essay on right choice

Essays About Choice: Top 5 Examples and 8 Prompts

Finding it hard to start your essays about choice? Here are our essay examples and prompts to inspire you. 

Making choices, whether big or small, makes up the very journey of our lives. Our choices are influenced by various factors, such as our preferences, beliefs, experiences, and cognitive capacity. Our choices unravel our lives and shape us into the person we choose to be. 

However, humans can easily be distracted and could be irrational when making choices. With this, new studies have emerged to learn more accurately about our thought processes and help us move beyond our limited rationality when making our choices. 

Read on and see our round-up of compelling essay examples and prompts to inspire you in writing your piece about choice.

1. The Art Of Decision-Making by Joshua Rothman

2. tactical generals: leaders, technology, and the perils by peter w. singer, 3. how your emotions influence your decisions by svetlana w. whitener, 4. how to choose the right pet for you by roxanna coldiron, 5. how to make money decisions when the future is uncertain by veronica dagher and julia carpenter, 1. the hardest but best choice in my life, 2. how to make good decisions, 3. “my body, my choice.”, 4. the consequences of bad choices, 5. how consumers make choices, 6. the rise of behavioral economics, 7. moral choices, 8. analyzed the poem “the road not taken.”.

“One of the paradoxes of life is that our big decisions are often less calculated than our small ones are. We agonize over what to stream on Netflix, then let TV shows persuade us to move to New York; buying a new laptop may involve weeks of Internet research, but the deliberations behind a life-changing breakup could consist of a few bottles of wine.”

The article dives deep into the mind’s methods of making choices. It tackles various theories and analyses from various writers and philosophers, such as the decision theory where you make a “multidimensional matrix” in coming up with the most viable choice based on your existing values and the “transformative experience” where today’s values may not determine your tomorrow but makes you fulfilled, nevertheless.

Check out these essays about reading and essays about the contemporary world .

“The challenge is that tactical generals often overestimate how much they really know about what happens on the ground. New technologies may give them an unprecedented view of the battlefield and the ability to reach into it as never before, but this view remains limited.”

Fourth industrial technologies such as artificial intelligence are everywhere and are now penetrating the military system, enabling generals to make more tactical choices. This development allows generals a broader insight into the situation, stripped of the emotional and human interventions that can spoil a rational and sound choice. However, these computer systems remain fraught with challenges and must be dealt with with caution.

“… emotions influence, skew or sometimes completely determine the outcome of a large number of decisions we are confronted with in a day. Therefore, it behooves all of us who want to make the best, most objective decisions to know all we can about emotions and their effect on our decision-making.”

Whitener stresses that external and hormonal factors significantly affect our decisions but determining the role and impact of our emotions helps us make positive decisions. This exercise requires being circumspect in our emotions in a given situation and, of course, not making a decision when under stress or pressure.  Check out these essays about respect .

“Whether we choose to adopt a cat, dog, rabbit, fish, bird, hamster, or guinea pig, knowing that we provide that animal with the best care that it needs is an important aspect of being a pet caretaker. But it’s also about the individual animal.”

Knowing which pet is best for you boils down to carefully evaluating your limits and lifestyle preference. This essay provides a list of questions you should first ask yourself regarding the time and energy you can commit before adopting a pet. It also provides a run-through of pets and their habits that can match your limits and preferences. 

How do I know when is a good time to invest? The article answers this burning financial question and many more amid a period of financial uncertainties propelled by the COVID-19 pandemic. It also provides tips, such as evaluating your short and long-term financial goals and tapping an accountant or financial adviser, to help readers make a confident choice in their finances. 

8 Prompts On essays about choice

Get creative with our list of prompts on choice:

What is now your best choice may have seemed a difficult one at first. So, talk about the situation where you had to make this hard decision. Then, lay down the lessons you have learned from analyzing the pros and cons of a situation and how you are now benefiting from this choice. Your scenarios can range from picking your school or course for college or dropping out some toxic friends or relatives. 

Making the right choice is a life skill, but it’s easier said than done. First, gather recent research studies that shed light on the various factors that affect how we come up with our choices. Then, look into the best practices to make good decisions based on what psychologists, therapists, and other experts recommend. Finally, to add a personal touch to your essay, describe how you make decisions that effectively result in positive outcomes.  

“My Body, My Choice” is a feminist slogan that refers to women’s right to choose what’s best for their bodies. The slogan aimed to resist the traditional practice of fixed marriages and fight for women’s reproductive rights, such as abortion. For this prompt, you may underscore the importance of listening to women when making policies and rules that involve their bodies and health. You may even discuss the controversial Roe v. Wade ruling and provide your insights on this landmark overturn of women’s rights to abortion.

Bad choices in major life decisions can lead to disastrous events. And we’ve all had our fair share of bad choices. So first, analyze why people tend to make bad decisions. Next, write about the common consequences students face when they fall into the trap of bad choices. Then, talk about an experience where your bad judgment led you to an undesirable situation. Finally, write the lessons you’ve learned from this experience and how this improved your life choices. 

How does a shopper’s mind work? Your essay can answer this through the lens of marketers. You can start by mapping out the stages consumers go through when choosing. Then, identify the fundamental principles that help marketers effectively drive more sales—finally, research how marketers are persuading their target audience through their branding imagery and emotional connection.

Behavioral economics combines the teaching of psychology and economics to study how humans arrive at their economic choices. The discipline challenges the fundamental principle in economic models, which assumes that humans make rational choices. First, provide a brief overview of behavioral economics and how it was born and evolved over the decades. Finally, offer insights on how you think behavioral economics can be adopted in private companies and government agencies to improve decision-making. 

First, define a moral choice. Then, enumerate the factors that can shape a moral choice, such as religion, ethics, culture, and gender. You can also zoom into a certain scenario that sparks debates on the morality of choice, such as in warfare when generals decide whether to drop a bomb or when to forge on or withdraw from a battle. Finally, you may also feature people in history who have managed to let their moral code prevail in their judgment and actions, even in the face of great danger.

Making choices and the opportunities one can miss out on are the central themes in this poem by Robert Frost. First, summarize the poem and analyze what the author says about making choices. Then, attempt to answer what the diverging roads represent and what taking the less traveled road signifies. Finally, narrate an event in your life when you made an unpopular choice. Share whether you regret the choice or ended up being satisfied with it.

If you are interested in learning more, check out our essay writing tips .

But if you’re still stuck, there’s no need to fret. Instead, check out our general resource of essay writing topics .

Yna Lim is a communications specialist currently focused on policy advocacy. In her eight years of writing, she has been exposed to a variety of topics, including cryptocurrency, web hosting, agriculture, marketing, intellectual property, data privacy and international trade. A former journalist in one of the top business papers in the Philippines, Yna is currently pursuing her master's degree in economics and business.

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Essay on Life Choice

Students are often asked to write an essay on Life Choice in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Life Choice

Understanding life choices.

Life choices are decisions we make about how to live our lives. They can be big, like choosing a career, or small, like deciding what to eat for breakfast. These choices shape who we are and how we experience the world.

Importance of Life Choices

Life choices are important because they shape our future. For example, choosing to study hard can lead to good grades, which can open up opportunities for further education and a good job. On the other hand, making poor choices can lead to difficulties and regrets.

Making Good Life Choices

Making good life choices involves thinking about what you want and what is best for you. It can be helpful to talk to others, like family or teachers, for advice. Also, it’s important to learn from your past choices, both good and bad.

Life Choices and Responsibility

When we make choices, we must also accept the consequences. This is part of growing up and becoming responsible. If we make a mistake, it’s important to learn from it and make better choices in the future.

In conclusion, life choices are an essential part of our lives. They shape our future and help us grow as people. So, it’s important to think carefully and make the best choices we can.

250 Words Essay on Life Choice

What is life choice.

Life choice refers to the decisions we make in our lives. These choices can be about our education, career, or personal life. We make many choices every day. Some are small, like what to eat for breakfast, and some are big, like choosing a career path.

Life choices are important because they shape our future. If we make good choices, we can have a happy and successful life. But if we make bad choices, we can face problems. For example, if we choose to study hard, we can get good grades and have a good career. But if we choose to waste our time, we may not do well in our studies or job.

