Opinion essays give us a good opportunity to develop our ideas on controversial topics. They are somewhat similar to persuasion essays, but do not attempt to change the reader's mind about the topic.

Choosing a topic

• Be sure to choose a topic upon which you can express an opinion.
• However, be careful not to choose a topic upon which almost everyone holds the same opinion.
• Your topic should not be one which can be proved or disproved through experiments or statistics.

Writing your topic sentence

• Once you have chosen your topic, try to state your opinion in one sentence.
• For example, Nagashima Shigeo was a lousy manager and the Giants should do much better with a new manager next year.

Researching the topic

• Once you have chosen your topic, research it to be sure your facts are accurate.
• During your research look for facts, examples, stories, statistics, expert opinions, analogies, etc. which support your position.
• Write down a list of the most important points that support your topic sentence.

Thinking of your readers

• Try to predict whether your audience will disagree with your opinions strongly or not.
• If your readers are likely to disagree strongly, you will need to anticipate their objections as you write your essay.
• Go here for more information on thinking about your readers.

Choosing your points

• When you have finished researching your topic, choose the points that will express your opinion most clearly to the audience you have chosen.
• Try to limit your points to the three or four most important.

Organizing your points

• When organizing your points, start with the second most important point. This will catch your reader's attention, but leave a still stronger point for the last.
• Follow with the least important point.
• Next, use the third most important point.
• End with your most important point.

Writing your first draft

• Start with a sentence or paragraph (depending on the length of your composition) that introduces your topic.
• Use one main point per paragraph.
• Use supporting ideas for the point in each paragraph. Your supporting points may be based on the research your have done, conversations you have had with others, or ideas you have carefully thought about yourself.
• Keep the cohesion of your essay by using the cohesive devices we looked at.
• Write in the third person. There is no need to say, "I feel we should . . ."
• Worry only about your ideas and organization in this first draft.

Revising your composition

• Go to this page for more questions to ask yourself when you are revising your composition.

Possible Topics

• This year's ________ baseball team
• The new Shizuoka airport
• The risks of foreign travel
• Young people's fashions
• Nuclear power
• The Japanese economy
• Political reform
• Cellular phones
• Transportation in Shizuoka
• Korea and Japan sharing the World Cup
• People smoking in non-smoking areas
• Something you're dying to say to the Prime Minister
• Your own idea ___________________