The Correct Ways to Write an Opinion Essay

There are many correct ways to write an opinion essay. We shall be sharing few correct and most appropriate ones with you in this content. Just like every other kinds of writing, opinion writing is a writing that has its own conventions and forms. This set of rules expectedly deserves to be followed if the writer must achieve what is to be identified as perfect opinion writing.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, opinion means a view or judgement formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge. As so, opinions, be it as a written or spoken statement, are practically subjective and cannot be evidently relied upon when looking for their physical or justifiable proofs.

However, the foregoing submission is not to undermine the veracity of opinion writing content as it can also be an expression of a tested fact from personal angle or perspective. Oftentimes, it can also appear as an individual criticism of an established ‘truth’.

Writing opinion, as said before, can have its own special ways or skills or knowledge which one must possess or be conscious of before one attempts to write it. Below are some of the ways by which you can produce the best kind of opinion without obvious bias:

Basics

  1. Read the question carefully. Respond to all ideas in it or all parts of it.
  2. Plan your ideas first and then choose the best ones.
  3. Introduce your essay by restating the question in your own words.
  4. Show understanding of both sides of the argument.
  5. Use linking words to connect your ideas.
  6. Draw your conclusion from the main ideas in your essay. Don’t introduce new ideas at the end.
  • Brainstorm

If you don’t have a prompt, this is where you will start brainstorming all of the topics you might want to write about. If you do have a prompt, then brainstorm all of the possible answers to it.

  • Research 

In this step you’ll form your opinion. As you form it, continue to ask yourself why. Why do you believe something to be true? Do you have data to support it? Have you heard similar stories from multiple sources? If something sounds true to you, but you’re not sure why, continue to investigate it using primary and secondary sources. If it’s a valid opinion, you will find the support somewhere.

This is also a time to research any counterarguments or alternative perspectives. Including these in your essay shows you have done your research thoroughly. However, make sure you are presenting them in a way that still supports your point.

  • Outline

Create an outline according to the five-paragraph essay structure mentioned above. Adjust the paragraph count according to the assignment you’re given and how much room you need to explain or support your opinion.

  • Drafting

It’s finally time to write! Start with a rough draft and remember that it’s called rough for a reason. Write it all down. You’ll have time to clean it up and make it sound nice when you’re revising. If you don’t write anything down, you won’t have anything to revise. For opinion essays, include any quotes or research you’ve gathered and cite your sources.

  • Revise

Now is the time to revise, or clean it up. Make sure your essay flows logically; jumping from one topic to the next will disorient the reader. Check that all of your evidence supports your opinion. Listen to the way your essay sounds (literally, read it out loud to yourself). And triple-check that your opinion is crystal clear!

  • Proofread

The proofreading stage is where you get granular. Make sure your words are spelled correctly and that your commas and periods are in their places. If you aren’t confident in your proofreading skills, you can use Grammarly to review the essay with you.

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