Making good life choices is not always easy. We need to think about the consequences of our choices. We should also listen to advice from our parents, teachers, and friends. But in the end, we should make our own choices. It’s okay to make mistakes, as long as we learn from them.

In conclusion, life choices are decisions we make that shape our lives. They are important because they can affect our future. We should think carefully before making big life choices. And we should learn from our mistakes. Remember, our life is the result of the choices we make. So, let’s make good choices and have a great life!

500 Words Essay on Life Choice

Life choices are the decisions we make every day. Some are small, like what to eat for breakfast, while others are big, like which career to pursue. These choices shape our lives and determine our future.

The Importance of Life Choices

Life choices are important because they shape our lives. They determine where we live, what we do, who we spend time with, and how we feel. For example, choosing to study hard can lead to good grades, which can open doors to better schools and jobs. On the other hand, choosing to spend all your time playing video games might lead to poor grades and fewer opportunities.

Making good life choices is not always easy. It requires thinking about what you want in life and what is important to you. You need to consider the consequences of your actions and make decisions that will help you reach your goals. For example, if you want to be a doctor, you need to choose to study hard in school and go to medical school.

Learning from Bad Life Choices

Sometimes, we make bad life choices. We may choose to do something that hurts us or someone else. But, we can learn from these choices. We can think about why we made the choice, what went wrong, and how we can make better choices in the future. For example, if you choose to cheat on a test and get caught, you can learn that cheating is wrong and decide to study harder next time.

With life choices comes responsibility. We are responsible for the choices we make and the results they bring. If we make good choices, we can enjoy the rewards. If we make bad choices, we must face the consequences. This is why it’s important to think carefully before making a choice.

The Power of Life Choices

Life choices have the power to change our lives. They can lead to new experiences, friendships, and opportunities. They can also lead to challenges and difficulties. But, no matter what, they help us grow and become who we are.

In conclusion, life choices are a crucial part of our lives. They shape our future, teach us valuable lessons, and help us grow. By making good life choices and learning from our mistakes, we can create a future that we are proud of. Remember, every choice you make today will shape your tomorrow. So choose wisely.

This essay is a total of 500 words. It is a simple and easy-to-understand explanation of the importance and impact of life choices. Even a school-going student can understand it and apply it in their life.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Life Changing Experiences
• Essay on Life Challenges
• Essay on Life Best Experience

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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How Do You Make the Right Choice?

Consumer culture and the paradox of choice.

Posted October 13, 2018

The old green paint on our house was chipped and fading, the color chosen years ago by the former owners. So my husband and decided to get the house painted gray with a white trim. We contacted a painter who brought us two books of paint chips with pages and pages of different shades of gray.

Wandering through what seemed like fifty shades of gray, we experienced what psychologists Barry Schwartz and Andrew Ward called “the paradox of choice” (Schwartz & Ward, 2004). Overwhelmed by all the options, it took us over a week to make our choice.

Psychologists tell us that being able to choose is a sign of autonomy and well-being (Schwartz & Ward, 2004). Americans value freedom of choice as fundamental to our democracy, essential to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness .” We want to be free to explore our options, free to choose where we live and work and what we buy. If choice is good, then it follows that more choice is better. Or is it?

Research has revealed that too many choices can paralyze us with indecision. Schwartz and Ward mention a supermarket that offers 285 brands of cookies, 230 soups, and 275 types of cereal. I recall the supermarket a scene in the film “Moscow on Hudson.” After years of waiting in line for coffee in Russia, a young defector played by Robin Williams, enters a New York market. Looking around frantically at all the choices in the coffee aisle and repeating “coffee, coffee, coffee,” he passes out from sensory overload.

How many choices are enough? Too much? In 1954, psychologist George Miller published an article about “the magic number seven, plus or minus two,” arguing that we can only keep 5 to 9 items in our working memory at a time. More than that and it becomes too much to manage.

Our consumer economy presents us with a dizzying array of options, but, as Schwartz and his colleagues have pointed out, people actually feel worse as their choices increase (Schwartz et al, 2002) And now the Internet offers us an endless succession of posts on social media , pop-up advertisements, videos, and links.

What’s the effect of all this? Is our culture offering us greater autonomy or distracting us from the important choices in our lives with a dizzying range of consumer choices?

Research has shown that people who “maximize”—trying to make the best possible choice from a wide range of options—experience greater depression , perfectionism , self-doubt, and regret than those who “satisfice,” accepting a result good enough to meet their desired criteria (Schwartz et al, 2002).

So the next time you are faced with what seems like an endless array of options, you might want to consider what you’re really looking for. What are the important criteria that would make you satisfied with this choice?

_________________________

This post is for informational purposes and should not substitute for psychotherapy with a qualified professional.

Miller, G. A. (1956). The magical number seven, plus or minus two: Some limits on our capacity for processing information. The Psychological Review, 63, 81-97.

Schwartz, B., &Ward, A. (2004). Doing better but feeling worse: The paradox of choice. In P. A. Linley & S. Joseph (Eds.). Positive Psychology in Practice (pp. 86-104). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Schwartz, B., Ward, A., Monterosso, J, Lyubomirsky, S., White, K., & Lehman, D. (2002). Maximizing versus satisficing : Happiness is a matter of choice. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83, 1178-1197.

Diane Dreher, Ph.D. , is an author, researcher, and positive psychology coach.

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• How to write an argumentative essay | Examples & tips

How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips

Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An argumentative essay expresses an extended argument for a particular thesis statement . The author takes a clearly defined stance on their subject and builds up an evidence-based case for it.

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Table of contents

When do you write an argumentative essay, approaches to argumentative essays, introducing your argument, the body: developing your argument, concluding your argument, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about argumentative essays.

You might be assigned an argumentative essay as a writing exercise in high school or in a composition class. The prompt will often ask you to argue for one of two positions, and may include terms like “argue” or “argument.” It will frequently take the form of a question.

The prompt may also be more open-ended in terms of the possible arguments you could make.

Argumentative writing at college level

At university, the vast majority of essays or papers you write will involve some form of argumentation. For example, both rhetorical analysis and literary analysis essays involve making arguments about texts.

In this context, you won’t necessarily be told to write an argumentative essay—but making an evidence-based argument is an essential goal of most academic writing, and this should be your default approach unless you’re told otherwise.

Examples of argumentative essay prompts

At a university level, all the prompts below imply an argumentative essay as the appropriate response.

Your research should lead you to develop a specific position on the topic. The essay then argues for that position and aims to convince the reader by presenting your evidence, evaluation and analysis.

• Don’t just list all the effects you can think of.
• Do develop a focused argument about the overall effect and why it matters, backed up by evidence from sources.
• Don’t just provide a selection of data on the measures’ effectiveness.
• Do build up your own argument about which kinds of measures have been most or least effective, and why.
• Don’t just analyze a random selection of doppelgänger characters.
• Do form an argument about specific texts, comparing and contrasting how they express their thematic concerns through doppelgänger characters.

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An argumentative essay should be objective in its approach; your arguments should rely on logic and evidence, not on exaggeration or appeals to emotion.

There are many possible approaches to argumentative essays, but there are two common models that can help you start outlining your arguments: The Toulmin model and the Rogerian model.

Toulmin arguments

The Toulmin model consists of four steps, which may be repeated as many times as necessary for the argument:

• Make a claim
• Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim
• Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim)
• Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that you have considered alternative perspectives

The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays. You don’t have to use these specific terms (grounds, warrants, rebuttals), but establishing a clear connection between your claims and the evidence supporting them is crucial in an argumentative essay.

Say you’re making an argument about the effectiveness of workplace anti-discrimination measures. You might:

• Claim that unconscious bias training does not have the desired results, and resources would be better spent on other approaches
• Cite data to support your claim
• Explain how the data indicates that the method is ineffective
• Anticipate objections to your claim based on other data, indicating whether these objections are valid, and if not, why not.

