Brainstorming:
When you have an issue that you'd like to weigh in on, deciding on a
point and purpose is relatively simple. Determine who you want to
influence and why – if in doubt, ask yourself, what will be
the fastest route to the change I want to see? Before
writing, it is a good idea to make sure that you can state your point
and purpose in two simple sentences. If you can't express your point
and purpose naturally and with a minimum of words, you may have
difficulty formulating a readable essay. As a general rule, the more
strongly you feel about your topic, the more natural it will be for
you to write extensively about it.
Research:
Research your topic thoroughly. If you are writing on a political
matter in the local area, your town hall or public library can be a
valuable source of government documents relating to your issue. If
you are tackling something of wider scope, you will no doubt do some
internet research. A whole article could be
written on this topic, but in sum, be careful of blogs
and websites hosted on free services where public access is the norm.
Government or non-profit organizations sites and statements from
known, trustworthy public figures should form the backbone of any
argument; having your facts discredited will make your audience much
less likely to listen to you in the future. During research, also
keep in mind who you are writing for and make note of facts that will
appeal to their values and desires. You can emphasize these during
the writing process.
Writing:
Essays meant for public consumption will generally follow an outline
like this:
Opening:
The opening of any piece of work should grab the reader's attention.
There are several ways to do this. You may want to present an
interesting fact that will reel the reader in right away. Another
method is to ask a question, even if it is rhetorical (ex: “Who
doesn't like safety?”). Delve into your research – as in
our example, if statistics show a case for your position, don't be
afraid to start strong with something like. “Did you know that
most local street crime is perpetrated by teens after ten P.M?”
Support:
Everything between your opening and your conclusion will take the
form of support. You should strive for objectivity – that is,
an unbiased tone – in your support paragraphs in order to sound
more trustworthy and authoritative. Center your writing around
verifiable facts, and make the reader aware of where you found them
Closing: After
three to five paragraphs of support, your closing should succinctly
restate your point and purpose. Your closing paragraph is no time to
introduce any new ideas or facts, but you can use it to repeat your
strongest arguments. A good rule of thumb is, “First you tell
the reader what you're going to say, then you say it, then you tell
them what you said.” Repetition in the opening and closing
paragraphs is used to solidify your main arguments in the reader's
mind.