How to Write an Opinion Based Essay

An essay is the most common and popular high school or college assignment, so once in a while, every student has to complete it. There are tens of essay types, and in this article, we’ll discuss how to write an opinion essay.

Don’t stress out: it is an essay which is based on your opinion. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be based on extensive research as an argumentative essay, and you don’t have to watch a movie like with a movie review. However, there are still a few rules and requirements which you need to follow in order to create a powerful opinion essay.

Below we will tell you how to work on the assignment, what things to keep in mind, and what tips to follow!

What is an Opinion Essay?

As usual, let’s start with the opinion essay definition. It is an assignment given to students of different academic levels, which allows them to share a personal view on a particular subject. Students are expected to put on paper what they think about the given topic and add strong argumentation. In some cases, it’s required to provide references on the claims.

Even though an opinion essay is passed on a personal point of view, it should still contain examples and arguments. 

The Outline for an Opinion Essay

To write an opinion essay as well as any other assignment, you need to start with an outline. It is a sort of a plan and a clear structure to follow. Even though some students think that it is only wasting time, the outline eventually saves days or even weeks of work because you don’t face writer’s block.

An opinion essay outline is rather common: five paragraphs and three main sections (introduction, body, and conclusion). However, if you are a university student, there may be more requirements for the text.

If the tutor doesn’t have any clear requirements on the structure and the number of paragraphs, we recommend sticking to the general five-paragraph format. It is simple, clear, and will never confuse readers.

An opinion essay is created to prove the main idea – your thesis statement. That is why it should be indicated in the introduction. It is a bad idea to leave the readers to wonder what you think about the subject. Make your position obvious right from the start.

The next step is working on the body paragraphs. Each paragraph must consist of a single argument. Write a topic sentence and then support it with examples, statistics, comparisons, and other instruments. Don’t forget that transition between paragraphs should be smooth, so you need to use transition words and phrases.

Side note: every claim that you make should be backed with references. The readers might ask, ‘wait, where did you get the information?’ or ‘How do you know it is true?’ That is why you should always research the subject and arguments, and indicate the source in your opinion essay.

Keep in mind that social media, forums, or TV programs are not a good source. Instead, stick to articles, journals, and books of reputable authors. And make sure you reference the sources according to the formatting style required by your tutor.

But let’s get back to our format: your opinion essay should be three to five sentences long, each of which should transmit a certain idea. Here is what your paragraphs should look like:

• First Paragraph. It is the introduction of your essay. Here you indicate the main point you are willing to render or prove. The introduction paragraph should consist of the thesis and the main reasons that make you think that the statement is correct.
• Second, Third, and Fourth Paragraphs. These are the body paragraphs of your opinion essay. Here you need to provide more details on the reasons you have indicated in the introduction. One reason – one paragraph. However, try to give a maximum of 5 arguments, not to bore or confuse the audience. Each body paragraph should cover the argument in detail providing examples, statistics, and even visual materials if appropriate;
• The fifth paragraph also called the conclusion. Many students neglect this stage, thinking that conclusion is not important. However, everything is quite the opposite, and you greatly risk your grades if you don’t work on the conclusion attentively. In this part, you should sum the arguments, restate the thesis, and remind the audience what your main findings were. Depending on the tone and topic of your opinion essay, round it up with a joke, an open question, or a call to action.

How to Write an Opinion Essay Step-by-Step

By now, you know what an opinion essay is and what sections it should contain. Below you will find how to write an opinion paper in a matter of few steps. Read each of them attentively, practice, and you will never have to worry about getting a low grade.

1. Read the prompt attentively. You may be surprised to find out how many students don’t read the prompt the way they should. However, to write an opinion paper, you should have a clear understanding of the requirements and tutor’s expectations. Make sure that you know how many words the essay should consist of and what formatting style to apply. Don’t be shy to ask your tutor for clarification if something is unclear.
2. Research the topic. The next stage is researching the topic. Even though opinion essay is not a research paper, the arguments and claims that you make should be backed with evidence and reliable facts. Thus, you need to read the sources and find information that is related to the topic. For example, journals, articles, books, and other reliable publications. Forums, Facebook, and Wikipedia, are fun but are not suitable for an essay.
3. Write the introduction (start with a hook). As we have discussed above, the introduction is the first paragraph of your essay, where you need to explain what the paper is about, which issues you are going to discuss, and why the topic matters.
4. Don’t forget to include a hook sentence because your goal is to make the readers want to learn more. A hook may be an interesting fact, a story from your own life, or an open-ended question.
5. Work on the thesis. The thesis is the main idea of the essay. Usually, it is written in one or two sentences at the end of the introduction. If you don’t know what the key idea is, leave this task until other parts are written. It sometimes happens that the goal and main idea of an essay changes in the writing process, so don’t hesitate to rewrite it anew.
6. Write argumentation and supportive evidence. Back every fact, statistics, or claims with reliable data from reputable sources. The body paragraph should start with a topic sentence and then followed with argumentation and explanations. Don’t forget about transition words.
7. Write a strong conclusion. Above, we have discussed what makes a strong conclusion and how to make it powerful. Remember that conclusion helps to make the essay complete and logical, so use this opportunity and restate your main findings once again.
8. Proofread and edit. It’s not enough to write a good essay. Before submitting it, you need to be sure that there are no mistakes or misprints. Check the paper line after line, use online grammar checkers, or ask your friends for help. Make sure that there are no mistakes because they may greatly influence your final score.

Additional Tips You Should Consider

 Writing an opinion essay becomes much simpler if you apply the following tips:

• Remain relevant. Many students go off-topic and forget what the assigned question was. Not to get a low grade, stick to the point and avoid wordiness;
• The first paragraph should be indented. It is the main rule of any academic paper, and you should stick to it;
• A great thesis. The thesis statement is a short description of your essay’s main idea. Make sure that it is relevant and clear;
• Informal punctuation is not welcomed. Try not to use exclamation marks and emojis;
• Your language should be formal. Instead of using slang words or shortenings, stick to traditional, however, thus, furthermore, etc.

Need Help with an Opinion Based Essay?

If you were asked to write an opinion essay, don’t get nervous. Even though this assignment is difficult, it can teach you lots of things about yourself and the world. In this article, we have discussed the elements of an opinion essay, the tips to write it, and the common structure of the assignment.

However, if you don’t have a wish or time to work on the essay, we are ready to help. Writeanypapers.com is a professional writing service that can boast a team of experienced writers, editors, proofreaders, and teachers.

We know how to make your essay or any other academic assignment flawless. So stop hesitating, place an order, and we’ll teach you how to write an opinion essay. Or we will do everything for you, while you are enjoying your free time and leisure!