The Essay Body

• What is the body of an essay?
• What is evidence?
• What makes a good opinion?
• What makes a good example?

What is the body of an essay?

The body of an essay is the part between the introduction and the conclusion. It contains the evidence. So far in this course, we have used the example of three paragraphs, but there can be a hundred or more paragraphs to an essay.

What is evidence?

Evidence is information, facts, or arguments that support an opinion. Opinions are what the writer thinks and do not require the expressions I think... or in my opinion because we understand that this is the function of the essay.

What makes a good opinion?

A good opinion should clearly state a point of view on the subject. If either the point of view or the subject are vague, then the opinion may be worthless; opinions must be based on evidence and supported by examples. It must also be debatable. A statement such as "Invisible people live on the moon" is non-debatable; no one can argue whether or not it is true, so it has no place in an essay.

What makes a good example?

A good example presents scientific evidence and/or quotes from an important source. Personal examples are generally weak - unless you’re an expert or famous person!