what's a universal statement in an essay

What Is A Universal Statement In Writing? (Explained)

From high school essays to legal briefs, the humble universal statement forms the foundation of compelling arguments by making broad assertions applicable to multiple situations.

What is a universal statement in writing?

A universal statement in writing is a bold declaration claiming a truth true for all members of a group. These pronouncements paint broad strokes across ideas, demanding attention and inviting contemplation. They can act as powerful hooks, bolster arguments, or leave lasting impressions.

This guide is like a secret code to understanding these universal statements and how to use them.

Universal Statement Defined (Full Explanation)

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A universal statement in writing refers to a sweeping declaration that applies to an entire category or group of people, places, things, or ideas.

Universal statements make sweeping generalizations about all members of a class rather than referring to specific instances.

For example, “All mammals are warm-blooded creatures,” is a universal statement as it refers to all mammals rather than a particular mammal species.

Effective writers may utilize universal statements to make compelling arguments accessible to readers.

By presenting an overriding claim about a whole class of things up front, a writer can efficiently establish a forceful assertion before providing more specific evidence or analysis.

Universal statements present an opportunity to grab readers’ attention with a bold, ambitious declaration before zeroing in on details.

Consequently, such statements can lend confident foundations to essays, legal briefs, political speeches, and more in both written and verbal communication.

Here is a video that also answers the question, “What is a universal statement in writing?”

Types of Universal Statements in Writing

There are many types of universal statements that writers employ:

• Definitional statements set parameters by asserting an overarching definition for a class, such as “All quadrilaterals have four sides.”
• Categorical claims group members together, like “All mammals are warm-blooded animals.”
• Normative statements declare what’s normal for a group, as in “Book reviews typically assess strengths and weaknesses.”
• Quality statements describe a common trait, including “All metals conduct electricity.”
• Capability claims suggest potential, like “Any student can learn coding with practice.”
• Quantitative statements provide an overarching quantity, like “All nucleotides contain one phosphate group.”
• Causal statements imply causation, as in “Lack of sleep universally impacts focus.”
• Assertions make declarative truisms like “All mortal beings eventually die.”
• Assumptions articulate a premise, like “All socioeconomic classes include hard-working people.”
• Value statements assign worth, for instance “All human life has intrinsic value.”
• Instructive statements give directives, like “Always proofread writing for errors.”

What Are the Characteristics of a Universal Statement?

Universal statements have distinct characteristics that set them apart as building blocks of compelling written arguments.

Let’s look at the most important characteristics.

Makes Broad Declarations

Universal statements make wide-reaching assertions that cover entire groups.

For instance, claiming “All insects have six legs” is a broad declaration about all members of the insect category rather than a specific instance.

By establishing the ambitious scope of the claim upfront, universal statements lay foundations for forceful arguments.

Refer to Groups, Not Individuals

Unlike bounded claims about particular cases, universal statements concern whole groups.

“Dogs make loyal pets” is a universal statement about the behavioral tendencies of all dogs. Claims limited to individual instances like “My neighbor’s dog Pepper is loyal” lack the sweeping scope of universal statements.

This group-wide breadth lends authoritative weight when applied judiciously.

Typically Declarative Sentences

Sentences stating facts or positions are grammatically declarative.

Most universal claims make bold declarations like “All democracies hold elections.” Asking “Do all totalitarians seek control?” would not qualify.

The declarative certainty about entire categories gives universal statements their assertive power.

Universal Statement Vs. Targeted Statement: What’s the Difference?

Universal statements make sweeping claims encompassing entire groups, while targeted statements have a more limited scope focusing on particular cases.

Savvy writers combine both statement types fluidly.

There are key differences between these two types of statements:

Pros and Cons of Universal Statements

On the pro side, universals offer instant clarity and authority.

They condense complex ideas into easily digestible bite-sized truths, simplifying your argument and grabbing reader interest.

Additionally, a well-placed universal can imbue your writing with a sense of conviction and unwavering belief, lending persuasiveness to your cause.

However, universals are inherently fragile.

By claiming a truth holds for all, you risk inviting contradiction. A single exception can topple your carefully constructed statement, undermining your credibility and leaving readers skeptical.

Moreover, overreliance on universals can paint you as dogmatic and unwilling to acknowledge nuance or complexity.

This can alienate readers who value diverse perspectives and open-mindedness.

Therefore, use universals strategically, considering their potential drawbacks.

When employed judiciously, they can strengthen your writing. But remember, the truth rarely resides in absolutes.

Leave room for exceptions, embrace complexity, and let your writing breathe – after all, isn’t that what good writing is all about?

Examples of Universal Statements in Writing

One of the most helpful ways that I learned to use universal statements is to read lots of examples.

Browse through this section to find 50 good examples.

Definitional Statements

• All triangles have three sides and three angles.
• A haiku consists of seventeen syllables arranged in 5-7-5 rhythm.
• A chemical element is defined by its unique atomic number.
• All novels by Jane Austen feature witty social commentary.
• A pandemic necessitates widespread containment measures.

Categorical Claims

• All reptiles are cold-blooded vertebrates with scales.
• Every continent except Antarctica has at least one active volcano.
• All nouns in the English language can be singular or plural.
• Every living organism needs water to survive.
• All planets in our solar system orbit the sun in an elliptical path.

Normative Statements

• Formal academic essays typically require a thesis statement.
• Handshakes are a common greeting in Western cultures.
• Wedding ceremonies traditionally involve vows exchanged between partners.
• Most countries have laws prohibiting murder and theft.
• Scientific research must follow rigorous methodologies to ensure accuracy.

Quality Statements

• All diamonds are the hardest naturally occurring mineral on Earth.
• Every atom carries a positive or negative electric charge.
• Photosynthesis requires sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water.
• All muscles in the human body contract in response to nerve impulses.
• Laughter is a universal human expression of joy and amusement.

Capability Claims

• With dedication, anyone can cultivate a green thumb.
• With proper training, humans can learn to scuba dive in various conditions.
• Every language speaker can learn additional languages with effort.
• Through perseverance, artists can hone their skills and create masterpieces.
• By embracing curiosity, all individuals can expand their knowledge horizons.

Quantitative Statements

• All human adults have 23 pairs of chromosomes.
• Our amazing planet Earth spins around like a giant top, taking about 24 hours to complete one full turn.
• Each year, the Milky Way galaxy travels through space at 220 kilometers per second.
• No matter where you are in the universe, light always goes that same super-fast speed.
• All elements with even atomic numbers are typically non-metals.

Causal Statements

• Excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation can lead to skin cancer.
• High levels of stress can weaken the immune system.
• As if governed by the cosmos’s own sense of fairness, for each push there is a pull, for each cause there is an effect – when one force acts, another force awakens to balance it out, keeping the grand kinetic dance of the universe flowing eternally onward.
• Regular physical activity promotes physical and mental well-being.
• A balanced diet containing essential nutrients is crucial for optimal health.
• When the thermometer hits the century mark in Celsius or the two-twelve benchmark in Fahrenheit, water reaches its boiling point if you’re at sea level.
• Time is a one-dimensional, irreversible phenomenon.
• All living things experience birth, growth, reproduction, and death.
• Out of the eight planets orbiting our Sun, Earth stands alone as the sole nurturer of life.
• Gravity exerts a constant downward pull on all objects with mass.

Assumptions

• Every society relies on some form of communication system.
• Education plays a crucial role in individual and societal development.
• Scientific progress requires open-mindedness and critical thinking.
• Creativity and innovation are vital drivers of human progress.
• Empathy and compassion are essential for building positive relationships.

Value Statements

• All individuals have the right to life, liberty, and security of person.
• Education is a fundamental human right for all.
• Environmental protection is a collective responsibility for the present and future generations.
• Artistic expression has the power to challenge perspectives and inspire action.
• Kindness and generosity are timeless virtues worth cultivating.

Instructive Statements

• Always prioritize safety when engaging in any physical activity.
• Respect diverse viewpoints and engage in constructive dialogue.
• Be mindful of your impact on the environment and make sustainable choices.
• Never underestimate the power of listening and offering support.
• Embrace lifelong learning and strive to continually expand your knowledge.

How to Use Universal Statements in Writing

Used strategically, these statements can become potent tools in your writing arsenal, shaping your message and captivating your audience.

Let’s explore five prime situations where universals shine:

Hooking Your Reader: The Captivating Opener

Universal statements can be like literary sirens, drawing readers in with their inherent intrigue.

Begin your piece with a thought-provoking absolute, a truth so undeniable it compels further exploration.

Imagine starting an essay on procrastination with, “All good intentions pave the road to eventual ‘meh.'”

Such a statement instantly sparks curiosity: will the writer dissect this universal truth? How will they challenge or support it?

This is the power of the opening universal – it sets the stage for a captivating journey.

The Sharpened Sword: Countering Opposing Views

Universals can be weapons in the intellectual joust, offering powerful rebuttals to opposing arguments.

When faced with dissent, consider deploying a well-placed universal that undermines your opponent’s claims.

For instance, in a debate about social media’s impact, countering “Social media fosters real connection” with the universal “All interactions, virtual or real, require genuine effort to build true connection” shifts the focus away from the platform and towards individual behavior.

This approach subtly weakens the opposing argument while subtly strengthening your own.

Leaving a Lasting Impression: The Memorable Conclusion

The final lines of your writing offer a chance to leave a lasting echo in your reader’s mind.

Consider ending with a universal statement that encapsulates the essence of your piece, offering a takeaway that resonates long after the final period. Did you write a poignant essay on resilience?

Conclude with, “Every storm eventually gives way to sunshine.”

This universal truth, while simple, reinforces the essay’s message of hope and leaves the reader with a sense of optimism.

Building Bridges: Fostering Shared Understanding

Universals have the power to transcend individual perspectives and connect us through shared truths.

By weaving universals about human nature, emotions, or experiences into your writing, you invite readers to recognize themselves and their world within your words.

A travelogue describing the awe-inspiring vastness of a desert could end with, “All hearts, no matter their origin, beat faster in the face of the sublime.”

This universal statement acknowledges the shared human experience of wonder.

It also fosters a sense of connection between writer and reader.

The Call to Action: Inspiring Change

Universals can be catalysts for change, igniting a spark of motivation within your audience.

Conclude your persuasive writing with a call to action bolstered by a universal statement.

Did you write an impassioned plea for environmental conservation?

End with, “Every small step, when taken by all, becomes a giant leap for our planet.”

This universal truth not only reinforces the importance of individual action but also inspires a sense of collective responsibility, prompting readers to join the movement for a better future.

Final Thoughts: What Is a Universal Statement in Writing?

The world of absolutes is a seductive siren song, but true mastery lies in wielding them like a double-edged sword.

So, challenge yourself – weave universals into your writing, but do so with purpose, with precision, and with a deep respect for the tapestry of perspectives that enrich our shared human story.

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Writing Nestling

What Is A Universal Statement In Writing? (Explained)

In the realm of writing, a universal statement stands as a literary lodestar, guiding authors through the expansive seas of human expression.

It encapsulates ideas or themes that possess an enduring relevance, transcending the constraints of time, culture, and individual perspectives.

Akin to a literary North Star, a universal statement beckons readers from diverse backgrounds, inviting them to partake in a shared understanding that resonates across epochs.

Whether found in philosophy, literature, or scientific discourse, these statements navigate the delicate balance between generality and specificity, offering a gateway to narratives and insights that transcend the boundaries of individual tales.

In this exploration, we delve into the characteristics, types, and the profound importance of universal statements in the tapestry of human communication and storytelling.

Table of Contents

What Is A Universal Statement In Writing?