Rogerian arguments

The Rogerian model also consists of four steps you might repeat throughout your essay:

• Discuss what the opposing position gets right and why people might hold this position
• Highlight the problems with this position
• Present your own position , showing how it addresses these problems
• Suggest a possible compromise —what elements of your position would proponents of the opposing position benefit from adopting?

This model builds up a clear picture of both sides of an argument and seeks a compromise. It is particularly useful when people tend to disagree strongly on the issue discussed, allowing you to approach opposing arguments in good faith.

Say you want to argue that the internet has had a positive impact on education. You might:

• Acknowledge that students rely too much on websites like Wikipedia
• Argue that teachers view Wikipedia as more unreliable than it really is
• Suggest that Wikipedia’s system of citations can actually teach students about referencing
• Suggest critical engagement with Wikipedia as a possible assignment for teachers who are skeptical of its usefulness.

You don’t necessarily have to pick one of these models—you may even use elements of both in different parts of your essay—but it’s worth considering them if you struggle to structure your arguments.

Regardless of which approach you take, your essay should always be structured using an introduction , a body , and a conclusion .

Like other academic essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction . The introduction serves to capture the reader’s interest, provide background information, present your thesis statement , and (in longer essays) to summarize the structure of the body.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

The body of an argumentative essay is where you develop your arguments in detail. Here you’ll present evidence, analysis, and reasoning to convince the reader that your thesis statement is true.

In the standard five-paragraph format for short essays, the body takes up three of your five paragraphs. In longer essays, it will be more paragraphs, and might be divided into sections with headings.

Each paragraph covers its own topic, introduced with a topic sentence . Each of these topics must contribute to your overall argument; don’t include irrelevant information.

This example paragraph takes a Rogerian approach: It first acknowledges the merits of the opposing position and then highlights problems with that position.

Hover over different parts of the example to see how a body paragraph is constructed.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

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An argumentative essay ends with a conclusion that summarizes and reflects on the arguments made in the body.

No new arguments or evidence appear here, but in longer essays you may discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your argument and suggest topics for future research. In all conclusions, you should stress the relevance and importance of your argument.

Hover over the following example to see the typical elements of a conclusion.

The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education; occasional pitfalls aside, its value is evident in numerous applications. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. As the popularity of distance learning shows, students value the flexibility and accessibility offered by digital education, and educators should fully embrace these advantages. The internet’s dangers, real and imaginary, have been documented exhaustively by skeptics, but the internet is here to stay; it is time to focus seriously on its potential for good.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

The majority of the essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Unless otherwise specified, you can assume that the goal of any essay you’re asked to write is argumentative: To convince the reader of your position using evidence and reasoning.

In composition classes you might be given assignments that specifically test your ability to write an argumentative essay. Look out for prompts including instructions like “argue,” “assess,” or “discuss” to see if this is the goal.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Choices

Essays on Choices

Choices are an important aspect of our lives, and writing an essay about them can help you explore different perspectives and gain a deeper understanding of the world around you.

When it comes to choosing a topic for your essay about choices, think about what interests you the most. Do you want to write an argumentative essay, a cause and effect essay, an opinion essay, or an informative essay? Each type of essay will require a different approach to the topic of choices, so consider what type of essay will best showcase your thoughts and ideas.

For an argumentative essay about choices, you can explore topics like the impact of choices on our lives, the importance of making informed choices, or the role of external influences on our decision-making process.

If you're interested in writing a cause and effect essay, you could explore topics such as the consequences of making impulsive choices, the relationship between choices and personal growth, or the influence of societal norms on our decision-making.

For an opinion essay about choices, you might want to delve into topics like the ethics of making choices, the impact of choices on our mental health, or the role of intuition in decision-making.

And if you're leaning towards an informative essay, you could consider topics like the psychology of decision-making, the science behind making good choices, or the history of major choices that have shaped the world.

For example, if you choose to write an argumentative essay about the impact of choices on our lives, your thesis statement could be: " The choices we make have a profound impact on our lives, shaping our experiences and influencing our future. "

In the of your essay, you could start by presenting a thought-provoking scenario related to choices and then provide some background information on the topic, leading up to your thesis statement.

And in the of your essay, you could summarize the main points of your argument, restate your thesis statement, and leave your readers with a thought-provoking question or a call to action.

Writing an essay about choices can be a rewarding experience, allowing you to explore different perspectives and develop your critical thinking skills. With the right topic and a clear thesis statement, you can create a compelling essay that will engage your readers and leave a lasting impression.

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Essay About Choices

Life is full of choices. We are constantly making decisions, big and small. Some of these choices are easy, while others are more difficult. Sometimes we make the right choice, and sometimes we make the wrong choice. But what is the right choice? And how do we make sure that we make the right choices in life?

There is no easy answer to this question. Life is complex, and there are often many factors to consider when making a decision. But there are some general principles that can help guide our decision making.

One important principle is to consider all of the possible outcomes of our choices. This means thinking about not just the immediate consequences, but also the long-term effects of our decisions. For example, if we are considering whether or not to smoke cigarettes, we should not just think about the immediate consequences (e.g., the pleasure of smoking or the short-term health effects). We should also consider the long-term consequences of our decision (e.g., the risk of cancer or other health problems down the road).

Another important principle is to consider the risks and rewards of each choice. This means weighing the potential benefits and drawbacks of each option. For example, if we are considering whether or not to invest in a new business venture, we should think about both the risks (e.g., the possibility of failure) and rewards (e.g. the potential for financial gain).

Finally, it is important to consult with others when making important life decisions. This means talking to people who have more experience than we do, and who can offer helpful advice and perspective. For example, if we are considering whether or not to move to a new city, we should talk to people who have already made the move, and who can tell us about their experiences.

Making the right choices in life is not always easy. But by following these general principles, we can increase our chances of making good decisions.

We make choices every day that have the potential to define our future and direct our lives. Each choice we make has an influence on our life, whether for better or for worse. Some of the decisions I’ve made in the past have had bad results due to previous experiences. It is through such decisions that we learn and develop as people.

Life is all about learning and making decisions; some of which will be wrong, but we mustn’t dwell on them. Life is too short to live with regret.

According to psychologists, our decision-making is based on a number of different factors: our emotions, our values, our experiences and the environment we are in at the time. Our emotions play a big role in how we make decisions. For example, if we are feeling happy we are more likely to take risks than if we are feeling sad. This is because when we are happy we feel like we can handle anything that comes our way. However, when we are sad or angry, we tend to play it safe as we don’t want to make things worse.

Our values also influence our decision-making. For instance, if we value money above all else, we are more likely to make decisions that will help us earn more money, even if it means compromising our morals. On the other hand, if we value family or friends above all else, we are more likely to make decisions that will benefit them, even if it means sacrificing our own needs.

Our experiences also play a role in how we make decisions. If we have had bad experiences in the past, we may be hesitant to make similar choices in the future. For example, if we have been hurt emotionally by someone in the past, we may be less likely to open up to new people in the future.

Finally, the environment we are in can also influence our decision-making. If we are in a safe and secure environment, we may be more likely to take risks than if we are in a dangerous or unstable environment.

All of these factors play a role in how we make decisions. Sometimes, we may not even be aware of them. However, it is important to be aware of them so that we can make better choices in life.

Many options, on the other hand, result in gratifying and pleasurable outcomes. The majority of our decisions will impact not just us but frequently those around us as well. Because the potential influence that decisions may have on people around us is significant, it’s critical that we make certain selections carefully and consider them thoroughly.

Life is full of choices. Some of them are very small and some of them are very large but each one is important nonetheless. The choices that we make often shape the course of our lives and can have a profound impact on our future.

Some people believe that life is nothing more than a series of random events that happen to us without any control on our part. However, other people believe that we do have some control over our lives and that the choices we make can influence the direction our lives take. No matter what your beliefs are, it is important to realize that the choices you make in life can have a significant impact on your future.

Many times, the choices we make are based on our values and beliefs. Values are the things that are important to us and that guide our behavior. Beliefs are the ideas or convictions that we hold to be true. Our choices should be based on our values and beliefs because they are what is important to us and what we believe in.

