how to end a pro and con essay

How to Write a Pros & Cons Essay: Step-By-Step Guide

Trying to convince someone to take your word on a particular subject isn’t straightforward. You must present convincing arguments backed by proof to encourage your opponent to change their mind. Moreover, the pros and cons essay must also cover the opposing standpoints.

You may wonder why this is relevant. Undoubtedly, most issues in our modern society are multidimensional and double or often triple-sided. There’s no concept clearly black and white, for the simple reason that no two people on Earth have an identical point of view.

Therefore, writing pro and con essays is vital for students of all ages. In the process, you will learn to think analytically and reason things from different angles. Whatever your thoughts on the topic, you must prove your point by offering convincing evidence and facts.

For those who never had the chance to write a pros & cons essay, the time has come to take the plunge. The start may be intimidating, but you’ll soon get the hang of it. To help you, we list a few helpful tips and examples to consider for your pro and con paper.

What Is a Pros and Cons Essay?

Before you set your aims high, let’s explain what for and against essays are. You must also understand the importance of this kind of academic assignment to write efficiently. A pros & cons essay is a written task that elaborates on the advantages and disadvantages of a specific problem. The paper covers different sides of a single topic where your argument prevails.

The most challenging aspect for students is that they can’t just list the benefits and drawbacks of a pressing matter. Instead, they must summarize ideas, like when writing a synthesis essay , and pick a side by stating their point. Moreover, the paper must have a logical flow that ends with your attitude.

The introduction should signpost the direction in which you’re steering. State your opinion only after you’ve meticulously analyzed all for and against arguments.

What to Consider When Writing a Pros and Cons Essay

A Compelling Topic

The topic you choose must have inherent positive and negative sides. Avoid themes with evident benefits and no disadvantages. Similarly, skip obviously disadvantageous topics because those are tiresome and time-consuming. For example, write about an issue with pronounced bad and good sides, such as advertising, online education, or modern technologies. However, the ultimate decision will depend on the course specifics and your professor’s guidelines.

Relevant Ideas

Your work must offer a unique perspective on a central idea. And you must support the main claim with at least three arguments. Including every possible pro and con will overwhelm the reader and won’t make your work impactful.

Instead, write about the core aspects of the issue. You can find numerous relevant examples on Paperell if you lack inspiration. Also, ensure you discuss the strongest point at the onset. Similarly, refute the most relevant con in the end to demonstrate your ability to handle opposing views.

Write in the traditional format. It should consist of an introduction, middle paragraphs (one paragraph for each idea), and a conclusion. Use short and concise sentences to avoid losing yourself in your thoughts. Run-on sentences will confuse the reader and impede seamless reading.

Originality

Refrain from copying other works without including quotations. Your paper must be 100% authentic. If you decide to seek assistance from a platform that offers online essays for sale , ensure it is reliable. Most custom paper services abide by strict academic standards and deliver plagiarism-free work.

Make sure your ideas are relevant, supported by facts, and not arbitrary. Also, typos are unacceptable for these kinds of assignments. To avoid losing points on technical aspects, review your grammatical structures and use plenty of synonyms for the keywords in the essay.

How to Write a Pros and Cons Essay?

For a rookie, the essay composition process might prove an uphill task. However, with practice, you’ll become more efficient and productive. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to write your essay.

Do Thorough Research

Examine the assigned topic and focus on important information on the subject. Try to find credible sources that are objective and fact-based. Though you probably have an opinion on the problem, don’t let it blur your objectivity.

Brainstorm the Advantages and Disadvantages

Once you find enough positive and negative sides of the matter, write them in a list. Ensure you provide examples for each point, as you’d do in exemplification essay writing for your college assignments. Write two columns and rate items by relevance. The top three benefits should go in the paper.

Draft the Essay Skeleton

Decide what outline you’ll use. One approach is to write each pro and con in different paragraphs. Alternatively, you might want to dedicate every paragraph to one aspect of the dilemma, discussing both pros and cons simultaneously.

Be Creative

Start your journey with an attention-grabbing idea that urges your audience to keep reading. To this end, choose a hook for an essay that is topic-related and amusing. Also, when writing a pros and cons paper, the thesis statement should tell the reader what follows.

In the body section, discuss the points you decided to include but with examples and facts. Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence, and all explanations should relate to the main claim. The conclusion must summarize the essay, restate your position, and compel the reader to contemplate the problem.

