• Carefully read the claim and the specifi c instructions
and make sure you understand them; if
they seem unclear, discuss them with a friend
or teacher.
• Think about the claim and instructions in
relation to your own ideas and experiences, to
events you have read about or observed and to
people you have known; this is the knowledge
base from which you will develop compelling
reasons and examples in your argument that reinforce,
negate or qualify the claim in some way.
• Decide what position on the issue you want to
take and defend.
• Decide what compelling evidence (reasons and
examples) you can use to support your position.
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• What, precisely, is the central issue?
• What precisely are the instructions asking me to
do?
• Do I agree with all or any part of the claim?
Why or why not?
• Does the claim make certain assumptions? If so,
are they reasonable?
• Is the claim valid only under certain conditions?
If so, what are they?
• Do I need to explain how I interpret certain
terms or concepts used in the claim?
• If I take a certain position on the issue, what
reasons support my position?
• What examples—either real or hypothetical
—could I use to illustrate those reasons and
advance my point of view? Which examples are
most compelling?
Once you have decided on a position to defend, consider
the perspectives of others who might not agree
with your position. Ask yourself:
• What reasons might someone use to refute or
undermine my position?
• How should I acknowledge or defend against
those views in my essay?