A universal statement in writing is a broad, all-encompassing statement that applies to all members of a particular group or category.

It is a generalization that is meant to cover every instance or individual within the defined scope. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of what constitutes a universal statement in writing:

Identification of Group or Category

Begin by identifying the specific group or category to which the statement refers. This could be a group of people, objects, ideas, or any defined set.

Broad Scope

Ensure that the statement is broad and general, with the intention of encompassing every member of the identified group or category.

Absence of Exceptions

A universal statement typically lacks exceptions. It is formulated to be true for every case within the specified group, leaving no room for exceptions.

General Truth

The statement is crafted to express a general truth or characteristic that is believed to be universally applicable to all instances within the defined group.

Avoidance of Qualifiers

Universal statements often avoid the use of qualifiers or modifiers that might limit the scope or introduce exceptions. Words like “usually,” “sometimes,” or “in certain cases” are typically absent.

Clarity and Precision

Ensure that the statement is clear and precise in conveying the intended universal truth. Ambiguity or vagueness can undermine the strength of a universal statement.

Logical Consistency

Verify that the statement is logically consistent and does not contradict itself. A universal statement should hold true across all instances within the specified group without creating internal conflicts.

Examples or Evidence

Whenever possible, support the universal statement with examples or evidence that demonstrate its applicability across the entire group. This enhances the credibility and persuasiveness of the statement.

By following these steps , a writer can construct a universal statement that effectively communicates a broad, general truth applicable to all members of a particular group or category in their writing.

Characteristics of a Universal Statement

Universal statements possess an ethereal quality, weaving through the fabric of time and transcending the boundaries of cultural landscapes.

At their core, these statements embody the art of vagueness, gracefully avoiding the shackles of specificity while embracing the infinite.

Picture them as cosmic nomads, traversing the universality of human experience with a cloak of timelessness draped over their shoulders.

These statements, like ageless philosophers engaged in a celestial discourse, dance on the delicate balance between profound insight and enigmatic allure.

In essence, the characteristics of a universal statement are not mere strokes on the canvas of language; they are constellations that illuminate the collective imagination, sparking a cosmic resonance within the hearts and minds of all who dare to gaze upon them.

Generalization

Generalization, the masterful art of sweeping strokes in the canvas of thought, is the scribe’s inkwell of universality.

It is the alchemy that distills intricate complexities into distilled truths, reaching beyond the particulars to encapsulate the essence of a concept or idea.

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes of specifics, generalization transforms the mundane into the extraordinary, offering a panoramic view of shared experiences and overarching principles.

It is the literary conjurer’s wand, summoning universality from the depths of particularity, allowing ideas to transcend the boundaries of time and space.

However, this double-edged sword demands careful wielding, for in the pursuit of universality, the danger of oversimplification lurks.

A skilled artisan in the realm of language understands the delicate balance, harnessing the power of generalization to illuminate the broader tapestry of human understanding without sacrificing the nuance and richness found in the details.

Timelessness

Timelessness is the enchanting quality that bestows upon ideas an enduring relevance, rendering them impervious to the relentless march of time.

It is the philosopher’s stone in the alchemy of literature, transmuting words and concepts into eternal truths that resonate across generations.

Timelessness is the celestial thread that weaves through the fabric of enduring narratives, anchoring them in a continuum that stretches beyond the confines of a single era.

In literature, art, and philosophy, it is the beacon that beckons to future minds, inviting them to partake in a dialogue that defies the limitations of temporal context.

A timeless idea possesses the capacity to elude the grasp of obsolescence, perpetually echoing its significance through the corridors of human thought.

It stands as a testament to the enduring power of certain concepts, as they defy the ephemeral nature of passing years to emerge as perennial fixtures in the landscape of collective human understanding.

Cross-cultural relevance

Cross-cultural relevance is the radiant quality that allows ideas and expressions to transcend the confines of specific cultural contexts, resonating with diverse audiences across the globe.

It is the passport that grants entry into the vast and varied landscapes of human experience, fostering a universal understanding that traverses borders and bridges disparate worldviews.

In the realm of literature, cross-cultural relevance elevates narratives beyond parochial boundaries, creating stories that resonate with readers from different corners of the earth.

It is a harmonious melody composed of shared human emotions, aspirations, and struggles, capable of striking a chord with individuals regardless of their cultural origins.

A truly cross-culturally relevant work possesses the ability to build bridges, fostering connections between people who may be separated by oceans, languages, or traditions.

It embodies a recognition of our common humanity, embracing the beauty found in the mosaic of global perspectives while reinforcing the idea that, at our core, we are united by the threads of our shared human experience.

Types of Universal Statements

Embarking on the literary voyage of universal statements is akin to navigating a cosmic atlas, where the constellations of human thought take shape in distinct archetypes.

These celestial narratives unfold across philosophical, literary, and scientific realms, each bearing a unique stamp on the cosmic parchment of universal understanding.

Picture philosophical universals as the pulsars of eternal truths, emitting beams of wisdom that traverse the vastness of human existence.

In the literary cosmos, archetypal characters and timeless themes twirl like nebulous ballet dancers, capturing the essence of the human experience in a perpetual pirouette.

Meanwhile, the laws of science emerge as the cosmic laws of nature, etching equations into the cosmic fabric, a script that both the microcosmic and macrocosmic realms follow.

Thus, within the cosmic expanse of universal statements, each type becomes a celestial beacon, guiding explorers through the boundless reaches of knowledge and imagination.

Philosophical Universals

Philosophical universals are the ethereal specters that haunt the corridors of human thought, transcending the boundaries of time and culture.

They are the immutable truths, the bedrock principles upon which the grand edifice of philosophy stands. Like ancient philosophers engaged in a timeless dialogue, these universals delve into the very essence of existence, grappling with questions that echo through the ages.

Whether pondering the nature of reality, the purpose of life, or the intricacies of morality, philosophical universals serve as the guiding stars in the celestial expanse of intellectual exploration.

They are the cosmic constants that persist across diverse philosophical traditions, weaving a tapestry of wisdom that speaks to the universality of human introspection.

These universals, like philosophical deities, beckon seekers of truth to embark on a perpetual quest for understanding, forever reaching toward the nebulous realms of the metaphysical.

Literary Universals

Literary universals are the timeless echoes resonating through the corridors of storytelling, transcending epochs and cultural landscapes.

They are the archetypal figures, motifs, and narratives that thread their way through the rich tapestry of human literature, weaving a narrative fabric that stretches across generations.

Like ancient myths that whisper to the present, literary universals encapsulate universal themes that traverse the human experience: love, betrayal, heroism, and the perpetual dance between light and shadow.

These universals become the literary constellations, guiding both writers and readers through the boundless expanse of imaginative exploration. From the hero’s journey to the tragic flaw, literary universals serve as the North Stars, offering navigation through the vast sea of human narratives.

They bridge cultural gaps, connecting readers across time and space, inviting them to partake in a collective journey of the human spirit.

In the realm of literature, these universals are the immortal muses, inspiring storytellers to craft narratives that resonate with the enduring chords of the human soul.

Scientific Universals

Scientific universals are the bedrock principles that govern the cosmos, transcending the intricacies of human cultures and persisting as immutable laws of nature.

They are the guiding stars of empirical exploration, navigating the scientific community through the vast expanse of the unknown.

From the elegant equations of physics to the mathematical precision of the natural world, scientific universals encapsulate the fundamental truths that underpin our understanding of reality.

These universals stand as testaments to the impartiality of the scientific method, offering a shared language that unites minds across diverse backgrounds.

Whether exploring the cosmos or delving into the microcosmic realms, scientific universals serve as the unerring compass, directing inquiry toward a deeper comprehension of the universe’s intricacies.

They form the building blocks of scientific progress, creating bridges between disparate disciplines and fostering a collective pursuit of knowledge that transcends the temporal boundaries of scientific inquiry.

Importance of Universal Statements in Writing

In the vast literary cosmos, the importance of universal statements is akin to discovering a constellation that transcends the fleeting glow of passing trends.

These statements are the quills that inscribe narratives into the timeless annals of human thought, creating works that resonate with the beating heart of a global audience.

They serve as literary lighthouses, guiding readers through the tumultuous seas of diverse perspectives with a light that transcends cultural and temporal storms.

Universality in writing is the alchemy that transforms words into echoes, reverberating across ages and echoing in the minds of generations yet unborn.

It is the secret handshake between authors and readers, an unspoken pact that invites individuals to glimpse the universality within the particularity of a tale.

For writers, the craft lies not only in penning stories but in crafting narratives that become compass points in the vast expanse of human experience, where the importance of universal statements becomes the gravitational force that pulls readers into the orbit of a shared, enduring understanding.

Engaging a broad audience

Engaging a broad audience is the magical conjuration that transforms the act of writing into a cosmic dialogue with minds spanning diverse landscapes.

Like a symphony that resonates across varied frequencies, the art of universal engagement invites readers from different corners of the world to gather around the campfire of shared narratives.

It is a literary kaleidoscope that refracts stories into a spectrum of emotions, inviting individuals with varied experiences to find resonance in the words on the page.

Whether through relatable characters, universally relevant themes, or timeless messages, writing with broad engagement in mind transcends cultural and societal boundaries.

It is the author’s whisper echoing across the canyons of diverse perspectives, ensuring that every reader, regardless of background, can find a reflection of their own humanity in the mirror of the written word.

In the dance between specificity and universality, the ability to engage a broad audience becomes the writer’s gift, creating a tapestry of understanding that transcends the limitations of individual stories and binds readers together in the shared tapestry of the human experience.

Establishing credibility

Establishing credibility in writing is akin to laying the foundation for a grand literary cathedral. It is the art of forging an unshakeable bond between the author and the reader, rooted in trust and expertise.

Like a masterful conductor wielding a baton, a credible writer orchestrates their words with precision, showcasing a deep understanding of their subject matter.

Credibility emerges not merely from the abundance of information but from the meticulous sourcing, thorough research, and a commitment to accuracy.

It is the passport that grants the author entry into the reader’s realm of respect, signaling that the ideas presented are not just opinions but well-founded insights.

Readers, akin to discerning patrons, gravitate towards works where credibility is a beacon, guiding them through the intricate labyrinths of information with confidence and assurance.

In the literary symphony, establishing credibility is the resonant note that transforms mere words into a harmonious composition, fostering an unwavering trust between the writer and their audience.

Enduring impact

Enduring impact in writing is the indelible mark left on the sands of time, a literary legacy that withstands the erosive forces of passing years.

It is the echo that lingers, reverberating through the epochs and whispering to generations long after the ink has dried. Achieving enduring impact is the pinnacle for any writer, a feat that transcends the fleeting trends and ephemeral fashions of the literary world.

It is the resonance that springs from profound insights, timeless narratives, and universal truths, captivating the collective consciousness across cultures and epochs.

Authors who aspire to leave an enduring impact recognize that their words are not just fleeting echoes but seeds planted in the fertile soil of human thought.

Such impact is measured not by the immediate applause but by the sustained ripples of influence that continue to shape minds and perspectives over time, making the written work a timeless beacon in the vast ocean of human expression.

Examples of Universal Statements in Different Genres

In the kaleidoscopic realm of literature, universal statements gleam like rare gems, refracting their brilliance across diverse genres.

Shakespearean themes, like ancient constellations, continue to illuminate the dramatic skies of human emotion, their timeless tales of love, betrayal, and the human condition echoing through centuries.

Mythological narratives, whether from ancient Greece or distant cultures, serve as cultural Rosetta Stones, deciphering the universal language of archetypal heroes, gods, and epic quests.