Editing and proofreading your work is critical for an impeccable essay. Ensure your punctuation, spelling, and grammar are error-free.

Plagiarism Free Pros & Cons Essay

Writing a 100% original manuscript isn’t straightforward. As much as you try to paraphrase, sophisticated tools recognize your attempts. The same will happen with the trained eye of your professor. Consider the following tips to avoid plagiarized essays.

Cite Properly

Citations are vital, so you must give credit to all sources you’re using in your paper. This way, you show you can borrow information with integrity. Failure to include quotations and references is plagiarism. The best way to cite a study or research is to follow the APA style.

Use a Plagiarism Checker

Your teachers use specialized tools to check the plagiarism level in your essay. Doing this will spare you a lot of trouble and effort. Try your free plagiarism checker with percentage to get a detailed report on your work. If you spot copied content, rewrite it to express your ideas differently.

Be Original

Pros and cons essays reveal your side on a specific subject. Hence, there’s nothing wrong with sticking to your opinions. With original ideas, you won’t have to worry about plagiarism. Still, always base your thoughts on relevant research and use the conclusion to call for action. Need help with the pros and cons essay? You can pay for papers online to get professional help. Also, ask your instructors or teachers to help you understand the topic.

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In a short paper—even a research paper—you don’t need to provide an exhaustive summary as part of your conclusion. But you do need to make some kind of transition between your final body paragraph and your concluding paragraph. This may come in the form of a few sentences of summary. Or it may come in the form of a sentence that brings your readers back to your thesis or main idea and reminds your readers where you began and how far you have traveled.

So, for example, in a paper about the relationship between ADHD and rejection sensitivity, Vanessa Roser begins by introducing readers to the fact that researchers have studied the relationship between the two conditions and then provides her explanation of that relationship. Here’s her thesis: “While socialization may indeed be an important factor in RS, I argue that individuals with ADHD may also possess a neurological predisposition to RS that is exacerbated by the differing executive and emotional regulation characteristic of ADHD.”

In her final paragraph, Roser reminds us of where she started by echoing her thesis: “This literature demonstrates that, as with many other conditions, ADHD and RS share a delicately intertwined pattern of neurological similarities that is rooted in the innate biology of an individual’s mind, a connection that cannot be explained in full by the behavioral mediation hypothesis.”  

Highlight the “so what”  

At the beginning of your paper, you explain to your readers what’s at stake—why they should care about the argument you’re making. In your conclusion, you can bring readers back to those stakes by reminding them why your argument is important in the first place. You can also draft a few sentences that put those stakes into a new or broader context.

In the conclusion to her paper about ADHD and RS, Roser echoes the stakes she established in her introduction—that research into connections between ADHD and RS has led to contradictory results, raising questions about the “behavioral mediation hypothesis.”

She writes, “as with many other conditions, ADHD and RS share a delicately intertwined pattern of neurological similarities that is rooted in the innate biology of an individual’s mind, a connection that cannot be explained in full by the behavioral mediation hypothesis.”  

Leave your readers with the “now what”  

After the “what” and the “so what,” you should leave your reader with some final thoughts. If you have written a strong introduction, your readers will know why you have been arguing what you have been arguing—and why they should care. And if you’ve made a good case for your thesis, then your readers should be in a position to see things in a new way, understand new questions, or be ready for something that they weren’t ready for before they read your paper.

In her conclusion, Roser offers two “now what” statements. First, she explains that it is important to recognize that the flawed behavioral mediation hypothesis “seems to place a degree of fault on the individual. It implies that individuals with ADHD must have elicited such frequent or intense rejection by virtue of their inadequate social skills, erasing the possibility that they may simply possess a natural sensitivity to emotion.” She then highlights the broader implications for treatment of people with ADHD, noting that recognizing the actual connection between rejection sensitivity and ADHD “has profound implications for understanding how individuals with ADHD might best be treated in educational settings, by counselors, family, peers, or even society as a whole.”

To find your own “now what” for your essay’s conclusion, try asking yourself these questions:

  • What can my readers now understand, see in a new light, or grapple with that they would not have understood in the same way before reading my paper? Are we a step closer to understanding a larger phenomenon or to understanding why what was at stake is so important?  
  • What questions can I now raise that would not have made sense at the beginning of my paper? Questions for further research? Other ways that this topic could be approached?  
  • Are there other applications for my research? Could my questions be asked about different data in a different context? Could I use my methods to answer a different question?  
  • What action should be taken in light of this argument? What action do I predict will be taken or could lead to a solution?  
  • What larger context might my argument be a part of?  

