What Do YOU Think?

1. What Do YOU Think? The Opinion Essay

2. The Opinion Essay • The OPINION ESSAY gives you the chance to express your feelings about a given topic. • There is no right or wrong opinion. • You are not graded on your opinion. • You are graded on the facts and information you use to support your opinion. • Good research is VITAL to this type of essay.

3. The Outline5-Paragraph Opinion Essay • P1 – Intro • Attention Getter • Background Info • Thesis Statement • P2 - Body Paragraph #1 • Topic sentence • Explain • Details and support • P3 - Body Paragraph # 2 • Topic sentence • Explain • Details and support • P4 - Body Paragraph #3 • Topic sentence telling the Counter-Argument • Explain • Refute the counter-argument giving your opinion • Details and support for your opinion • P5 – Conclusion • Restate thesis • Summarize reasons • Clincher

4. The Introduction Paragraph • Attention getter • A good quote • Interesting fact • Thought-provoking question – NOT “do you know…?” • Meaningful personal story • Choose one and make an good start to your essay • Background information • You need to explain what the issue is • Answer basic questions: who? what? when? where? how? Especially answer: why do people argue about this? • This information needs to be researched just like the rest of the essay! • Thesis statement • State your opinion. • Use signal words like “I believe, In my opinion, I strongly feel that…” to introduce your statement. • Include the 3 reasons you are going to discuss in your essay.

5. Example Introduction: Against Seal Hunting “I’ve watched seals in a pool of red, gasping for air and trying to raise their heads out of the blood… The cries of the seals have been heard across the world.” This quote, from Wayne Parcelle, President of the Humane Society of the United States, describes the annual Canadian seal hunt. This hunt allows up to 400,000 seals to be killed per year with guns and clubs. 97% of seals are killed for profit, despite bans on seal sales in many countries.I believe that the Canadian seal hunt should be ended for environmental and animal welfare reasons. Some argue seal hunting is good for the economy, but this is just not true.

6. Example Introduction:In Favor of Seal Hunting According to pro-seal hunting blogger Hunter, “If baby seals were not so cute, Atlantic Canada might still have a viable economy.” Most people hate seal hunting because of animal rights group’s activism. They will put a sexy model in an advertisement and show a cute seal staring at the camera. What millions of people never see is face of a hardworking sealer (a seal hunter). Furthermore, they never hear the truth about a proud, centuries old practice. I believe that seal hunting should continue for economic and humane reasons. Some believe the practice is cruel, but I will argue this is mostly emotional overreaction.

7. Body Paragraph One • Introduce reason #1 in a topic sentence • Explain your reason. What do you mean? • Your reason is often an opinion statement. • Give evidence to support your reason. • Make sure that you have facts. • Topic Sentence with reason #1**remember transition signal • Explain and detail the reason carefully • Support with researched facts

8. Example Body Paragraph:Against Seal Hunting First, the seal hunt is bad for the environment. The Canadian government said hunters could kill 400,000 seals in 2012, but their own scientist, Mike Hammill, said the quota should be lowered to protect seals. Due to a loss of sea ice, more seals are dying and fewer seals are being born. Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans said that in 2011 as many as 80% of seal pups died because of lack of sea ice, and scientists at Duke University say that nearly all pups may be dying in low ice years. If this continues, seals may become endangered. Seals also play a role as a useful predator. The Canadian government blames them for eating the cod fish population, but a seal’s diet is only about 3% cod fish. They usually eat fish which are predators of the cod, so saving seals may actually save the cod fish too.

9. Example Body Paragraph:In Favor of Seal Hunting First of all, allowing the seal hunt is good for the economy. Seal hunting has been around for centuries, and became a thriving industry in the 1800’s. In the 1960’s, animal rights groups unfairly targeted this proud industry and practice. Their efforts have crippled the Atlantic Canada and resulted in the loss of over 30,000 jobs. Inuit people were harmed from bans on the hunt. Because they are native people, they have been allowed to hunt during bans on the practice. However, the seal merchandise has been outlawed in so many places that they cannot rely on legal markets. Seals create a variety of wonderful products: water proof skins, practical and luxury clothes, and many people eat the meat. These products should be freely sold alongside products made from cows, sheep, pigs, or the hides of other cute and furry creatures.