In the philosophical cosmos, existential truths stand as cosmic constants, challenging thinkers across epochs to ponder the profound questions of existence and purpose.

Scientific universals, akin to cosmic equations, govern the narratives of the natural world, revealing the universal laws that bind the microcosmic and macrocosmic realms.

These examples form a celestial mosaic, showcasing the enduring power of universal statements to traverse the galaxies of human creativity, leaving an indelible mark on the ever-expanding tapestry of literature and thought.

Literature, the alchemy of words and imagination, is the kaleidoscopic mirror reflecting the diverse facets of the human experience. It is the timeless tapestry woven by storytellers, poets, and visionaries, capturing the fleeting emotions, aspirations, and struggles that define our existence.

In the vast expanse of literary landscapes, one discovers not merely narratives but portals into different worlds, each crafted with the meticulous strokes of literary artisans.

Literature serves as both a time machine and a compass, transporting readers to historical epochs, distant galaxies, or the recesses of the human psyche.

It is the shared language that binds cultures, allowing the collective voice of humanity to resonate through the ages.

From the grand epics of yore to the contemporary whispers of introspection, literature is the archive of human wisdom, a sanctuary where the echoes of profound thoughts reverberate and the echoes of myriad voices coalesce into a harmonious symphony.

Philosophy, the relentless quest for understanding, is the intellectual crucible where the crucible of human thought is refined and distilled.

It is the perennial dialogue that transcends the epochs, daring minds to ponder the fundamental questions of existence, consciousness, and morality.

Philosophy serves as the compass guiding seekers through the uncharted territories of knowledge, demanding a rigorous examination of assumptions and a fearless exploration of the unknown.

It is the art of wielding ideas like chisels, carving pathways to deeper comprehension and enlightenment. From the ancient musings of Socrates in the agora to the contemporary inquiries into the nature of artificial intelligence, philosophy weaves a seamless tapestry of inquiry that spans cultures, disciplines, and centuries.

It is not merely an abstract discourse but a living, breathing force that propels the human intellect to explore the profound mysteries of the universe and, in doing so, to unravel the mysteries of the self.

Science, the relentless pursuit of knowledge through observation, experimentation, and analysis, is the illuminating beacon that guides humanity through the labyrinth of the natural world.

It is the systematic unraveling of the cosmos’ secrets, a quest to decode the language of the universe written in the laws of physics, chemistry, and biology. Science transcends cultural boundaries, providing a shared methodology that bridges diverse perspectives.

It is the engine propelling technological advancements, medical breakthroughs, and a deeper understanding of our place in the cosmos.

From the microcosmic realms of subatomic particles to the macrocosmic expanses of galaxies, science is a universal language that speaks to the inherent curiosity of the human mind.

It transforms speculation into certainty, offering a methodical approach to unravel the mysteries of existence and empowering societies to make informed decisions based on evidence and reason.

Challenges in Crafting Effective Universal Statements

Crafting effective universal statements is akin to walking a tightrope suspended between the towers of clarity and overgeneralization, and skilled writers find themselves performing this literary high-wire act with precision.

The challenge lies in the delicate art of balancing generality and specificity, like a word-wielding acrobat dancing between the grandiosity of universal themes and the nuanced details that breathe life into a narrative.

Avoiding the pitfalls of overgeneralization becomes a labyrinthine puzzle, demanding a writer’s deft touch to distill profound insights without diluting the richness found in the specifics.

It’s a tightrope where cultural sensitivity serves as a safety net, preventing the plunge into the abyss of unintentional biases, and demanding an acrobat’s awareness to adapt universals to the diverse cultural tapestry.

In the grand carnival of language, crafting effective universal statements becomes a daring performance, where the writer navigates the complexities of language, culture, and nuance to present a narrative that resonates with a broad audience while avoiding the pitfalls that threaten to turn the literary spectacle into a chaotic jumble of missteps.

Avoiding overgeneralization

Avoiding overgeneralization in writing is the delicate art of steering clear from the perilous cliffs of oversimplification and embracing the nuanced terrain of specificity.

Like a tightrope walker navigating the thin line between breadth and depth, writers tread carefully to ensure their statements resonate universally without sacrificing the intricate details that lend authenticity to their work .

Overgeneralization can flatten the topography of ideas, obscuring the unique contours that distinguish one concept from another.

Skillful writers, aware of this precarious balance, strive to capture the universal essence of their themes while preserving the diversity found in the particulars.

It’s a dance with language, requiring a discerning choreography that avoids broad strokes while inviting readers into a rich landscape of nuanced understanding.

In the narrative tapestry, avoiding overgeneralization becomes the weaver’s task, threading a needle through the intricate fabric of diverse experiences to create a literary mosaic that captures the complexity of the human story.

Cultural Sensitivity

Cultural sensitivity is the compass that guides writers through the intricate terrain of diverse perspectives, urging them to navigate with respect, awareness, and a keen understanding of the myriad cultural nuances that shape human experience.

It is the acknowledgment that words wield immense power, capable of either fostering unity or perpetuating unintentional biases.

Cultivating cultural sensitivity in writing involves a mindful recognition of the rich tapestry of traditions, customs, and values that color the world.

Writers, as cultural artisans, strive to avoid stereotyping and misrepresentation, engaging in a continual process of learning and adapting their narratives to embrace the multiplicity of voices within the global community.

Cultural sensitivity is the lens through which writers view the world, ensuring that their words resonate harmoniously across diverse audiences while celebrating the rich diversity that makes every culture unique.

In the literary mosaic, cultural sensitivity becomes the brushstroke that paints narratives with the hues of inclusivity, fostering a shared understanding that transcends cultural borders.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about What Is A Universal Statement In Writing?

What exactly is a universal statement in writing.

A universal statement in writing encapsulates ideas or themes that possess enduring relevance, transcending the constraints of time, culture, and individual perspectives. It serves as a literary device that communicates universal truths or concepts applicable to a broad audience.

How does a universal statement differ from other types of statements in writing?

Unlike specific or culturally bound statements, a universal statement aims to communicate ideas that resonate across diverse audiences and stand the test of time. It is characterized by its broad applicability and timelessness.

Can you provide examples of universal statements in literature?

Certainly! Examples include archetypal characters, timeless themes, and philosophical insights found in works such as Shakespearean plays, mythological narratives, or existential philosophical treatises. These elements transcend cultural and temporal boundaries, making them universally resonant.

Why is crafting universal statements important in writing?

Crafting universal statements enhances the accessibility and appeal of a piece of writing to a broad audience. It establishes credibility, as it reflects a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter, and it leaves an enduring impact, contributing to the legacy of literature and thought.

What challenges are associated with crafting effective universal statements?

Challenges include avoiding overgeneralization, striking the right balance between generality and specificity, and ensuring cultural sensitivity. Writers must navigate these challenges to create statements that are both universally applicable and respectful of diverse perspectives.

How can a writer maintain cultural sensitivity when incorporating universal statements?

Writers can maintain cultural sensitivity by acknowledging and respecting diverse traditions, avoiding stereotypes, and continually educating themselves about different cultures. Adapting universal statements to encompass a variety of perspectives is crucial in fostering inclusivity.

Are universal statements limited to specific genres or disciplines?

No, universal statements can be found across various genres and disciplines, including literature, philosophy, and science. Whether exploring timeless themes in fiction, existential truths in philosophy, or scientific principles, universal statements transcend the boundaries of specific genres.

How can a writer ensure that their universal statement leaves an enduring impact?

To leave an enduring impact, writers should focus on crafting statements with profound insights, timeless themes, and an engaging narrative. Ensuring the statement is both relevant and relatable to diverse audiences contributes to its lasting significance.

In the symphony of written expression, a universal statement emerges as a timeless melody, echoing through the corridors of human understanding.

It serves as a literary cornerstone, transcending temporal, cultural, and individual boundaries to create a shared resonance among diverse audiences.

From the enduring truths encapsulated in philosophical universals to the archetypal characters woven into literary narratives, the concept of a universal statement acts as a unifying force in the rich tapestry of human communication.

As writers navigate the challenges of crafting these statements with balance and cultural sensitivity, they unlock the potential to engage broad audiences, establish credibility, and leave an enduring impact on the literary landscape.

In essence, understanding and harnessing the power of universal statements in writing allows authors to contribute to a collective dialogue that spans generations, fostering a shared understanding that withstands the tests of time and cultural evolution.

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How to Write a Formal Analytical Essay

• How to Write a Formal…

1.INTRODUCTION

3 Sentences (suggested minimum) The first sentence introduces the topic The second sentence identifies the author and novel The third sentence states the thesis 2.BODY

2 paragraphs (suggested minimum) Each paragraph based on one aspect of the thesis Paragraphs linked to one another with a connecting word or phrase (transition) Paragraphs are written in a formal analytical style Paragraphs follow the pattern:

Proof #1 -topic sentence -sentence of supporting detail -example from the novel -sentence of elaboration

Proof #2 -sentence of supporting detail -example from the novel -sentence of elaboration

Proof #3 -sentence of supporting detail -example from the novel -sentence of elaboration -concluding sentence 3.CONCLUSION

3 or 4 sentences (suggested minimum) The first sentence restates the thesis in an interesting and different fashion Second/third sentence(s) summarises the arguments The final sentence presents the writer’s final thoughts on the thesis

WRITING ESSAYS

INTRODUCTION The introduction of an essay begins with a universal or general statement about the broad topic that you will write about.  It does NOT contain ANY statement about the particular novel that you will write about.  The second sentence is a further development/explanation of this universal statement.  It narrows the idea of the universal statement into a specific novel. 

Thus, you should include the name of the novel and the name of the author in this sentence.  This may be more than one sentence.  The last sentence is called the THESIS.  It is the specific point that you want to prove.  It is in this sentence that you name the characters or specific idea of the novel that you will prove in the essay.  Your ENTIRE essay will be judged against this sentence and how well you prove the point.

Example: (Universal/General Statement)  Friendship is a wonderful part of life, but it can, unfortunately, be used as a tool of deception.  (Expansion of universal statement including author and title of work)  In William Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar, there are characters who use flattery as a means of manipulating others.  (Thesis)  Both Brutus and Antony operate under the guise of friendship in order to betray and manipulate others for their own purposes.

Analysis of Introduction The universal topic is friendship.  The idea of friendship is developed in the second sentence by using the words “flattery” and “manipulating others”.  Notice that the title and author are included, by not any character’s name.  The thesis continues to narrow this topic by introducing specific characters.

To come up with a universal sentence, you may consider the answers to questions such as:

What is the definition of my topic? (e.g. friendship) When does it occur? How does it occur? Why does it occur?

A combination of these answers may help you develop a proper universal statement for your essay.

The body of your essay will consist of two analytical paragraphs.  Each paragraph will prove the point of the thesis.  Always begin the first paragraph with the first point/character mentioned in the thesis.  In this case, you should begin your paragraph with a discussion on BRUTUS because he is a) listed before Antony in the thesis, and b) the hero/protagonist.

Paragraph #1 of the BODY This paragraph must begin with a topic sentence related to the thesis and to Brutus.  It will show how Brutus uses flattery and friendship to betray/deceive others to his own end.  This idea will be expanded on by a detail from the play (or book), followed by an embedded quotation (with page number). This in turn will be followed by an explanation of the quotation. 

REPEAT this TWO more times.  After your third explanation, write a concluding sentence, to sum up this paragraph.  This means you must have a topic sentence, three details (proofs), three embedded quotations, three explanations of quotations, and a concluding sentence.  The concluding sentence must sum up the ideas in this paragraph, but also reflect the ideas of the thesis.

