Sure, I had one or two excellent topic ideas, but after that, I had to dig a little deeper to think of more creative and interesting options.

Why am I telling you this? 

I want to remind you that even those of us who write about writing can struggle to get the creative juices flowing.

So if you’re frustrated because you can’t think of anything “good” to write about for your Death of a Salesman analysis essay, don’t let it get you down. It happens to the best of us.

The good news is that I’ve worked through my initial writer’s block and have included 10 Death of a Salesman essay topics to inspire your upcoming essay.

Don’t Pick a Topic Until You Know These Three Things

I know you’re eager to get rolling on your essay, but before you select a topic, make sure you know these three things:

Know your essay options

Review your assignment guidelines, and make sure you know what type of essay you’re allowed to write.

Should you write a compare and contrast essay, a persuasive essay, or another type of literary analysis?

Know your limits

You will, of course, need to know your own limits regarding personal time constraints, but knowing your limits also refers to word limits. 

If you’re writing a short essay, you’ll definitely need to make every word count because you have a limited space in which to create an effective analysis. A longer essay, on the other hand, will allow you space to develop a more complex analysis. 

In other words, don’t write a detailed 3,000-word essay when the assignment calls for no more than 750 words.

Know whether you need to complete research

An essay that requires research can be a lot more time-consuming than an essay that requires only evidence from the book or play. Knowing whether you’ll need research sources will help you budget your time accordingly.

Once you know these three key points, you’re ready to select a topic for your Death of a Salesman essay.

10 Death of a Salesman Essay Topics for an Interesting Analysis

Topic #1: The American Dream in Death of a Salesman

The American Dream is the most prominent of the Death of a Salesman themes. Willy Loman has hopes and dreams for his life, but he never seems to be able to make them come true. He fails to live his American Dream.

• Explain how the theme of the American Dream is carried throughout Death of a Salesman
• Compare the theme of the American Dream as it is portrayed in Death of a Salesman to how it is portrayed in another piece of literature, such as The Great Gatsby.

Check out this example essay in our database for inspiration: The Pursuit of the American Dream by Jay Gatsby and Willy Loman in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller.

Topic #2: Willy Loman as a tragic hero

Willy Loman fits the bill for a tragic hero because he possesses the flaw of ambition. He wants more out of life than he has and believes he should live a better life.

• Argue that Willy Loman meets the definition of a classic tragic hero.

Topic #3: Character analysis of Death of a Salesman

Many essays include elements of character analysis as part of a larger essay, but consider a character analysis as the entire focus of your essay. 

Remember: It’s fine to analyze a major character like Willy Loman, but don’t overlook the importance of minor Death of a Salesman characters.

• Analyze Willy’s neighbor, Charley, and his role as a neighbor and friend to Willy. Consider Charley’s success and lifestyle. How do they compare to Willy’s?  

Topic #4: Symbolism in Death of a Salesman

Two key symbols in Death of a Salesman are seeds (representing both growth and failure) and diamonds (representing the material wealth Willy cannot seem to achieve).

• Explain how seeds symbolize Willy’s hopes for the future. (Take a look at this example essay to read one writer’s analysis of symbolism.)

Topic #5: Language and tone in Death of a Salesman

An author’s use of word choice and tone in a piece can speak volumes. This is particularly evident in the word choice and tone of individual characters. Consider how a character’s words shape his or her personality and contribute to the story.

• Analyze the language used by Arthur Miller in Death of a Salesman.

Topic #6: Setting in Death of a Salesman

Setting can affect a variety of elements in a story, including characters’ personalities, character interactions, mood, and plot. Here are a few ways you could approach analyzing a Death of a Salesman setting:

• Examine the contrasting locations in Death of a Salesman and the effect they have on the play.
• Death of a Salesman is set in Brooklyn. How might this play be different if Willy Loman and his family lived in the Midwest or Alaska?

Topic #7: Conflict in Death of a Salesman

A story isn’t a story without some type of conflict.

In literature, the most common types of conflict are those listed below:

• character vs. character 
• character vs. society
• character vs. nature
• character vs. technology 
• character vs. supernatural
• character vs. self
• character vs. fate

Death of a Salesman is filled with conflicts of self (Willy Loman’s internal struggles), conflicts between characters (Willy’s conflict with his son, Biff), and conflicts with society (Willy’s inability to achieve his dreams).

• Examine Willy Loman’s internal struggles and how they affect his attitude, his ambitions, and his ultimate destiny.

Topic #8: The role of women in Death of a Salesman

While some literature contains vibrant leading roles for women, Death of a Salesman is certainly not one of them. Willy Loman’s wife is nothing more than a stock character, seemingly included only to fulfill the role of dutiful wife.

• Analyze the role of women in Death of a Salesman and how their roles shape more prominent characters in the play.

Looking for essay examples that discuss what roles women play in Death of a Salesman? Check out these essays:

• Female Characters in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
• A Comparison of the Similarities and Differences in the Use and Representation of Women in Othello, Death of a Salesman, and The Taming of the Shrew

Topic #9: Family relationships in Death of a Salesman

Willy Loman has his share of internal conflicts, but the play also revolves around an ongoing conflict with his son, Biff.

• Analyze the relationship between Willy and Biff, arguing that Wily’s own failed expectations of himself (and thus unrealistic expectations of his son) are a key cause of the strife between father and son.

Topic #10: The definition of self in Death of a Salesman

Throughout the play, Willy Loman defines himself as a failure as a salesman, as a father, and as a husband. It is this attitude and definition of self that shapes his character and his decisions.

• Explain how Willy Loman’s definition of himself shapes his character and his fate.
• Consider how you might compare your definition of yourself to how Willy Loman defines his own character.

Shape Your Ideas Into an Essay

Once you’ve decided on a topic for your essay, whether it’s one of the 10 Death of a Salesman essay topics from above or something else, mold your ideas into a work of art.

Begin by shaping your ideas through prewriting and outlining. After you’ve put your ideas into place, create a rough draft.

Remember, revising and editing are important steps in the writing process too, so make sure to leave time to complete both.

Looking for a few extra bits of writing advice to make your essay amazing? Read 20 Ways to Improve Your Academic Writing.

If you have a first (or even fifth draft) of your paper but feel that it’s still a little rough around the edges, use our student editing service to help smooth out the rough spots. We’ve edited tens of thousands of essays and would love to help you polish your piece to perfection.

Stuck on Your Analytical Essay?

Check Out These Example Analytical Essays

Yes! Show me examples.

Do you think first responders rushing to the scene of a tragedy to help victims? Maybe you’re reading this before lunch, and the first thing you think of is a hero sandwich.

While both of these are legitimate types of heroes, they aren’t today’s focus. This article focuses on tragic heroes.

Specifically, we’re going to look at the difference between your average, run-of-the-mill hero and a tragic hero. And because you’re probably here because you need to write an essay about a tragic hero, we’re going to cover that too.

Without further ado, here’s (almost) everything you need to know about tragic heroes.

What Is a Tragic Hero?

Of course, in order to be a tragic hero, one must first be a hero.

A hero is generally a courageous warrior type who is admired by many and who is ready to rush into harm’s way to save individuals (or the entire planet).

So what makes a tragic hero tragic?

The one-sentence definition: Tragic heroes are literary characters (often the protagonist) who make a crucial judgment error that ultimately leads to their downfall.

Of course, there’s more to a tragic hero than a hero who makes a mistake.

Tragic heroes generally possess the following characteristics:

• Tragic heroes are imperfect. The audience sees the character as flawed, and they can relate to and empathize with the hero.
• Tragic heroes are prideful and often suffer more than necessary.
• Tragic heroes are generally someone of high status who experiences a drastic change in fortune (from good to bad).
• The downfall of a tragic hero is evident from the start, but the hero can do nothing to stop it.
• Tragic heroes discover their impending fate and accept it.
• Tragic heroes are harmed (emotionally and/or physically) throughout their lives.
• While tragic heroes learn from their mistakes, they are powerless to control their ultimate fate.
• Tragic heroes must face an important decision. It is often an error in judgment regarding the decision that causes their downfall.

NOTE: While the classic tragic hero was a male from a wealthy and/or powerful family, modern tragic heroes may be any gender and from any background.

How to Write About a Tragic Hero

Writing about a tragic hero is like writing about any other topic in the sense that there are a ton of ways to approach the subject. But unless your assignment specifically states that your essay should list and/or describe a handful of tragic heroes in literature, your essay should do more than merely list examples.

You need to find a focus, and you need to analyze.

Before you do anything, though, you need to decide who you want to write about.

Choose your hero

One of the first steps in writing about a tragic hero is to consider which hero (or heroes) you’ll focus on. This may already be dictated by your assignment, but if you have a choice, consider which heroes speak to you.

Do you want to write about classic Shakespearean tragic heroes like Hamlet or Romeo (from Romeo and Juliet), or will you focus on a more modern tragic hero like Severus Snape from Harry Potter?

If you’re still not sure which hero to select, check out 6 Tragic Hero Examples for a Heroic Essay for inspiration.

Decide your approach

Once you’ve selected your hero(es), decide what type of essay you’ll write.

Not sure how to approach your essay? Here are three ideas.

Character analysis essay

You may choose to develop a character analysis within another type of essay, or you may want to write an entire essay that analyzes your hero’s character.

In this case, the focus of the literary analysis is often to explain how and why your hero fits the definition of a tragic hero.

For instance, let’s say you’re writing about Batman.

Batman fits the classic definition of a tragic hero for the reasons below:

• He’s an educated, intelligent man who comes from a wealthy, powerful family.
• He suffers because his parents were tragically murdered.
• His life becomes more difficult after the death of his parents as he chooses to avenge their deaths and fight crime.
• He is a (relatively) normal person who the audience can relate to and empathize with.
• He possesses a character flaw in that he vows not to kill others. While some may, of course, not see this as an actual flaw, it is what causes Batman to experience more hardships as he does not kill villains when given the chance (which leads to even more crime, hardship, and destruction).

Once you’ve hit the key points to highlight how and why the character fits the definition of a tragic hero, use specific examples from the story to fill in the details and support your claims.

Check out how one student handled a character analysis in Macbeth: A Nihilistic, Self-Loathing Tragic Hero.

Alternatively, your character analysis might conclude that a character is not a tragic hero. To see an example of this strategy in action, read Why Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart Is Not a Tragic Hero.

Compare and contrast essay

If you’re comparing and contrasting two (or more) tragic heroes, don’t simply write a list of similarities and differences. While creating this type of list is a great prewriting strategy, your compare and contrast essay needs to do more than simply identify character traits.

The essay needs a focus. Think about the point you’re trying to make by comparing and contrasting the tragic heroes.

Here’s what I mean.

Imagine you’re writing a compare and contrast essay about the tragic heroes of Shakespeare.

Your paper wouldn’t simply list tragic heroes and identify character traits that are the same or different.

Instead, you would need to develop a clear thesis to let your readers know what exactly you’ll be discussing about Shakespeare’s tragic heroes.

For example, when developing your thesis, you might consider the following questions:

• Does Shakespeare use the same types of tragic heroes in a number of plays? Do Romeo, Hamlet, and Macbeth share more than the basic elements that define a traditional tragic hero?
• Or does Shakespeare mix it up and develop unique characters that portray a tragic hero differently in each play?