Sometimes, the choices we make are based on our emotions. Emotions are powerful things and can sometimes override our reason or logic. This can lead to making impulsive decisions that we may later regret. It is important to try to stay level-headed when making decisions so that our emotions don’t get the best of us.

The choices we make can also be influenced by peer pressure. Peer pressure is when we feel like we need to do something because everyone else is doing it. This can be a very strong influence, especially for young people. It is important to remember that we don’t have to do something just because everyone else is doing it. We should only do what we feel is right for us.

Making choices is an important part of life. The choices we make can shape the course of our lives and affect our future. It is important to make sure that our choices are based on our values and beliefs and not on our emotions. We should also be aware of peer pressure and not let it influence our decisions. Life is full of choices, so make them wisely!

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50 Strong Argumentative Essay Topics: 5 Tips to Make the Right Choice

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Are you one of those who let out a sigh of exasperation every time you’re assigned an essay?

“What should I write about now,” you wonder. Yes, we hear ya.

Choosing an essay topic is an intimidating experience. From the fear of choosing the wrong topic to choosing one that bores your teacher to death -- the process is filled with second guesses and confusion.

What’s more, it’s even tougher when you’re working on a critical paper like an argumentative essay. So, if you’re wondering what are good argumentative essay topics, hang in there.

In this article, we will tell you how to make the right choice AND give you some interesting argumentative essay topic ideas to choose from.

50 Argumentative Essay Topics Ideas

The art of argumentation is not an easy skill to acquire. It requires critical thinking, thorough understanding, and the ability to perceive various sides of an issue. The following list of 50 topics offers a broad range of subjects, from politics to technology, from education to ethical debates, all relevant in the contemporary United States. Each topic challenges you to explore different viewpoints, evaluate evidence, develop your own stance, and articulate your thoughts persuasively.

1. The future of climate change policy in the United States.

2. The role of social media in modern politics.

3. Is universal healthcare a basic human right or a luxury?

4. The effectiveness of the US educational system compared to other countries.

5. The benefits and downsides of remote learning during and after the pandemic.

6. The impact of gentrification on urban communities.

7. The ethical implications of data mining and personal privacy.

8. The necessity of electoral reform in the United States.

9. The importance of mental health awareness in schools and workplaces.

10. The role of the US in global geopolitics: Protector or Instigator?

11. The pros and cons of gun control laws in the United States.

12. The influence of fake news on public opinion.

13. The effects of the 'Black Lives Matter' movement on American society.

14. The ethical issues surrounding capital punishment.

15. The role of lobbying in American politics.

16. The impact of gender inequality in the US tech industry.

17. The merits and demerits of standardized testing in education.

18. The effects of immigration policies on the US economy.

19. The role of parental consent in underage abortion.

20. The consequences of America's War on Drugs.

21. The future of nuclear power in the United States.

22. The ethical considerations of animal testing in scientific research.

23. The effects of social media on mental health.

24. The implications of religious influence on public education.

25. The consequences of the privatization of space travel.

26. The necessity and effectiveness of affirmative action in higher education.

27. The benefits and drawbacks of minimum wage increase.

28. The role of cultural appropriation in pop culture.

29. The implications of genetically modified food on health and the environment.

30. The influence of mass surveillance on civil liberties.

31. The necessity of financial literacy in the school curriculum.

32. The potential impacts of AI and automation on the job market.

33. The long-term effects of single-use plastic on the environment.

34. The role of fast fashion in the climate change crisis.

35. The societal impact of legalizing marijuana.

36. The ethical considerations of using CRISPR technology in human genetics.

37. The implications of net neutrality on internet freedom.

38. The influence of body image in media on eating disorders.

39. The role of sports in fostering national unity.

40. The debate over charter schools versus public schools.

41. The impact of the gig economy on traditional employment models.

42. The benefits and drawbacks of renewable energy sources.

43. The ethical questions around euthanasia and assisted suicide.

44. The future of gender roles in American society.

45. The influence of video games on youth violence.

46. The effects of colonial history on modern-day racial and social inequality.

47. The role of veganism in combating climate change.

48. The pros and cons of implementing a universal basic income.

49. The implications of the #MeToo movement on workplace culture.

50. The significance of cybersecurity in an increasingly digital age.

Through these topics, we encourage you to dive deeper into the complexities and nuances of issues that are shaping our society today. Whether you are passionate about social justice, captivated by technological advancements, or intrigued by ethical dilemmas, each topic provides a platform to engage in meaningful discourse.

As you navigate through these themes, remember that the aim is not to win an argument, but to develop a well-informed perspective and the ability to articulate it convincingly. Happy writing!

3 Elements of a Good Argumentative Essay Topic

An argumentative essay is centered around picking a topic and taking a firm stance on it. It’s like someone saying, “You think apples are better than oranges? Go ahead, prove it”.

You’re expected to prove your point with ample research, evidence, and examples with the sole objective of persuading the reader.

It goes without saying that a compelling essay begins with choosing the right topic. More than agree with the stance, the focus should be on demonstrating it.

So, what makes a good argumentative essay topic? Let’s take a look at the three essential elements.

1. Arguable

The essence of an argumentative essay is to argue or debate over a stance. Hence, the topic you choose needs to give you the potential to make a valid argument.

An arguable topic is one that has two sides to it. Another way to look at it is by choosing a topic that people can agree or disagree with.

Let’s take an example :

Netflix is the world’s largest online video streaming service.

Is this debatable? No. One Google search will tell you that Netflix is indeed the world’s largest online video streaming service, with roughly 158 million subscribers. There are no two sides to it.

Netflix is affecting sleep and productivity.

Is this debatable? Yes. There will be people who agree and others who disagree, making it a viable essay topic.

So, before you finalize the topic for your argumentative essay, ask yourself -- can people disagree with this? If yes, you can consider it.

2. Controversial

You’ve always been told to play safe and stay away from controversial topics but the same is not necessarily true in the case of argumentative essay topics.

In fact, it’s a great idea to take some risks and pick a controversial issue as an argumentative essay topic. Not only will you enjoy the writing process, but your teacher is also likely to be more invested and engaged while reading it.

So, think of controversial issues in niches of interest, such as:

• Environment
• Animal rights

You instead take a risk and draft an interesting essay instead of choosing a mundane, run-of-the-mill topic that doesn’t manage to hook the reader .

3. Researchable

Speaking of what are good argumentative essay topics, let’s not deny the researchability factor of the topic. At the end of the day, you’re supposed to write a five-paragraph argumentative essay, which means you need to have enough meat for it.

So, pick a topic that allows you to do that. There needs to be enough existing material to help you research, strengthen your stance, and present evidence on it. As a rule of thumb, make sure you’re able to present at least three arguments in the course of the essay.

How to Choose the Right Argumentative Essay Topic

Now that you know what makes a good argumentative essay topic let’s get down to business and understand how to make the right choice.

Here are five tips to help you choose a compelling topic for your argumentative essay.

1. Pick a topic of interest

We’ve said this before, and we will say it again -- pick a topic that interests you. If politics is not your area of interest, don’t bother picking a topic just because it’s debatable or controversial.

You’re going to be spending a lot of time working on this essay. If it doesn’t interest you, there’s no way you can present an influential paper.

So, everything else aside, let the topic selection begin with understanding where your interests lie. Do a brainstorming session and jot down the niches/topics that you’d like to learn more about or those you feel passionately about.

2. Consider trending topics

It’s always a good idea to keep an eye on current trending topics and take inspiration from them. What makes trending topics a viable source of inspiration is that they are fresh, relevant, and, more often than not, controversial.

Here’s a list of websites you can turn to for trending topics:

• Google Trends
• News websites such as Huffington Post and New York Times

So, for instance, at a time like this, when the coronavirus pandemic has taken the world by storm, you can choose a topic related to COVID-19, such as addressing its impact on the environment, wildlife, mental health, or the economy.

3. Do preliminary research

Preliminary research refers to the process of doing top-level research on the topics you’ve narrowed down just to understand if there’s enough information online to help you form an argument and prove your stance.

You don’t want to pick a topic, start the argumentative essay and then realize that there’s hardly any research data online to help you move further.

