading in from a previous paragraph to assure smooth reading. This acts as a hand
off from one idea to the next.
2. A Topic sentence that tells the reader what you will be discussing in the paragraph.

3. Specific Evidence and analysis that supports one of your claims and that provides a deeper level of detail
than your topic sentence.
4. A Brief wrap-up sentence that tells the reader how and why this information supports the paper’s thesis.
The brief wrap-up is also known as the warrant. The warrant is important to your argument because it
connects your reasoning and support to your thesis, and it shows that the information in the paragraph is
related to your thesis and helps defend it.
Supporting evidence (induction and deduction)
Induction
Induction is the type of reasoning that moves from specific facts to a general conclusion. When you use induction
in your paper, you will state your thesis (which is actually the conclusion you have come to after looking at all the
facts) and then support your thesis with the facts. The following is an example of induction taken from Dorothy U.
Seyler’s Understanding Argument:
Facts:
There is the dead body of Smith. Smith was shot in his bedroom between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.,
according to the coroner. Smith was shot with a .32 caliber pistol. The pistol left in the bedroom contains Jones’s
fingerprints. Jones was seen, by a neighbor, entering the Smith home at around 11:00 p.m. the night of Smith’s
death. A coworker heard Smith and Jones arguing in Smith’s office the morning of the day Smith died.
Conclusion: Jones killed Smith.
Here, then, is the example in bullet form:
• Conclusion: Jones killed Smith
• Support: Smith was shot by Jones’ gun, Jones was seen entering the scene of the crime, Jones and Smith
argued earlier in the day Smith died.
• Assumption: The facts are representative, not isolated incidents, and thus reveal a trend, justifying the
conclusion drawn.
Deduction
When you use deduction in an argument, you begin with general premises and move to a specific conclusion. There
is a precise pattern you must use when you reason deductively. This pattern is called syllogistic reasoning (the
syllogism). Syllogistic reasoning (deduction) is organized in three steps:
1. Major premise
2. Minor premise

3. Conclusion
In order for the syllogism (deduction) to work, you must accept that the relationship of the two premises lead,
logically, to the conclusion. Here are two examples of deduction or syllogistic reasoning:
Socrates
1. Major premise: All men are mortal.
2. Minor premise: Socrates is a man.
3. Conclusion: Socrates is mortal.
Lincoln
1. Major premise: People who perform with courage and clear purpose in a crisis are great leaders.
2. Minor premise: Lincoln was a person who performed with courage and a clear purpose in a crisis.
3. Conclusion: Lincoln was a great leader.
So in order for deduction to work in the example involving Socrates, you must agree that 1) all men are mortal
(they all die); and 2) Socrates is a man. If you disagree with either of these premises, the conclusion is invalid. The
example using Socrates isn’t so difficult to validate. But when you move into more murky water (when you use
terms such as courage, clear purpose, and great), the connections get tenuous.
For example, some historians might argue that Lincoln didn’t really shine until a few years into the Civil War, after
many Union losses to Southern leaders such as Robert E. Lee.
The following is a more clear example of deduction gone awry:
1. Major premise: All dogs make good pets.
2. Minor premise: Doogle is a dog.
3. Conclusion: Doogle will make a good pet.
If you don’t agree that all dogs make good pets, then the conclusion that Doogle will make a good pet is invalid.
Enthymemes
When a premise in a syllogism is missing, the syllogism becomes an enthymeme. Enthymemes can be very
effective in argument, but they can also be unethical and lead to invalid conclusions. Authors often use
enthymemes to persuade audiences. The following is an example of an enthymeme:
If you have a plasma TV, you are not poor.
The first part of the enthymeme (If you have a plasma TV) is the stated premise. The second part of the statement
(you are not poor) is the conclusion. So the unstated premise is “Only rich people have plasma TVs.” The
enthymeme above leads us to an invalid conclusion (people who own plasma TVs are not poor) because there are