What to avoid in your conclusion  

  • a complete restatement of all that you have said in your paper.  
  • a substantial counterargument that you do not have space to refute; you should introduce counterarguments before your conclusion.  
  • an apology for what you have not said. If you need to explain the scope of your paper, you should do this sooner—but don’t apologize for what you have not discussed in your paper.  
  • fake transitions like “in conclusion” that are followed by sentences that aren’t actually conclusions. (“In conclusion, I have now demonstrated that my thesis is correct.”)
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A pros and cons essay encourages you to develop critical thinking skills by examining an issue from different perspectives. Depending upon the assignment, your essay could be a simple summary of the pros and cons of an issue, or you might be required to decide which side is right or synthesize the pros and cons into concrete recommendations. As with all essays, a clear thesis guides the direction of your paper.

Before you begin writing, you'll need to research your topic. Learn what other people say about the particular issue, and pick the strongest arguments on all sides of the issue. If you're writing about a social issue, you might need to gather statistical data or look at research studies. But if you're examining something a bit more abstract such as the different perspectives on a piece of literature, you'll need to consult expert opinions. Scholarly journals, credible professional websites and university websites can provide you with a good starting point.

Developing a Thesis

Your thesis is a succinct statement of the central points of your paper, usually at the end of your introductory paragraph. If you're simply summarizing the pros and cons of an issue, the thesis should make this clear. For example, you might say, "Death penalty advocates argue that it serves as a crime deterrent and fair form of retribution, while opponents point to the risk of executing the wrong person and the fact that the death penalty has not lowered the crime rate." If you're making an argument based on your research or attempting to synthesize issues, your thesis should make this clear. You might say, "While death penalty advocates argue for its deterrent value, opponents point to the risk of executing the wrong person, and the evidence that the death penalty has led to the deaths of innocent people is compelling."

Pros and Cons

The body of your paper should clearly outline the pros and cons of a particular issue. Devote at least one paragraph to each argument. You might, for example, dedicate a paragraph each to arguments in favor of the death penalty such as vengeance and deterrence, and a paragraph each to arguments against it such as executing the wrong person. Be charitable to each side, fairly summarizing the strongest points of an argument, even if you don't agree with it.

Your conclusion should summarize the points you've made, and outline any further questions raised by your essay. For example, you might point out that advocates of the death penalty argue that it decreases crime and opponents argue that it doesn't, then note that there needs to be more research into this area. If you are making your own argument based on pros and cons of the issue, restate this argument and emphasize how the body of your essay has demonstrated that your approach is the correct one.

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Van Thompson is an attorney and writer. A former martial arts instructor, he holds bachelor's degrees in music and computer science from Westchester University, and a juris doctor from Georgia State University. He is the recipient of numerous writing awards, including a 2009 CALI Legal Writing Award.

How to Write a Persuasive Essay

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What is a Pro and Con Thesis?

Tips for writing a pro & con thesis:, 1. research your topic, 2. brainstorm pros and cons, 3. take a stand, 4. put it together, how to write a pro & con thesis statement.

You may be required to write a paper evaluating the pros and cons of a particular issue, providing both positive and negative attributes of a specific subject as well as your position.

  • It tells readers what you want them to know or consider about the topic after reading your essay.

The key to developing a pro and con thesis statement that includes the most relevant information is research.

Research helps you become better informed and determine what it is about your topic you want to examine.

  • Gather resources that help you establish inferences or raise questions.
  • Use information gathered from credible sources to determine your position, support your claim, and defend your viewpoints against opposing arguments.

Informed writers write a more authoritative thesis statement.

Once you have completed your research, brainstorm and list all pros and cons you can think of concerning your topic.

  • This can be done by separating positive from negative sides or randomly listing them together.
  • Try to develop a counterpoint for each pro and con.
  • You need at least three pros and cons for a sufficient argument.

A strong thesis statement is one that takes a stand and can be defended.

  • Decide which side of the argument you support and group all your thoughts into one central theme.

In order to take a stand, you must know opposing viewpoints and provide evidence against them.