Another approach is to compare and contrast two tragic heroes who, on the surface, don’t seem to have much in common but who are ultimately more alike than many would imagine.

Take, for example, Macbeth and Willy Loman (from Death of a Salesman). On the surface, Loman, a salesman trying to provide for his family, and Macbeth, a general who wants nothing more than to be king, seem to have little in common.

Both, however, share a common fatal flaw: ambition. Both men want more out of life and want to move beyond their current stations in life.

Want more ideas of tragic heroes to compare? Check out these essay examples for inspiration:

• Christopher Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus and Breaking Bad’s Walter White
• Willy Loman from Death of a Salesman and Nora Helmer from A Doll’s House
• Oedipus and Hamlet

Persuasive essay

The goal of a persuasive essay is to convince your audience. One common tragic hero essay assignment is to convince your reader that the real tragic hero in a work is someone aside from the obvious choice.

Here are a few examples

• Creon instead of Antigone
• Brutus instead of Julius Caesar
• Jason instead of Medea

If your professor allows you to be a little more creative in your approach, you might try to convince your readers why you should be considered a tragic hero.

Remember, modern tragic heroes don’t need to be nobility or male, so consider how you might fit the definition of a tragic hero (aside from that whole part about your tragic flaw leading to your demise, of course).

Perhaps your character flaw is lack of self-control, pride, or ambition. Perhaps you’ve suffered in some way because of this flaw, and it has caused hardships in your life.

You might even include some elements of comparison and contrast to illustrate how you compare to a tragic hero on film or in classic literature.

Ready to Write?

Now that you have a better understanding of tragic heroes and are ready to begin writing, take a look at these resources to help you get started:

• 7 Essay Outline Templates to Get Your Essay Going
• How to Write a Thesis Statement in 5 Simple Steps
• 12 Examples of Good Topic Sentences (and Why They Work)

Not sure your paper is the best it can be? Don’t let a poorly written essay be your tragic flaw. Let the editors at Kibin help you improve your writing.

But what if I showed you an example?

It would certainly help, right? Check out the video below to learn how to tie an overhand knot.

I’m pretty sure that most of you have tied this knot more than once in your lifetime. But as the video states, you simply didn’t know the official name of the knot you were tying.

So. What does tying knots have to do with writing a persuasive speech?

Admittedly, not much. But it does illustrate that sometimes you have a pretty good sense of how to do something, even if you don’t realize it. You just need an example to remind you how it’s done and to get you moving in the right direction.

That’s exactly the goal of this post: to provide you with two persuasive speech examples that can inspire your own writing.

2 Good Persuasive Speech Examples to Inspire You

In the two speeches below, I’ve included comments on what makes these examples good. I’ve also made note of a few places where the speaker may improve.

TAKE NOTE: Both of these speeches cite sources. If you’re required to turn in your outline or a copy of your speech, check with your teacher (or assignment guidelines) to see if you should include a Works Cited (MLA), a list of references (APA), or a bibliography (Chicago).

For both persuasive speeches, my commentary is marked with “Susan says” speech bubbles. The specific text that I’m discussing from each speech is notated with brackets and corresponding numbers—[#]. For commentary that applies to full paragraphs, you’ll see the following notation at the end of the paragraph(s): *[#].

Persuasive Speech Example #1: A Persuasive Speech on Limiting the Production and Use of Plastic

A Persuasive Speech on Limiting the Production and Use of Plastic

[1] When you hear the term “polluted plastics” I can tell you the exact picture that just popped into about 10 of your heads. This one, right? You have all heard of how plastics are affecting our marine life and “oh, the poor sea turtle”. And that’s great! Really, it is. We have had the idea that “pollution is bad” drilled into our brains since we were about 7. But this little sea turtle is not necessarily the problem. It’s much bigger than him. Plastics are leaving lasting effects on our ecosystems due to the improper disposal. Plastic production also uses up many of our natural resources. It is up to us to make a change in order to maintain sustainability. [2] Today, I want to show you just how destructive these effects are, how big of a dent we are making in our natural resources, and what steps we should take next.

Susan says: 

[1] This opening uses an excellent hook to grab the attention of the audience. The speaker uses the common image of a sea turtle being affected by pollution to make a connection with the audience and get them thinking about how pollution affects the environment.

Susan says:

[2] The speaker ends the opening with a clear thesis statement to let the audience know that the speech isn’t just about sea turtles. The speech will discuss the environmental impact of plastics and how to reduce the use of plastics.

Remember, a thesis statement is like a roadmap to your entire speech, so make sure to include a focused thesis to let your audience know what to expect.

Let’s say you want to throw away one plastic water bottle. Okay, no big deal. It’s just one bottle right? Well, Charleston is a peninsula, meaning that we are entirely surrounded by the ocean. According to Hannah Ellsbury in her article “The Problem with Plastic”, for every six water bottles we use, only one makes it to the recycling bin. The rest are sent to landfills. Or, even worse, they end up as trash on the land and in rivers, lakes, and the ocean. That means that, on average, all of us in this room cumulatively throw away or litter 6,100 water bottles a year. Now, let’s say that about ¼ of these end up in our beautiful Charleston harbor. That’s about 1,525 bottles just floating around outside of Charleston in a year, and that’s strictly from our first year seminar class alone. Pollutants found in the plastic in disposable water bottles deteriorate and leach into the water leaving potential carcinogens in the water we drink daily. Now if all 1,525 water bottles in our harbor are deteriorating, that means your fresh seafood at Hyman’s might be slightly infested with pollutants. *[3]

Susan says:

*[3] Most people use (or have used) plastic water bottles. The speaker knows this and thus uses this example to make another connection with the audience.

The speaker even goes one step further by mentioning the effects of pollution on seafood at a local restaurant.

Using these types of personal and localized examples are excellent ways to convince your audience because the audience can directly relate and see how pollution affects their daily lives.

This section also cites statistics and other information from sources to provide evidence of the claim. Such information further convinces the audience because they realize that the speaker isn’t simply providing a personal opinion. Instead, statements are backed up by experts.

[4] Even worse, according to the Merriam Webster dictionary, the law of biomagnification states that pollutants “increases its concentration in the tissues of organisms as it travels up the food chain”. This means that all of you seafood lovers might have more pollutants in our bodies than we would imagine. Now, I bet you’re wondering what happens to the rest of the actual plastic pieces left in our oceans. Plastic pieces like these? Well, animals are ingesting them. In fact, plastic pieces are being found within birds in the Pacific, meaning that the plastic pieces are literally killing them from the inside out. The plastic found throughout the oceans is a result of improper disposal of our plastics. [5] Even worse, though, is how these plastics are made.

Susan says:

[4] While many teachers frown upon the use of dictionary definitions in essays or speeches, in this case the definition works well because many people wouldn’t understand the phrase “law of biomagnification.”

Susan says:

[5] Notice the importance of the last line of this section. It provides a transition to link ideas together.

Your audience needs a clear path to see the connection between ideas. Transitional words and phrases provide this connection.

You see how far this water bottle is filled? Imagine that it’s not water. Look at that and picture it as oil. That’s how much oil is used in the production of this bottle. According to Catherine Fox from National Geographic, Americans buy more water bottles than any other nation averaging at about 29 billion. In order to make all these bottles, manufacturers use 17 million barrels of crude oil. That’s enough oil to keep a million cars going for twelve months. By investing $10 in a reusable plastic water bottle, you are saving on average, $81.25 per year. You could potentially fill your car, which for us freshman is probably sitting back at home in our driveways, up three times with that money. *[6]

Susan says:

*[6] You need to know your audience in order to effectively convince them. In this case, the speaker is keenly aware of the audience and knows that first-year college students are often strapped for cash. Showing the audience how they can save money while saving the planet is a win-win and certainly goes a long way in persuading listeners.

The Office of Sustainability offers these water bottles to all students. They are made out of tin and are much more durable than any other kind of water bottle.

These bottles were offered for free at our freshman convocation and continue to be offered to all students. Not to mention, Starbucks has an option to purchase a reusable cup for a cheap price. Dining Halls have already enforced a plastic-free environment to dine, however, students are still able to purchase plastic containers from vending machines in education buildings. I believe that the College of Charleston should maintain the same standards they have set for the dining halls throughout campus. Soda dispensers with compostable cups should replace the vending machines currently residing in our education buildings. The Starbucks on campus should charge a small fee for each plastic cup used when ordering cold drinks. There is no reason plastic cups should still be sold on campus, and I propose a small fee should be charged for every purchase involving plastic. *[7]

Susan says:

*[7] The speaker begins to wrap up the speech by offering solutions. This strategy helps the audience become even more interested in the topic and shows them what even small steps can do to reduce the use of plastics.

Now I’m hoping that you’re interested in doing something to help cut down on the pollutants entering, not only your body, but millions of aquatic sea creatures as well. You know the harmful effects of plastic on our environment and you know the dent we put in our planet in the production of these goods. We should all make an effort to use reusable water bottles, however, if we must, to recycle our plastic waste. We must put an end to the era of plastic so this little guy can swim freely, but only our generation can do so. *[8]

Susan says:

*[8] The final section again appeals to the audience as a call to action.

It’s clear that the speaker is referencing a visual when stating “so this little guy can swim freely.” The image more than likely refers back to the opening point about sea turtles and pollution.

Connecting the conclusion to a point made in the introduction is a nice way to tie ideas together. And although the final line is worded a bit awkwardly, the point is still clear.

Persuasive Speech Example #2: A Persuasive Speech on the Topic of Organ Donation

A Persuasive Speech on the Topic of Organ Donation

[1] First of all I would like to thank you the board for inviting me here today, allowing me to be a part of and contributing to this cause that personally means so much to me. When I first contacted your organization, the Executive Director informed me that the greatest need was for a campaign that was tailored toward people between the ages of 18 and 24. The focus was to be on encouraging organ donation and facilitating open communication of the donor’s decision with family members. [2] Overall the campaign was to inform them of our nation’s public health crisis regarding organ donation. *[3]

Susan says:

[1] Rather than speaking to a general audience (or classmates and a teacher), this speaker is directly addressing an audience already aware that they will be listening to a speech about organ donation.

By speaking to a specific audience, this speaker can adjust the main ideas in order to directly appeal to listeners.

Susan says:

[2] Here, the speaker directly mentions the purpose of this speech: to inform the audience of the nation’s health crisis regarding organ donation.

Even though the audience likely knows the subject of the speech, in this thesis statement, the speaker lets the audience know that the focus is on the crisis of organ donation, not simply a general discussion of the topic.

Further, the speech focuses on the idea that this is a crisis. Thus, the speaker is clearly attempting to persuade listeners into seeing just how important it is to increase organ donation.

Susan says:

*[3] This opening paragraph is a solid start to the speech as it effectively presents the topic and appeals to the audience (which increases the likelihood that the speaker will persuade listeners).

That’s right: Organ Donation is a public health crisis.

• According to UNOS, the United Network for Organ Sharing as of this morning there are 90,350 American men, women, and children on the transplant waiting list.
• One person will die needlessly at the end of this hour waiting for organ donation and 10 more people are added to this list every day.
• There are over 250 billion people in our country. *[4]

Susan says:

*[4] Here, the speaker cites powerful statistics to persuade the audience and illustrate just how many people need organ transplants and how many die because they don’t receive the life-saving help they need.