10. Body Paragraph #2 • Introduce reason #2 • Explain your reason. What do you mean? • Your reason is often an opinion statement. • Give evidence to support your reason. • Make sure that you have facts. • Topic Sentence with reason #2 • Explain and detail the reason carefully • Support with researched facts **The format is the same as body paragraph #1

11. Body Paragraph #3 • Introduce one of the counter-arguments (opposite opinion) • Explain what the counter-argument believes. • Refute the counter-argument with your opinion • Explain and give details to support your opinion • Give facts and research to support your opinion • Topic sentence giving the counter-argument reason • Explain counter-argument reason • Give your opposing opinion • Explain and give details • Support with facts

12. Example Body Paragraph#3:Against Seal Hunting Finally, some people argue that sealing is an important industry for Canadians, especially native people. However, most sealing is not done by natives, but for profit, and profits are lower every year. In 2004 sealers made 12.8 million dollars in exports, but in 2010 they made only 2.17 million. Furthermore, according to the Vancouver Sun, the Canadian government spends more money than the seal hunters make on breaking sea ice, monitoring the hunt, and trying to find markets for seal products. Animal welfare groups suggest using that money to help seal hunters find new jobs. A compromise could also be made, allowing only native people to hunt seals. Native hunters only kill about 3% of the seals each year, so this would not endanger the seal population, while allowing native hunters to continue their traditions. Counter-argument General Explanation/Your opinion Facts

13. Example Body Paragraph#3:In Favor of Seal Hunting Finally, many people argue that sealing is unnecessarily cruel.This is an emotional and hypocritical reaction. Seal hunting is bloody and messy, but hunters are not sadists! Seals are often killed by striking them on the head. According the World Wildlife Fund, opposition comes from, “emotion, and on visual images that are often difficult even for experienced observers to interpret with certainty. While a hakapik strike on the skull of a seal appears brutal, it is humane if it achieves rapid, irreversible loss of consciousness leading to death.”Some people claim that seals are skinned alive, but this is just more hysteria. Skinning animals alive is illegal. Besides, it would be totally impractical.The animals must be perfectly still or their valuable hides would be damaged. Counter-argument General Explanation/Your opinion Facts

14. Conclusion Paragraph • Restate your thesis • Use a conclusion transition signal and opinion keywords again • Summarize • Give reason #1 and short explanation • Give reason #2 and short explanation • Tell what the counter-argument is and refute it with your opinion • Clincher • Leave the reader with a final thought • Use command verbs, “let’s” or future tense “will” “won’t” to add interest • The clincher should help persuade your readers

15. Example Conclusion Paragraph:Against Seal Hunting To sum up, because of environmental concerns, animal welfare and economic costs, I believe the seal hunt should end. The seal hunt endangers animals; it causes painful deaths to an intelligent, friendly species; and it wastes money. Korea is one of only remaining countries which purchases Canadian seal products. The European Union, the United States and Russia have already banned their sale. Rather than purchase these products of cruelty, join with other countries and make this hunt go extinct!

16. Example Conclusion Paragraph:Against Seal Hunting In conclusion, I believe that seal hunting should continue in a regulated but totally legal way. Atlantic Canadians are deprived of an economically viable way of life. Seal hunting is an honorable way of life, and is both sustainable and desirable for the area. Furthermore, the cruelty of the hunt is totally misunderstood. Let’s see hunters as honest, hard working folks, not cold blooded serial killers. Seal hunting still has a place in the modern world. The next time you see some sexy model on TV telling you how terrible this practice is, please turn off the volume, or change the channel.

17. NOW IT’S YOUR TURN • Last week, you were given a topic to research. • You must decide what your opinion is concerning your topic. • Start building your outline! • Use point form. • DON’T write long sentences! • Include a works cited at the end Good Luck!