  • Your viewpoints must be clearly defined, and all of your pro and con points should prove your thesis or disprove the opposing side.
  • Do not use words such as “I believe” or “I feel” in your thesis statement.
  • Your opinion of the topic must be a powerful statement that fits the facts.

A formula for putting together a pro and con thesis statement that shows both positive and negative benefits and chooses a position is by making a claim plus reason.

  • Make your claim and give the reason for it.

A claim plus reason thesis allows the writer to determine the focus, simplifies the relationship between ideas and keeps the reader focused on the viewpoint.

  • you may decide to write about the effects of being a child star and state the thesis like this: “Although being a child star can be a learning experience and a stepping stone to a successful adult acting career, it can be harmful because a child actor has an unstable school schedule, less social activity with other children and more exposure to adult subject matter.”
  • Using a claim plus reason formula gives your reader enough detail about the topic to grasp your argument.

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Tips on Writing a Pros and Cons Essay

Have you ever argued with someone who thinks that their point of view is the only right point? Such people don’t even try to consider the arguments and evidence from the opposite side, that’s what makes such conversations frustrating. There are many complex issues, where it’s not easy to make a choice. Our world is not black-and-white, and if you want to make a point, you should also consider the opposite point. Fortunately, writing classes teach students analytical thinking, and pros and cons essays are the best exercises. When writing such essays, you should consider both sides of an issue, and tips from specialists at College-Writers.Com will help you with it.

What Is a Pros and Cons Essay?

To write a decent pros and cons essay, you should perfectly understand what it is. This type of writing assignments is exactly what it sounds like: it’s an argumentative essay that requires you to consider both positive and negative aspects of a subject.

Perhaps, the most difficult thing about this type of writing is that you cannot just write a list of pros and cons. Instead, you should synthesize the facts that you have, picking a side and clearly stating your own point. However, your essay shouldn’t be all about supporting your point. It should provide arguments, and your opinion must be just your personal conclusion that you came to after analyzing all the arguments.

What to Consider When Writing a Pros and Cons Essay

First, you should choose a debatable topic. It means that you must be able to provide a balanced number of both negatives and positives. For example, genocide is not debatable because you cannot say anything good about it, and charity is also not debatable because there’s nothing bad you can say about it.

Another important thing to consider is that both pros and cons should be given equal weight in your essay. You should carefully analyze both sides of the argument. When you read a good pros and cons essay, you cannot understand what is the author’s opinion until you see the thesis statement at the end. Now let’s take a closer look at the writing process itself.

Pros and Cons Essays: Step-By-Step Guide

The writing process is somewhat similar to that of any argumentative essay because it includes researching, writing an outline, writing a draft, and proofreading. However, the pros and cons essays also have their own specific features.

1. Research your topic

If you’ve got your topic assigned by your instructor, or if you’ve chosen a good debatable topic, start researching it. Make sure to look for credible sources and avoid being biased. You must be open-minded about your subject, even if you have a certain opinion. Don’t let your opinion affect your research.

2. Brainstorm the pros and cons

While researching, divide the information into two categories: pros, and cons. At this point, you don’t need to write an outline, just make a list of positive and negative aspects that will serve as the basis for your outline.

3. Write an outline

Once you’ve got a list of pros and cons, write your outline. It should consist of an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. In the body of the essay, you should address the pros and cons. You may choose to list all the pros first and then address the cons, or you may devote each paragraph of the body to a certain aspect of the issue, explaining its pros and cons. Here’s an example:

  • Thesis statement
  • Final thoughts

4. Write the introduction

The introduction should start with a strong hook — the very first sentence that should motivate your readers to keep reading your essay. The thesis statement must provide your opinion on the subject. However, when writing pros and cons essays, you may also present your thesis statement in the conclusion. If you include your thesis statement in the introduction, it may provide a general understanding of what the body paragraphs will be about.

5. Add details to your outline

Once you’ve written the thesis statement and the outline, it won’t be a problem for you to write the body paragraphs. Just elaborate on the points from your outline and add more details. Every body paragraph should only focus on one point but all the paragraphs should be related to the thesis statement.

6. Write the conclusion

The conclusion has two main purposes. First, it should summarize the whole essay. Secondly, it should leave your readers with something to think about. It may also reveal your opinion by presenting the thesis statement if you haven’t stated it in the introduction.