Using startling statistics causes the audience to take notice. Plus, because the numbers are shocking, the audience is more likely to remember the argument made by the speaker and more likely to be convinced.

According to the Department of Health and Human Resources, in 2002, there were 2.5 million deaths, and 106,742 of them were due to accidents. In 2002, 6,190 donor heroes and their families made the decision to donate. When comparing these statistics less than a half percent, not even 1% of these accidental fatalities were used to save or improve the life of another human being. So when I say heroes that is exactly what I mean. *[5]

Figures taken from The Oregon Donor Program website are disheartening. The Oregon population is at 3.5 million and last year only 84 donor heroes and their families chose to donate the gift of life in our state. *[6]

You see the reality is it doesn’t take 90,000 donors to save or improve the lives of these people. For every one organ donor has the potential to help at least 50 individuals with their “Gift of Life”. You see I know this personally because two very special people to me were organ donors who died tragically and unexpectedly. Through my experiences I have gained a greater understanding of what the “Gift of Life” really means. *[7]

Susan says:

*[5–7] In these paragraphs, the speaker again stresses the lack of donors and attempts to persuade the audience to donate by illustrating how many people they can help through organ donation.

This campaign was specifically tailored for the scholars of Southern Oregon University, its alumni and community members who are a truth seeking, compassionate, and educated group of individuals. The campaign goal is to share this information utilizing an information kiosk for SOU students and alumni in the student union. The kiosk would give SOU community members the opportunity to sign up as organ donors and would offer practical useful tools to share their decision with their loved ones. *[8]

Susan says:

*[8] The speaker again appeals to the audience by complimenting them while explaining the campaign to increase organ donation.

By appealing to the audience’s sense of compassion, the speaker increases the chances of listeners believing in the cause.

The two artifacts I have created specifically for this persuasion campaign are:

* A green hospital bracelet will be given to each new organ donor or individuals who can show a driver’s license indicating them as being an organ donor at the kiosk. *[9]

The bracelet itself is an example of symbolic persuasion representing the many lives that have been touched by organ donation. The pictures and names on each bracelet are actual people that have either been the patient waiting, the patient who died waiting, the transplant survivor, or the donor heroes. *[10]

The bracelet then is used as a reminder, and a reinforcing element of their commitment to organ donation. Because the bracelet is worn and not tucked away it encourages vital communication of the donor’s decision with family and peers. *[11]

* My second artifact is a letter that was created to address and personalize the donor’s donation decision. A Gallup poll conducted for the Partnership for Organ Donation showed that 85% of Americans supported organ donation. According to the Organtransplants.org website each year nearly 50% of families decline the opportunity to save lives by donating organs and tissues of deceased loved ones. The truth is even if you have decided to be an organ donor and you yourself know the significance of your choice your family has the final say as to whether or not your commitment is carried out. *[12]

The letter will serve as another reminder of the donor’s commitment to share his donation decision with his family, furthermore solidifying his decision and his intent. *[13]

Susan says:

*[9–13] At the end of the speech, the speaker explains what artifacts will be used to encourage participation in organ donation. The artifacts represent real people, not just abstract numbers. This not only allows the current audience to make a personal connection but also allows them to see how this campaign will impact others.

By looking forward and illustrating how the artifacts will help the cause, the speaker has further convinced the audience to agree with the importance of both organ donation itself and participating in the campaign described in the speech.

[several paragraphs omitted]

In conclusion, the facts remain that:

• 90,350 people are waiting…for a life-saving transplant
• 19 people die every day because of the lack of organ donation.
• Last year 6,529 people died …waiting for a life saving transplant.
• In 2004 there were 7,151 donors and their families who chose to share the “gift of life”.
• According to the Department of Health and Human Resources in 2004, 27,036 people received a lifesaving organ transplant.*[14]

Organ donation is based on altruism in our culture. That is according to Mr. Webster an unselfish concern for or dedication to the interests or welfare of others. My final plea to this audience of truth seeking, compassionate, educated individuals would be to take a look at the facts, take a look at the need then take a look at what you can and will do to help fill the gap for Alex, Christopher, Amy, Fletcher, Mike, Katy, Jim, Jonah, Kim, Crystal, Gloria, Darcy, Chuck, Nikolette, Caleb, Don, Zachary, Joshua, Isabella, Mark, Kennedy, Alicia, Jerry, Ashton, Gary and Nona. *[15]

[16] Organ donation costs nothing, yet could mean everything!

Susan says:

*[14–15] Though the speaker might choose a more effective phrase than “in conclusion,” the end of this speech provides a clear push to persuade the audience. By citing shocking statistics and again making the information personal by adding names (rather than only statistics), the speaker is more likely to persuade the audience.

Susan says:

[16] The final line is also a call to action. This strategy is effective because it asks listeners to personally get involved and make a difference.

Now That You’re Inspired

Now that you’re inspired by the two persuasive speech examples above, it’s time to get creative and write your own speech.

Before you do, take a look at these resources to help get your speech rolling:

• 49 Persuasive Speech Topics You’ll Actually Want to Talk About
• How to Write a Persuasive Speech (On Just About Anything)
• This Persuasive Speech Outline Will Help You Write Faster

After you’ve written your speech, don’t forget that Kibin editors are here to help. Our expertise isn’t limited to essays, either. We have oodles of experience editing speeches too, and we’re ready to help you with yours.

I get it. If you’re not a fan of outlines, it can be pretty tedious to sort out where to put an “A,” a “1,” or a “b.” The mere thought of it is enough to drive you mad.

In all reality, though, outlining isn’t that bad, and it’s important to realize that there are some things in life that we just have to do—simply because they’re good for us.

When you’re a student, sometimes writing a formal outline is one of those things.

Even if you don’t find writing an outline that painful, there can be times when you need a little help getting your ideas together in the right format.

Whether you love (or hate) outlines, here’s how you can develop an outline to help you write your persuasive speech faster.

Before You Start Your Persuasive Speech Outline

Before you start outlining, you will, of course, need a topic for your persuasive speech. If you don’t already have one, this list of 49 speech topics or this one of 33 socially conscious persuasive topics should give you at least a little inspiration.

Even if you already have a topic, don’t immediately jump into outlining unless you’ve spent at least a little time pondering your topic. You need time to sort out your thoughts.

If your assignment requires research, make sure you also do a preliminary search to gather ideas and potential sources.

If you haven’t done either of these yet, take a brainstorming break now to do some research if needed.

Don’t worry, I’ll be here when you return. I’ll just grab a cup of coffee and wait.

How to Write a Persuasive Speech Outline

Have you pondered your topic? Spent a little time perusing sources? Excellent. Let’s talk outlines.

Even if you have a love/hate relationship with outlines, they’re excellent prewriting tools that will enable you to organize your thoughts and lay out the details of your speech.

They actually save a lot of time too. Once you put your ideas in outline form, you can write the actual speech in no time flat.

Another bonus of writing a detailed outline:

Your teacher may allow you to use only your outline when you deliver your speech. Having a well-written and concise outline means you’ll have your talking points in order (and you won’t fill the dead air with “…ummm” until you can think of something to say).

Where should you start?

The finished outline will contain all the usual sections: introduction, body, and conclusion.

That doesn’t mean that you have to start with the introduction and work, step by step, until you reach the conclusion, though.

You might start with a working thesis statement to help you establish the focus for your speech and then develop your main ideas. You can always go back and fill in the introduction and conclusion once you have a solid direction for your speech.

Of course, if you’re the type of person who needs to start at the introduction, that’s fine too. Do whatever works for you.

In my persuasive speech outline for this post, I’m going to start with the introduction and provide a step-by-step outline to help you get started on your own.

Here’s the topic for my persuasive speech outline: why adults should get a flu shot.

Persuasive speech introduction

The introduction needs to hook your audience, provide background and context for your topic, and contain a thesis statement to focus your speech.

Attention grabber

Begin the introduction by grabbing the attention of your audience with a clever or shocking hook.

Think about all those boring lectures you’ve sat through as a student. You don’t want to be that speaker. You don’t want your audience to tune you out and think about where they’re going to dinner instead of listening to your speech.

Instead, you want them on the edge of their seats, eager to hear what you have to say.

To grab the attention of my audience, I would start my introduction with this shocking statistic:

In the 2017–2018 flu season, 61,000 Americans died from the flu. It was one of the most severe flu seasons in history (CDC.gov).

This statistic hits home and shows the audience just how dangerous the flu can be.

Background/context

This section includes information that helps the audience understand the context of your topic and provides any background they may need to know to fully understand your key points.

You’ll also want to consider your audience as you develop your outline (and speech). If you’re speaking to senior citizens, for instance, the information you’ll include here (and throughout your speech) would likely be different than if you’re speaking to seniors in high school.

In my example, I’m trying to convince a general audience that they should get a flu shot, so I’d briefly explain a little bit about the shot and again stress how important a flu shot is to one’s health.

Thesis statement

Wrap up your opening with a clear thesis statement to let your audience know your stance on the topic.

My thesis statement would be something like this:

Adults should get a flu shot each year because it can be a life-saving vaccine.

This thesis statement clearly indicates that my topic will be flu shots, and because I’m writing a persuasive outline, my thesis presents my stance on the topic: that people need a flu shot because it can save lives.

Persuasive speech body

The body will be the majority of your speech. A basic outline will contain at least three main ideas to support your thesis.

Develop each idea in at least one paragraph. Unless you’re writing an extremely short speech, the body of your speech should be a minimum of three paragraphs. You may include more main ideas (and thus more paragraphs), of course, depending on your assignment.

Each main idea needs evidence to support your claim. (A claim is essentially the argument presented in your speech.)

If you’re citing sources, look for statistics, examples, and expert opinions to support your claims. Use paraphrases, summaries, and quotes to integrate the information into your speech.

Remember: Evidence from sources should support your claims, not make up the bulk of your writing. In other words, resist the urge to copy and paste large chunks of content into your outline. Write the speech in your own words and use sources as supporting evidence for your claims.

If research isn’t required for your persuasive speech, include personal examples and your own knowledge of the topic to support your claims.

Example body paragraph

 Here’s an example of how one of my body paragraphs would be structured:

Claim: Getting the flu shot helps with herd immunity.

Evidence: “Once enough people are vaccinated, the flu can’t spread quickly because it encounters people who are protected against it. The flu virus runs into a dead end” (Lynch).

Analysis/Commentary: Essentially, if everyone gets a flu shot, the virus can’t easily spread because everyone is protected against it. This also means that people who aren’t able to be vaccinated (such as the very young) are less likely to get the flu because fewer adults around them will become infected.

This example presents a solid claim and provides a quote from a reliable website to support the fact that getting a flu shot helps keep everyone safe. (You may wish to include more than one piece of evidence to support each claim.)

It also includes my own analysis and commentary to not only discuss the topic of herd immunity but also further explain (using my source as evidence) why adults should get an annual flu shot.

As you develop your main ideas, keep in mind that you want to appeal to your audience, and you want to use solid arguments.

