The purpose of writing an essay is to persuade an educated, and critical, reader that your point of view on a topic is correct. You cannot do this by indulging in emotional pleas or by listing fact after innumerable fact. Instead, you must make a well-reasoned and coherent argument that is backed by authoritative evidence. The following chapters will teach you how to do this. | Complete paragraph Michel de Montaigne 1533-92 a French essayist used observations of Native American peoples to show the inequalities of wealth in European society. In his essay On Cannibals he compared the equality of wealth enjoyed by the natives with the inequalities experienced by Europeans. He wrote that the former appeared shocked by the fact that there were among us men full and gorged with all sorts of good things to their heart s content while their halves haggard with hunger and poverty stood begging at the doors. EXAMPLE 2 Topic question How does the transportation structure of Los Angeles . roads and freeways affect the residents of that city Thesis statement In my opinion the transportation structure of Los Angeles gives residents of that city both spatial freedom and economic opportunity. Topic sentence Los Angeles freeways are designed to allow residents to commute across the greater metropolitan area with relative ease. Evidence general An hour s drive from any point in the region makes hundreds of possible employers accessible. Evidence specific Workers can live in the San Fernando Valley and work in the old industrial sector in Los Angeles or they can commute from suburban Glendale to the beach city of Santa Monica. Transition This allows residents greater job opportunities than are found in other major cities. Complete paragraph Los Angeles freeways are designed to allow residents to commute across the greater metropolitan area with relative ease. An hour s drive from any point in the region makes hundreds of possible employers accessible. Workers can live in the San Fernando Valley and work in the old industrial sector in Los Angeles or they can commute from Pasadena to the beach city of Santa Monica. This allows residents greater job opportunities than are found in other major cities. 39 IV. What Are the Rules of Evidence A. EACH FACT MUST BE ACCURATE. 1. Be sure that you have not made an error when copying down a quote or a piece of .
