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Respond to other intelligent opinions
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An intelligent opinion is one that is both thought provoking and well supported
- The best opinion for your project is one that differs from your own
- Opinions that agree with your own cannot be used to defend what you think
- Use multiple opinions in order to show where the controversy is
Here is a way to use an opinion:
State Rep. Roger Williams has recently argued that alcohol sales restrictions on Sunday in Georgia promote economic inequality: “It is unfair for the state to create an uneven playing field where some types of business are allowed to profit from Sunday sales while others are not.” Practically speaking, he might be right. If alcohol is legal on every other day of the week and I happen to run a store that deals exclusively in alcohol, should my revenue be held back on a day of the week when restaurants are permitted to sell drinks? However, is fairness really the issue in this controversy?
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| Clarify terms using valid definitions
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Definitions help keep a paper grounded in the standard meanings of terms
- Definitions are useful for discussions about laws, policies, scientific concepts, etc.
- Dictionaries are off limits for definitions--instead, go to the official documents
- Definitions are not useful for proof, but they help establish background for an argument
Here is a way to use a definition:
The attendance policy at Gainesville State College is clearly stated in the catalog: “Attendance at all scheduled classes is expected. The individual instructor's "Absence Policy" is specified on the course syllabus. Questions regarding an instructor's attendance/absence policy should be directed to the instructor.” The problem with this policy is that it leaves quite a bit of freedom to instructors to handle attendance however they want. Even the word “expected” is ambiguous.
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Illustrate points using examples from the real world
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Anecdotes from newspaper stories and current events ground a paper in reality
- Without examples to validate them, claims are speculative and unfounded
- Examples alone will not defend an opinion, but they will make the one who holds the opinion seem informed
Here is a way to use an example:
One example of using innovative education to curb drunk driving among high school students was reported by Emilie Doolittle: “Every four or five years, Saratoga High School stages a car accident simulating what actually occurs every 15 minutes: Someone dies in an alcohol-related collision in the United States.” This dramatic approach apparently has a profound impact on the way students at that school think about the consequences of irresponsible drinking. . . .
And another way to word the same thing:
Giving an example of innovative education to curb drunk driving among high school students, Emilie Doolittle reported that “every four or five years, Saratoga High School stages a car accident simulating what actually occurs every 15 minutes: Someone dies in an alcohol-related collision in the United States.”
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| Incorporate hard facts and statistics when needed
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Statistics show trends in large groups of people over time
- Dates, events, names of important individuals and organizations are also facts
- Be careful not to confuse facts with opinions. No one will dispute a fact . . .
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