The opinion question allows you to express your opinion, but you must always support your opinion with carefully selected examples and persuasive arguments.

Basic outline for writing an essay:

• Choose a central idea, or thesis, for your essay. This generally involves restating the question asked.
• Make an outline of your essay. This includes an introduction, a few paragraphs (the body) and a conclusion. Jot down briefly what you plan on saying in each part.
• In the introduction, state your thesis, use one sentence to introduce every body paragraph to follow and finish the introduction with a short summary or goal statement.
• In each of the body paragraphs (usually two or three) the ideas first presented in the introductory paragraph are developed. Develop your body paragraphs by giving detailed information, examples and arguments. Body paragraphs should develop the central idea and finish with a summary of that idea.
• The conclusion summarizes your essay and is often a reverse of the introduction. Begin the conclusion by briefly restating the main ideas of your body paragraphs. The second to last sentence should restate your thesis. Your final statement can be a prediction, a question.

Tips:

• Do not be afraid to express your opinion and do not apologize for what you are saying. This is where you are supposed to give your opinion.
• Stay within the word limit-250 to 300 words.
• Avoid extreme opinions, unless you believe you can truly convince the reader.
• Always support your opinions. You can use examples drawn from materiel covered in class, or reading you have done outside of class. If you can't support your opinions, how can you expect to convince someone of their worthiness?

adapted from "How to write an essay," by: Kenneth Beare