To learn more about appeals and logic, check out these two posts:

• Ethos, Pathos, and Logos: Be More Persuasive in Your Next Essay
• 10 Logical Fallacies That Will Kill Your Argument

Counterargument and rebuttal

A counterargument is the opposing view to your claim. While you may not be required to include a counterargument in your speech, anticipating and addressing opposing views is a smart way to make your argument more convincing.

In my example, I’m arguing that people should get a flu shot because it can save lives. The opposing view might argue that vaccines are dangerous and getting a flu shot can actually cause someone to get sick.

A rebuttal is your reply to the opposing view. In other words, you’re adding more evidence to support your claim (while also illustrating why your claim is stronger than the claims of the opposition).

In my example, I could point to evidence that indicates that a flu shot doesn’t really cause people to get the flu. People who get the flu after receiving the shot were likely already exposed to the virus.

How you incorporate the counterargument and rebuttal will depend on your assignment (and, in some cases, personal preference).

Your teacher might require you to include a counterargument and rebuttal as a separate paragraph before the conclusion, or you may be allowed to incorporate a counterargument and rebuttal into one of your main body paragraphs.

Conclusion

The conclusion is your last chance to convince the audience of your claims.

To convince them, restate your key ideas and emphasize again why they should be convinced by your arguments.

Because I’m trying to convince my audience how important it is to get a flu shot, in my conclusion, I’ll remind them how miserable it feels to be sick. I’ll stress that if they take the time to get a flu shot, they not only can avoid the misery of the flu but also can prevent more serious illness and even protect others.

The Final Outline

If the mere thought of creating a persuasive speech outline still leaves you feeling a little under the weather, drink some soothing tea, and remember, outlining isn’t all that bad.

To make outlining even easier, here’s the skeleton of the persuasive speech outline we just created. You can use this as a guide to help you build your own outline by filling in your topic, claim, and supporting evidence.

1. Introduction

a. Hook/Attention grabber
b. Background and context
c. Thesis statement

2. Body: Evidence to support your thesis

a. Claim 1

i. Evidence from source(s) to support claim
ii. Analysis/Commentary

b. Claim 2

i. Evidence from source(s) to support claim
ii. Analysis/Commentary

c. Claim 3

i. Evidence from source(s) to support claim
ii. Analysis/Commentary

3. Body: Counterargument and Rebuttal

a. Counterargument
b. Evidence from source to illustrate counterargument
c. Refutation of argument and evidence

4. Conclusion

a. Restate key ideas and stress the importance of your claim
b. Emphasize why readers should be convinced by your arguments

Looking for an example outline before you tackle your own? Take a look at these outlines:

• A Speech Outline Regarding the Lowering of Athlete Salaries
• Outline of a Speech on How Helmets Reduce Injuries in Motorcycle Accidents

Ready to get started but need a shot in the arm to convince you to get moving?

Download this persuasive speech outline template to help you put your ideas in place.

If you have your outline finished but want a pair of expert eyes to provide some feedback before you step behind the podium, send it to the editors at Kibin. We can polish your outlines, essays, and just about any writing project your teachers can dream up.

Older siblings can be pretty persuasive, and if you’ve ever fallen victim to this persuasion (as I may have done once or twice), you already have a good understanding of what it takes to convince an audience.

How do you translate your experiences of being persuaded into being persuasive in your upcoming persuasive speech?

Here’s what you need to know to write a persuasive speech on just about anything.

The Art of Persuasion

Before you get started on your speech, it’s a smart idea to take the time to review a variety of techniques you can use to persuade your audience.

Thus, before we start the “how to” of how to write a persuasive speech, take a look at these articles:

• Use These Persuasive Techniques to Be More Convincing
• Ethos, Pathos, Logos: Be More Persuasive in Your Next Essay
• One Persuasive Writing Technique You Can’t Write Without

Ready to move on to learning how to write a persuasive speech? Excellent. Let’s start with topic selection.

Step 1: Choose a Topic for Your Persuasive Speech

Choosing the right topic for your persuasive speech is just as important as choosing the right topic for a persuasive essay.

One of the first steps of topic selection is to understand your assignment.

You need to know, for instance, if there are any guidelines (or prohibitions) on topics. For example, can your speech attempt to convince your classmates to buy you lunch, or can you attempt to convince your teacher to not assign any more homework this year?

Does your speech need to be about a more serious topic like texting and driving or cyberbullying? If so, does it need to include research?

Once you understand the parameters of your assignment, think about your own interests and whether you can be convincing while speaking about a given topic.

Let’s say your BFF suggests you speak about whether fast food should be served in public high schools. If it doesn’t matter to you what schools serve because you think it all tastes awful, this probably isn’t the best topic for you.

Exhausted your mental resources and can’t think of the perfect topic for your persuasive speech? Here are 137 ideas:

• 49 Persuasive Speech Topics You’ll Actually Want to Talk About 
• 33 Persuasive Essay Ideas That Make an Impact
• 40 Persuasive Essay Topics to Get You Started
• 15 Excellent Topics for Persuasive Essays

I’ve decided that my speech (for example purposes in this article) will focus on aliens.

Step 2: Develop a Focus for Your Persuasive Speech

Once you have a topic for your speech, you’ll need to narrow it appropriately.

If you want to write about graffiti, for instance, you can’t just start writing everything you know about the topic. (If you do, you’ll end up with lots of content, and you’ll be able to meet the time requirements—but trust me, you won’t end up with a good persuasive speech.)

Instead of just randomly writing about the topic, develop a persuasive focus.

If you were writing about graffiti, for instance, you could write about why graffiti is actually art rather than vandalism or why graffiti needs to be cleaned up in a specific neighborhood.

In my example, I chose aliens as my broad topic, and I’m going to narrow my topic to the existence of aliens. That is, I hope to persuade my audience to believe that aliens exist. But I could be even more specific and try to persuade my audience that television and movie aliens are based on real aliens already on Earth. (Who’s to say Spock isn’t an actual extraterrestrial on our planet?)

Once you’ve nailed down your focus, It’s time to start developing the nuts and bolts of the speech.

Step 3: Outline the Main Ideas of Your Persuasive Speech

After you’ve narrowed your topic, outline the main ideas.

When developing the main ideas of your speech, first consider whether you’re required to complete research. If you need to cite sources, make sure to locate credible resources.

Don’t forget to check to see what types of sources you can use too. You might be able to cite all websites, but you may be required to cite more scholarly resources, such as books or journals.

Creating the outline

So about that outline.

Unless a formal outline is required, you can jot down ideas in any outline format that works for you. You can also try a graphic organizer to visualize ideas.

You can also simply write a few notes to help get your ideas rolling.

For example, I might list the following as my main ideas about the existence of aliens:

• Water is necessary for life, and water is present on a number of planets.
• Astronauts (who are trusted experts) have reported UFOs.
• Scientists have established the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute.

These ideas give me a starting point for each of my main body paragraphs and function much like topic sentences because they give me a direction for each paragraph.

Supporting your claims

Next, I’ll need to fill in the rest of the paragraph with evidence to support my claims.

In my case, I’d need evidence from the experts to help me explain the following:

• where (besides Earth) water is present in the universe, and why this means that aliens could exist;
• which astronauts reported UFOs, what they reported, and why this is credible evidence of the existence of aliens; and
• details about the SETI Institute, its origins, and its purpose, and why the mere fact that the institute exists means that scientists believe there is life beyond Earth.

After sketching out these rough ideas, I’m ready to write a draft of my speech (and cite my sources according to my assignment guidelines).

I would, of course, start my assignment early enough so that I would have time to revise and edit. (Revision is important, so make sure you leave enough time to revise and edit your speech too.)

Be Persuasive and Appeal to Your Audience

As you write your persuasive speech, remember that you’re trying to convince your audience, so you need to think about who makes up your audience and what they believe.

Think about writing a persuasive speech as being like creating an ad campaign.

If you were advertising casual tennis shoes to teens, you’d have to think about what matters to them. Teens want style. While cost can play a factor, for the most part, as long as the shoe is trendy, you’ve appealed to their basic requirement.

Now think about creating an ad campaign for casual tennis shoes for older adults. While style may play a role, older adults are more concerned with cost, durability, and comfort. If you can convince older adults that a tennis shoe is comfortable, you’ve hooked them. Even if your shoe is a little more expensive, they’ll be willing to hand over their hard-earned cash in exchange for some comfy kicks.

See how using the right language and the right type of appeal (such as ethos, pathos, or logos) is necessary in order to convince your audience?

How to appeal to your specific audience

Given the above, it’s important to keep your audience in mind and think about what matters to them as you draft your speech.

For instance, if you’re trying to convince your teacher and classmates, consider how you can appeal to a general audience.

If your teacher has assigned an audience for your speech, you may have to pretend you’re speaking to parents, teens, or members of the school board (and thus consider what types of arguments you’ll use to convince them).

If your teacher allows some flexibility with your speech, you might choose your own audience. For example, if you’re writing about aliens, you could ask the class to pretend they’re aliens and try to convince them to take you to their home planet.

The takeaway: Know your audience. If you know how they think and what they believe, you’ll be able to appeal to them and be more convincing.

Additional Resources to Help You Write a Persuasive Speech

If you have a pretty good sense of what you want to write about and how you’ll put your speech together but are still looking for a little more help, check out these additional resources:

• How to Control the Tone of an Essay
• 20 Ways to Improve Your Academic Writing
• 10 Essay Writing Rules to Throw Out the Window

If you’d like to read an example or two of a persuasive speech before you get to work on your own, check out these speeches from our library:

• A Persuasive Speech on Pitbulls As a Non-Violent Breed of Dog
• A Persuasive Speech on Limiting the Production and Use of Plastic

One final piece of wisdom regarding speeches: Take a few deep breaths, and relax.

We all get nervous speaking in front of people (especially when our grade depends on it), but being prepared before you step foot behind the podium can make the entire process of delivering your speech a little less stressful.

Want to make sure your speech is in tip-top shape before you put yourself out there? Let the editors at Kibin help. While we can’t necessarily help you calm your nerves in front of an audience, we can help you prepare a terrific speech (on just about anything).

Live long and prosper.

It’s not until you’re actually standing in the chip aisle that you realize your friend didn’t specify which type of chips she wanted. You stare for what seems like hours (okay maybe three seconds) at plain, baked, barbeque, and even some bizarre cappuccino-flavored concoction before texting her to learn that she wants a specific brand of baked, wavy chips (that a convenience store won’t likely sell).

What does all this have to do with gender equality?

Aside from making you crave chips, my point here is that choosing articles and topics for essays is kinda like standing in that chip aisle: There’s a lot to choose from, and not all options are created equal.

Choose your chip incorrectly, and you end up with a terrible flavor that leaves a bad taste in your mouth for days. Choose your topic and sources incorrectly, and your entire essay could be equally terrible. (A bad grade will leave a bad taste in your mouth for days too.)

So grab a bag of your favorite chips, sit back, and let’s look at 10 good gender equality article choices for your upcoming essay.

The Broad Topic of Gender Equality

Before you do just about anything, you’ll need to decide what exactly to write about. While your professor may have assigned a gender equality essay, it doesn’t mean you can (or should) write about everything related to gender equality in the required five pages.

To write an effective essay, you first need to narrow your topic.