So, do some reading by looking into websites, journals, research papers, and published studies. Leverage this step to evaluate existing information and get an idea of how you can formulate your argument accordingly.

4. Potential to address both sides

A winning argumentative essay is one wherein you’re able to take a firm stance and prove your point of view to the reader.

It’s not enough to be fully aware of your side of the story without even considering the opposing side. That’s a half-baked argument.

To indeed persuade the reader, you need to be able to address both sides of the argument. So, choose a topic that allows you to do so.

It’s best to lay out the fors and againsts for the topic and assess which is stronger in terms of evidence.

Another point to keep in mind while presenting evidence is that argumentative essays are based on logic. There’s no place for emotions here. Hence, disregard any kind of evidence that cannot be substantiated with logic and reasoning.

Here’s a fun video by Shmoop on presenting both sides of the story

5. Narrow it down

Finally, before you finalize the topic, make sure it’s specific enough that it gives you the scope to illustrate your arguments accurately.

That’s not possible if you choose a topic that’s too broad or vague because you won’t be able to do full justice to it. There will just be too much information you’ll be grappling with that will prevent you from presenting your stance clearly while abiding by the word count.

So, don’t confuse your teacher (and yourself). Narrow on the topic idea such that it’s manageable and lets you focus your area of investigation.

A good trick to keep in mind while narrowing down essay topics is to be able to answer the following questions:

Final Thoughts

Selecting the right argumentative essay topic is not something that can be done overnight. It requires a lot of time and research.

This is the first step to a high-scoring paper, and you want to make it count. When the topic is strong, you will be more confident while writing the rest of the paper, right from the introduction to the conclusion .

However, there are instances when you barely have the time to think. At such times, you can always reach out to online essay writing service such as Writers Per Hour.

From brainstorming and suggesting topics to writing an impressive paper and formatting - our argumentative essay-writing experts can take care of it all. What’s more, we guarantee custom-written papers that are 100% original and delivered to you right on time.

So, if you’re stuck, write to us, and we will get our writers on the job immediately.

Additional Resources

Delving deeper into argumentative essays and refining your writing skills can be an enriching journey. Here are a few more resources to help you navigate this path effectively:

Articles from the Writers Per Hour Blog

• How Significant Are Opposing Points of View in an Argument
• Rebuttal in Argumentative Essay
• Guide to Writing Strong Introductions for Argumentative Essays
• Clear and Strong Conclusion for Argumentative Essay [Step-by-step]

External Resources

• MIT Online Writing and Communication Center: Developing an Argument
• University of California Berkeley Student Learning Center: Writing Argumentative Essays
• Stanford Online Writing Center: Techniques of Persuasive Argument

Remember, mastery in argumentative writing is a journey that requires patience, practice, and persistence. However, if you ever find yourself struggling with your essay, our team of experienced argumentative essay writers is always ready to assist you. With their expertise in crafting compelling, well-structured essays, they can provide invaluable support in your academic journey.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 50 great argumentative essay topics for any assignment.

General Education

At some point, you’re going to be asked to write an argumentative essay. An argumentative essay is exactly what it sounds like—an essay in which you’ll be making an argument, using examples and research to back up your point.

But not all argumentative essay topics are created equal. Not only do you have to structure your essay right to have a good impact on the reader, but even your choice of subject can impact how readers feel about your work.

In this article, we’ll cover the basics of writing argumentative essays, including what argumentative essays are, how to write a good one, and how to pick a topic that works for you. Then check out a list of argumentative essay ideas to help you get started.

What Is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is one that makes an argument through research. These essays take a position and support it through evidence, but, unlike many other kinds of essays, they are interested in expressing a specific argument supported by research and evidence.

A good argumentative essay will be based on established or new research rather than only on your thoughts and feelings. Imagine that you’re trying to get your parents to raise your allowance, and you can offer one of two arguments in your favor:

You should raise my allowance because I want you to.

You should raise my allowance because I’ve been taking on more chores without complaining.

The first argument is based entirely in feelings without any factual backup, whereas the second is based on evidence that can be proven. Your parents are more likely to respond positively to the second argument because it demonstrates that you have done something to earn the increased allowance. Similarly, a well-researched and reasoned argument will show readers that your point has a basis in fact, not just feelings.

The standard five-paragraph essay is common in writing argumentative essays, but it’s not the only way to write one. An argumentative essay is typically written in one of two formats, the Toulmin model or the Rogerian model.

The Toulmin model is the most common, comprised of an introduction with a claim (otherwise known as a thesis), with data to support it. This style of essay will also include rebuttals, helping to strengthen your argument by anticipating counterarguments.

The Rogerian model analyzes two sides of an argument and reaches a conclusion after weighing the strengths and weaknesses of each.

Both essay styles rely on well-reasoned logic and supporting evidence to prove a point, just in two different ways.

The important thing to note about argumentative essays as opposed to other kinds of essays is that they aim to argue a specific point rather than to explain something or to tell a story. While they may have some things in common with analytical essays, the primary difference is in their objective—an argumentative essay aims to convince someone of something, whereas an analytical essay contextualizes a topic with research.

What Makes a Good Argumentative Essay?

To write an effective argumentative essay, you need to know what a good one looks like. In addition to a solid structure, you’ll need an argument, a strong thesis, and solid research.

An Argument

Unlike other forms of essays, you are trying to convince your reader of something. You’re not just teaching them a concept or demonstrating an idea—you’re constructing an argument to change the readers’ thinking.

You’ll need to develop a good argument, which encompasses not just your main point, but also all the pieces that make it up.

Think beyond what you are saying and include how you’re saying it. How will you take an idea and turn it into a complex and well thought out argument that is capable of changing somebody’s mind?

A Strong Thesis

The thesis is the core of your argument. What specific message are you trying to get across? State that message in one sentence, and that will be your thesis.

This is the foundation on which your essay is built, so it needs to be strong and well-reasoned. You need to be able to expand on it with facts and sources, not just feelings.

A good argumentative essay isn’t just based on your individual thoughts, but research. That can be citing sources and other arguments or it can mean direct research in the field, depending on what your argument is and the context in which you are arguing it.

Be prepared to back your thesis up with reporting from scientific journals, newspapers, or other forms of research. Having well-researched sources will help support your argument better than hearsay or assumptions. If you can’t find enough research to back up your point, it’s worth reconsidering your thesis or conducting original research, if possible.

How to Come Up With an Argumentative Essay Topic

Sometimes you may find yourself arguing things you don’t necessarily believe. That’s totally fine—you don’t actually have to wholeheartedly believe in what you’re arguing in order to construct a compelling argument.

However, if you have free choice of topic, it’s a good idea to pick something you feel strongly about. There are two key components to a good argumentative essay: a strong stance, and an assortment of evidence. If you’re interested and feel passionate about the topic you choose, you'll have an easier time finding evidence to support it, but it's the evidence that's most important. 

So, to choose a topic, think about things you feel strongly about, whether positively or negatively. You can make a list of ideas and narrow those down to a handful of things, then expand on those ideas with a few potential points you want to hit on.

For example, say you’re trying to decide whether you should write about how your neighborhood should ban weed killer, that your school’s lunch should be free for all students, or that the school day should be cut by one hour. To decide between these ideas, you can make a list of three to five points for each that cover the different evidence you could use to support each point.

For the weed killer ban, you could say that weed killer has been proven to have adverse impacts on bees, that there are simple, natural alternatives, and that weeds aren’t actually bad to have around. For the free lunch idea, you could suggest that some students have to go hungry because they can’t afford lunch, that funds could be diverted from other places to support free lunch, and that other items, like chips or pizza, could be sold to help make up lost revenue. And for the school day length example, you could argue that teenagers generally don’t get enough sleep, that you have too much homework and not enough time to do it, and that teenagers don’t spend enough time with their families.

You might find as you make these lists that some of them are stronger than others. The more evidence you have and the stronger you feel that that evidence is, the better the topic.  Of course, if you feel that one topic may have more evidence but you’d rather not write about it, it’s okay to pick another topic instead. When you’re making arguments, it can be much easier to find strong points and evidence if you feel passionate about our topic than if you don't.