Paragraph #2 The topic sentence begins with a transitional word or phrase that connects par. 1 with par. 2.  The point of the second paragraph should be about how Antony also uses his friendships to betray or manipulate others.  Follow the same structure as par. 1.

Example: (Transitional word/phrase)  Similar to Brutus, Antony also uses his friendship with others as a tool of manipulation and deceit to further his own means. CONCLUSION The conclusion is written from the specific idea to the broad idea.  Start with a re-statement of the idea of the thesis and then expand more broadly to a general statement about the topic.

1.Begin with a transitional word/phrase and rewrite the idea of the thesis 2.BRIEFLY summarize your arguments (body par.) 3.End with a sentence that presents your final thoughts about the topic

________________________________________

REMINDERS!! Use transitional words/phrases in your writing (makes your writing smooth rather than choppy) ALWAYS embed your quotations (no floating quotations) The most important step is: edit, edit, edit, edit, edit, edit, edit, and edit again!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Author:  William Anderson (Schoolworkhelper Editorial Team)

Tutor and Freelance Writer. Science Teacher and Lover of Essays. Article last reviewed: 2022 | St. Rosemary Institution © 2010-2024 | Creative Commons 4.0

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Thesis Statements

What this handout is about.

This handout describes what a thesis statement is, how thesis statements work in your writing, and how you can craft or refine one for your draft.

Introduction

Writing in college often takes the form of persuasion—convincing others that you have an interesting, logical point of view on the subject you are studying. Persuasion is a skill you practice regularly in your daily life. You persuade your roommate to clean up, your parents to let you borrow the car, your friend to vote for your favorite candidate or policy. In college, course assignments often ask you to make a persuasive case in writing. You are asked to convince your reader of your point of view. This form of persuasion, often called academic argument, follows a predictable pattern in writing. After a brief introduction of your topic, you state your point of view on the topic directly and often in one sentence. This sentence is the thesis statement, and it serves as a summary of the argument you’ll make in the rest of your paper.

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement:

• tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
• is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
• directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
• makes a claim that others might dispute.
• is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper (most often, at the end of the first paragraph) that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

If your assignment asks you to take a position or develop a claim about a subject, you may need to convey that position or claim in a thesis statement near the beginning of your draft. The assignment may not explicitly state that you need a thesis statement because your instructor may assume you will include one. When in doubt, ask your instructor if the assignment requires a thesis statement. When an assignment asks you to analyze, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being asked to develop a thesis and to support it persuasively. (Check out our handout on understanding assignments for more information.)

How do I create a thesis?

A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis” that presents a basic or main idea and an argument that you think you can support with evidence. Both the argument and your thesis are likely to need adjustment along the way.

Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the broader significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement. For more ideas on how to get started, see our handout on brainstorming .

How do I know if my thesis is strong?

If there’s time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following :

• Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question. If the prompt isn’t phrased as a question, try to rephrase it. For example, “Discuss the effect of X on Y” can be rephrased as “What is the effect of X on Y?”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is likely to  be “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
• Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s okay to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.

Suppose you are taking a course on contemporary communication, and the instructor hands out the following essay assignment: “Discuss the impact of social media on public awareness.” Looking back at your notes, you might start with this working thesis:

Social media impacts public awareness in both positive and negative ways.

You can use the questions above to help you revise this general statement into a stronger thesis.

• Do I answer the question? You can analyze this if you rephrase “discuss the impact” as “what is the impact?” This way, you can see that you’ve answered the question only very generally with the vague “positive and negative ways.”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not likely. Only people who maintain that social media has a solely positive or solely negative impact could disagree.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? No. What are the positive effects? What are the negative effects?
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? No. Why are they positive? How are they positive? What are their causes? Why are they negative? How are they negative? What are their causes?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? No. Why should anyone care about the positive and/or negative impact of social media?

After thinking about your answers to these questions, you decide to focus on the one impact you feel strongly about and have strong evidence for:

Because not every voice on social media is reliable, people have become much more critical consumers of information, and thus, more informed voters.

This version is a much stronger thesis! It answers the question, takes a specific position that others can challenge, and it gives a sense of why it matters.

Let’s try another. Suppose your literature professor hands out the following assignment in a class on the American novel: Write an analysis of some aspect of Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn. “This will be easy,” you think. “I loved Huckleberry Finn!” You grab a pad of paper and write:

Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.

You begin to analyze your thesis:

• Do I answer the question? No. The prompt asks you to analyze some aspect of the novel. Your working thesis is a statement of general appreciation for the entire novel.

Think about aspects of the novel that are important to its structure or meaning—for example, the role of storytelling, the contrasting scenes between the shore and the river, or the relationships between adults and children. Now you write:

In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.

• Do I answer the question? Yes!
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not really. This contrast is well-known and accepted.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? It’s getting there–you have highlighted an important aspect of the novel for investigation. However, it’s still not clear what your analysis will reveal.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? Not yet. Compare scenes from the book and see what you discover. Free write, make lists, jot down Huck’s actions and reactions and anything else that seems interesting.
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? What’s the point of this contrast? What does it signify?”

After examining the evidence and considering your own insights, you write:

Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.

This final thesis statement presents an interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of its content. Of course, for the essay itself to be successful, you must now present evidence from the novel that will convince the reader of your interpretation.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. 2018. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing , 8th ed. New York: Pearson.

Ruszkiewicz, John J., Christy Friend, Daniel Seward, and Maxine Hairston. 2010. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers , 9th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Definition : Universal Statement

• 1.1 Bound Variable
• 2 Also known as

A universal statement is one which expresses the fact that all objects (in a particular universe of discourse ) have a particular property .

That is, a statement of the form:

Note that if there exist no $x$ in this particular universe , $\forall x: \map P x$ is always true : see vacuous truth .

Bound Variable

In the universal statement :

the symbol $x$ is a bound variable .

Thus, the meaning of $\forall x: \map P x$ does not change if $x$ is replaced by another symbol .

That is, $\forall x: \map P x$ means the same thing as $\forall y: \map P y$ or $\forall \alpha: \map P \alpha$.

Also known as

A universal statement can also be referred to as a universal sentence , or more wordily, a sentence of a universal character .

• Definition:Existential Statement
• Definition:Bound Variable
• 1946:  Alfred Tarski : Introduction to Logic and to the Methodology of Deductive Sciences  (2nd ed.)  ... (previous)  ... (next) : $\S 1.3$: Universal and Existential Sentences
• 1978:  Thomas A. Whitelaw : An Introduction to Abstract Algebra  ... (previous)  ... (next) : $\S 3$: Statements and conditions; quantifiers
• Definitions/Predicate Logic

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3.3: Strong paragraphs start with good evidence

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Support your thesis with evidence AND analysis

A paragraph is a group of sentences that present, develop, and support a single idea. That’s it. There’s no prescribed length or number of sentences. In academic writing, body paragraphs need to work together with the thesis to support your main point. If your thesis states where your essay wants to go, then your body paragraphs need to show the reader how you get there. Paragraphs rarely stand alone, so most often the main topic of the paragraph serves the main concept or purpose of a larger whole; for example, the main idea of a paragraph in an essay should serve to develop and support the thesis of the essay. 

By reading and annotating your sources, and by responding and analyzing to those sources, you should have developed lots of ideas that can now form the beginnings of your paragraphs. If you don't have ideas about your sources yet, STOP WRITING AND READ AGAIN. When writing with and about sources, you want to have the ideas before you start writing. If you start your paragraphs without evidence with the intention of add the evidence later, you are likely to fall into the trap of confirmation bias : only seeing the evidence you want to see. And, adding the evidence later makes it harder to develop your ideas sufficiently. 

Topic Sentence

The job of the topic sentence is to control the development and flow of the information contained in the paragraph. The topic sentence takes control of the more general topic of the paragraph and shapes it in the way that you choose to present it to your readers. It provides a way through a topic that is likely much broader than what you could ever cover in a paragraph, or even in an essay. This more focused idea, your topic sentence, helps you determine the parts of the topic that you want to illuminate for your readers—whether that’s a college essay or a thank you letter to your Aunt Martha.  The following diagram illustrates how a topic sentence can provide more focus to the general topic at hand.

Select the Most Effective Primary Support for a Thesis Statement 

When you support your thesis, you are revealing evidence. Evidence includes anything that can help support your stance. The following are the kinds of evidence you will encounter as you conduct your research:

• Facts.  Facts, such as statistics, are the best kind of evidence to use because they often cannot be disputed. They can support your stance by providing background information on or a solid foundation for your point of view. However, facts still need explanation. For example, the sentence “The most populated state in the United States is California” is a pure fact, but it will require some explanation to make it relevant to your specific argument. Always be sure you gather your facts from credible sources.
• Judgments.  Judgments are conclusions drawn from the given facts. Judgments are more credible than opinions because they are founded upon careful reasoning and examination of a topic. Use judgments from experts in the field as they are the more credible sources for the topic.
• Testimony.  Testimony consists of direct quotations from either an eyewitness or an expert witness. An eyewitness is someone who directly observed an instance of what you are writing about; testimony adds authenticity to an argument based on facts. An expert witness is a person who has extensive experience with a topic. This person studies the facts and provides commentary based on either facts or judgments, or both. An expert witness adds authority and credibility to an argument.
• Personal observation.  Personal observation is similar to testimony, but personal observation consists of your testimony. It reflects what you know to be true because you have experiences and have formed either opinions or judgments about them. For instance, if you are one of five children and your thesis states that being part of a large family is beneficial to a child’s social development, you could use your own experience to support your thesis.

Include Supporting Detail Sentences for the Topic Sentence

After deciding which primary support points you will use as your topic sentences, you must add details to clarify and demonstrate each of those points. These supporting details provide examples, facts, or evidence that support the topic sentence.

The following paragraph contains supporting detail sentences for the the topic sentence, which is underlined.

J.D. Salinger, a World War II veteran, suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder, a disorder that influenced the themes in many of his works.  He did not hide his mental anguish over the horrors of war and once told his daughter, “You never really get the smell of burning flesh out of your nose, no matter how long you live.” His short story “A Perfect Day for a Bananafish” details a day in the life of a WWII veteran who was recently released from an army hospital for psychiatric problems. The man acts questionably with a little girl he meets on the beach before he returns to his hotel room and commits suicide. Another short story, “For Esmé – with Love and Squalor,” is narrated by a traumatized soldier who sparks an unusual relationship with a young girl he meets before he departs to partake in D-Day. Finally, in Salinger’s only novel,  The Catcher in the Rye , he continues with the theme of posttraumatic stress, though not directly related to war. From a rest home for the mentally ill, sixteen-year-old Holden Caulfield narrates the story of his nervous breakdown following the death of his younger brother.

Adding Explanation and Elaboration in your Body Paragraphs 

In addition to supporting details, college level paragraphs add quite a bit of explanation and elaboration in body paragraphs. Development of explanation and elaboration is one of the big differences between high school and college-level writing. Rather than just appearing in one paragraph all by itself -- possibly in a conclusion -- explanation and elaboration should appear through your essay. Some sentence stems you can use to help you develop your explanation and elaboration appear in the following list.

Sentence Stems for Elaboration 

• X matters because ___________.
• X is important because ___________.
• X is crucial in terms of today’s concern over ___________ because ___________.
• Ultimately, what is at stake here is ___________.
• These points have important consequences for the broader discussion about ___________.
• The discussion of X is in fact addressing the larger matter of ___________.
• These conclusions have significant implications for ___________.
• X should in fact concern anyone who cares about ___________.