Not sure how to even begin? Here are a few suggestions:

• How/why gender inequality persists
• Why we need full gender equality
• Gender equality and LGBTQ individuals
• Gender-based violence
• Wage gap between genders
• Gender equality in the workplace
• Gender equality in education
• Should only exist sex pills for men
• Promotion of gender equality in professional sports

Keep in mind that even the above list of topics can be further narrowed.

For instance, you might discuss gender-based violence as it relates to teens, to the United States, or to another country. You might focus your discussion of gender equality in the workplace as it relates to STEM fields or to the political arena.

If you’re still not sure which direction is best for your essay, take a look at these 10 gender equality articles to help jump-start your research.

10 Gender Equality Articles to Support Your Next Essay

The articles below cover a wide range of gender equality topics, so I’ve provided a brief summary of each article to help you decide whether the article is a good fit for your essay.

I’ve also included an APA (7th edition) citation and MLA (8th edition) citation for each of the gender equality articles. (If you need to use APA 6th edition, consult this resource for the correct formatting.)

When citing, don’t forget to include in-text citations for each piece of information you use from sources. (Need a few reminders about citation and avoiding plagiarism? Click here to learn more.)

And now, let’s look at those 10 gender equality articles I promised.

1. Why Is Gender Equality Important?

This article is posted by Global Vision International (GVI), “an award-winning organization that focuses on high-impact and high-quality conservation and community development programs.”

In addition to providing readers with ways they can help promote gender equality through volunteer efforts, this article explains how creating equal employment opportunities for women can change the economy and help break the cycle of poverty.

APA 7 Citation

Darrah, P. (2019, June 11). Why is gender equality important? Global Vision International. https://www.gviusa.com/blog/why-is-gender-equality-important/

MLA 8 Citation

Darrah, Petrina. “Why Is Gender Equality Important?” Global Vision International, 11 June 2019, www.gviusa.com/blog/why-is-gender-equality-important/.

2. The Importance of Gender in Early Childhood Education Policy

Published by the well-respected Brookings Institution, the writer argues that gender equality in early childhood education is often overlooked. The writer also stresses the importance of gender awareness in order to help children thrive.

Chi, the author of this article, is a 2018 Echidna Global Scholar and Associate Professor at the Center for Teacher Education Research, KIS, MOE, Beijing Normal University.

APA 7 Citation

Chi, J. (2018, November 5). The importance of gender in early childhood education policy. Brookings Institution. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/education-plus-development/2018/11/05/the-importance-of-gender-in-early-childhood-education-policy/

MLA 8 Citation

Chi, Jin. “The Importance of Gender in Early Childhood Education Policy.” Brookings Institution, 5 Nov. 2018, www.brookings.edu/blog/education-plus-development/2018/11/05/the-importance-of-gender-in-early-childhood-education-policy/.

3. Gender Equality As a Security Issue

This article asserts that gender inequality should not be thought of as only a feminist issue. It is, in fact, a global security issue. The author indicates that “studies have repeatedly shown that gender inequality is a global concern, linked to domestic and international conflict, radicalization and economics.”

Published by Yale University, this article passes the CRAAP Test regarding currency and authority. If it meets your research needs and is relevant to your essay, it will have passed the test with flying colors.

APA 7 Citation

Johnson-Freese, J. (2019, September 17). Gender equality as a security issue. YaleGlobal Online. https://yaleglobal.yale.edu/content/gender-equality-security-issue

MLA 8 Citation

Johnson-Freese, Joan. “Gender Equality As a Security Issue.” YaleGlobal Online, 17 Sept. 2019, yaleglobal.yale.edu/content/gender-equality-security-issue.

4. Gender Inequality Is One of the Most Persistent Evils of Our Times

Written by the Prime Minister of Iceland, this piece examines the #MeToo movement and how the government can eliminate gender inequality to work toward an equal society.

This article is published by CNN, a respected news organization.

If you’re not sure whether the online sources you’re reviewing are credible, take a look at Evaluating Websites: What You Need to Know to Find Great Sources.

APA 7 Citation

Jakobsdóttir, K. (2019, September 17). Gender inequality is one of the most persistent evils of our times. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/17/opinions/katrn-jakobsdttir-gender-inequality-intl/index.html

MLA 8 Citation

Jakobsdóttir, Katrin. “Gender Inequality Is One of the Most Persistent Evils of Our Times.” CNN, 17 Sept. 2019. www.cnn.com/2019/09/17/opinions/katrn-jakobsdttir-gender-inequality-intl/index.html.

5. Goal 5: Achieve Gender Equality and Empower All Women and Girls

This United Nations article highlights the importance of achieving gender equality in order to build a “foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.”

This article includes gender inequality statistics and also links to a variety of gender- and equality-related sites.

Interested in reading one writer’s thoughts on how to achieve gender equality? Take a look at The Goals and Ways of Achieving Gender Equality.

APA 7 Citation

United Nations. (n.d.). Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/gender-equality/

MLA 8 Citation

“Goal 5: Achieve Gender Equality and Empower All Women and Girls.” United Nations,  www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/gender-equality/.

6. Gender Inequality and Women in the Workplace

Posted as a Q&A with a sociology professor at Harvard, this piece examines the concerns of work–life balance, fertility rates, and concerns over the declining birth rate in Japan and how the decline could undermine the Japanese economy.

Not sure how to approach an essay about gender equality in the workplace? Get inspired by reading this essay from our library on childcare, gender equality, and paternal leave, or this essay on women in combat.

APA 7 Citation

Harvard Summer School. (n.d.). Gender inequality and women in the workplace. https://www.summer.harvard.edu/inside-summer/gender-inequality-women-workplace

MLA 8 Citation

“Gender Inequality and Women in the Workplace.” Harvard Summer School, www.summer.harvard.edu/inside-summer/gender-inequality-women-workplace.

7. Women’s Rights (killer facts on gender equality)

This is a brief fact sheet filled with statistics about gender inequality. For instance, the fact sheet states how “gender-based violence is one of the biggest causes of injury and death to women worldwide, causing more deaths and disability among women aged 15 to 44 than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents, and war.” The fact sheet also details how, “as a result of violence and neglect, there are 50 million fewer women in South Asia today than there should be.”

This fact sheet is published by OxFam New Zealand, “a non-profit organisation dedicated to finding lasting solutions to poverty and injustice” (OxFam.org.nz), and also links to a women’s rights section of the website.

Looking for ideas about gender equality and the status of women in society? Check out this essay from our library.

APA 7 Citation

OxFam New Zealand. (n.d.). Women’s rights. https://www.oxfam.org.nz/what-we-do/issues/gender-equality/killer-facts

MLA 8 Citation

“Women’s Rights.” OxFam New Zealand, 2019, www.oxfam.org.nz/what-we-do/issues/gender-equality/killer-facts.

8. 7 Appalling Facts That Prove We Need Gender Equality Now

This article highlights seven facts to illustrate the injustices of gender inequality, including the fact that “over 150 countries have at least one actively sexist law.” Other facts include that “1 in 3 women have experienced physical or sexual violence at some point in their lifetime.” Additionally, per the article, “in most countries, women only earn between 60 and 75% of men’s wages – for the same work.”

The site also links to a variety of resources with more information about each of the facts.

Interested in writing about the gender pay gap? Get inspired by reading A Study of the Gender Pay Gap in Society.

APA 7 Citation

Olorunshola, Y. (2016, May 25). 7 appalling facts that prove we need gender equality now. Global Citizen. https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/shocking-facts-gender-inequality-international-wom/

MLA 8 Citation

Olorunshola, Yosola. “7 Appalling Facts That Prove We Need Gender Equality Now.” Global Citizen, 25 May 2016, www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/shocking-facts-gender-inequality-international-wom/.

9. 17 Marketing Campaigns With a Positive Message for Women

Included in this blog post by Econsultancy are 17 marketing campaigns that fight inequality and female idealism, and promote female empowerment.

The highlighted ads tackle domestic violence, motherhood, education, fashion and beauty even in the young ones.

APA 7 Citation

Econsultancy. (2018, November 21). 17 marketing campaigns with a positive message for women. https://econsultancy.com/17-marketing-campaigns-with-a-positive-message-for-women/

MLA 8 Citation

“17 Marketing Campaigns With a Positive Message for Women.” Econsultancy, 21 Nov. 2018, econsultancy.com/17-marketing-campaigns-with-a-positive-message-for-women/.

10. Gender Equality: “No Room at the Top for Women Scientists”

This article reports the findings of several studies. Per the article, although women do enter STEM and related science fields, many “leave the profession due to problems such as harassment and issues around promotion and pay.”

This article is trustworthy and is a reliable research source as it’s published by BBC News.

APA 7 Citation

Briggs, H. (2019, September 6). Gender equality: “No room at the top for women scientists.” BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-49552812

MLA 8 Citation

Briggs, Helen. “Gender Equality: ‘No Room at the Top for Women Scientists.’” BBC News, 6 Sept. 2019, www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-49552812.

What’s Next?

Finished your bag of chips but aren’t sure what to do next? You could make another snack run to the convenience store. But you might want to actually do a little more research to find additional gender equality articles for your upcoming essay first. (You can always get more snacks after you’ve finished your research.)

Here are several additional resources to not only help you find the sources you need but also help you put everything together into a finished research essay:

• 5 Best Resources to Help With Writing a Research Paper
• 15 Thesis Statement Examples for Research Papers to Inspire You
• How to Write a Research Paper: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Craft a Research Paper Outline

Finished your research and completed a draft of your gender equality essay? Pat yourself on the back, and let a Kibin editor help you make your draft even more awesome. We’re here 24/7 to help you with any step of the writing process.

You can’t complete either of these tasks without tools. So what if I handed you a hammer, a saw, and a handful of nails to start building, or a basic paintbrush and a gallon of paint to start your masterpiece?

While you could certainly create something (and sometimes something pretty fantastic) with only basic tools, you’d be able to create a much more polished and professional project if you had the right tools to work with.

The same is true for writing.

A pen and paper or computer and blank screen are the only basic tools you need to be any type of writer. But if you want to create a written masterpiece for your upcoming assignment, try these 14 writing tools for students to help you work smarter (not harder).

14 Writing Tools for Students

In order to write, you don’t always need expensive tools, like a new computer or pricey software. All 14 writing tools for students in the list below allow you to access their basic services for free.

The tools provide help with proper word choice, prewriting, collaboration, time management, organization, citation, and essay writing.

1. Thesaurus

Using a thesaurus doesn’t mean you need to find off-the-wall words that you think will make you sound smart. Using a thesaurus correctly means you should find the perfect word for the situation.

For instance, if you’re writing a narrative essay, writing that you went swimming in blue water isn’t terribly descriptive. Using a thesaurus, you might realize that the water was actually cerulean or turquoise.

2. Dictionary

Don’t underestimate the power of the dictionary. You can, of course, look up words that you don’t know, but you can also use a dictionary to help you write more effectively.

If you’re writing a descriptive essay, for example, you could type the word “hunger” to get the following definition: “a compelling need or desire for food.” This definition might be just the phrase you need to describe your hunger and that you felt compelled to order a footlong extra-large super combo at the local sub shop.

3. Dictionary of obscure words

While a standard dictionary will, of course, contain obscure words too, a dictionary of obscure words might be just the ticket if you’re looking for a few unique words to captivate your audience .