50 Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas

If you’re struggling to come up with topics on your own, read through this list of argumentative essay topics to help get you started!

• Should fracking be legal?
• Should parents be able to modify their unborn children?
• Do GMOs help or harm people?
• Should vaccinations be required for students to attend public school?
• Should world governments get involved in addressing climate change?
• Should Facebook be allowed to collect data from its users?
• Should self-driving cars be legal?
• Is it ethical to replace human workers with automation?
• Should there be laws against using cell phones while driving?
• Has the internet positively or negatively impacted human society?

• Should college athletes be paid for being on sports teams?
• Should coaches and players make the same amount of money?
• Should sports be segregated by gender?
• Should the concept of designated hitters in baseball be abolished?
• Should US sports take soccer more seriously?
• Should religious organizations have to pay taxes?
• Should religious clubs be allowed in schools?
• Should “one nation under God” be in the pledge of allegiance?
• Should religion be taught in schools?
• Should clergy be allowed to marry?
• Should minors be able to purchase birth control without parental consent?
• Should the US switch to single-payer healthcare?
• Should assisted suicide be legal?
• Should dietary supplements and weight loss items like teas be allowed to advertise through influencers?
• Should doctors be allowed to promote medicines?

Government/Politics

• Is the electoral college an effective system for modern America?
• Should Puerto Rico become a state?
• Should voter registration be automatic?
• Should people in prison be allowed to vote?
• Should Supreme Court justices be elected?
• Should sex work be legalized?
• Should Columbus Day be replaced with Indigenous Peoples’ Day?
• Should the death penalty be legal?
• Should animal testing be allowed?
• Should drug possession be decriminalized?

• Should unpaid internships be legal?
• Should minimum wage be increased?
• Should monopolies be allowed?
• Is universal basic income a good idea?
• Should corporations have a higher or lower tax rate?
• Are school uniforms a good idea?
• Should PE affect a student’s grades?
• Should college be free?
• Should Greek life in colleges be abolished?
• Should students be taught comprehensive sex ed?

Arts/Culture

• Should graffiti be considered art or vandalism?
• Should books with objectionable words be banned?
• Should content on YouTube be better regulated?
• Is art education important?
• Should art and music sharing online be allowed?

How to Argue Effectively

A strong argument isn’t just about having a good point. If you can’t support that point well, your argument falls apart.

One of the most important things you can do in writing a strong argumentative essay is organizing well. Your essay should have a distinct beginning, middle, and end, better known as the introduction, body and opposition, and conclusion.

This example follows the Toulmin model—if your essay follows the Rogerian model, the same basic premise is true, but your thesis will instead propose two conflicting viewpoints that will be resolved through evidence in the body, with your conclusion choosing the stronger of the two arguments.

Introduction

Your hook should draw the reader’s interest immediately. Questions are a common way of getting interest, as well as evocative language or a strong statistic

Don’t assume that your audience is already familiar with your topic. Give them some background information, such as a brief history of the issue or some additional context.

Your thesis is the crux of your argument. In an argumentative essay, your thesis should be clearly outlined so that readers know exactly what point you’ll be making. Don’t explain all your evidence in the opening, but do take a strong stance and make it clear what you’ll be discussing.

Your claims are the ideas you’ll use to support your thesis. For example, if you’re writing about how your neighborhood shouldn’t use weed killer, your claim might be that it’s bad for the environment. But you can’t just say that on its own—you need evidence to support it.

Evidence is the backbone of your argument. This can be things you glean from scientific studies, newspaper articles, or your own research. You might cite a study that says that weed killer has an adverse effect on bees, or a newspaper article that discusses how one town eliminated weed killer and saw an increase in water quality. These kinds of hard evidence support your point with demonstrable facts, strengthening your argument.

In your essay, you want to think about how the opposition would respond to your claims and respond to them. Don’t pick the weakest arguments, either— figure out what other people are saying and respond to those arguments with clearly reasoned arguments.

Demonstrating that you not only understand the opposition’s point, but that your argument is strong enough to withstand it, is one of the key pieces to a successful argumentative essay.

Conclusions are a place to clearly restate your original point, because doing so will remind readers exactly what you’re arguing and show them how well you’ve argued that point.

Summarize your main claims by restating them, though you don’t need to bring up the evidence again. This helps remind readers of everything you’ve said throughout the essay.

End by suggesting a picture of a world in which your argument and action are ignored. This increases the impact of your argument and leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

A strong argumentative essay is one with good structure and a strong argument , but there are a few other things you can keep in mind to further strengthen your point.

When you’re crafting an argument, it can be easy to get distracted by all the information and complications in your argument. It’s important to stay focused—be clear in your thesis and home in on claims that directly support that thesis.

Be Rational

It’s important that your claims and evidence be based in facts, not just opinion. That’s why it’s important to use reliable sources based in science and reporting—otherwise, it’s easy for people to debunk your arguments.

Don’t rely solely on your feelings about the topic. If you can’t back a claim up with real evidence, it leaves room for counterarguments you may not anticipate. Make sure that you can support everything you say with clear and concrete evidence, and your claims will be a lot stronger!

What’s Next?

No matter what kind of essay you're writing, a strong plan will help you have a bigger impact. This guide to writing a college essay is a great way to get started on your essay organizing journey!

Brushing up on your essay format knowledge to prep for the SAT? Check out this list of SAT essay prompts to help you kickstart your studying!

A bunch of great essay examples can help you aspire to greatness, but bad essays can also be a warning for what not to do. This guide to bad college essays will help you better understand common mistakes to avoid in essay writing!

Melissa Brinks graduated from the University of Washington in 2014 with a Bachelor's in English with a creative writing emphasis. She has spent several years tutoring K-12 students in many subjects, including in SAT prep, to help them prepare for their college education.

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Making the Right Word Choices for Better Writing

by Melissa Donovan | Oct 3, 2023 | Better Writing | 16 comments

Word choice is a critical component of good writing.

Have you ever read a sentence and wondered what it was trying to say? Ever gotten hung up on a word that felt out of place because the meaning of the word didn’t fit the context? When was the last time you spotted a word that was unnecessarily repeated throughout a page, chapter, or book?

There are two sides to any piece of writing. The first is the message, idea, or story. The other side is the craft of stringing words together into sentences and using sentences to build paragraphs. Adept writing flows smoothy and makes sense. Readers shouldn’t have to stop and dissect sentences or get hung up on words that are repetitive or confusing.

Which is why word choice is such an important skill for any writer to possess.

Common Word-Choice Mistakes

The right word can make or break a sentence. If we want our prose to be rich, vibrant, and meaningful, then we need to develop a robust vocabulary. As we write, revise, and proofread, there are plenty of common word-choice mistakes to watch out for. If we can catch those mistakes and fix them, we’ll end up with better writing.

Here are some word-choice to mistakes to watch out for in your writing:

Repetition: When the same words and phrases are repeated in a short space, they act like clichés, becoming tiresome and meaningless. Some words have to be repeated, especially articles, prepositions, and conjunctions. If we’re writing a story set on a submarine, the word submarine (or sub ) will get repeated frequently. That’s to be expected. However, repetitive descriptive words get monotonous. Every girl is pretty , every stride is long , everybody taps their keyboards. The fix: look for words that can be replaced with synonyms or alternative wording and avoid using the same descriptive words over and over again.

Connotation: With all the synonyms available, choosing the right word can be a challenge. Each word has a meaning, but most words also have connotations, which skew the meaning in a particular direction. Connotations are implied or emotional undertones that flavor a word’s meaning. If your character is going home , there is a much different implication than if the character is going to her house . The fix: when choosing synonyms, consider the connotation and emotional flavor of each option.

Precision: The best word choices are specific. One word might be vague and nondescript while another is vivid and descriptive. Consider the following sentences:

He wrote a poem on a piece of paper. He wrote a poem on a sheet of vellum.

The second sentence is more visual because the word choice ( vellum ) is more precise. The fix: whenever possible, choose the most precise word available.

Simplicity: Readers don’t want to have to run to the dictionary to get through a page of your writing, and most don’t appreciate the haughtiness that erudite writing evokes. If you’re writing to a highbrow audience, then by all means, feel free to pontificate, but to reach a wider audience, make your language accessible. The fix: check your text for rare and long words, and if you can replace them with more common or shorter words, do it.

