“What is an opinion essay?” and “How to write opinion essays” are the two most frequently asked questions by college students.
How to write an opinion essay is all about developing a viewpoint. Relevant explanations and examples support this idea. Before writing an opinion paper, you must research the topics, format, and requirements.
In light of this, follow this guide to discover how to write a personal opinion essay.
What is an Opinion Essay
An opinion essay is a form of academic writing that asks students to express their thoughts on a given topic using questions. This type of assignment typically requires numerous references to substantiate your statements. To simplify the definition of an opinion essay, it consists of your opinion separated into separate points. The paper generally addresses the audience directly. This introduction begins with a quotation from a book, play, or speech. The statement is followed by a rhetorical question, such as “is the American president an American?”
Opinion Essays Structure
Most students struggle with the format of an opinion essay. The conventional format for an opinion paper consists of five paragraphs. It might be challenging for novices to determine what to include in each section. Nonetheless, this is the reason why every beginner writer must use an essay outline when writing. Read more on our opinion essay structure examples.
For assistance with the format of an opinion essay, here is a sample:
Opinion writing structure
There are a few processes between starting and concluding a document before beginning the text structure outlined above.
Pre-writing
This phase involves the following factors:
- The assignment questions you wish to address.
- The important elements that your audience must be aware of.
- The central argument or idea that makes your work successful in academic writing.
- The research is required to form this viewpoint, coupled with supporting evidence. It should also include any potential contradictions.
Brainstorming
This procedure requires you to build your organic ideas into meaningful subjects, as its name implies. When writing your ideas, you should be confident in including illogical concepts.
If you already have a topic for your essay, you can begin writing evidence-based information to support your argument.
Topic Selection
If you have yet to be assigned a topic, you must adapt your brainstormed ideas into a compelling topic. Determine if you agree or disagree with the issue at hand.
Deciding whether you agree or disagree with the topic prevents you from deviating from your initial statement. Check our examples of opinion essay topics.
Opinion Paper Outline
You should avoid skipping this area, as it can make or break your academic writing. When creating your outline, you can use a rough opinion essay template with certain headings to form the assignment’s skeleton.
Now, let’s talk about essay parts and how to write an introduction for an opinion essay.
How to Format?
Introduction
The introduction of an opinion essay must immediately address the audience by stating the topic. This requires references from a play, book, poem, or speech. Additionally, you must include the author’s name and the publication’s date in brackets.
Thesis statement
The thesis statement is the whole expression of your position. It follows the introduction in an essay expressing an opinion. In this part, you are permitted to express your view. This section includes the items listed below:
- One to two sentences that comprise a brief description.
- Two sentences summing up the entire paper.
- One sentence that connects to the opening paragraph of the essay’s body
Check our thesis statement examples for opinion essays.
Body Paragraph 1
This is the primary section in which you present your case or rationale for or against the topic. This section is great since you can present as many reasons as possible. This section will teach you how to write a body paragraph for an opinion essay.
The paragraph’s body will include the following:
- Your supporting argument
- An illustration of your supporting reasoning
- A statement of your argument in your own words
- In addition, it should include a statement that connects to your second body paragraph.
Body Paragraph 2
This paragraph’s body will include the following:
- Your supporting evidence
- An illustration of your supporting argument
- A statement of your position in your own words.
- Additionally, it should include a sentence that connects to your third body paragraph.
Body Paragraph 3
This paragraph’s body will include the following:
- Your supporting argument
- An illustration of your supporting argument
- An explanation of your position using your own words
- It should also contain a statement that connects to the subject’s conclusion.
Conclusion
The conclusion of your academic paper should include a comprehensive summary of the entire document. It should also include a concluding line that provides a comprehensive response to the topic. Ensure that you reiterate your key arguments briefly in this part to emphasize them.
In other words, you must rework the thesis in your terms and incorporate your position. The conclusion is an undervalued part of a paper because it can emphasize your views more to the reader. However, you should not make this paragraph any longer than necessary.
The most effective ending paragraphs are concise and directly to the point. This style assures that your viewers will take away something beneficial from the article. Read also reasons and examples for opinion writing.
FAQ
What is an opinion paper?
An opinion paper lets writers express their views and opinions on a topic using well-crafted sources and examples to support their viewpoints.
How to start off an opinion essay?
Writing an opinion essay begins with a comprehensive introduction to the issue. In this instance, you also present your perspective and your case for or against the topic at hand.
What is the structure of an opinion essay?
Following is the structure of an opinion essay:
- Pre-writing
- Brainstorming
- Topic Selection
Once you have completed the steps mentioned above, you can begin writing your essay using the format provided below:
- Introduction
- Thesis
- Body Paragraph 1
- Body Paragraph 2
- Body Paragraph 3
- Conclusion
What are the 3 parts of opinion writing?
Every opinion essay contains three paragraphs. These consist of an introduction, body, and conclusion.
The essay’s first section is the introduction. It introduces the topic of the essay. Your essay’s body should explain, describe, argue, or summarize the ideas made in the introduction. The conclusion should restate the thesis and respond to any questions the essay raises.
How do you write an opinion essay for kids?
Each opinion essay is composed of three paragraphs. These include an introduction, the body, and a conclusion.
The first section of the essay is the introduction. It introduces the essay topic. The body of your essay should explain, describe, argue, or summarize the concepts introduced in the introduction. The conclusion should restate the thesis and address any questions in the essay’s body.
What is opinion writing for students?
The purpose of opinion writing is to express a personal viewpoint. The author intends to elaborate on a notion and persuade the reader to agree with the idea.
What must be included in opinion writing?
The opinion essay should begin with a strong, unambiguous statement of opinion, which should be held unwaveringly and continually reaffirmed throughout the content. Using a hook to pique the reader’s interest, as with many other forms of writing, is also an essential technique.
How do you write an opinion essay without using I?
To accomplish this, remove the first-person pronoun from your statement. In professional writing, “one,” “the reader,” “readers,” “the viewer,” or similar terms can sometimes be used effectively in place of first-person pronouns; however, they should not be overused.
What is a statement of opinion?
An opinion statement is a written remark regarding a topic. It may be a personal opinion, appraisal, interpretation, or policy proposal. The objective of an essay’s statement is to persuade the reader that the author understands the issue sufficiently to write about it.
Can you say “I” in an opinion essay?
Yes, “I” is acceptable in this style of writing. This is because, unlike other types of writing, an opinion paper can be referred to as a personal opinion essay. It requires you to write your opinion on a particular topic.
Read More: How to Write a Symbolism Essay: Step by Step