As you can see, writing a pros and cons essay is not a difficult task. If you’re still not sure that you can write a good essay, we suggest that you ask experts from College-Writers.com for help. Our professional writers know everything about writing assignments of any kind, and they will provide you with outstanding papers on any topic.

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An Example of How to Write a Pro & Con Essay

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“Pro and Con” essays are impartial reports engineered to provide the reader with both the positive and negative aspects of any given topic. Your job as the writer of one of these essays is to provide accurate information that backs up both sides of the argument, yet does not show any favor toward one side or another. Writing a pro and con essay is similar to writing any other type of essay with a few minor tweaks.

Explore this article

  • Choose a good topic
  • Brainstorm as many negative and positive qualities as and of your topic
  • Isolate three or four or
  • Use a traditional essay format

1 Choose a good topic

Choose a good topic. The most important step in writing your essay is finding a subject that has both pros and cons. Writing a pro and con essay on a topic that is clearly beneficial or clearly dangerous will prove to be difficult and time-consuming. If you are allowed to choose your own topic, pick something that has two clear sides, each with their own set of arguments. For instance, you could choose to illustrate the pros and cons of a vehicle with a manual transmission. Since driving a manual isn't overwhelmingly good or bad, it is a perfect example of the type of topic to look for.

2 Brainstorm as many negative and positive qualities as and of your topic

Brainstorm as many negative and positive qualities of your topic as possible. Start two columns on a piece of paper, one labeled “Pros” and one labeled “Cons.” Fill this page with as many details as you can. Sticking with the manual transmission example, pros could include better gas mileage, less transmission maintenance, more fun and better performance. Cons could include damage caused by user error, inconvenience in slow traffic or hazardous situations and difficulty.

3 Isolate three or four or

Isolate three or four of the largest benefits and three or four of the largest problems with your topic from your brainstorming list. You cannot write about every pro or con, so stick with the ones that are at the core of your issue. Using the manual transmission example again, the strongest pros would be better gas mileage and less maintenance, while the strongest cons are the learning curve and possible user error causing expensive damage. You will likely have far more options from which to choose.

Research your topic at a library or using trusted resources on the Internet. A pro and con essay should be backed by as many facts as you can provide to strengthen both sides of the argument. For instance, Consumer Reports has found that a manual transmission improves gas mileage by 2 to 5 miles per gallon. That's a concrete fact that can help make the case for the pros of driving a stick. On the cons side, an expensive problem like clutch wear is verifiable evidence of the possible costs involved in driving a stick.

5 Use a traditional essay format

Use a traditional essay format to argue the case. Your first paragraph should be an introduction that speaks briefly on the topic at hand and what you intend to do with it. Use middle paragraphs to discuss pros and cons, devoting one section of your paper to each. Wrap your essay up with the conclusion you have drawn from doing this research and writing your paper. Be sure to mention your own opinion somewhere in the conclusion paragraph. Your closing line can be simple, along the lines of, "Based on the information I have discovered in my research, driving a vehicle with a manual transmission is clearly the better option for drivers concerned about the long-term cost and health of their vehicles."

  • 1 Essay Town: How to Write a Pros and Cons Essay

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Basic Guide: How to Outline a Pro and Con Essay

Table of Contents

Before you start writing your essay, you must understand how you want it to look. You win the battle when you have a pro and con essay outline .

Writing a “pros and cons” essay sharpens your critical thinking abilities by forcing you to consider a subject from multiple angles. Your essay may consist of a plain evaluation of the arguments for and against a particular perspective. You may also be required to take a stance on a problem or synthesize the views into valuable recommendations.

This article will provide you with four basic steps to efficiently outline a pro and con essay.

fountain pen on black lined paper

4 Quick Steps to Writing a Pro and Con Essay Outline

You must compare two opposing opinions in a pro and con essay outline . Here, the pro argument is technically the thesis statement, and the con argument is the antithesis contention. Here is a brief outline to get you started:

1. Research

Researching your topic is essential before you start writing. Hear what people and other sources of information have to say about this subject.

Review a couple of blog posts, reputable sources, and reliable statistics to understand these sources of information and feel about the topic in general. Then select the most compelling arguments on both sides.

Using statistics or academic studies is beneficial when writing about a social problem. In contrast, you should seek professional expertise when investigating something more abstract, such as the various interpretations of a literary work.

