As a quick review on how to write an effective issue essay, go through the following steps when composing your essay.
- Choose the issue essay topic on which you can right away come up with conclusive arguments and decisive examples, because the strength of your essay is dependent on the quality of your arguments and evidence.
- Draw a spider graph that includes the central idea, key arguments both in support for and in opposition of the central idea, and specific examples.
- Utilize the central idea of the issue topic and write a concise and clear introductory paragraph, where you introduce the topic, hint to some of your arguments that you will utilize, and also perhaps mention some of the opposing views. The length of the introductory paragraph should be at least 5 sentence, but no more than 10 or 15 -- you want to stay precise.
- For each of the arguments in your spider graph, write a clearly written paragraph that first explicitly discusses the argument and why it is relevant. Be sure to support your argument with specific examples. You'll want at least two such argument and evidence paragraphs, with ideally three. For a very effective essay, also include a paragraph where you discuss any opposing views to your argument. Each paragraph should have at least 5 or 6 sentences, including an introductory sentence, a few sentences that explain the argument, and one or two concrete examples, followed by a concluding sentence which, if possible, should be lead into the next paragraph.
- Having written the introductory and body paragraph, write a short concluding paragraph where you reiterate the issue, your stance, and where you once again state your main hypothesis. The concluding paragraph does not need to be long, because if you have written your body paragraphs well enough, then the concluding paragraph should be just a summary of what you have already written.
Of concern to many students is the time limit imposed on you when writing the essay. Be sure that your brainstorming and example gathering phase takes no more than 3, 4, or 5 minutes. Also, don't spend too much time on any one paragraph, because you don't want to spend too much time on the first two or three paragraphs and then have only a few minutes left for the final paragraphs. A good rule of thumb is for you to write down the main arguments and main evidence, and then go back and supply the necessary introductory, elaboration, and concluding sentences for each paragraph. Finally, writing the issue essay takes practice, so be sure to study the list of available issue essay topics that are available from ETS.
For best results, and if you have time, each day that you have to study, go over one of the issue topics and brainstorm on the arguments and evidence that you may need if you were given that topic. Don't attempt to memorize all of the topics, because there are too many, but you should be comfortable and efficient enough to quickly come up with good opinions and arguments in favor and in opposition to any of the issue topics.