Let’s say you’re working on a creative writing piece about vampires, for instance, and you just don’t want to use the word “blood-thirsty” again. Using a dictionary of obscure words,you find the words sanguinolent (containing blood; bloodthirsty), sanguisugent (blood-sucking), and sanguivorous (blood-drinking)—all of which would be perfect additions to your story.

4. Reverse dictionary/thesaurus

A reverse dictionary or reverse thesaurus is a tool that “lets you describe a concept and get back a list of words and phrases related to that concept” (OneLook.com).

Keep in mind that the generated list from your search may result in a lot of unrelated words too. But if you look at the first few words on the list, the reverse dictionary is usually pretty accurate.

A search for “lose your job,” for instance, returns “fired,” “sacked,” “terminated,” and “canned” within the top nine results.

5. A guide to literary terms

This website offers a comprehensive list of literary terms, and quizzes and flashcards to help you study.

Remember, literary terms aren’t just for literary analysis essays.

Literary devices can be used in most types of essays to strengthen your writing and grab the audience’s attention.

For instance, you could state that the kids you were babysitting acted rowdy, and readers would understand your point. If, however, you use a simile and stated that the kids acted like a wild pack of dogs, your description suddenly takes on an entirely new meaning and creates a much stronger image.

6. EasyBib

Struggling with proper APA, MLA, or Chicago citations? EasyBib offers free citation generators. Simply type in the requested information about your source, and the site will automatically generate a citation. (Make sure to double-check the format when you copy and paste the citation into your essay.)

7. Google Docs

You might think of Google Docs as only a place to type your papers, but it’s also a great collaboration tool.

If you want to have others review your paper, simply send them a link, and they can comment to their heart’s content. Google Docs is a great tool for group work too as you can share ideas and keep notes all in one convenient place.

8. Pomodoro Tracker

The goal of the Pomodoro system is to allow you to focus on the task at hand without distraction and to ultimately increase your productivity.

Here’s how it works: The timer is set at 25 minutes. Use the 25 minutes to work steadily on your writing, and then take a short 3–5 minute break before going back to your project. If you need to work on your project further, work another 25 minutes, and then take another break. (This break might be a few minutes longer than the first.)

While you’re writing, resist the urge to check that text on your phone or pop open a new tab to check on your fantasy football stats—save those tasks for your breaks.

9. My Study Life

If you’ve ever missed an assignment deadline or exam because you simply forgot (or misplaced your paper planner or notes), My Study Life might be just the app you need.

My Study Life allows you to add reminders for assignments, organize your schedule, and sync your schedule to all of your devices. You can even access it offline.

10. Sticky notes

Good old fashioned paper sticky notes will sometimes do the trick. But if you’re working on your computer more than you’re working with paper and pencil, a digital sticky note may be more effective for quick reminders (and they won’t get lost on your way to class, either).

11. MindMup

MindMup allows you to create an unlimited number of mind maps and store them online for up to six months. (The subscription service includes even more features and allows you to collaborate with other users.)

Mind mapping is useful in just about any type of essay writing as it allows you to visually plan out your ideas. Like other graphic organizers, mind maps are great for those of us who hate writing formal outlines.

12. Speechnotes

If your fingers are worn to the bone from typing endless essays, try dictating your paper with Speechnotes.

Simply speak, and the site will convert your words to text.

Keep in mind that you can’t be a speed-talker like the guy below.

You must speak slowly and clearly, but the website can save a lot of typing time. It can also take time to get used to saying “comma” or “period” each time you want to add punctuation, but you have the option of manually typing punctuation if you prefer.

After you’ve dictated your essay (or other assignment), you can copy/paste the text into another program, and continue editing or submit your assignment as you would normally.

NOTE: Speechnotes only works with Google’s Chrome browser, which you can download for free.

13. Flashcard Machine

Though you have to create a free account before you can use this site, Flashcard Machine enables you to create sets of flashcards as study tools.

This site is an excellent option for studying literary terms, of course, but you can also use flashcards to stay organized when writing a research paper.

Use one side of the card for a Works Cited or References page citation, and use the other side to summarize the source or include a paraphrase or quote you might want to include in your paper.

14. Kibin

Did you know that Kibin not only offers this awesome blog (which you’re reading now) but also offers a free thesis generator tool and free paper grader service?

If you’d like more specific feedback on your paper, you can work with a Kibin editor to improve your writing as well. We can help with anything from organization and grammar to citation and style.

And if you’re needing more inspiration to pick a topic or organize your paper, be sure to check out Kibin’s extensive essay database and see how other students have tackled topics that interest you.

Have Tools, Will Write

Even if you’ve been working with all the possible writing tools for students in your toolbox to improve your writing, don’t forget that the Kibin Essay Writing Blog has tons of helpful posts to help you put the finishing touches on your paper. Here are a few you might find useful:

• Avoid These 10 Common Grammar Mistakes in Your Paper
• 5 Punctuation Rules You Need to Know
• How to Improve Sentence Variety in Your Essays (and Why You Should Care)

Did we forget to mention your favorite writing tools for students? Give them a shoutout in the comments!

Because global climate change is frequently in the news, we also have a pretty good working knowledge of the topic. We can probably hold our own in a conversation about it.

What happens, though, when your own knowledge isn’t enough, and you need to write a research paper about climate change?

If you guessed that you need to locate credible research sources, you’re exactly right.

Not sure where to start? Check out these 11 smart sources to support your climate change essay.

11 Smart Sources to Support Your Climate Change Essay

I’ve divided this list of climate change sources into categories to help you locate sources about the history, causes and effects, and strategies to reduce climate change.

I’ve also included two websites that cover an array of climate change topics (just in case you’re looking for even more information).

This list also includes both APA (7th edition) and MLA (8th edition) citations for your References page or Works Cited list, respectively. (Need APA 6th edition? Visit this page for the correct formatting.)

2 sources on the background and history of climate change

To help your audience understand the evidence that has led to the current understanding of climate change, consider citing one (or all) of the resources below.

These resources might also be useful in an argument to illustrate the changes in climate throughout the Earth’s history.

1. Historical Overview of Climate Change Science

This is the first chapter of a longer report about climate change. The chapter begins with an overview of earth science but focuses on the history of climate change and the current understanding of the topic.

If you feel like this chapter is so long that you’ll never remember where information is located, don’t forget to brush up on your annotation skills.

APA 7 Citation:

Le Treut, H., Somerville, R., Cubasch. U., Ding, Y.,  Mauritzen, C., Mokssit, A., Peterson, T., & Prather, M. (2007). Historical overview of climate change. In S. Solomon, D. Qin, M. Manning, Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K. B. Averyt, M. Tignor, & H. L. Miller [Eds.], Climate change 2007: The physical science basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (pp. 93–122). Cambridge University Press. https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/03/ar4-wg1-chapter1.pdf

MLA 8 Citation:  

Le Treut, Herve, et al. “Historical Overview of Climate Change Science.” Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis, Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, edited by S. Solomon et al., Cambridge University, 2007, pp. 93–122. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/03/ar4-wg1-chapter1.pdf.

2. Climate Change by the U.S. Global Change Research Program

This article includes an overview of climate change and additional sections that discuss how climate change occurs, how it affects the planet, and how people can work to combat climate change.

Published by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, this government website easily passes the CRAAP Test.

APA 7 Citation:

Climate change. (n.d.). U.S. Global Change Research Program. https://www.globalchange.gov/climate-change

MLA 8 Citation: 

“Climate Change.” U.S. Global Change Research Program, www.globalchange.gov/climate-change.

4 sources on the causes and effects of climate change

The sources below discuss the causes and effects of climate change, but keep in mind that you can cite these sources for more than just cause and effect essays.

An argumentative essay, for instance, might cite these sources to argue the most significant cause of climate change or argue the most devastating effects of climate change.

The sources might also serve you well if you’re writing a problem-solution essay (or including a discussion of the problem and its solution in the context of another type of essay).

1. What Is Causing Climate to Change?

This brief article lists key causes of climate change and links to other resources about the effects of climate change.

The article is published by the Committee on Climate Change, an advisory committee in the UK. The committee’s purpose is “to advise the UK Government and Devolved Administrations on emissions targets and report to Parliament on progress made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for climate change.”

APA 7 Citation: 

What is causing climate change? (n.d.). Committee on Climate Change. https://www.theccc.org.uk/tackling-climate-change/the-science-of-climate-change/climate-variations-natural-and-human-factors/

MLA 8 Citation:

“What Is Causing Climate Change?” Committee on Climate Change, www.theccc.org.uk/tackling-climate-change/the-science-of-climate-change/climate-variations-natural-and-human-factors/.

2. Effects of Climate Change

Covering the areas of causes, impacts, and potential solutions, this article also links to specific discussions of the impacts of climate change on various animal species and their environments.

Even though the World Wildlife Fund could have potential bias as an organization whose goal is to help wildlife, the website does provide credible information.

APA 7 Citation: 

Effects of climate change. (n.d.). World Wildlife Fund. https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/effects-of-climate-change

MLA 8 Citation: 

“Effects of Climate Change.” World Wildlife Fund, 2019, www.worldwildlife.org/threats/effects-of-climate-change.

3. Climate Change Impacts

This article is published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (part of the U.S. Department of Commerce). It addresses the impact of climate change on water, temperature, ecosystems, and society.

APA 7 Citation:

Climate change impacts. (2019, February). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/climate-education-resources/climate-change-impacts

MLA 8 Citation: 

“Climate Change Impacts.” National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Feb. 2019, www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/climate-education-resources/climate-change-impacts.

4. Climate Change Could Raise the Risk of Deadly Fungal Infections in Humans

In this article, the writer reports that scientists are studying fungal infections in humans and examining how fungus, because of warming temperatures on Earth, may now be more tolerant to the human body temperature.

Infections of the fungus C. auris, for instance, can cause blood, brain, and heart infections. These infections could prove to be fatal in at least 30%–60% of cases.

This article is considered credible as it is published by Science News, “an independent, nonprofit source of accurate information on the latest news of science, medicine and technology.”

APA 7 Citation:

Cunningham, A. (2019, July 26). Climate change could raise the risk of deadly fungal infections in humans. Science News. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/climate-change-could-raise-risk-deadly-fungal-infections-humans

MLA Citation:

Cunningham, Aimee. “Climate Change Could Raise the Risk of Deadly Fungal Infections in Humans.” Science News, 26 July 2019, www.sciencenews.org/article/climate-change-could-raise-risk-deadly-fungal-infections-humans.

3 sources on reducing the effects of climate change

Though no one has developed any solutions to climate change, the resources below illustrate potential strategies for reducing its effects.

1. Don’t Burn Trees to Fight Climate Change—Let Them Grow

McKibben, a former New Yorker staff writer and the Schumann Distinguished Scholar in Environmental Studies at Middlebury College, argues that cutting trees and using them (in various forms) as fuel is not a solution to climate change.

This process does not immediately cancel out carbon emissions when trees regrow and thus absorb the carbon. Instead, he argues, the process of absorption happens over time as the trees regrow.

The problem, he states, is that this process is entirely too long, and it will be too late as damage to the climate will have already occurred.