Musicality: Sometimes, word choice comes down to musicality. How does one word sound in your sentence as opposed to another? If you’re trying to choose between words like bin and container , you might make your decision based on which word sounds better in the sentence. The fix: read sentences and paragraphs aloud to see how different words sound.

Thoughtful Word Choices for Better Writing

Whether you agonize over word choice while you’re drafting or during revisions, there are some incredibly useful tools for making word choice a breeze. In addition to using the tools that are at your disposal, consistently working to expand your vocabulary will do wonders for improving your language and word-choice skills:

• The thesaurus and the dictionary are your friends. Use them (especially the thesaurus).
• Read voraciously. Nothing will improve your writing and your vocabulary as well as the simple act of reading.
• Read and write poetry. Poems are full of vivacious words. You’ll develop a knack for word choice and grow a bountiful vocabulary if you study a little poetry.
• Play word games like Scrabble , Scattergories , and Words with Friends , which force you to actively use your vocabulary.
• Sign up for Word of the Day and commit to learning 365 words over the next year.

Have you ever gotten frustrated by reading a book that was peppered with poor word choices? Do you make a conscious effort to use the right words in your writing? How far will you go to find the perfect word for a sentence? Share your thoughts on how thoughtful word choices result in better writing by leaving a comment, and keep writing!

16 Comments

Thanks so much for this article. Though I actually did a few semesters of grad school, I still easily get caught up in several of the traps you mentioned. Nothing like a good guide in front of you to help you out.

Sometimes I get so caught up in writing a scene or conveying a particular message that I forget to think about word choice. That’s why I’m so glad I always get a chance to revise my work.

@Melissa Yes I have read plenty of sentences that I had to read over and over and over again, simply to crack the case of what it was attempting to say. As a reward, this has made me very aware of how critical word choice is. That is why I am so eager to improve my writing skills. In addition to not knowing the basics (what conjunctions and prepositions are), I could really use a lesson or two in word choice, descriptive writing, and an expansion in my vocab. I have supposedly been expanding my vocabulary for a while now, until I realized it could not be done without reading (misunderstanding the syntax and vocab; just to name a few reasons why I absolutely hate reading). So, I began to read, and I find myself hung-up on what I view to be very basic words, and it annoys the crap out of me. I have signed up for the word of the day on dictionary.com, but it seems that it goes through one side of the brain, and right out the other side that doesn’t care to process language. Lol! At the very most, I’ll recall having it as a word of the day, when I see it written in a book somewhere. I will not remember the definition. Strengths: repetition; simplicity; and musicality. Weaknesses: Have never given connotations any consideration. .just the denotative (underlying meaning); and precision (what I like to refer to as descriptive/visual writing). Please help! What are other ways can I expand my vocab and unlock the doors on the cell gate, that holds my creativity in captivity? As some would call it, “I would love to have my ‘creative juices’ flowing.” Thank you, in advance!

My suggestion is to keep a vocabulary journal. Keep reading and when you come across a word you don’t know, write it down in your vocabulary journal along with the definition. Then, once a week or once a month, read through the latest entries. I like word-of-the-day too, but the words are usually rare ones that don’t get used often. My other suggestion is to read poetry. It will do wonders for your vocabulary and learning about the nuances of word choice. Sound and Sense is a bit pricey but it’s my top recommendation for learning words and literary devices. Good luck to you!

This was very helpful and updated, I have two books I use which are also great; Writer’s First Aid By Kristi Holl and On Writing Well by William Zinsser. Both are available at amazon.com; however, I plan on subscribing here right after this post is successfully processed. This is a wonderful tool for all writers searching for ways to improve their craft.

Thanks, Robin, for your book recommendations and for subscribing. Keep writing!

Could I just hug you, Melissa? #HUGSSS

I am grinning WIDE after reading this ah-mazing post! Words seduce, strengthen and stimulate me, and hence I am committed to honing my writing skills.

I do have a Word a Day blog wherein I post an eclectic collection of words – some easy, some hard, some musical, some plain, some common, some uncommon – not every word can be used in our daily lives, but it gives me great joy to share my love for words with everyone!

Thank you so much #HUGS

Much love Kit

Hi Krithika,

Thanks for your kind words. I’m glad you enjoyed this post. Words can be magical and fascinating, and they are the building blocks of our craft, so it’s important for us to embrace them. Keep writing!

This is beautiful. I constantly tell people all the time word economy is one of the most important things in writing. If you can say it in a simpler and more visual manner,your readers will love you for it. I think the importance of the word choice and structure isn’t just about what’s being said but also momentum. People try to make things sound so poetic all the time which either 1) bores the reader if done incorrectly or 2) confuses them. That is why I try to write simple yet powerful sentences by choosing the correct words.

Logan, I agree one hundred percent! Even in poetry, word economy usually leads to a more compelling piece than a lot of excessive, unnecessary language, which only serves to weigh down the text.

There is a word (a single word, not a phrase, not the word diction) that means to agonize over word choice, but I have forgotten this word. Does anyone here know this term. Thank you in advance.

I’m not sure, but you might try Google or the thesaurus.

Great tips! Sharing…

Thanks, Bette!

Melissa, I totally agree with you on this article. Building an extensive vocabulary has had a huge effect on my writing ability. In the beginning stages of my craft, I struggled with finding the right words to enhance the narratives in the stories I wrote. I have to admit that in those days I encountered the most strenuous growing pains ever. Fortunately, those times are no more and I can say that I am grateful for rising to the occasion. Thank you for sharing this post.

You’re welcome, Derrick. I’m glad you found this article worthwhile.

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Essay on Career for Students and Children

500+ words essay on career.

Career is a very important thing in one’s life. Whatever career path you choose to follow, it will impact your life greatly. Your career will define your status in a society in addition to your lifestyle. In other words, your career will determine your social circle and relationships.

Therefore, it is extremely important to choose the correct career path . From a very young age, we aspire to be something or the other. While someone aims to be a doctor, some wish to become a painter. Our career choices depend on a lot of things. Thus, it is important to consider all factors before choosing a career path.

How to Choose your Career?

You must consider a number of factors before deciding on your career. Each factor plays a significant role in your choice. Firstly, always assess yourself thoroughly. You must understand your area of interest to choose a career. For instance, someone who dances well can surely become a doctor, but his interest will always be in dance. Thus, ensure that you have the caliber to perform well in the field you choose. This will come from your area of interest itself.

After that, you look for the opportunities available as per your area of interest. Now that you are aware of what you like and dislike, you can easily look for occupations matching your passion. Make a list of the occupations you can get into following your interests. Furthermore, shorten the list you have prepared. You must do so as per what suits you best. Consult with your seniors and parents to make informed decisions.

Most importantly, acquire the skills for the career option you are interested in. Ensure you earn the qualifications and degrees for it. Try taking training programs to enhance your skills. This will give you an upper hand in knowing whether you are correct in choosing the specific career plan. Furthermore, create an impressive resume which can help you get the right opportunities.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

How to Achieve your Career Goal?

There are steps you need to take before achieving your career goal. As they say, success doesn’t come overnight. You must work along the way to accomplish your goals. There is always hope if you have the will. Firstly, create profiles on different job portals to attract the employer’s attention. When you maintain your profile well, you will be able to get good career opportunities.

Moreover, always maintain your network. Build a solid network and create sources in the field. This way you can update yourself with the latest happenings in the industry. In addition, try to attend the related seminars and workshops that happen related to your career choice. You will meet influential people of the same field who can broaden your thinking.

In short, always remember to stay determined. You can easily achieve your career goal if you set your mind to it. In other words, people usually distract themselves easily. You must not do so and focus on your career path to achieve your goals efficiently.