2. Creating a Thesis Statement

A strong thesis statement is the backbone of any essay. You should craft a short statement to avoid getting stuck in the wordy waters of a 2-page thesis. 

Using a short statement serves as a foundation from which to create your main argument and defend your point of view.

At the end of your opening paragraph, you should present your thesis, which is a short description of your paper’s main ideas. The statement should briefly summarize your conclusions and clearly state your stance on the issue.

Your thesis should make it apparent if you are making an argument or an attempt at synthesis based on your study.

3. Arguments for and Against

Your paper’s main body should include a logical and convincing presentation of the issue’s benefits and drawbacks.

To each of your arguments, please devote at least one paragraph. We recommend that you word-limit your paper to eight to twelve short paragraphs. These sections usually receive some of the most constructive feedback, making the most robust case for your position.

If you can’t bring yourself to agree, at least summarize the other person’s case in a way that shows some goodwill.

4. Conclusion

In the final paragraph of your essay, you need to restate your thesis and outline the questions your essay has raised.

If your argument is based on the pros and cons of the topic, reiterate it. Also, emphasize how the body of your essay shows your method was correct.

A pro and con essay outline is the initial step in determining how to make your thoughts appear vivid and lively .

But it is just one step. You may have to rewrite and rewrite again. Be proud of rewriting several times. Perfection cannot be achieved in a single essay!

Basic Guide: How to Outline a Pro and Con Essay

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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15 Pros and Cons Topics to Help You Write Better Essay

15 pros and cons topics to help you write a better essay.

A pro and con essay is a persuasive essay where the student needs to debate the advantages and disadvantages before revealing their stand on the issue at the end of the essay. This type of essay requires objectivity and genuine comparison so that the reader gets the right information for both sides to form their own judgment and opinion before coming to your analysis and opinion.

If you are looking for good pros and cons topics to help you write a better essay, here are some that will get your grey matter working:

  • The pros and cons of legalizing marijuana
  • The pros and cons of beauty pageants
  • The pros and cons of reducing work week to 35 hours
  • The pros and cons of spying on friendly nations
  • The pros and cons of social media
  • The pros and cons of fad diets
  • The pros and cons of mobile phones
  • The pros and cons of childhood vaccinations
  • The pros and cons of hunting big game in Africa
  • The pros and cons of playing video games
  • The pros and cons of having legal drinking age
  • The pros and cons of hosting the Olympics
  • The pros and cons of euthanasia by medical professionals
  • The pros and cons of sex education in schools
  • The pros and cons of Facebook

Remember, you need to give equal importance to both sides regardless of your personal views and opinions. That is why such topics are often controversial and debatable.

However, pros and cons essays, be it for entry into a college or university or part of your undergraduate studies, should be perfect. Spend adequate time proofreading the essay after you finish writing it. The English has to be perfect, with the right use of language and phrases, and no grammar or punctuation errors. If you are not confident of proofreading essays or English is not your first language, use essay editing UK services . With essay grammar check, professional essay copy editing UK services can improve your pros and cons essay to elevate the level and make sure the language, punctuation and grammar are perfect. This will help you get a high grade.

how to end a pro and con essay

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How to Gracefully Decline a Promotion

  • Rebecca Knight

how to end a pro and con essay

There’s no need to give an exhaustive explanation for your decision. But you should frame it strategically.

How can you decline a promotion without making things awkward? In this article, the author shares advice from two experts on how to navigate this complicated situation. First, explore the underlying reasons behind your hesitation. If you are 100% sure you don’t want the promotion, decline as swiftly as possible. Be tactful and tactical. While there’s no need to provide an exhaustive account of your decision, framing it strategically is important. You could also consider taking the promotion, but with clearly defined boundaries. You could ask about adjustments like managing fewer direct reports or increased flexibility if the promotion requires a greater in-office presence. Or you could propose something new altogether. Climbing the corporate ladder may be the conventional route, but it’s not necessarily the best choice for every situation — especially if the promotion on the table doesn’t match with where you want your career to go or isn’t right for your current circumstances.

