How to Write an Essay

When your write an essay or participate in an online discussion you argue on behalf of a particular idea or point of view. You should include a thesis statement. This is your main idea, the point that you are trying to make.

However, you must do more than just give your opinion. You must support your opinion with specific, logical, convincing arguments. Support your argument by giving examples and citing experts in the field.

  • "As Kendall and Kendall say on page 954 of our text book..."
  • "As Ben Shneiderman says in his book Designing The User Interface..."
  • "An article in the November 11 issue of Computerworld states..."
  • "According to the definition of a system we have been using in class..."
  • "Prof. Theis mentioned the same idea last week in my management class when she said..."
  • "A similar situation that I experienced at my job was..."
  • "I saw that happen when..."

Another technique for writing effective essays is to anticipate and refute the arguments of those who would disagree with you. Just as you need to support your own position with convincing arguments, examples, and expert testimony you must also use those same methods to knock down the arguments of the opposition.

  • "Although the text book says... my former company went bankrupt when..."

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