plenty of people who own plasma TVs who are poor. Let’s look at this enthymeme in a syllogistic structure:
• Major premise: People who own plasma TVs are rich (unstated above).
• Minor premise: You own a plasma TV.
• Conclusion: You are not poor.
To help you understand how induction and deduction can work together to form a solid argument, you may want to
look at the American Declaration of Independence. The first section of the Declaration contains a series of
syllogisms, while the middle section is an inductive list of examples. The final section brings the first and second
sections together in a compelling conclusion.
Rebuttal Sections
In order to present a fair and convincing message, you may need to anticipate, research, and outline some of the
common positions (arguments) that dispute your thesis. If the situation (purpose) calls for you to do this, you will
present and then refute these other positions in the rebuttal section of your essay.
It is important to consider other positions because in most cases, your primary audience will be fence-sitters.
Fence-sitters are people who have not decided which side of the argument to support.
People who are on your side of the argument will not need a lot of information to align with your position. People
who are completely against your argument - perhaps for ethical or religious reasons - will probably never align
with your position no matter how much information you provide. Therefore, the audience you should consider most
important are those people who haven't decided which side of the argument they will support - the fence-sitters.
In many cases, these fence-sitters have not decided which side to align with because they see value in both
positions. Therefore, to not consider opposing positions to your own in a fair manner may alienate fence-sitters
when they see that you are not addressing their concerns or discussion opposing positions at all.
Organizing your rebuttal section
Following the TTEB method outlined in the Body Paragraph section, forecast all the information that will follow in
the rebuttal section and then move point by point through the other positions addressing each one as you go. The
outline below, adapted from Seyler's Understanding Argument, is an example of a rebuttal section from a thesis
essay.
When you rebut or refute an opposing position, use the following three-part organization:
The opponent’s argument – Usually, you should not assume that your reader has read or remembered the argument
you are refuting. Thus at the beginning of your paragraph, you need to state, accurately and fairly, the main points
of the argument you will refute.

Your position – Next, make clear the nature of your disagreement with the argument or position you are refuting.
Your position might assert, for example, that a writer has not proved his assertion because he has provided
evidence that is outdated, or that the argument is filled with fallacies.
Your refutation – The specifics of your counterargument will depend upon the nature of your disagreement. If you
challenge the writer’s evidence, then you must present the more recent evidence. If you challenge assumptions,
then you must explain why they do not hold up. If your position is that the piece is filled with fallacies, then you
must present and explain each fallacy
Conclusions
Conclusions wrap up what you have been discussing in your paper. After moving from general to specific
information in the introduction and body paragraphs, your conclusion should begin pulling back into more general
information that restates the main points of your argument. Conclusions may also call for action or overview future
possible research. The following outline may help you conclude your paper:
In a general way,
• restate your topic and why it is important,
• restate your thesis/claim,
• address opposing viewpoints and explain why readers should align with your position,
• call for action or overview future research possibilities.
Remember that once you accomplish these tasks, unless otherwise directed by your instructor, you are finished.
Done. Complete. Don't try to bring in new points or end with a whiz bang(!) conclusion or try to solve world
hunger in the final sentence of your conclusion. Simplicity is best for a clear, convincing message.
The preacher's maxim is one of the most effective formulas to follow for argument papers:
1. Tell what you're going to tell them (introduction).
2. Tell them (body).
3. Tell them what you told them (conclusion).
Creating a Thesis Statement
This resource was written by Erin Karper.
Last full revision by Elyssa Tardiff.
Last edited by Allen Brizee on September 10th 2008 at 9:58AM
Summary: This resource provides tips for creating a thesis statement and examples of different types of thesis
statements.

Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements
Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement
1.Determine what kind of paper you are writing:
• An analytical paper breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea,
and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience.
• An expository (explanatory) paper explains something to the audience.
• An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence. The
claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an
interpretation. The goal of the argumentative paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based
on the evidence provided.
If you are writing a text which does not fall under these three categories (ex. a narrative), a thesis statement
somewhere in the first paragraph could still be helpful to your reader.
2. Your thesis statement should be specific—it should cover only what you will discuss in your paper and should
be supported with specific evidence.
3. The thesis statement usually appears at the end of the first paragraph of a paper.
4. Your topic may change as you write, so you may need to revise your thesis statement to reflect exactly what you
have discussed in the paper.
Thesis Statement Examples
Example of an analytical thesis statement:
An analysis of the college admission process reveals one challenge facing counselors: accepting students with high
test scores or students with strong extracurricular backgrounds.
The paper that follows should:
• explain the analysis of the college admission process
• explain the challenge facing admissions counselors
Example of an expository (explanatory) thesis statement:
The life of the typical college student is characterized by time spent studying, attending class, and socializing with
peers.
The paper that follows should:
• explain how students spend their time studying, attending class, and socializing with peers

