Think back to the last concert you watched. I bet the performers ended with their greatest chart-topping hit, right? Why? Because they want to end their concert with a high-energy song that everyone knows. They want to play that song—the one everyone waits all night to hear. By leaving you excited about the final moments …
Since you have to write an argumentative essay, you might as well learn how to write it well, right? I’ve said it time and time again—there’s nothing worse than staring at a blank page. Putting together an argumentative essay outline is the perfect way to turn your blank document into a ready-to-use template. All you …
Have you ever watched a great film trailer and thought, “I have to see that movie!”? A good trailer gives you the basic premise of the movie, shows you the highlights, and encourages you to want to see more. A good thesis statement will accomplish the same thing. It gives readers an idea of the …
A guy walks up to a counter, orders lunch, and immediately starts a political debate with the man seated next to him. The two engage in a full-fledged argument before the server even brings his drink. Given that the two are at a counter arguing, does this mean it’s a counterargument? Not exactly. So what …
There have been exactly 18,312 words written here at the Kibin blog on the subject of the argumentative essay. Think I made that number up? Well, prove it. We’ve written so many blog posts on the subject because it’s by far the most common essay assignment that students face. About the only way to avoid …
Here’s a quick (and simple) survey: How many social media sites do you use regularly? How many times per week do you log in to a social media site? How many hours per week do you spend on social media? I’m guessing that, for some of you, the numbers are pretty high. If you’re writing …
You’ve spent quite a bit of time in your English classes writing argumentative essays. You’ve even gotten pretty good at writing on the topics your instructor assigns. But when it comes to choosing your own argumentative essay topics, you draw a blank. It’s not that there aren’t any good topics to choose from. It’s that you …
All semester you’ve known you’d have to write an argumentative essay. You figured you had it made because you had what you thought was a surefire plan to rework last semester’s paper about gun control. Then your prof dropped a bombshell. Along with the assignment guidelines, she included a list of banned topics. All the …
Gun control is a hot button issue, especially in the wake of so many recent, tragic mass shootings. It is also a polarizing issue, which means that it tends to divide people. When you’re writing an argumentative essay, it generally doesn’t matter what side of an issue you take. What matters is that you take …
Remember when you were a kid and each time you went to the store with your mom you asked her for a new toy? When she answered “no,” I’m sure you asked, “why not?” Her reply: “Because I said so.” This may have worked for your mom, but this obviously isn’t a good strategy for …
It’s 7:00pm, you just got out of chemistry class, and you’re starving–but you have that argumentative essay on fast food due soon! You decide to: A) trudge back to your dorm and rummage through your nearly empty cupboards for another meal of ramen noodles, B) make a quick trip to the local market to buy …
Think of your favorite movie. Got it? Now think about the opening scene. What does that scene accomplish? For most, the opening scene draws the viewer in, introduces one or more of the main characters, and gives the audience a taste of what the movie is going to be about. That’s exactly what your argumentative …
Being able to write a well-supported argument is a life skill that will extend far beyond the walls of the classroom. Being able to argue well means that you will be able to fight for causes you believe in, stand up for yourself, and generally be better at finding your way in life. It’s such …
When you get into debates with friends or family members, do you tend to win or lose? The art of arguing is closely related to your ability to harness compelling facts, statistics, and concepts that support your viewpoint on a topic. When you lose an argument, chances are you only used opinion to support your …
When I sat down to write this post, I knew I wanted to provide you with a handful of interesting choices for Death of a Salesman essay topics, but I admit that when it came time to get started, I was stumped. Sure, I had one or two excellent topic ideas, but after that, I …
Think revising and editing aren’t necessary? Check out this ad: It looks like the educational software ad writers of this company don’t know the difference between “their” (possessive) and “they’re” (they are). Would you feel confident purchasing educational software from a company that doesn’t know basic grammar (or perhaps simply doesn’t care enough to proofread …
When I was a kid, my older brother tried to convince me that I was an alien and that Mom and Dad would send me back to my own planet if I misbehaved. Older siblings can be pretty persuasive, and if you’ve ever fallen victim to this persuasion (as I may have done once or …
Have you spent the afternoon surfing the ‘net and checking every social media app in existence just to avoid working on your expository essay? Are you spending more time procrastinating than you are writing? That’s okay. I can’t blame you—writing an expository essay can be frustrating. It doesn’t have to be that difficult, though. All …
Let’s say you and your pals are in the middle of an all-night cram session for a big exam when you realize you’re out of food. You volunteer to make a snack run to the convenience store, and on your way out the door, someone yells, “Grab me a bag of chips!” It’s not until …
Most of us have heard about melting glaciers, rising sea levels, and increasing temperatures across the planet. (Did you realize July 2019 was the hottest month on record?) Because global climate change is frequently in the news, we also have a pretty good working knowledge of the topic. We can probably hold our own in …
I’m sure you’ve heard stories about famous writers who say they can’t write until they’re inspired or unless they have the perfect writing conditions. For these writers, inspiration might hit in six months when they’re walking out of a pub in London or having brunch in New York City. The perfect writing conditions might be …