Turning down a promotion at work can feel counterintuitive. Climbing the corporate ladder may be the conventional route, but it’s not necessarily the best choice for every situation — especially if the promotion on the table doesn’t match with where you want your career to go or isn’t right for your current circumstances. So, how do you say, “ Thanks, but no thanks ,” without making things awkward? How can you avoid sounding lazy or ungrateful? And is there a chance to mold the opportunity into something that better aligns with your financial and professional goals?

how to end a pro and con essay

  • RK Rebecca Knight is a journalist who writes about all things related to the changing nature of careers and the workplace. Her essays and reported stories have been featured in The Boston Globe, Business Insider, The New York Times, BBC, and The Christian Science Monitor. She was shortlisted as a Reuters Institute Fellow at Oxford University in 2023. Earlier in her career, she spent a decade as an editor and reporter at the Financial Times in New York, London, and Boston.

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IMAGES

  1. How to Write a Pros & Cons Essay: Step-By-Step Guide

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  2. How to End an Essay (with Sample Conclusions)

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  3. How To End An Essay

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  4. Writer's workshop: Ways to end an essay anchor chart

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  5. How to End an Essay (with Sample Conclusions)

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  6. How To Write A Conclusion Paragraph Concluding Sentences Topic

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  3. B2 First WRITING TASK: PROS AND CONS, FOR AND AGAINST ESSAY IN ENGLISH

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COMMENTS

  1. How to Write a Pros and Cons Essay Like a Pro

    Show me examples. When you're writing a pros and cons essay, you must follow two important guidelines. 1. Choose a debatable topic. Choosing a debatable topic allows you to select a balanced number of pros and cons. 2. Give equal weight to both the pros and the cons. You aren't just making a pros essay or a cons essay.

  2. How to Write a Pros & Cons Essay: Step-By-Step Guide

    Formatting. Write in the traditional format. It should consist of an introduction, middle paragraphs (one paragraph for each idea), and a conclusion. Use short and concise sentences to avoid losing yourself in your thoughts. Run-on sentences will confuse the reader and impede seamless reading.

  3. 8 Strategies for Writing Persuasive Pros and Cons Essays

    Ensure that your audience understands that you are supporting your opinion about the question, not drawing a factual conclusion. If the facts about a topic are not debatable, then it is not a good topic for a pro and con paper. The conclusion of your paper is going to be a restatement of your thesis statement.

  4. How to End an Essay: Writing a Strong Conclusion

    Basically, list the main points of your essay and restate why they're important. This will help reinforce your argument and remind readers what the entirety of your essay is about. [2] Make sure to write your main points in a new and unique way to avoid repetition. 3. Rework your thesis statement into the conclusion.

  5. How to Write a Pros & Cons Essay

    You might use a graphic organizer to bring order to your findings. Draw a large lowercase "t" on a sheet of paper. Title the left side "pros" and list all the pros of the issue on the left side. Include citations from your research. Title the right side "cons" and repeat the process.

  6. PDF Pro/Con Essay

    pros), unless, in your paper, you do small portions on specific pros and cons related to your general topic. For example, the pros/cons of Mac versus the pros/cons of a PC. Furthermore, it is very helpful to use transitional phrases to link together the pros (or cons) and to separate the pros from the cons. Listed below are some of the cues ...

  7. How to Write a Pros and Cons Essay

    To wrap up your pros and cons essays, you'll need to provide the reader with your opinion. As you state your opinion, you should provide your reasoning for making this choice. For example, if you're writing about the pros and cons of owning a dog, your conclusion might include a sentence such as "I believe that the benefits of owning a dog far ...

  8. How to Conclude an Essay

    Step 1: Return to your thesis. To begin your conclusion, signal that the essay is coming to an end by returning to your overall argument. Don't just repeat your thesis statement —instead, try to rephrase your argument in a way that shows how it has been developed since the introduction. Example: Returning to the thesis.

  9. Conclusions

    Highlight the "so what". At the beginning of your paper, you explain to your readers what's at stake—why they should care about the argument you're making. In your conclusion, you can bring readers back to those stakes by reminding them why your argument is important in the first place. You can also draft a few sentences that put ...

  10. How to Write a Pros & Cons Essay

    Pros and Cons. The body of your paper should clearly outline the pros and cons of a particular issue. Devote at least one paragraph to each argument. You might, for example, dedicate a paragraph each to arguments in favor of the death penalty such as vengeance and deterrence, and a paragraph each to arguments against it such as executing the ...

  11. How to Write a Pro & Con Thesis Statement

    Tips for Writing a Pro & Con Thesis: 1. Research Your Topic. The key to developing a pro and con thesis statement that includes the most relevant information is research. Research helps you become better informed and determine what it is about your topic you want to examine. Gather resources that help you establish inferences or raise questions ...