Example of an argumentative thesis statement:
High school graduates should be required to take a year off to pursue community service projects before entering
college in order to increase their maturity and global awareness.
The paper that follows should:
• present an argument and give evidence to support the claim that students should pursue community
projects before entering college
Developing Strong Thesis Statements
The Thesis statement or main claim must be debatable
An argumentative or persuasive piece of writing must begin with a debatable thesis or claim. In other words, the
thesis must be something that people could reasonably have differing opinions on. If your thesis is something that
is generally agreed upon or accepted as fact then there is no reason to try to persuade people.
Example of a non-debatable thesis statement:
Pollution is bad for the environment.
This thesis statement is not debatable. First, the word pollution means that something is bad or negative in some
way. Further, all studies agree that pollution is a problem, they simply disagree on the impact it will have or the
scope of the problem. No one could reasonably argue that pollution is good.
Example of a debatable thesis statement:
At least twenty-five percent of the federal budget should be spent on limiting pollution.
This is an example of a debatable thesis because reasonable people could disagree with it. Some people might think
that this is how we should spend the nation's money. Others might feel that we should be spending more money on
education. Still others could argue that corporations, not the government, should be paying to limit pollution.
Another example of a debatable thesis statement:
America's anti-pollution efforts should focus on privately owned cars.
In this example there is also room for disagreement between rational individuals. Some citizens might think
focusing on recycling programs rather than private automobiles is the most effective strategy.
The thesis needs to be narrow
Although the scope of your paper might seem overwhelming at the start, generally the narrower the thesis the more
effective your argument will be. Your thesis or claim must be supported by evidence. The broader your claim is,
the more evidence you will need to convince readers that your position is right.
Example of a thesis that is too broad:

Drug use is detrimental to society.
There are several reasons this statement is too broad to argue. First, what is included in the category "drugs"? Is the
author talking about illegal drug use, recreational drug use (which might include alcohol and cigarettes), or all uses
of medication in general? Second, in what ways are drugs detrimental? Is drug use causing deaths (and is the author
equating deaths from overdoses and deaths from drug related violence)? Is drug use changing the moral climate or
causing the economy to decline? Finally, what does the author mean by "society"? Is the author referring only to
America or to the global population? Does the author make any distinction between the effects on children and
adults? There are just too many questions that the claim leaves open. The author could not cover all of the topics
listed above, yet the generality of the claim leaves all of these possibilities open to debate.
Example of a narrow or focused thesis:
Illegal drug use is detrimental because it encourages gang violence.
In this example the the topic of drugs has been narrowed down to illegal drugs and the detriment has been
narrowed down to gang violence. This is a much more manageable topic.
We could narrow each debatable thesis from the previous examples in the following way:
Narrowed debatable thesis 1:
At least twenty-five percent of the federal budget should be spent on helping upgrade business to clean
technologies, researching renewable energy sources, and planting more trees in order to control or eliminate
pollution.
This thesis narrows the scope of the argument by specifying not just the amount of money used but also how the
money could actually help to control pollution.
Narrowed debatable thesis 2:
America's anti-pollution efforts should focus on privately owned cars because it would allow most citizens to
contribute to national efforts and care about the outcome.
This thesis narrows the scope of the argument by specifying not just what the focus of a national anti-pollution
campaign should be but also why this is the appropriate focus.
Qualifiers such as "typically," "generally," "usually," or "on average" also help to limit the scope of your claim by
allowing for the almost inevitable exception to the rule.
Types of Claims
Claims typically fall into one of four categories. Thinking about how you want to approach your topic, in other
words what type of claim you want to make, is one way to focus your thesis on one particular aspect of you broader

topic.
Claims of fact or definition: These claims argue about what the definition of something is or whether something
is a settled fact. Example:
What some people refer to as global warming is actually nothing more than normal, long-term cycles of climate
change.
Claims of cause and effect: These claims argue that one person, thing, or event caused another thing or event to
occur. Example:
The popularity of SUV's in America has caused pollution to increase.
Claims about value: These are claims made about what something is worth, whether we value it or not, how we
would rate or categorize something. Example:
Global warming is the most pressing challenge facing the world today.
Claims about solutions or policies: These are claims that argue for or against a certain solution or policy approach
to a problem. Example:
Instead of drilling for oil in Alaska we should be focusing on ways to reduce oil consumption, such as researching
renewable energy sources.
Which type of claim is right for your argument? Which type of thesis or claim you use for your argument will
depend on your position and knowledge on the topic, your audience, and the context of your paper. You might
want to think about where you imagine your audience to be on this topic and pinpoint where you think the biggest
difference in viewpoints might be. Even if you start with one type of claim you probably will be using several
within the paper. Regardless of the type of claim you choose to utilize it is key to identify the controversy or debate
you are addressing and to define your position early on in the paper!
Using Research and Evidence
What type of evidence should I use?
There are two types of evidence:
First hand research is research you have conducted yourself such as interviews, experiments, surveys, or personal
experience and anecdotes.
Second hand research is research you are getting from various texts that has been supplied and compiled by others
such as books, periodicals, and websites.
Regardless of what type of sources you use, they must be credible. In other words, your sources must be reliable,
accurate, and trustworthy.