These 4 videos review the paragraph ideas shared on this page 

Authored by:  GoReadWriteNow.  License:  All Rights Reserved .  License Terms:  Standard YouTube

Contributors 

• Adapted from  Writing for Success.   Provided by:  The Saylor Foundation.  License:  CC-NC-SA 3.0   and The Word on College Reading and Writing

A Summary and Analysis of George Orwell’s ‘Why I Write’

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

‘Why I Write’ is an essay by George Orwell, published in 1946 after the publication of his novella Animal Farm and before he wrote his final novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four . The essay is an insightful piece of memoir about Orwell’s early years and how he developed as a writer, from harbouring ambitions to write self-consciously literary works to developing, in the 1930s, into the author of sharp political commentary in both fiction and non-fiction.

You can read ‘Why I Write’ here before proceeding to our summary and analysis of Orwell’s essay below.

‘Why I Write’: summary

Orwell begins by observing that he knew he should be a writer from a very young age. Although in early adulthood he tried to ‘abandon’ the idea, he knew it was his true calling and that he would eventually ‘settle down and write books’.

He tells us that he was a lonely child who would make up stories and hold conversations with imaginary people, and that his own desire to write is linked to this childhood loneliness. During the First World War, when Orwell was still a child, he had two poems published in the local newspaper, and that was the beginning of his publishing career.

In his youth, he continued to think like a writer, making up a ‘continuous “story” about myself’, but never writing it down. When he was in his twenties, he had ambitions of writing ‘enormous naturalistic novels with unhappy endings, full of detailed descriptions and arresting similes, and also full of purple passages in which words were used partly for the sake of their sound’. Orwell calls his first novel, Burmese Days (1934), this kind of book.

Orwell then outlines what he sees as four chief motives for anyone becoming a writer: 1) egoism; 2) aesthetic enthusiasm; 3) historical impulse; and 4) political purpose.

Egoism is the desire to be thought clever, be talked about when alive, and remembered after death. Aesthetic enthusiasm is the perception of beauty in the world around the writer, as well as the beauty of language. The historical impulse is a desire to see things as they are and present the facts to readers. Political purpose is the urge to change people’s views of the kind of society they want to live in.

This last one is a matter of degree, because Orwell argues that every writer adopts some kind of political position: ‘Once again, no book is genuinely free from political bias. The opinion that art should have nothing to do with politics is itself a political attitude.’

Perhaps surprisingly given he is principally known for ‘political’ writing, Orwell confides that by nature he is someone for whom the first three motives would usually outweigh the fourth. But when the Spanish Civil War broke out in 1936, Orwell knew where he stood. As he famously declares: ‘Every line of serious work that I have written since 1936 has been written, directly or indirectly, against totalitarianism and for democratic socialism, as I understand it.’

Orwell concludes ‘Why I Write’ by stating that in the decade since 1936 he has tried to turn political writing ‘into an art’. Although he acknowledges that his impulse has not been entirely public-spirited but just as egoistic and ‘vain’ as it is in most writers, he knows that ‘one can write nothing readable unless one constantly struggles to efface one’s own personality.’ The political scene has helped Orwell to sharpen his own writing.

‘Why I Write’: analysis

Orwell’s essay is of interest as a piece of autobiography, but Orwell extrapolates from his own personal background and literary trajectory to make more universal statements about good writing, and the reasons why all writers choose to write for a living (if they’re indeed lucky enough to do it for a living: in his ‘ Confessions of a Book Reviewer ’, also from 1946, he brilliantly outlines the absurd and stressful existence of struggling writers surviving on hackwork for newspapers and magazines, just to pay that month’s rent).

One of the key insights in ‘Why I Write’ is the link Orwell makes between his own efforts to become a successful writer and the broader political scene in Europe (and beyond) at the time. The Spanish Civil War, and the rise of Nazism, fascism, and Stalinism, all gave him a clear sense of what he should write about. As he puts it, all of his serious work written since has been ‘ against totalitarianism and for democratic socialism’.

We find this even in an essay like ‘ Politics vs. Literature: An Examination of Gulliver’s Travels ’ (which, along with his analysis of Dickens’s art, shows what a fine and sensitive literary critic Orwell was), another 1946 essay, in which Orwell argues that in Book IV of Gulliver’s Travels , Jonathan Swift depicts what we would now call a totalitarian society. But because Gulliver (and, presumably, by extension, Swift himself) approves of the Houyhnhnms’ society, Swift admires the idea of a totalitarian state in which dissident opinion is unacceptable.

The point is that when he lacked a clear motivation for writing fiction, he churned out ‘lifeless’ work (much of which, such as his novel A Clergyman’s Daughter , a kind of Joycean work in many ways, he later disowned, calling it ‘tripe’).

But once he realised what his subject-matter should be, this new-found ‘political purpose’ sharpened his prose. In a sense, the fourth of Orwell’s listed motives brought the other three into a new perspective. His clearest and most detailed account of what constitutes good political writing is his essay ‘ Politics and the English Language ’ (also from 1946), which we have analysed here .

In 1976, Joan Didion wrote her own essay called ‘ Why I Write ’, in which she acknowledged that she had taken her title from George Orwell. She also drew attention to the triple-assonance in Orwell’s title, the long I sounds of ‘Why I Write’.

Even Orwell’s title is itself an example of the clear-minded simplicity which he identifies as the chief feature of good writing at the end of ‘Why I Write’: ‘Good prose is like a window pane.’ But as so often with Orwell’s work, he is not just writing about himself, but drawing attention to far more widespread truths about what motivates an author to devote their lives to writing.

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How to write a thesis statement + examples

What is a thesis statement?

Is a thesis statement a question, how do you write a good thesis statement, how do i know if my thesis statement is good, examples of thesis statements, helpful resources on how to write a thesis statement, frequently asked questions about writing a thesis statement, related articles.

A thesis statement is the main argument of your paper or thesis.

The thesis statement is one of the most important elements of any piece of academic writing . It is a brief statement of your paper’s main argument. Essentially, you are stating what you will be writing about.

You can see your thesis statement as an answer to a question. While it also contains the question, it should really give an answer to the question with new information and not just restate or reiterate it.

Your thesis statement is part of your introduction. Learn more about how to write a good thesis introduction in our introduction guide .

A thesis statement is not a question. A statement must be arguable and provable through evidence and analysis. While your thesis might stem from a research question, it should be in the form of a statement.

Tip: A thesis statement is typically 1-2 sentences. For a longer project like a thesis, the statement may be several sentences or a paragraph.

A good thesis statement needs to do the following:

• Condense the main idea of your thesis into one or two sentences.
• Answer your project’s main research question.
• Clearly state your position in relation to the topic .
• Make an argument that requires support or evidence.

Once you have written down a thesis statement, check if it fulfills the following criteria:

• Your statement needs to be provable by evidence. As an argument, a thesis statement needs to be debatable.
• Your statement needs to be precise. Do not give away too much information in the thesis statement and do not load it with unnecessary information.
• Your statement cannot say that one solution is simply right or simply wrong as a matter of fact. You should draw upon verified facts to persuade the reader of your solution, but you cannot just declare something as right or wrong.

As previously mentioned, your thesis statement should answer a question.

If the question is:

What do you think the City of New York should do to reduce traffic congestion?

A good thesis statement restates the question and answers it:

In this paper, I will argue that the City of New York should focus on providing exclusive lanes for public transport and adaptive traffic signals to reduce traffic congestion by the year 2035.

Here is another example. If the question is:

How can we end poverty?

A good thesis statement should give more than one solution to the problem in question:

In this paper, I will argue that introducing universal basic income can help reduce poverty and positively impact the way we work.

• The Writing Center of the University of North Carolina has a list of questions to ask to see if your thesis is strong .

A thesis statement is part of the introduction of your paper. It is usually found in the first or second paragraph to let the reader know your research purpose from the beginning.

In general, a thesis statement should have one or two sentences. But the length really depends on the overall length of your project. Take a look at our guide about the length of thesis statements for more insight on this topic.

Here is a list of Thesis Statement Examples that will help you understand better how to write them.

Every good essay should include a thesis statement as part of its introduction, no matter the academic level. Of course, if you are a high school student you are not expected to have the same type of thesis as a PhD student.

Here is a great YouTube tutorial showing How To Write An Essay: Thesis Statements .

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to write an introduction paragraph in 3 steps.

General Education

It’s the roadmap to your essay, it’s the forecast for your argument, it’s...your introduction paragraph, and writing one can feel pretty intimidating. The introduction paragraph is a part of just about every kind of academic writing , from persuasive essays to research papers. But that doesn’t mean writing one is easy!

If trying to write an intro paragraph makes you feel like a Muggle trying to do magic, trust us: you aren’t alone. But there are some tips and tricks that can make the process easier—and that’s where we come in.

In this article, we’re going to explain how to write a captivating intro paragraph by covering the following info:  

• A discussion of what an introduction paragraph is and its purpose in an essay
• An overview of the most effective introduction paragraph format, with explanations of the three main parts of an intro paragraph
• An analysis of real intro paragraph examples, with a discussion of what works and what doesn’t
• A list of four top tips on how to write an introduction paragraph

Are you ready? Let’s begin!

What Is an Introduction Paragraph? 

An introduction paragraph is the first paragraph of an essay , paper, or other type of academic writing. Argumentative essays , book reports, research papers, and even personal  essays are common types of writing that require an introduction paragraph. Whether you’re writing a research paper for a science course or an argumentative essay for English class , you’re going to have to write an intro paragraph. 

So what’s the purpose of an intro paragraph? As a reader’s first impression of your essay, the intro paragraph should introduce the topic of your paper. 

Your introduction will also state any claims, questions, or issues that your paper will focus on. This is commonly known as your paper’s thesis . This condenses the overall point of your paper into one or two short sentences that your reader can come back and reference later.

But intro paragraphs need to do a bit more than just introduce your topic. An intro paragraph is also supposed to grab your reader’s attention. The intro paragraph is your chance to provide just enough info and intrigue to make your reader say, “Hey, this topic sounds interesting. I think I’ll keep reading this essay!” That can help your essay stand out from the crowd.

In most cases, an intro paragraph will be relatively short. A good intro will be clear, brief, purposeful, and focused. While there are some exceptions to this rule, it’s common for intro paragraphs to consist of three to five sentences . 

Effectively introducing your essay’s topic, purpose, and getting your reader invested in your essay sounds like a lot to ask from one little paragraph, huh? In the next section, we’ll demystify the intro paragraph format by breaking it down into its core parts . When you learn how to approach each part of an intro, writing one won’t seem so scary!

Once you figure out the three parts of an intro paragraph, writing one will be a piece of cake!

The 3 Main Parts of an Intro Paragraph

In general, an intro paragraph is going to have three main parts: a hook, context, and a thesis statement . Each of these pieces of the intro plays a key role in acquainting the reader with the topic and purpose of your essay. 

Below, we’ll explain how to start an introduction paragraph by writing an effective hook, providing context, and crafting a thesis statement. When you put these elements together, you’ll have an intro paragraph that does a great job of making a great first impression on your audience!

Intro Paragraph Part 1: The Hook

When it comes to how to start an introduction paragraph, o ne of the most common approaches is to start with something called a hook. 

What does hook mean here, though? Think of it this way: it’s like when you start a new Netflix series: you look up a few hours (and a few episodes) later and you say, “Whoa. I guess I must be hooked on this show!” 

That’s how the hook is supposed to work in an intro paragrap h: it should get your reader interested enough that they don’t want to press the proverbial “pause” button while they’re reading it . In other words, a hook is designed to grab your reader’s attention and keep them reading your essay! 

This means that the hook comes first in the intro paragraph format—it’ll be the opening sentence of your intro. 