APA 7 Citation:

McKibben, B. (2019, August 15). Don’t burn trees to fight climate change—Let them grow. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/dont-burn-trees-to-fight-climate-changelet-them-grow

MLA 8 Citation: 

McKibben, Bill. “Don’t Burn Trees to Fight Climate Change—Let Them Grow.” The New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2019, www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/dont-burn-trees-to-fight-climate-changelet-them-grow.

2. Urban Forests Are Crucial for Combating Climate Change, but Planting More Trees Is Easier Said Than Done

Published by the Boston Globe, this article explains how Boston initially announced in 2007 that it would plant 100,000 new trees by 2020. But the project was abandoned because of the city’s population and officials’ concerns over maintaining current trees.

The author, however, argues that urban forests are essential in order to (among other things) absorb carbon, provide shade, reduce dependence on air conditioning, and prevent stormwater runoff.

APA 7 Citation:

Crawford, A. (2019, August 19). Urban forests are crucial for combating climate change, but planting more trees is easier said than done. Boston Globe. https://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2019/08/16/urban-forests-are-crucial-for-combating-climate-change-but-planting-more-trees-easier-said-than-done/Tu48OZUMQnjy0RR8CBma4K/story.html

MLA 8 Citation: 

Crawford, Amy. “Urban Forests Are Crucial for Combating Climate Change, But Planting More Trees Is Easier Said Than Done.” Boston Globe, 19 Aug. 2019, www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2019/08/16/urban-forests-are-crucial-for-combating-climate-change-but-planting-more-trees-easier-said-than-done/Tu48OZUMQnjy0RR8CBma4K/story.html.

3. Could Wooden Buildings Be a Solution to Climate Change?

Published by the BBC, this article argues that wooden structures are more eco-friendly than other building types as they reduce the amounts of steel and concrete used (which contribute to the amount of carbon dioxide in the air).

The writer even argues that “the best form of carbon sequestration is to chop down trees: to restore our sustainable, managed forests, and use the resulting wood as a building material.”

APA 7 Citation:

Smedley, T. (2019, July 25). Could wooden buildings be a solution to climate change? BBC. http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20190717-climate-change-wooden-architecture-concrete-global-warming

MLA 8 Citation: 

Smedley, Tim. “Could Wooden Buildings Be A Solution to Climate Change?” BBC, 25 July 2019, www.bbc.com/future/story/20190717-climate-change-wooden-architecture-concrete-global-warming.

2 additional climate change resources

If you’re looking for specific data, a topic a bit more narrow than “climate change,” or simply want a few additional sources for your paper, the two websites below offer links to a variety of additional climate change information.

1. NASA—Global Climate Change

This NASA website includes an array of climate change topics, including news stories, evidence, causes, and effects of climate change.

The website also links to a Climate Resource Center, which is “an extensive collection of global warming resources for media, educators, weathercasters and public speakers.”

APA 7 Citation (example page from website):

Vinas, M. (2019, August 13). NASA studies how arctic wildfires change the world. NASA. https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2902/nasa-studies-how-arctic-wildfires-change-the-world/

MLA 8 Citation (example page from website):

Vinas, Maria-Jose. “NASA Studies How Arctic Wildfires Change the World.” NASA, 13 Aug. 2019, climate.nasa.gov/news/2902/nasa-studies-how-arctic-wildfires-change-the-world/.

2. Climate Change Research Group, International Institute for Environment and Development 

The International Institute for Environment and Development is an independent research organization operating globally. One of its four research groups focuses on climate change. Accordingly, the website offers a host of resources, including blogs, projects, and links to additional research.

APA 7 Citation: (example page from website)

Ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation. (n.d.). International Institute for Environment and Development. https://www.iied.org/ecosystem-based-approaches-climate-change-adaptation

MLA 8 Citation: (example page from website)

“Ecosystem-Based Approaches to Climate Change Adaptation.” International Institute for Environment and Development, www.iied.org/ecosystem-based-approaches-climate-change-adaptation.

So You Have a List of Climate Change Sources…Now What?

This list of sources may be all you need to get started with your climate change essay. But there’s a good chance that you’re still looking for additional information.

If you’re looking specifically for information about global warming, read 12 Global Warming Articles to Help Your Next Essay.

Need help with finding additional resources? Check out five sources that can help with writing a research paper.

For a few tips on how to get rolling on your paper, take a look at the following posts:

• 6 Prewriting Strategies to Get Your Essay Rolling
• 7 Essay Outline Templates to Get Your Essay Going
• How to Avoid Plagiarism in Your Essay Writing
• How to Write a Thesis Statement in 5 Simple Steps

Interested in reading a few example papers about climate change before you tackle your own essay? Check out these essays from our library:

• The History of the Climate Change Science and the Potential Effects of Global Warming
• The Solution to Climate Change in Developed Countries
• A Discussion on the Issues of Global Climate Change and Environmental Degradation

Have you completed a draft of your climate change essay but want to ensure it will make the grade? Let a Kibin editor help. We’ve edited tens of thousands of essays and are standing by 24/7 to help you with yours.

For these writers, inspiration might hit in six months when they’re walking out of a pub in London or having brunch in New York City. The perfect writing conditions might be a rainy afternoon in October or when the planets align and Jupiter is rising.

If you’re a student in an English class who’s struggling to be creative and feel confident in the world of creative writing, you likely don’t have the luxury of time. You might only have until next Tuesday to be inspired or for the planets to line up in your favor.

If that’s the case, what do you do to get the creative writing juices flowing? You take action, rather than wait for inspiration. Begin by reading (and practicing) the four creative writing tips in this post.

Four Creative Writing Tips to Boost Your Confidence

You don’t have to be a famous author to be a creative writer. (After all, every famous author had to start writing something before becoming famous, right?)

You also don’t have to be afraid to write. Everyone is creative. You simply need to practice flexing your creative muscles. Try these four tips to boost your confidence in your creative writing abilities.

Be yourself

“Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.” —Dr. Seuss

Whether you’re a fan of William Shakespeare, Ernest Hemingway, Suzanne Collins, or Dr. Seuss, the truth is that you’re not any of these authors. (And that’s fine. You can still be an awesome writer.)

To be a strong writer, you should definitely read the works of these (and many other) authors to learn what good writing looks like and to learn how writers use language and develop characters.

Even after studying what great authors do well, though, you shouldn’t try to become those writers.

Find your own voice. Write in a style that works for you. Write about your own world and what you know. You may need to do a little research to get the details just right, but that’s fine. The key here is to be authentic.

Find inspiration

Inspiration can hit you when you least expect it, like when you’re waiting in a mile-long TSA line or when you’re getting your teeth cleaned. There are plenty of times, though, that inspiration doesn’t find you. You need to find it.

How do you “find” inspiration?

Your interests

Start by considering your interests and what you might want to write about.

If you’re writing about nature, then by all means, go outside. Sitting in front of your laptop isn’t going to be as inspiring as taking a walk through the woods or sitting by a pond—just look at what that did for Thoreau.

Already tried immersing yourself in a new environment and still feel like you don’t have what it takes to be creative? Try something else.

Your life

Why not look to your own life and memories as inspiration?

That road trip to Mt. Rushmore when you were 10 might have been your average vacation, but think back to that time your dad took a wrong turn somewhere in South Dakota or when you almost lost your little brother in a crowd.

Here’s the thing—you’re not writing a narrative essay that demands you tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. You can take a few (or a lot) of creative liberties when you write the story as fiction.

Maybe in the world of creative writing your dad went the wrong way on the interstate, and you ended up in a small town diner, talking to a patron who you later learned was actually a wanted fugitive. Maybe your brother really did get lost. Maybe he ended up hanging out with a school group, and it took six hours before anyone in the group even realized that he wasn’t actually a member of the class.

If you still feel like you don’t have any stories to tell or are struggling to find inspiration, read 13 Surprising Sources of Inspiration for Writing and 4 Ways to Mine Social Media for Better Topics to Write About.

Or read other students’ creative writing pieces from our essay database to see what types of stories create compelling narratives.

Break through writer’s block

Did you know that Maya Angelou occasionally rented a hotel room to write in or that Stephen King likes a glass of water or tea and writes at the same time every day? J. K. Rowling, on the other hand, writes whenever she can and made up the names of characters on a sick bag when she was on an airplane (Bustle.com).

The point is that different writers have different routines and have various techniques to help them write.

You need to find what works for you.

Try a writing schedule. To begin, write at different times of the day. You might find that you’re too sleepy in the morning or too exhausted at night but work best mid-afternoon.

Maybe you’ll learn that you work best in long marathon stretches. Maybe you’re more creative if you write between classes.

Brainstorming to break writer’s block

If you just can’t seem to get writing at any time of day, brainstorm ideas. Remember, you don’t have to start with an entire story idea. Sometimes you can start with bits and pieces that turn into something brilliant.

For instance, you could…

• Create character names and their personality traits. A common name like Joe Smith could be perfect for a quirky character that is anything but ordinary.

• Write one scene that seems to stick in your mind. Maybe you have an idea about a conflict at an ATM or a wedding inside a fast-food restaurant. Perhaps there’s a funny moment on the subway or in line at a stadium restroom.

• Craft an interesting line. Though you may not have a complete idea for a story, starting with one line can get you moving in the right direction. Imagine starting with a line like, “It was a bright, cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.” George Orwell might not have figured out the entire storyline of the dystopian classic 1984 when he wrote that line, but it’s a great hook that certainly grabs readers’ attention.

Want more tips for beating writer’s block? Read 4 Proven Ways to Keep Writer’s Block From Ruining Your Essay.

Have no fear

Ever try to skateboard, to audition for the lead in a dramatic play, or to do anything that you might fail at (or at least flounder at a little bit) on the first try?

Creative writing is a lot like these types of activities. You might struggle at first. You may realize that your first efforts require a lot of revisions in order to be even close to mediocre.

And because of these fears, you might hold back. After all, no one wants to face rejection. Who wants people to laugh at their efforts?

But what if they don’t laugh? What if you find you have a gift for acting or that your first short story is nothing short of amazing?

The truth is that you’ll never know until you try.

The (not so bad) worst-case scenarios

If you’re still feeling worried about putting yourself out there, think about worst-case scenarios. (I know that seems like strange advice, but hear me out.)

• You workshop your story in class, and some people might not like it. That’s okay. Maybe you love all things J.R.R. Tolkien, but your classmates dislike everything he’s ever written. Even great authors can’t please everyone, so don’t bother worrying about it.

• Classmates may suggest you make revisions. That’s okay too. Constructive feedback is important and helps you improve as a writer. If you work closely with a piece of writing for a long time, you often miss subtle things that fresh eyes can see.

• Your prof gives you a bad grade. This is definitely not okay. Fear of a bad grade is always present, but if you work hard and get the help you need (and follow assignment guidelines), you should be fine.

See? Even the worst-case scenarios aren’t that bad.

Keep in mind that if you do fail (or falter more than you’d like), you can always rewrite (and you can rewrite as many times as it takes to create your masterpiece).

Bonus Creative Writing Tip: Ask for a Little Help From Your Friends

From time to time, we all need a little help from our friends.

If you’d like a few more creative writing tips from your friends (like me) at the Kibin essay writing blog, read 5 Ways to Break the Rules in Your Creative Writing Essays and How to Show Don’t Tell in Your Narrative Essay.

