| 📝 English Composition Writing FAQ | 1101 • 1102 • 📖 |
Support is an essential element of essay writing. Without proper support, an essay can feel vague, unsubstantiated, and weak. The purpose of support is to provide evidence, examples, and details that help to develop and prove the essay’s thesis or main argument.
Support can come in many forms, such as statistics, facts, quotes, anecdotes, personal experiences, and expert opinions. It is important to use a variety of types of support to provide a well-rounded and persuasive argument. It is also important to ensure that the support used is relevant and directly supports the thesis.
Support not only strengthens the essay’s argument, but it also shows that the writer has researched, thought critically about the topic, and understands the subject matter. This can help to establish the writer’s credibility and authority on the topic.
However, it is important to note that support alone is not enough to create a successful essay. The writer must also effectively analyze and explain the relevance of the support, and show how it directly supports the thesis. Without proper analysis and explanation, support can feel disconnected and irrelevant to the overall argument of the essay.
In summary, support is a critical component of essay writing. It provides evidence and examples to strengthen the argument, and shows the reader that the writer has researched and thought critically about the topic. However, it must be used effectively and directly support the thesis to be truly persuasive.
Types of Support
The type of evidence you need to support or develop your argument will depend on the specific topic and context of your essay. However, in general, here are some types of evidence you may consider using to support your argument:
- Statistics and data: Numbers and statistics can provide objective evidence to support your argument. This can include data from reputable sources, such as government agencies or academic research studies.
- Expert testimony: Quoting experts in your field or related fields can help to establish your credibility and support your argument. This can include quotes from published articles, books, or interviews with experts.
- Examples and anecdotes: Providing specific examples and anecdotes can help to illustrate your argument and make it more relatable to your audience. This can include personal experiences or stories, as well as examples from history or current events.
- Logical reasoning: Logical reasoning involves using deductive or inductive reasoning to support your argument. This can include making a clear and compelling case based on facts, examples, and expert opinions.
- Counterarguments and rebuttals: Acknowledging and addressing counterarguments can help to strengthen your argument by showing that you have considered opposing viewpoints and can provide compelling responses to them.
Support through Research
The best support when writing a college essay is gained through researching secondary sources. A secondary source is a document or material that provides information about a topic but does not originate from the topic itself. Instead, it is created by someone who is referencing, analyzing, or commenting on the primary source, which is the original source of the information. Examples of secondary sources include textbooks, biographies, encyclopedias (including Wikipedia), review articles, and other materials that synthesize, interpret, or analyze information from primary sources. Secondary sources can be valuable resources in research and essay writing, as they can provide context, analysis, and multiple perspectives on a topic.
When researching to support your argument, it’s important to ensure that the evidence is relevant, credible, and properly cited. You should also use a variety of evidence types to provide a well-rounded and compelling case for your argument.
The best place to get evidence to support your argument will depend on the specific topic and context of your essay. However, here are some general sources to consider:
- Academic research articles: Academic journals are perhaps the best source of information and can provide you with the latest research and data on your topic.
- Books: Books can provide in-depth analysis and perspective on a topic and are often written by experts in the field. Consider books published by university presses before those by more popular publishing houses.
- Government publications: Government reports and statistics can provide objective data and information on a wide range of topics.
- Expert interviews: Interviewing experts in your field or related fields can provide firsthand insights and perspectives on your topic. Also, published interviews in periodicals and books are also strong sources.
- Online databases: Online databases, such as JSTOR or ProQuest, can provide access to a wide range of full-text academic articles and research studies. These are often available through your university library.
- Reliable websites: Websites such as those run by reputable organizations or academic institutions can provide credible information and data.
When using evidence to support your argument, ensure that the evidence is relevant, credible, and properly cited. Evaluate your sources carefully and choose the most reliable and relevant ones for your argument.
Note: In general, reference sources, like dictionaries and encyclopedias, may be consulted but should not be cited in academic writing, as they often provide general information that can be found elsewhere and may not have undergone the same level of rigorous scrutiny and review as other academic sources. Use sources like Wikipedia to get an overview of the topic and consult the secondary sources the article lists in its bibliography.
| Written: 2002, 2022; Revised: 04-1-2023; Version: Beta 0.7 | 💬 |