It’s important to realize  that there are many different ways to write a good hook. But generally speaking, hooks must include these two things: what your topic is, and the angle you’re taking on that topic in your essay. 

One approach to writing a hook that works is starting with a general, but interesting, statement on your topic. In this type of hook, you’re trying to provide a broad introduction to your topic and your angle on the topic in an engaging way . 

For example, if you’re writing an essay about the role of the government in the American healthcare system, your hook might look something like this: 

There's a growing movement to require that the federal government provide affordable, effective healthcare for all Americans. 

This hook introduces the essay topic in a broad way (government and healthcare) by presenting a general statement on the topic. But the assumption presented in the hook can also be seen as controversial, which gets readers interested in learning more about what the writer—and the essay—has to say.

In other words, the statement above fulfills the goals of a good hook: it’s intriguing and provides a general introduction to the essay topic.

Intro Paragraph Part 2: Context

Once you’ve provided an attention-grabbing hook, you’ll want to give more context about your essay topic. Context refers to additional details that reveal the specific focus of your paper. So, whereas the hook provides a general introduction to your topic, context starts helping readers understand what exactly you’re going to be writing about

You can include anywhere from one to several sentences of context in your intro, depending on your teacher’s expectations, the length of your paper, and complexity of your topic. In these context-providing sentences, you want to begin narrowing the focus of your intro. You can do this by describing a specific issue or question about your topic that you’ll address in your essay. It also helps readers start to understand why the topic you’re writing about matters and why they should read about it. 

So, what counts as context for an intro paragraph? Context can be any important details or descriptions that provide background on existing perspectives, common cultural attitudes, or a specific situation or controversy relating to your essay topic. The context you include should acquaint your reader with the issues, questions, or events that motivated you to write an essay on your topic...and that your reader should know in order to understand your thesis. 

For instance, if you’re writing an essay analyzing the consequences of sexism in Hollywood, the context you include after your hook might make reference to the #metoo and #timesup movements that have generated public support for victims of sexual harassment. 

The key takeaway here is that context establishes why you’re addressing your topic and what makes it important. It also sets you up for success on the final piece of an intro paragraph: the thesis statement.

Elle Woods' statement offers a specific point of view on the topic of murder...which means it could serve as a pretty decent thesis statement!

Intro Paragraph Part 3: The Thesis

The final key part of how to write an intro paragraph is the thesis statement. The thesis statement is the backbone of your introduction: it conveys your argument or point of view on your topic in a clear, concise, and compelling way . The thesis is usually the last sentence of your intro paragraph. 

Whether it’s making a claim, outlining key points, or stating a hypothesis, your thesis statement will tell your reader exactly what idea(s) are going to be addressed in your essay. A good thesis statement will be clear, straightforward, and highlight the overall point you’re trying to make.

Some instructors also ask students to include an essay map as part of their thesis. An essay map is a section that outlines the major topics a paper will address. So for instance, say you’re writing a paper that argues for the importance of public transport in rural communities. Your thesis and essay map might look like this: 

Having public transport in rural communities helps people improve their economic situation by giving them reliable transportation to their job, reducing the amount of money they spend on gas, and providing new and unionized work .

The underlined section is the essay map because it touches on the three big things the writer will talk about later. It literally maps out the rest of the essay!

So let’s review: Your thesis takes the idea you’ve introduced in your hook and context and wraps it up. Think of it like a television episode: the hook sets the scene by presenting a general statement and/or interesting idea that sucks you in. The context advances the plot by describing the topic in more detail and helping readers understand why the topic is important. And finally, the thesis statement provides the climax by telling the reader what you have to say about the topic. 

The thesis statement is the most important part of the intro. Without it, your reader won’t know what the purpose of your essay is! And for a piece of writing to be effective, it needs to have a clear purpose. Your thesis statement conveys that purpose , so it’s important to put careful thought into writing a clear and compelling thesis statement. 

How To Write an Introduction Paragraph: Example and Analysis

Now that we’ve provided an intro paragraph outline and have explained the three key parts of an intro paragraph, let’s take a look at an intro paragraph in action.

To show you how an intro paragraph works, we’ve included a sample introduction paragraph below, followed by an analysis of its strengths and weaknesses.

Example of Introduction Paragraph

While college students in the U.S. are struggling with how to pay for college, there is another surprising demographic that’s affected by the pressure to pay for college: families and parents. In the face of tuition price tags that total more than $100,000 (as a low estimate), families must make difficult decisions about how to save for their children’s college education. Charting a feasible path to saving for college is further complicated by the FAFSA’s estimates for an “Expected Family Contribution”—an amount of money that is rarely feasible for most American families. Due to these challenging financial circumstances and cultural pressure to give one’s children the best possible chance of success in adulthood, many families are going into serious debt to pay for their children’s college education. The U.S. government should move toward bearing more of the financial burden of college education. 

Example of Introduction Paragraph: Analysis

Before we dive into analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of this example intro paragraph, let’s establish the essay topic. The sample intro indicates that t he essay topic will focus on one specific issue: who should cover the cost of college education in the U.S., and why. Both the hook and the context help us identify the topic, while the thesis in the last sentence tells us why this topic matters to the writer—they think the U.S. Government needs to help finance college education. This is also the writer’s argument, which they’ll cover in the body of their essay. 

Now that we’ve identified the essay topic presented in the sample intro, let’s dig into some analysis. To pin down its strengths and weaknesses, we’re going to use the following three questions to guide our example of introduction paragraph analysis: 

• Does this intro provide an attention-grabbing opening sentence that conveys the essay topic? 
• Does this intro provide relevant, engaging context about the essay topic? 
• Does this intro provide a thesis statement that establishes the writer’s point of view on the topic and what specific aspects of the issue the essay will address? 

Now, let’s use the questions above to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of this sample intro paragraph. 

Does the Intro Have a Good Hook? 

First, the intro starts out with an attention-grabbing hook . The writer starts by presenting  an assumption (that the U.S. federal government bears most of the financial burden of college education), which makes the topic relatable to a wide audience of readers. Also note that the hook relates to the general topic of the essay, which is the high cost of college education. 

The hook then takes a surprising turn by presenting a counterclaim : that American families, rather than students, feel the true burden of paying for college. Some readers will have a strong emotional reaction to this provocative counterclaim, which will make them want to keep reading! As such, this intro provides an effective opening sentence that conveys the essay topic. 

Does the Intro Give Context?

T he second, third, and fourth sentences of the intro provide contextual details that reveal the specific focus of the writer’s paper . Remember: the context helps readers start to zoom in on what the paper will focus on, and what aspect of the general topic (college costs) will be discussed later on. 

The context in this intro reveals the intent and direction of the paper by explaining why the issue of families financing college is important. In other words, the context helps readers understand why this issue matters , and what aspects of this issue will be addressed in the paper.  

To provide effective context, the writer refers to issues (the exorbitant cost of college and high levels of family debt) that have received a lot of recent scholarly and media attention. These sentences of context also elaborate on the interesting perspective included in the hook: that American families are most affected by college costs.

Does the Intro Have a Thesis? 

Finally, this intro provides a thesis statement that conveys the writer’s point of view on the issue of financing college education. This writer believes that the U.S. government should do more to pay for students’ college educations. 

However, the thesis statement doesn’t give us any details about why the writer has made this claim or why this will help American families . There isn’t an essay map that helps readers understand what points the writer will make in the essay.

To revise this thesis statement so that it establishes the specific aspects of the topic that the essay will address, the writer could add the following to the beginning of the thesis statement:

The U.S. government should take on more of the financial burden of college education because other countries have shown this can improve education rates while reducing levels of familial poverty.

Check out the new section in bold. Not only does it clarify that the writer is talking about the pressure put on families, it touches on the big topics the writer will address in the paper: improving education rates and reduction of poverty. So not only do we have a clearer argumentative statement in this thesis, we also have an essay map!  

So, let’s recap our analysis. This sample intro paragraph does an effective job of providing an engaging hook and relatable, interesting context, but the thesis statement needs some work ! As you write your own intro paragraphs, you might consider using the questions above to evaluate and revise your work. Doing this will help ensure you’ve covered all of your bases and written an intro that your readers will find interesting!

4 Tips for How To Write an Introduction Paragraph

Now that we’ve gone over an example of introduction paragraph analysis, let’s talk about how to write an introduction paragraph of your own. Keep reading for four tips for writing a successful intro paragraph for any essay. 

Tip 1: Analyze Your Essay Prompt

If you’re having trouble with how to start an introduction paragraph, analyze your essay prompt! Most teachers give you some kind of assignment sheet, formal instructions, or prompt to set the expectations for an essay they’ve assigned, right? Those instructions can help guide you as you write your intro paragraph!

Because they’ll be reading and responding to your essay, you want to make sure you meet your teacher’s expectations for an intro paragraph . For instance, if they’ve provided specific instructions about how long the intro should be or where the thesis statement should be located, be sure to follow them!

The type of paper you’re writing can give you clues as to how to approach your intro as well. If you’re writing a research paper, your professor might expect you to provide a research question or state a hypothesis in your intro. If you’re writing an argumentative essay, you’ll need to make sure your intro overviews the context surrounding your argument and your thesis statement includes a clear, defensible claim. 

Using the parameters set out by your instructor and assignment sheet can put some easy-to-follow boundaries in place for things like your intro’s length, structure, and content. Following these guidelines can free you up to focus on other aspects of your intro... like coming up with an exciting hook and conveying your point of view on your topic!

Tip 2: Narrow Your Topic

You can’t write an intro paragraph without first identifying your topic. To make your intro as effective as possible, you need to define the parameters of your topic clearly—and you need to be specific. 

For example, let’s say you want to write about college football. “NCAA football” is too broad of a topic for a paper. There is a lot to talk about in terms of college football! It would be tough to write an intro paragraph that’s focused, purposeful, and engaging on this topic. In fact, if you did try to address this whole topic, you’d probably end up writing a book!

Instead, you should narrow broad topics to  identify a specific question, claim, or issue pertaining to some aspect of NCAA football for your intro to be effective. So, for instance, you could frame your topic as, “How can college professors better support NCAA football players in academics?” This focused topic pertaining to NCAA football would give you a more manageable angle to discuss in your paper.

So before you think about writing your intro, ask yourself: Is my essay topic specific, focused, and logical? Does it convey an issue or question that I can explore over the course of several pages? Once you’ve established a good topic, you’ll have the foundation you need to write an effective intro paragraph . 

Once you've figured out your topic, it's time to hit the books!

Tip 3: Do Your Research

This tip is tightly intertwined with the one above, and it’s crucial to writing a good intro: do your research! And, guess what? This tip applies to all papers—even ones that aren’t technically research papers. 

Here’s why you need to do some research: getting the lay of the land on what others have said about your topic—whether that’s scholars and researchers or the mass media— will help you narrow your topic, write an engaging hook, and provide relatable context. 

You don't want to sit down to write your intro without a solid understanding of the different perspectives on your topic. Whether those are the perspectives of experts or the general public, these points of view will help you write your intro in a way that is intriguing and compelling for your audience of readers. 

Tip 4: Write Multiple Drafts

Some say to write your intro first; others say write it last. The truth is, there isn’t a right or wrong time to write your intro—but you do need to have enough time to write multiple drafts . 

Oftentimes, your professor will ask you to write multiple drafts of your paper, which gives you a built-in way to make sure you revise your intro. Another approach you could take is to write out a rough draft of your intro before you begin writing your essay, then revise it multiple times as you draft out your paper. 

Here’s why this approach can work: as you write your paper, you’ll probably come up with new insights on your topic that you didn’t have right from the start. You can use these “light bulb” moments to reevaluate your intro and make revisions that keep it in line with your developing essay draft. 