  12. How to Write a Pros & Cons Essay

    A pros and cons essay is a type of persuasive assignment where you discuss both sides of a debatable issue before revealing your own position. The objective, balanced structure allows audiences to formulate their own opinions before hearing your final analysis. You can write a good pros and cons essay by giving fair, ...

  13. Tips on Writing a Pros and Cons Essay

    3. Write an outline. Once you've got a list of pros and cons, write your outline. It should consist of an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. In the body of the essay, you should address the pros and cons. You may choose to list all the pros first and then address the cons, or you may devote each paragraph of the body to a ...

  14. Write your PROS & CONS essay like this! (With C1 level example)

    If you're having trouble writing a PROS & CONS essay, then this video is for you! In this video, I'm going to share with you an example C1 level PROS & CONS ...

  15. How To Write a Pros and Cons Essay

    The best way to do this type of essay is to begin with brainstorming all the pros and cons. The next step is deciding on a side of an argument and putting this into a thesis. Evidence should be given for both the pros and the cons. The conclusion should wrap up the discussion. There are many pros and cons of joining a basketball team.

  16. Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

    Comparing and contrasting is also used in all kinds of academic contexts where it's not explicitly prompted. For example, a literature review involves comparing and contrasting different studies on your topic, and an argumentative essay may involve weighing up the pros and cons of different arguments. Prevent plagiarism.

  17. An Example of How to Write a Pro & Con Essay

    "Pro and Con" essays are impartial reports engineered to provide the reader with both the positive and negative aspects of any given topic. Your job as the writer of one of these essays is to provide accurate information that backs up both sides of the argument, yet does not show any favor toward one side or ...

  18. Basic Guide: How to Outline a Pro and Con Essay

    Here, the pro argument is technically the thesis statement, and the con argument is the antithesis contention. Here is a brief outline to get you started: 1. Research. Researching your topic is essential before you start writing. Hear what people and other sources of information have to say about this subject.

  19. How to Write a Pros and Cons Essay Like a Pro

    1) Choose a debatable topic. Writing a pros and cons essay is a great way to explore both sides of a debatable topic. By taking a position and then arguing for and against it, you can learn a lot about the issue at hand. And best of all, you can develop your own opinion on the matter. Of course, choosing the right topic is essential to writing ...

  20. How To Write A Convincing Pros And Cons Essay?

    Pros and cons essays never seem too hard to write before you start. And, after you start, it often turns out to be not as simple and clear as you thought. Luckily, now you have a step-by-step guide and a number of handy tips from professionals that will help you write a top-quality essay without a hassle. Be sure to use it to get a deserved ...

  21. A for and against essay

    A for and against essay. Look at the essay and do the exercises to improve your writing skills. Instructions. Preparation. Reading. Check your understanding: multiple selection. Check your writing: reordering - essay structure. Check your writing: typing - linking words.

  22. 15 Pros and Cons Topics to Help You Write Better Essay

    15 Pros and Cons Topics to Help You Write a Better Essay. A pro and con essay is a persuasive essay where the student needs to debate the advantages and disadvantages before revealing their stand on the issue at the end of the essay. This type of essay requires objectivity and genuine comparison so that the reader gets the right information for both sides to form their own judgment and opinion ...

  23. Linking expressions to introduce advantages and disadvantages

    In an argumentative text/essay what linking expressions can be used to introduce the pros and cons of the essay topic/object/theme, after a short introduction? For example, if I'm writing an argumentative essay about some website, what linking expressions can be used to introduce its advantages and disadvantages? ...

  24. Opinion

    In March a small band of pro-Palestinian students at Vanderbilt University in Nashville pushed past a security guard so aggressively that they injured him, walked into a university facility that ...

  25. How to Gracefully Decline a Promotion

    Her essays and reported stories have been featured in The Boston Globe, Business Insider, The New York Times, BBC, and The Christian Science Monitor. She was shortlisted as a Reuters Institute ...

  26. The Pros and Cons of Nursing A Comprehensive Analysis .pdf

    View The Pros and Cons of Nursing_ A Comprehensive Analysis_.pdf from HEALTHCARE 5022 at Liberty University. 5/6/24, 10:47 AM The Pros and Cons of Nursing: A Comprehensive Analysis: [Essay Example],