How to Improve Your Writing

Lead with your main idea. As a general rule, state the main idea of a paragraph in the first sentence--the topic sentence. Vary the length of your sentences. In general, use short sentences to emphasize ideas. Use longer sentences to explain, define, or illustrate ideas. Put key words and ideas at the beginning or end of a sentence. Don't bury a main point in the middle of a long sentence. Read aloud when you revise. When revising, you may hear problems (of tone, emphasis, word choice, and syntax) that you can't see. So listen up!

Five-paragraph Essay

Introductory Paragraph

C. Use specific examples to demonstrate your attitude toward any one of the following subjects: 12. superstitions 13. the best or worst movie of all time 14. contemporary slang 15. Facebook friendships 16. your favorite (or least favorite) television program 17. your favorite (or least favorite) commercial 18. tattoos 19. Twitter 20. violence in video games 21. body piercings 22. changing gender roles 23. PowerPoint presentations 24. the most useful (or useless) invention 25. online high school or college courses 26. best or worst job (real or imagined) 27. your favorite (or least favorite) actor, singer, or musician 28. your favorite (or least favorite) fictional character

D.Use specific examples to examine any one of the following subjects: 29. a parent's greatest responsibilities 30. fad diets 31. male or female stereotypes in popular culture 32. superstitions 33. the best (or worst) song lyrics 34. true leaders 35. good manners 36. the value of pets 37. best (or worse) fashions 38. true heroism 39. churchgoers 40. the different roles of a student

Argument Essay topics

1. Is global climate change man-made? (Find Sources)2. Is the death penalty effective? (Find Sources) 3. Is our election process fair? 4. Do colleges put too much stock in standardized test scores? (Find Sources) 5. Is torture ever acceptable? 6. Should men get paternity leave from work? 7. Is a lottery a good idea? 8. Do we have a fair taxation system? 9. Do curfews keep teens out of trouble? 10. Is cheating out of control? 11. Are we too dependent on computers? 12. Are parents clueless about child predators on the Internet? 13. Should animals be used for research? 14. Should cigarette smoking be banned? 15. Are cell phones dangerous? 16. Are law enforcement cameras an invasion of privacy? 17. Are test scores a good indication of a school's competency? 18. Do we have a throw-away society? 19. Is child behavior better or worse than it was years ago? 20. Should companies market to children? 21. Should the government have a say in our diets? 22. Does access to condoms prevent teen pregnancy? 23. Does access to condoms lead to irresponsible, dangerous, or bad behavior? 24. Are actors and professional athletes paid too much? 25. Are CEOs paid too much? 26. Do violent video games cause behavior problems? 27. Should creationism be taught in public schools? 28. Are beauty pageants exploitive? 29. Should English be the official language in the United States? 30. Should the racing industry be forced to use biofuels? 31. When should parents let teens make their own decisions? 33. Should the military be allowed to recruit at high schools? 34. Should the alcoholic drinking age be increased or decreased? 35. Does age matter in relationships? 36. What age is appropriate for dating? 37. Should gay couples be able to marry? 38. Are there benefits to attending a single-sex school? 39. Does boredom lead to trouble? 40. Does participation in sports keep teens out of trouble? 41. Is competition good? 42. Does religion cause war? 43. Should the government provide health care? 44. Should girls ask boys out? 45. Is fashion important? 46. Are girls too mean to each other? 47. Is homework harmful or helpful? 48. Should students be allowed to grade their teachers? 49. Is the cost of college too high? 50. Is college admission too competitive?

Droopy pants laws are unconstitutional. Snow days are great for family quality time. Too much money is a bad thing. Teens should be required to take parenting classes. High schools should offer specialized degrees in arts or sciences. People should go to jail when they abandon their pets. Kids should get paid for good grades. Free speech should have limitations. Kids should have less homework. Magazine advertisements send unhealthy signals to young women. We need more women in power. Penmanship is important. We should teach etiquette in schools. Spam mail should be outlawed. Puerto Rico should be a state. Short hair is better than long hair. Racial slurs should be illegal. I'm old enough to babysit. Recycling should be mandatory for everyone. Gun ownership should be tightly controlled. Children should be required to read more. We shouldn't have to pay for Internet access. All students should study abroad. Yearly driving tests should be mandatory over a certain age. Yearly driving tests should be mandatory for the first five years after getting a license. Cell phones should never be used while driving. All schools should implement bullying awareness programs. Bullies should be kicked out of school. Parents of bullies should have to pay a fine. The school year should be longer. School days should start later. All students should wear uniforms. Cigarettes should be more expensive. Smokers should pay a health tax. Child support dodgers should go to jail. Students should be allowed to pray in school. Teens should be able to choose their bedtime. There should be a mandatory entrance exam for high school. At least one parent should work from home. People should carpool more. We should allow pets in school. I'm old enough to stay at home alone. We should all grow our own vegetables. MP3 music should be free. Textbooks should be free. Pregnant couples should receive parenting lessons. We shouldn't use products made from animal skins. Celebrities should have more privacy rights. Boxing should have tighter rules. We need better sex education in schools. School tests are not effective. We should all give back to our communities.

Persuasion Essay topics