Once you’ve written your entire essay, consider going back and revising your intro again . You can ask yourself these questions as you evaluate your intro: 

• Is my hook still relevant to the way I’ve approached the topic in my essay?
• Do I provide enough appropriate context to introduce my essay? 
• Now that my essay is written, does my thesis statement still accurately reflect the point of view that I present in my essay?

Using these questions as a guide and putting your intro through multiple revisions will help ensure that you’ve written the best intro for the final draft of your essay. Also, revising your writing is always a good thing to do—and this applies to your intro, too!

What's Next?

Your college essays also need great intro paragraphs. Here’s a guide that focuses on how to write the perfect intro for your admissions essays. 

Of course, the intro is just one part of your college essay . This article will teach you how to write a college essay that makes admissions counselors sit up and take notice.

Are you trying to write an analytical essay? Our step-by-step guide can help you knock it out of the park.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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Home — Essay Samples — Arts & Culture — Art Nouveau — Universal Statement In Kate Chopin’s Story Of An Hour

Universal Statement in Kate Chopin's Story of an Hour

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Do You Have a “Universal Truth” in Your College Essay?

by j9robinson | Jun 3, 2010

Finding the Life Lesson in Your College Admission Essay

A key component of a powerful personal narrative (essay) is what’s called a “ universal truth .”

They are also called “life lessons.”

Basically, when the writer starts to reflect upon the personal lessons learned from an experience, she or he needs to make sure to show why the lesson is important to everyone else as well—that is, why it is true on a universal level.

What is a universal truth?

Often, they are so “true” that they seem almost silly to say out loud.

Love hurts.

Be true to yourself.

What goes around comes around.

Cheaters never win.

Never say never.

Sometimes you have to lose in order to win.

You can’t always get what you want.

Face your fears.

What goes around comes around(eg Karma).

You reap what you sow (you get out of life what you put into it).

(Try putting, “In life, …” before the universal truth to test it out.)

Read some sample essays and see if you can find the “universal truth.”

In your own college application essay, you don’t necessarily have to state the universal truth, however, at some point you should at least touch on it, usually toward the end.

If you need help getting started with your college application essay or personal statement, try my Jumpstart Guide .

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Not sure if you remember me, but our paths crossed while I was the editor at Orange Coast magazine under Ruth Ko. I found your lagunawriter website through Google. Great work you’re doing! I’m now the editor over at OC METRO magazine, and I’d love to connect with you again.

hi tina, i just noticed your friendly post on my blog. thanks! it’s so nice of you to comment! i feel like i send these little posts out into a huge, dark void. (no one ever comments!) anyway, good to hear from you. actually, i responded to an email you sent me about looking for freelance writers for your magazine. i responded, but never heard back. maybe my emails go out into the dark void as well. anyway, would love to talk to you anytime!

how can i include this in my essay in a subtle way? i dont want the “universal truth” to sound too cliched or showy… do you have any suggestions? thanks!

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Healthcare Thesis Statement: Examples of Universal Healthcare Pros and Cons

Every citizen of every country in the world should be provided with free and high-quality medical services. Health care is a fundamental need for every human, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, religion, and socioeconomic status.

Universal health care is the provision of healthcare services by a government to all its citizens (insurancespecialists.com). This means each citizen can access medical services of standard quality. In the United States, about 25% of its citizens are provided with healthcare funded by the government. These citizens mainly comprise the elderly, the armed forces personnel, and the poor (insurancespecialists.com).

Introduction

Thesis statement.

• Universal Healthcare Pros
• Universal Healthcare Cons

Works Cited

In Russia, Canada, and some South American and European countries, the governments provide universal healthcare programs to all citizens. In the United States, the segments of society which do not receive health care services provided by the government usually pay for their health care coverage. This has emerged as a challenge, especially for middle-class citizens. Therefore, the universal health care provision in the United States is debatable: some support it, and some oppose it. This assignment is a discussion of the topic. It starts with a thesis statement, then discusses the advantages of universal health care provision, its disadvantages, and a conclusion, which restates the thesis and the argument behind it.

The government of the United States of America should provide universal health care services to its citizens because health care is a basic necessity to every citizen, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, religion, and socioeconomic status.

Universal Healthcare Provision Pros

The provision of universal health care services would ensure that doctors and all medical practitioners focus their attention only on treating the patients, unlike in the current system, where doctors and medical practitioners sped a lot of time pursuing issues of health care insurance for their patients, which is sometimes associated with malpractice and violation of medical ethics especially in cases where the patient is unable to adequately pay for his or her health care bills (balancedpolitics.org).

The provision of universal health care services would also make health care service provision in the United States more efficient and effective. In the current system in which each citizen pays for his or her health care, there is a lot of inefficiency, brought about by the bureaucratic nature of the public health care sector (balancedpolitics.org).

Universal health care would also promote preventive health care, which is crucial in reducing deaths as well as illness deterioration. The current health care system in the United States is prohibitive of preventive health care, which makes many citizens to wait until their illness reach critical conditions due to the high costs of going for general medical check-ups. The cost of treating patients with advanced illnesses is not only expensive to the patients and the government but also leads to deaths which are preventable (balancedpolitics.org).

The provision of universal health care services would be a worthy undertaking, especially due to the increased number of uninsured citizens, which currently stands at about 45 million (balancedpolitics.org).

The provision of universal health care services would therefore promote access to health care services to as many citizens as possible, which would reduce suffering and deaths of citizens who cannot cater for their health insurance. As I mentioned in the thesis, health care is a basic necessity to all citizens and therefore providing health care services to all would reduce inequality in the service access.

Universal health care would also come at a time when health care has become seemingly unaffordable for many middle income level citizens and business men in the United States. This has created a nation of inequality, which is unfair because every citizen pays tax, which should be used by the government to provide affordable basic services like health care. It should be mentioned here that the primary role of any government is to protect its citizens, among other things, from illness and disease (Shi and Singh 188).

Lastly not the least, the provision of universal health care in the United States would work for the benefit of the country and especially the doctors because it would create a centralized information centre, with database of all cases of illnesses, diseases and their occurrence and frequency. This would make it easier to diagnose patients, especially to identify any new strain of a disease, which would further help in coming up with adequate medication for such new illness or disease (balancedpolitics.org).

Universal Healthcare Provision Cons

One argument against the provision of universal health care in the United States is that such a policy would require enormous spending in terms of taxes to cater for the services in a universal manner. Since health care does not generate extra revenue, it would mean that the government would either be forced to cut budgetary allocations for other crucial sectors of general public concern like defense and education, or increase the taxes levied on the citizens, thus becoming an extra burden to the same citizens (balancedpolitics.org).

Another argument against the provision of universal health care services is that health care provision is a complex undertaking, involving varying interests, likes and preferences.

The argument that providing universal health care would do away with the bureaucratic inefficiency does not seem to be realistic because centralizing the health care sector would actually increase the bureaucracy, leading to further inefficiencies, especially due to the enormous number of clientele to be served. Furthermore, it would lead to lose of business for the insurance providers as well as the private health care practitioners, majority of whom serve the middle income citizens (balancedpolitics.org).

Arguably, the debate for the provision of universal health care can be seen as addressing a problem which is either not present, or negligible. This is because there are adequate options for each citizen to access health care services. Apart from the government hospitals, the private hospitals funded by non-governmental organizations provide health care to those citizens who are not under any medical cover (balancedpolitics.org).

Universal health care provision would lead to corruption and rent seeking behavior among policy makers. Since the services would be for all, and may sometimes be limited, corruption may set in making the medical practitioners even more corrupt than they are because of increased demand of the services. This may further lead to deterioration of the very health care sector the policy would be aiming at boosting through such a policy.

The provision of universal health care would limit the freedom of the US citizens to choose which health care program is best for them. It is important to underscore that the United States, being a capitalist economy is composed of people of varying financial abilities.

The provision of universal health care would therefore lower the patients’ flexibility in terms of how, when and where to access health care services and why. This is because such a policy would throw many private practitioners out of business, thus forcing virtually all citizens to fit in the governments’ health care program, which may not be good for everyone (Niles 293).

Lastly not the least, the provision of universal health care would be unfair to those citizens who live healthy lifestyles so as to avoid lifestyle diseases like obesity and lung cancer, which are very common in America. Many of the people suffering from obesity suffer due to their negligence or ignorance of health care advice provided by the government and other health care providers. Such a policy would therefore seem to unfairly punish those citizens who practice good health lifestyles, at the expense of the ignorant (Niles 293).

After discussing the pros and cons of universal health care provision in the United States, I restate my thesis that “The government of United States of America should provide universal health care to its citizens because health care is a basic necessity to every citizen, regardless of age, sex, race, religion, and socio economic status”, and argue that even though there are arguments against the provision of universal health care, such arguments, though valid, are not based on the guiding principle of that health care is a basic necessity to all citizens of the United States.

The arguments are also based on capitalistic way of thinking, which is not sensitive to the plight of many citizens who are not able to pay for their insurance health care cover.

The idea of providing universal health care to Americans would therefore save many deaths and unnecessary suffering by many citizens. Equally important to mention is the fact that such a policy may be described as a win win policy both for the rich and the poor or middle class citizens because it would not in any way negatively affect the rich, because as long as they have money, they would still be able to customize their health care through the employment family or personal doctors as the poor and the middle class go for the universal health care services.

Balanced politics. “Should the Government Provide Free Universal Health Care for All Americans?” Balanced politics: universal health . Web. Balanced politics.org. 8 august https://www.balancedpolitics.org/universal_health_care.htm

Insurance specialists. “Growing Support for Universal Health Care”. Insurance information portal. Web. Insurance specialists.com 8 august 2011. https://insurancespecialists.com/

Niles, Nancy. Basics of the U.S. Health Care System . Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2010:293. Print.

Shi, Leiyu and Singh, Douglas. Delivering Health Care in America: A Systems Approach . Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2004:188. Print.

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IvyPanda. (2023, February 18). Healthcare Thesis Statement: Examples of Universal Healthcare Pros and Cons. https://ivypanda.com/essays/pros-and-cons-of-universal-health-care-provision-in-the-united-states/

"Healthcare Thesis Statement: Examples of Universal Healthcare Pros and Cons." IvyPanda , 18 Feb. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/pros-and-cons-of-universal-health-care-provision-in-the-united-states/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Healthcare Thesis Statement: Examples of Universal Healthcare Pros and Cons'. 18 February.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Healthcare Thesis Statement: Examples of Universal Healthcare Pros and Cons." February 18, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/pros-and-cons-of-universal-health-care-provision-in-the-united-states/.

1. IvyPanda . "Healthcare Thesis Statement: Examples of Universal Healthcare Pros and Cons." February 18, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/pros-and-cons-of-universal-health-care-provision-in-the-united-states/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Healthcare Thesis Statement: Examples of Universal Healthcare Pros and Cons." February 18, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/pros-and-cons-of-universal-health-care-provision-in-the-united-states/.

