POINTERS

 **Tips for Good Opinion Paragraphs **  You will need to be well prepared in order to write a good opinion paragraph. Here are the steps to take **before you even start writing**:  Now you are ready to start writing! The introduction has a "hook or grabber" to catch the reader's attention. Some "grabbers" include: 1. Opening with an unusual detail: (Manitoba, because of its cold climate, is not thought of as a great place to be a reptile. Actually, it has the largest seasonal congregation of garter snakes in the world!) 2. Opening with a strong statement: (Cigarettes are the number one cause of lighter sales in Canada!) 3. Opening with a Quotation: (Elbert Hubbard once said, "Truth is stronger than fiction.") 4. Opening with an Anecdote: An anecdote can provide an amusing and attention-getting opening if it is short and to the point. 5. Opening with a Statistic or Fact: Sometimes a statistic or fact will add emphasis or interest to your topic. It may be wise to include the item's authoritative source. 6. Opening with a Question. (Have you ever considered how many books we'd read if it were not for television?) 7. Opening with an Exaggeration or Outrageous Statement. (The whole world watched as the comet flew overhead.) || || **Now you are ready for the usual editing part of your writing **. Make sure: **Wait a few days and edit this again **<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">. You will be glad you did.
 * <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">              <span style="height: 11.25pt; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9.75pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9.75pt; width: 11.25pt;">  || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">**<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Pick a controversial issue **<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> - something people clearly agree or disagree with it strongly. <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  ||
 * <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="height: 11.25pt; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9.75pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9.75pt; width: 11.25pt;"> || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">**<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Decide which side you will take **<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> - do you agree or disagree with it? This will be your opinion. <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  ||
 * <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="height: 11.25pt; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9.75pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9.75pt; width: 11.25pt;"> || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">**<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Get as much information as you can in order to defend your point of view **<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> - you will need facts to support your point, examples of why your opinion is the correct one. <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  ||
 * <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="height: 11.25pt; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9.75pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9.75pt; width: 11.25pt;"> || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">**<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Find out as much as you can about opinions that are different from yours **<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> - get as much information about the other side as you can. <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  ||
 * <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="height: 11.25pt; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9.75pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9.75pt; width: 11.25pt;"> || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">**<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Be ready to change your main idea if your research shows you that your thoughts were not correct to begin with! **<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  ||
 * <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="height: 11.25pt; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9.75pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9.75pt; width: 11.25pt;"> || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">**<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Make sure your main idea - your opinion about the subject - is clear and well stated **<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">. For example: <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Classes that start at or before 8 o'clock in the morning are not scheduled at the best time to benefit the majority of the students who have to take them.
 * <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="height: 11.25pt; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9.75pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9.75pt; width: 11.25pt;">  || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">**<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Transition into the body of the paragraph **<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> - For example: <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">There are many, many reasons for this. <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || ||
 * <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="height: 11.25pt; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9.75pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9.75pt; width: 11.25pt;"> || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">**<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Give your second strongest reason to support this idea **<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">. For example: <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Most of the students are pretty young and stay up until late at night working or socializing. They don't know how to manage their time well enough yet. <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || ||
 * <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="height: 11.25pt; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9.75pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9.75pt; width: 11.25pt;"> || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">**<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Give a specific example or statistics to support this statement **<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">. For example: <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Look at statistics from college campus studies on this subject - say something similar to this - A study done by _____________, from the _________ reports that University of ________ freshman students work_______ hours in the evenings, and then socialize for _________ hours. They only get an average of ______ hours of sleep. <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || ||
 * <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="height: 11.25pt; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9.75pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9.75pt; width: 11.25pt;"> || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">**<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Give your weakest reason to support this idea **<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">. For example: <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">People have a difficult time getting up too early in the morning. <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || ||
 * <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="height: 11.25pt; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9.75pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9.75pt; width: 11.25pt;"> || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">**<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Give an example to support this statement too **<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">. For example: <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">describe how difficult it is for someone you know to get up and be ready in time. (look around your classroom, at the students in the cafeteria - how many look tired and not ready for the day's work yet?) <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || ||
 * <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="height: 11.25pt; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9.75pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9.75pt; width: 11.25pt;"> || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">**<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Give your strongest reason to support this idea **<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">. For example: <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">People learn best when they have rested long enough, and are awake and ready to learn. <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || ||
 * <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="height: 11.25pt; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9.75pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9.75pt; width: 11.25pt;"> || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">**<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Explain and give an example of someone you know **<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">, or statistics you have found to support this thought. For example: <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">The ________ study conducted by ________ concluded that _____% of the students who had not rested long enough, or well enough, fail their courses which are scheduled early in the morning, and the average grades from early courses are ____ lower than grades fro the same course scheduled for later in the day. <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || ||
 * <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="height: 11.25pt; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9.75pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9.75pt; width: 11.25pt;"> || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">**<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Give the strongest reason that others who do not agree with you have **<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">. For example: <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Some people think that it is important to get your classes done and over with early in the morning, so there is time for other activities during the day. <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || ||
 * <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="height: 11.25pt; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9.75pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9.75pt; width: 11.25pt;"> || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">**<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Refute this argument - prove that it is not really the correct view **<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">. For example: <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">This is true, early courses do free the people up for other activities later, but what is the point of sacrificing learning, hurting chances for success, in order to be able to play during a longer period of the day? <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || ||
 * <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="height: 11.25pt; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9.75pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9.75pt; width: 11.25pt;"> || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">**<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Finish with a good concluding sentence **<span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">. For example: <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || <span style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Even though early courses are good for a few people who are at their best in the early morning, they are not helpful to the majority of the students. <span style="color: #000066; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">  || ||
 * 1) <span style="color: #000066; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">you have a main idea
 * 2) <span style="color: #000066; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">your supporting points are directly related to the main idea
 * 3) <span style="color: #000066; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">your transitions are good and logical
 * 4) <span style="color: #000066; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">your sentences are in the correct order
 * 5) <span style="color: #000066; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">you mentioned the other side,
 * 6) <span style="color: #000066; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">you refuted the argument from the other side
 * 7) <span style="color: #000066; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">your sentences are well written, with as few errors as possible