How Do I know if a source is credible?
You can ask the following questions to determine if a source is credible:
Who is the author? Credible sources are written by authors respected their fields of study. Responsible, credible
authors will cite their sources so that you can check the accuracy of and support for what they've written. (This is
also a good way to find more sources for your own research.)
How recent is the source? The choice to seek recent sources depends on your topic. While sources on the
American Civil War may be decades old and still contain accurate information, sources on information
technologies, or other areas that are experiencing rapid changes, need to be much more current.
What is the author's purpose? When deciding which sources to use, you should take the purpose or point of view
of the author into consideration. Is the author presenting a neutral, objective view of a topic? Or is the author
advocating one specific view of a topic? Who is funding the research or writing of this source? A source written
from a particular point of view may be credible; however, you need to be careful that your sources don't limit your
coverage of a topic to one side of a debate.
What type of sources does your audience value? If you are writing for a professional or academic audience, they
may value peer-reviewed journals as the most credible sources of information. If you are writing for a group of
residents in your hometown, they might be more comfortable with mainstream sources, such as Time or Newsweek.
A younger audience may be more accepting of information found on the Internet than an older audience might be.
Be especially careful when evaluating Internet sources! Never use Web sites where an author cannot be
determined, unless the site is associated with a reputable institution such as a respected university, a credible media
outlet, government program or department, or well-known non-governmental organizations. Beware of using sites
like Wikipedia, which are collaboratively developed by users. Because anyone can add or change content, the
validity of information on such sites may not meet the standards for academic research.
Organizing Your Argument
How can I effectively present my argument?
Use an organizational structure that arranges the argument in a way that will make sense to the reader. The
Toulmin Method of logic is a common and easy to use formula for organizing an argument.
The basic format for the Toulmin Method is as follows:
Claim: The overall thesis the writer will argue for.
Data: Evidence gathered to support the claim.
Warrant (also referred to as a bridge): Explanation of why or how the data supports the claim, the underlying

assumption that connects your data to your claim.
Backing (also referred to as the foundation): Additional logic or reasoning that may be necessary to support the
warrant.
Counterclaim: A claim that negates or disagrees with the thesis/claim.
Rebuttal: Evidence that negates or disagrees with the counterclaim.
Including a well thought out warrant or bridge is essential to writing a good argumentative essay or paper. If you
present data to your audience without explaining how it supports your thesis they may not make a connection
between the two or they may draw different conclusions.
Don't avoid the opposing side of an argument. Instead, include the opposing side as a counterclaim. Find out what
the other side is saying and respond to it within your own argument. This is important so that the audience is not
swayed by weak, but unrefuted, arguments. Including counterclaims allows you to find common ground with more
of your readers. It also makes you look more credible because you appear to be knowledgeable about the entirety of
the debate rather than just being biased or uniformed. You may want to include several counterclaims to show that
you have thoroughly researched the topic.
Example:
Claim: Hybrid cars are an effective strategy to fight pollution.
Data1:Driving a private car is a typical citizen's most air polluting activity.
Warrant 1:Because cars are the largest source of private, as opposed to industry produced, air pollution switching
to hybrid cars should have an impact on fighting pollution.
Data 2: Each vehicle produced is going to stay on the road for roughly 12 to 15 years.
Warrant 2: Cars generally have a long lifespan, meaning that a decision to switch to a hybrid car will make a
long-term impact on pollution levels.
Data 3: Hybrid cars combine a gasoline engine with a battery-powered electric motor.
Warrant 3: This combination of technologies means that less pollution is produced. According to ineedtoknow.org
"the hybrid engine of the Prius, made by Toyota, produces 90 percent fewer harmful emissions than a comparable
gasoline engine."
Counterclaim: Instead of focusing on cars, which still encourages a culture of driving even if it cuts down on
pollution, the nation should focus on building and encouraging use of mass transit systems.