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Universal Essay examples

<p>Ive been doing some last minute search for universal essay examples (Really shudnt have procrastinated this much lol). I have a bunch of literary and hitorical examples but several essay prompts are totally unrelated to my examples, and I have trouble coming up with examples on the spot.</p>

<p>My current list of universal examples: FDR MLK Ghandi To Kill a Mockingbird UNited States COnstitution Animal Farm</p>

<p>But take for example an essay prompt like: Is there any value for people to belong only to a group or groups with which they have something in common? or: Is the most important purpose of technology today different from what it was in the past? </p>

<p>My examples just dont fit. Should I just find more universal examples or are there any other solutions?</p>

<p>Gandhi is spelled G-A-N-D-H-I. </p>

<p>If he really is one of your universal examples, I just helped you dodge a bullet there.</p>

<p>He’s one of my Universal examples too ;)</p>

<p>Personally, I’ve found that THe Grapes of Wrath, The Old Man and the Sea, To Kill a Mockingbird, Gandhi, and The Revolutionary War make perfect examples for most situations.</p>

<p>There’s already a post on this somewhere back. I wish people would just not prepare the essays in advance and just think on their own two feet when they see the essay question. But I know that’s just not going to happen.</p>

<p>Servedin14: typo lol dchow08: Wouldnt people just be hurting themselves by not preparing?</p>

<p>^ Seriously, take advantage of the oppurtunity when you have it. Afterall, “oppurtunity only knocks on your door once.” If you have the chance to prep for the exam, why not.</p>

<p>Frankenstein by Mary Shelley can be used in any situation imaginable. Knowing WWII history is very useful, and then I always do a personal example for my third.</p>

<p>Edit: But, I don’t use that model all the time. I digress based on the topic, if I can find a better example, or if the example doesn’t fit.</p>

<p>I guess I just don’t like the idea of basically preparing your answer beforehand. I mean, the idea is that you actually think about the prompt and reflect on your own thoughts, and then develop a rough draft of a well-thought out answer in a short amount of time. The Essay isn’t about, “Okay, how will I manage to squeeze Gandhi into this essay and make it sound good?” It’s good to have a good basic knowledge on stuff, because then you can actually back up your thesis with good evidence, but I think that preparing everything beforehand is just stupid. The Essay portion becomes a measure of how well you can mold certain facts into a certain prompt, not as much a measure of your writing ability and your ability to think on your own two feet, your ability to really think on your own.</p>

<p>And I feel sorry for those SAT essay graders who have to read thousands and thousands of essays that are so generic and that sound exactly the same.</p>

<p>^Its not our fault that the test is made to be beat. do you think all those 2300+'s just sit at home and wait to write a really good essay in 25 minutes or practice before. I’m gonna place my bets on practice before.</p>

<p>The Simpsons is something I use a LOT. Also the Bible. And I sometimes make books up.</p>

<p>Lol, don’t use TV as an example unless you can write a scholarly essay. </p>

<p>Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde is also a good one.</p>

<p>the play death of a salesman can be molded to relate to most… then again we studied it for over 3 months in english so i knew it inside and out… just mold your examples too the topic if your stuck, or bs as long as its not too noticeable… i always bs quotations</p>

<p>guys i have an sat writing packet that is perfect for this, pm me and ill give it,.</p>

<p>My name is Anna and i am a german student. at the moment i am preparing for the english diploma and i would be extremely glad, if you could send me your writing packet…I am looking for some kind of universal essays that could fit to deifferent creative writing topics…! it would be of relly great help to me :-)</p>

<p>Thanx a lot, Anna</p>

<p>Hahahahha I wrote about both FDR and MLK for my Oct SAT essay… I basically use MLK for everything anyway it earned me a 10, but I got 80 on MC so still 800 :)</p>

<p>1984 is also a good one.</p>

<p>MLK is cool … works nearly every promot</p>

<p>I like to use medieval polish literature because I can make **** up</p>

<p>What do you guys use for research? Wikipedia? or something else that I may not be aware of?</p>

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‘fast and furious’ coaster will open at universal studios hollywood in 2026.

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Vin Diesel and Paul Walker in a scene from the 'The Fast And The Furious,' the movie that launched a ... [+] franchise.

The highly anticipated Fast and Furious rollercoaster will open at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2026. The attraction's title has also been officially revealed.

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"As Universal Studios Hollywood continues to evolve, the arrival of Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift will be a powerful game changer that will infuse a new level of thrill into our already dynamic theme park," Scott Strobl, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Universal Studios Hollywood, said in a statement. He added, "We look forward to welcoming guests when it races onto the scene in 2026."

Fast and Furious: Hollywood Drift isn't the first attraction at the theme park to be based on Universal Pictures' multibillion-dollar franchise, which kicked off in 2001. In 2006, Universal Studios Hollywood launched The Fast and the Furious: Extreme Close-Up as part of the Studio Tour and demonstrated some of the special effects used in The Fast & The Furious: Tokyo Drift . It closed in 2013.

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(Left to right) Actors Tyrese Gibson, Michelle Rodriguez, president and COO of Universal Studios ... [+] Hollywood Larry Kurzweil, actors Jason Statham and Vin Diesel attend the premiere of the 'Fast and Furious: Supercharged' at Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City, California.

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Very different from the prior and current franchise experiences, Fast and Furious: Hollywood Drift will use a state-of-the-art ride system to immerse guests in the high-speed Fast & Furious universe. The full-blown coaster will use a groundbreaking 360-degree rotation of individual ride vehicles to create "a seamless sensation of drifting cars" as riders spin in motion at fast speeds along an aerial track over parts of the theme park. The ride vehicles will also be styled similarly to some of the cars featured in the films. Construction on Fast and Furious: Hollywood Drift is already well underway.

The addition of Fast and Furious: Hollywood Drift will arrive approximately a year after the eleventh film in the Fast and Furious franchise lands in theatres and will be the first significant addition to the park since 2023's Super Nintendo World .

The original 2001 movie The Fast and the Furious starred Paul Walker as Brian O'Conner, a Los Angeles cop who goes undercover in the street racing world to investigate a gang of hijackers led by Vin Diesel's Dominic Toretto. The Fast and Furious franchise is Universal's most successful movie franchise and the seventh highest-grossing film series of all time.

More details about Fast and Furious: Hollywood Drift will be announced in the future. What, if anything, the rollercoaster's arrival might mean for Fast and Furious: Supercharged isn't known.

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Guest Essay

I Was an Attorney at the D.A.’s Office. This Is What the Trump Case Is Really About.

By Rebecca Roiphe

Ms. Roiphe is a former assistant district attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.

Now that the lawyers are laying out their respective theories of the case in the criminal prosecution of Donald Trump in New York, it would be understandable if people’s heads are spinning. The defense lawyers claimed this is a case about hush money as a legitimate tool in democratic elections, while the prosecutors insisted it is about “a criminal scheme to corrupt the 2016 presidential election.”

Yet this case is not really about election interference, nor is it a politically motivated attempt to criminalize a benign personal deal. Boring as it may sound, it is a case about business integrity.

It’s not surprising that the lawyers on both sides are trying to make this about something sexier. This is a narrative device used to make the jurors and the public side with them, but it has also created confusion. On the one hand, some legal experts claim that the conduct charged in New York was the original election interference. On the other hand, some critics think the criminal case is a witch hunt, and others claim it is trivial at best and at worst the product of selective prosecution.

As someone who worked in the Manhattan district attorney’s office and enforced the laws that Mr. Trump is accused of violating, I stand firmly in neither camp. It is an important and straightforward case, albeit workmanlike and unglamorous. In time, after the smoke created by lawyers has cleared, it will be easy to see why the prosecution is both solid and legitimate.

It would hardly make for a dramatic opening statement or cable news sound bite, but the case is about preventing wealthy people from using their businesses to commit crimes and hide from accountability. Manhattan prosecutors have long considered it their province to ensure the integrity of the financial markets. As Robert Morgenthau, a former Manhattan district attorney, liked to say , “You cannot prosecute crime in the streets without prosecuting crime in the suites.”

Lawmakers in New York, the financial capital of the world, consider access to markets and industry in New York a privilege for businesspeople. It is a felony to abuse that privilege by doctoring records to commit or conceal crimes, even if the businessman never accomplishes the goal and even if the false records never see the light of day. The idea is that an organization’s records should reflect an honest accounting. It is not a crime to make a mistake, but lying is a different story. It is easy to evade accountability by turning a business into a cover, providing a false trail for whichever regulator might care to look. The law ( falsification of business records ) deprives wealthy, powerful businessmen of the ability to do so with impunity, at least when they’re conducting business in the city.

Prosecutors and New York courts have interpreted this law generously, with its general purpose in mind. The element of intent to defraud carries a broad meaning, which is not limited to the intent of cheating someone out of money or property. Further, intent is often proved with circumstantial evidence, as is common in white-collar cases. After presenting evidence, prosecutors ask jurors to use their common sense to infer what the possible intent may be, and New York jurors frequently conclude that a defendant must have gone to the trouble of creating this false paper trail for a reason.

Mr. Trump is accused of creating 11 false invoices, 12 false ledger entries and 11 false checks and check stubs, with the intent to violate federal election laws, state election laws or state tax laws. The number of lies it took to create this false record itself helps prove intent. His defense attorneys will claim that he was merely trying to bury a false story to protect his family from embarrassment. The timing of the payments — immediately after the potentially damaging “Access Hollywood” tape was released and right before the election — makes that claim implausible.

As many have pointed out, Michael Cohen, Mr. Trump’s former lawyer and fixer, is a witness with a remarkable amount of baggage. But as with most business records cases, his testimony will largely add color to the tweets, handwritten notes, bank documents and shell corporations. Documents don’t lie.

More important, jurors are particularly good at applying common sense. Mr. Trump didn’t go to all this trouble just to protect his family members, who might have known about accusations of his involvement with the porn star Stormy Daniels or similar ones. We may never learn which crime the jurors believe Trump was seeking to commit or cover up, but they can still conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that this was his intent.

It is not unusual for lawyers to give narrative arcs to their legal theories, reasons to care about the evidence and animating thoughts that may make jurors more inclined to convict or acquit.

When the jurors deliberate, they will weigh the warring narratives in light of the evidence, and the judge will instruct them in the law. Then the narrative frames should recede into the background. The key is to offer one that is both captivating and closely tied to the facts so that when the jurors put the pieces of evidence together, it is the story they believe.

If one side promises too much, it risks losing the jurors. In their opening remarks, Mr. Trump’s lawyers insisted that he was innocent, that all the witnesses were liars. Such a sweeping theory is a dangerous strategy because if the jurors believe part of the prosecution’s case, just one or two of the witnesses, then the jurors may lose faith in the defense altogether.

For the prosecution, the elements of the crime in this case do not require a finding that Mr. Trump interfered with the 2016 election. Nor does it matter whether he had sex with Ms. Daniels. Instead, the real elements concern the way Mr. Trump used his business for a cover-up. By emphasizing the crime he was intending to conceal rather than the false business records, the prosecution also risks confusing the jury into thinking about whether the lies affected the election. It might lead them to wonder why Mr. Trump wasn’t charged with this alleged election crime by the federal government — a talking point that he has promoted publicly.

Even if the case seems simpler in this light, we are still left with the question: Is it really worth charging a former president for this? While the New York business records law is important, it is no doubt true that the conduct pales in comparison with the effort to overthrow the 2020 election, at issue in the special counsel Jack Smith’s Jan. 6 prosecution of Mr. Trump.

Taking this case on its own terms as a business records case offers a different and arguably more convincing way to defend its legitimacy. It is a simple case that is similar to hundreds of other cases brought in New York. The simplicity and run-of-the-mill nature of the prosecution make it easier to defend against claims of politicization in the following sense: Mr. Trump was a businessman for many years in New York long before he was president. If others would be prosecuted for this conduct and no man is above the law, then he should be, too.

So by all means, listen to the stories that the lawyers tell, soak up the drama of hush-money payments and the alternate universe in which Hillary Clinton won the election. But just as the jurors should ultimately consider the facts and the law, it would be wise for everyone else to focus on what the case is really about.

Rebecca Roiphe, a former assistant district attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, is a law professor at New York Law School.

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