Supporting Your Opinion

You have stated your opinion and explained the reason(s) for your opinion, now you need to support your opinion. 

To support your opinion you need to provide evidence.  You can provide evidence in the form of an explanation, an example, statistics or the use of an expert opinion.

Explanation is similar to using the cause-and-effect pattern seen in the explain your opinion section.  This pattern utilizes a "if" with a potential outcome.

ex.)  If we don't change the policies then people on welfare will not receive proper benefits.

We can also use other patterns to provide explanation:

ex.)  People on welfare need additional assistance to live above the poverty line, so the policy needs to change.

ex.)  In order to improve the lives of people on welfare, policies need to change.

Examples provide real-life situations and give an account of past occurances.

ex.)  We need to implement changes to improve the lives of people on welfare.  For example, vocational classes can help people learn skills to get jobs.

ex.)  When I observed their system, it worked by providing skills helpful in finding employment.

Statistics use numbers and data to support your opinion.  Use of accurate data is hard to refute, so this is a good way to support your opinion.

ex.)  Studies suggested that vocational education helped welfare recipients find jobs 50% faster than other programs.

ex.)  Three out of five welfare recipients found a job after completing a vocational program.

Expert opinions can also be profound in supporting your opinion.  Just be aware that who the expert is, is important.  The more credibility an expert has, the harder it is to refute his/her claim.

ex.)  According to John B. May, vocational programs have a higher success rate in getting people off welfare.

ex.)  The Institute on Social Welfare published a study finding that vocational  programs were the key in helping those on welfare find a job.

You may also consider utilizing more than one of the above ways to support your opinion.  The more support your opinion has, the harder it is to refute.  The harder your opinion is to refute, the more likely that others will believe in your opinion.