If you’re not sure your friends want to read your latest story (or if you’re still not sure you want them to read it), check out Kibin’s editing service for authors and creative writers. As editors, we can help you polish your writing by catching errors you might miss and help you develop your writing skills by offering revision suggestions.

We’re also great cheerleaders and aren’t afraid to tell you when you’ve written something brilliant (and that will boost anyone’s confidence).

Good question.

You, your neighbor, or just about anyone can publish online. In the world of the internet, you could become Allie S. Everson, PhD and write an article titled “The Evolution of String Theory: Are Scientists Stringing Us Along?”

Sounds credible, right? All you need to do is write a really good summary of what you can dig up on Wikipedia and bam—you have an article!

The problems with this are pretty obvious. First, you’re likely plagiarizing another source to write your article. And second, you’re claiming you hold a PhD.

Another problem is that some unsuspecting student might be citing your bogus article in a research paper.

You could easily fall victim to bogus “experts” too, if you don’t carefully choose your sources.

So how exactly do you decide if a source is crap? Simple: Apply the CRAAP Test!

(Yes, really. CRAAP Test. That’s really what it’s called.)

The test helps you determine whether your sources are crap, so keep reading to learn how to use it.

What Is the CRAAP Test?

The CRAAP Test is a series of questions to help you decide whether a source is credible.

It’s like evaluating all the elements that make up a source through a microscope. You need to look at all of its parts to determine whether it’s appropriate for your research essay.

CRAAP stands for “currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose.” You’ll need to examine each one of these components to decide whether a source is crap or whether it’s worthy of inclusion in your research paper.

Applying the CRAAP Test to Your Essay Sources

When you’re completing research, you don’t want to use every source you find. You also can’t just assume that all sources are created equal.

Sure, you’ll save a lot of time by choosing the first five or ten sources that appear in your search results. But it’s not likely that they’ll be the best (or most appropriate) sources for your paper.

Why?

Because when you research, you’ll encounter many sources that are, in fact, crap (especially if you’re doing all of your research online using only websites).

To determine what’s useful and what’s not, test your sources by asking the questions listed under each of the following categories.

CRAAP Test: Currency

In this case, currency has nothing to do with money. Here, currency refers to the timeliness of the source. In other words, when was it written?

Unless you’re critiquing a specific source or you’re using it for a historical overview, you’ll want to find the most recent information possible.

If you’re citing a website, it might not be that easy to find the date the source was originally written. But you should be able to find the date the information was last updated. Check the bottom of the webpage for a date when the information was created or last updated.

Think the date of a source can’t really mean that much? Think again.

Let’s say you find a source online (written five years ago) about a breakthrough cancer treatment. A five-year-old source may not be that old for some topics. But in the world of science and technology, five years might as well be a lifetime.

That breakthrough cancer treatment of five years ago might have already been deemed unsafe, and several new breakthrough treatments might now be in place.

CRAAP Test: Relevance

This may sound a bit too obvious, but you’ll need to ask yourself whether the source is relevant to your research.

Just because you’re writing a paper about minimum-wage laws and the title of the article includes the words “minimum-wage laws,” you can’t automatically assume the content of the article meets your needs.

The article might explain the reasons that minimum-wage laws were created. But if you’ve already located a source about the history of the law to use as background information, the article may not provide any new or useful information for your paper.

You’ll also need to think about the intended audience and whether the source is written at an appropriate level.

If, for example, the source is written for middle school students and you’re writing a college research essay, you can pretty much assume your professor won’t be too happy seeing the source on your Works Cited or References page.

Don’t assume that scholarly resources will always be written for the appropriate audience, either.

If you’re writing a paper about mental illness and you’ve located a research paper written by doctors for doctors, you might become a bit lost. If the paper is written for other doctors, the authors have likely used terms and explanations that you simply won’t understand.

You should skip these types of articles too. If you can’t make sense of the information, you certainly can’t use it as a source in your paper.

CRAAP Test: Authority

I have it on good authority that evaluating the authority of a website means more than simply locating the author of the article or site.

Knowing the name of the author doesn’t do you much good if that’s all you know.

Start your review of the site’s authority by looking at the author’s credentials.

Does the author have a degree in the field? Does he or she work in the field? Has the author written other articles or books about the subject?

NOTE: Someone having written about a subject or published a book about a subject doesn’t automatically mean that he or she is credible.

A self-proclaimed “healer,” for instance, isn’t as credible as an MD (doctor of medicine) if you’re researching new medical treatments.

Next, consider the type of source you’re reviewing and whether it’s appropriate for your needs.

If you’re researching opinions about the newest iPhone, reading blogs and forums written by just about anyone might be useful.

On the other hand, if you’re researching the topic of global warming for your essay, reading sources written by just about anyone is definitely not recommended.

When you’re evaluating the authority of a web source, remember to look at the URL. A .com site is more likely to simply want to sell you something. A .gov or .edu site will likely present more in-depth and balanced information. A .org site may contain detailed information, but it may have an agenda and may be biased.

You’re looking for clear, accurate, unbiased, and well-documented sources. Usually, this means avoiding .com sites. (News websites, such as CNN.com, NYTimes.com, or NPR.com are generally exceptions to this rule.)

Looking for help finding credible sources online? Read 5 Best Sources to Help With Writing a Research Paper.

CRAAP Test: Accuracy

Does this source hit the mark? Is the information correct?

Before you decide whether you want to use the source in your essay, check to see whether you can verify the information.

If one source states 75% of college students don’t bother to purchase the required textbooks for their courses and another source states roughly 10% of students don’t purchase textbooks, look to see how the statistics were gathered and try to verify which source is correct. (Keep in mind, you may find a third source that presents yet another statistic, so you may need to continue to research to verify accuracy.)

Next, read carefully to make sure the author uses ample evidence to support claims.

If a source claims 50% of all teens with valid driver’s licenses receive at least one speeding ticket before they reach the age of 20, does the author support this claim with verifiable, statistical evidence? Or does the author just make up random statistics to support that argument?

The final step in checking accuracy is to examine the author’s arguments. Is the information balanced, or is it biased? A biased source contains only one side of the argument, likely with little evidence to support claims.

A Note About Appearances: If you’re reading an anonymous source with multiple spelling and typographical errors, it’s pretty easy to figure out that the source might not be credible and that the information might not be accurate. But sometimes non-credible websites appear to be professional. Don’t be fooled by a slick-looking website.

To learn more, take a look at Evaluating Websites: What You Need to Know to Find Great Sources.

CRAAP Test: Purpose

No, don’t spend your time now asking what’s the purpose of writing a research paper. (That’s a conversation for another time.)

Now is the time to ask why your potential essay source was published.

Was it written to inform readers? Does it use fair, unbiased language? Or is the purpose to persuade? Does the author use persuasive or manipulative language to convince readers?

Again, this is especially important when evaluating websites. Does the website exist solely to sell you something? Is it trying to promote a political or religious agenda?

If the source is biased and attempts to promote a specific agenda, it’s probably not your best bet for a research essay (unless, of course, your paper intends to evaluate the article and examine the bias and propaganda in the source).

Now that you know what the CRAAP Test is, let’s apply it to an example assignment.

A Sample CRAAP Test

For the purposes of this CRAAP Test, pretend you’re writing an argumentative essay about animal abuse and testing.

Should you cite the website People for the Ethical Treatment for Animals (PETA) in a formal, research-based argumentative essay?

Let’s put PETA to the test. (Don’t worry—no animals will be harmed in this experiment.)

Currency

When you check the bottom of the homepage, you’ll notice that the page lists the current year as a copyright date.

Feature stories as well as news stories are current, with publication times as recent as 23 hours ago.

Clearly, PETA keeps its site up to date and provides current information.

Relevance

PETA’s entire focus is animal welfare, as pointed out by the following mission statement: “Animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear, or abuse in any other way.”

If you’re arguing that animal abuse and testing needs to stop, PETA provides plenty of information to review. It’s safe to say that PETA is a relevant source.

Authority

PETA includes a “PETA People” section that lists various staff members and executive board members.

Listing employees’ credentials helps to increase the credibility of the site as this illustrates that writers are capable and qualified to write about the topic of animal welfare.

Accuracy

Though PETA contains a number of news articles, most of these articles are written only in support of PETA’s activities, making much of the information biased.

While the articles may appear to contain credible information about world events (like the UK banning wild animals in circuses), there are few (if any) links to additional outside sources to help verify information.

Because PETA rarely links to outside sources, the information is presented only from PETA’s point of view. This makes it difficult for the average reader to know how much of the information is accurate.

If you’re not sure that a source is presenting accurate information, your next step in evaluating the source is to see if the information is published elsewhere.

In the case of the UK banning wild animals in circuses, you can easily find a government website to verify that such legislation has been introduced.

But what about the accuracy of the other information presented on PETA’s website?

A quick online search about PETA uncovers a slew of negative articles and websites that attempt to highlight the supposed inaccuracies and lies promoted by PETA.

Search results contain a number of opinion pieces (like this one from Vassar College) and websites (like this one) that are in favor of abolishing PETA and attempt to expose “the truth.” (Remember, not all sources are credible, and some of these sources will likely fail the CRAAP Test.)

Within the search results, however, you’ll also find credible blogs, op-eds, and articles from respected sources, such as HuffPost and The Atlantic. And it’s those credible sources that will make almost any reader question the authority of PETA and its usefulness as a research source.

Purpose

The purpose of PETA is abundantly clear: to persuade.

PETA’s goal is to convince readers to support its cause and get every reader to contribute to the organization. For instance, PETA heavily promotes its agenda through continued pop-ups asking readers to donate.

PETA also favors emotional appeals as it attempts to persuade readers through graphic pictures of testing, sad animals in cages, and happy, adopted animals. PETA also uses persuasive and manipulative language in an effort to convince readers.

The final evaluation of PETA

While PETA is a widely known organization whose website contains a great deal of information against animal testing and abuse, the site fails the CRAAP Test and is not a strong source for a research source.

Due to its biased content, questionable reputation, emotional appeals, and overall purpose (to persuade, rather than to inform), skip PETA as a source. Instead, look to more scholarly sources to support your arguments.

If your research consists of only online sources, here are a few resource ideas to get you started on your research about animal testing.

Want to further practice applying the CRAAP Test but don’t have any of your own sources yet? Grab an example research essay from our essay library and assess its sources.

Enough of This CRAAP

If you use crappy sources, you’ll end up with a crappy paper (and most likely a crappy grade). Apply the CRAAP Test to ensure you’re using credible sources for all of your assignments.

Have you evaluated all of your sources and have a ton of useful resources but aren’t sure what to do now?

Check out these posts to help you with the next steps of the writing process:

• How to Annotate a Text (and Why It’s Helpful)
• How to Use Graphic Organizers for Writing Better Essays
• Rough Draft Mishaps: 5 Painful Mistakes to Avoid

Tired of all this serious evaluation of sources? Looking for a catchy way to remember what CRAAP stands for? Watch this light-hearted video:

If you’re ready to put the finishing touches on your paper, don’t forget to have one of our Kibin editors review it . We’re here 24/7 and can provide constructive feedback to help you write an awesome paper—and if your sources are crap, we’ll let you know.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published on July 13, 2015, but has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and relevancy.