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• Essay on Strategy

Free Argumentative Essay About Choices Made In Real Life

Type of paper: Argumentative Essay

Topic: Strategy , Success , Vietnam , Communism , Evacuation , Decision , War , United States

Words: 1600

Published: 04/02/2020

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The U.S’ government decision to wage war on Vietnam without a good plan of war involving clear-cut strategies and plans was one decision they poorly made. Therefore, it resulted to a prolonged Vietnam War and made the victory indeterminate for them (Yancey, 2001). The war was between the North Vietnam which was a communist state backed by other communist nations such as the Soviets and China, against the U.S, South Vietnam forces together with other anti-communist nations. People fought the war in North Vietnam. This war took place as a way to stop the spread of communism as the North Vietnam government fought to unify the whole of Vietnam under communism (Anderson, 2005). According to the U.S’ domino theory, that conversion of one state into communism would lead the rest of the states to follow and for them, this was unacceptable. As for the northern government, U.S involvement together with other anti-communist nations such as Britain and France was a form of colonialism and to them the war was to fight away colonization. During the war both the U.S and the South Vietnam forces relied very much on air support using bombs that they dropped, with poor ground strategies, tactics, and techniques (Carter, 2010). They were well advantaged in terms of weaponry and technology but failed to use effective plans such as the operational art of war that had been used and improved throughout history. The war resulted into high casualties because of poor plans and decisions made and after the North’s Tet offensive; the south could not defend themselves against the north even though the offensive failed. U.S victory could not be easily determined, and so troops began to withdraw and leave the war to the South Vietnamese. The war began in December 1956 and ended in April 1975. It is clear that the U.S made its decision based on an expected outcome for which they compared to the previous outcomes. Therefore, they used the same war technique as they had used in their previous victorious wars. They also tried to avoid self-blame and regret because of losing the war, and it is for this reason they used military weaponry of quality and sophisticated technologies such as helicopters, bombs, and jets (Murray, 2005). In the above situation, decisions made by the Americans to wage war relying only on air support and sophisticated weaponry without a good ground war plan made the war a top down approach rather than the bottom up approach. They could instead use the South Vietnamese forces more in the war than they did. As a result, high number of casualties caused by multiple bombings coupled with undesirable results such as lack of the south to defend itself when the U.S troops started to be withdrawn against the north after being highly supported by the U.S forces (Colimore, 2000). The happenings clearly show that the decision was poor in terms of assessing possible outcomes as well as evaluating alternatives to the completely problematic situation and that the U.S did not meet the objectives of the war fully. The U.S based its decisions and forecasted its outcomes according to past victories of past wars such as the world war two. They overestimated the extent of their regret if they nearly lost in the war, which was smaller than the preceding ones and, therefore, resulted to using of advanced weaponry that only increased the number of casualties but did not win them the war. This scenario shows that, in the process of avoiding self-blame and regret, the U.S forces unleashed their full wrath upon the North Vietnam forces with disregard to many important factors that saw the war end in a manner that was not expected (Carter, 2010). In the Vietnam War, the U.S government together with the other anti-communist nations incorporated a top down approach to this war. They did this because to it was a war they had to win against not just the North Vietnam state but also the other communist nations of the Soviet and China (Yancey, 2001). A better approach could have been the use of South Vietnam forces that were more used to the harsh conditions of the forests in Vietnam, infested with mosquito’s diseases and undesirable weather that took a toll on the American troops. This approach would have been more of a bottom up approach that would involve more, the people themselves rather than outside forces that tried to use force and brutality instead of wisdom, wit, and good judgment (Colimore, 2000). They could also try to attack the north forces from the inside out, such as trying to divide them by catalyzing conflict between those in power making them go against and turn on each other. This approach would reduce the strength of the northern forces. Another strategy would have been to cut supplies for the north to render them helpless as well as to try to cut the links between the North Vietnams with other communists’ nations. These approaches would have been ideal for a successful victory with minimum casualties and reduced losses in terms of time and resources. The reason the U.S did not use this approach is that first they had underestimated the North Vietnam forces who then ended up killing many U.S troops and highly enduring the war even though they were not as equipped as the enemy forces (Murray, 2005). Secondly, the U.S forces did not incorporate a good war plan with clear strategies that define an ultimate art of war and instead used strength over wisdom approach. The choice of this decision to wage war and incorporate the bombing and airstrike strategy appeared rational based on experiences in previous wars and their victories. Therefore, the outcome of the war could be easily predicted based on this, but other important factors such as other alternatives that would bear positive outcomes, history of past wars tactics and techniques did not become a part of this. For this reason, the decisions became readily accepted, and there was a declaration of war. If the choices had appeared irrational, more research and evaluation of alternatives would have been made, therefore, increasing the quality of the decisions with more choices that are rational and strategies that would help the Americans win the war against communism in Vietnam. The irrational choice would appear vague and under evaluated, therefore, creating the need to go back to planning, strategizing in order to choose the best alternative, to formulate the most efficient, and effective war plan that is objective oriented with minimum casualties and high chance of success (Carter, 2010). The Americans involvement in the Vietnamese war was a decision made in a way to avoid regrets and disappointment but ended up doing the exact opposite. The reason being the basis of the choices made was irrational but made to appear rational about the experiences and fear of self-blame and regret of the expected outcome. It relates to a theory called decision justification theory that explains regret because of the decision, which includes evaluating expected outcome and the self-blame felt for having made a bad choice. This theory is clear in the above scenario where choices made by the Americans have basis on the way to avoid regret based on the decisions they made. Therefore, they made choices that had worked for them best and since at that time, when they were the superpowers, after winning the second world, an opportunity to show off their might came forward. With disregard to effective war plans, tactics and techniques, and the fact that they underestimated the North Vietnams forces, they got shocked when their efforts victory could not be determined, and they could not meet all their desired objectives (Carter, 2010). They chose a crude way to solve the problem involving the use of strength rather than tactics, a top-down approach rather than the most effective bottom up approach in an attempt to avoid regret because of decisions. Other better alternatives were available such as fighting from the inside out through dividing and conquer. They could have used the South Vietnams forces more that would be more effective as they are more used to the harsh conditions of the forests in Vietnam. Another alternative would have been to do more research on the best possible strategy to attack the enemy forces. This can be through formulating effective war plans, incorporating operational art of war that includes war techniques and tactics, use of better ground approach that is a target-oriented one that would reduce the number of casualties and maximized on accomplishing the wars intended goals and objectives. Throughout this scenario, it is clear that the choices made by the Americans are biased because of circumstances; past, present as well as the future. It is because of these circumstances choices appeared rational when they were not. It is because of this; the decisions made during this war led to poor outcome, in terms of the high number of deaths but no actual victory. Regret is a key factor in the decision-making process, but it should not be the main factor; decisions should not be made based on fear of regret.

Anderson, D. L. (2005). The Vietnam War. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Carter, J. M. (2010, September 1). Making Sense of the Vietnam Wars: Local, National, and Transnational Perspectives.(Book review). Journal of World History, 1, 23. Colimore, E. (2000, April 21). ^The Vietnam War changed the way the American military behaves today.(Knight Ridder Newspapers). Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service, p. 17. Murray, S. (2005). Vietnam War. New York: DK Publishing. Yancey, D. (2001). The Vietnam War. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press.

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Research on Making A Right Choice

This sample essay on A Right Choice Essay offers an extensive list of facts and arguments related to it. The essay’s introduction, body paragraphs, and the conclusion are provided below.

I believe the research was valid, based on the answers from certain questions; although it lacked clarity in the hypothesis and vagueness in the questions asked. Despite lack of clarity in some questions, others were very direct and gave clear answers. A number stated that cost would influence their decision to undertake counselling, others said that race would not influence them but gender would.

 Advantage: Brought about direct and clear responses Disadvantage: Sample group to small to reflect wider perspective

Reliability: I believe the answers are reliable for the sample group selected. The questions were reliable in terms of being simple and not over complicated. The outcomes shown in graph gave a fair indication of perception of counselling at that given time. If I had made comparisons with other research methods such as literature interviews or surveys, it may have highlighted a different view.

 Advantage: This was a good choice of research method for topic. Disadvantage: Lack of comparison may change results on outcome.

Initially, some questions seemed relevant such as age, gender, race of respondents. However, it may not have been politically correct to request this information if the outcome did not show how it was to be used. Other factors may contribute to perception of counselling service that were not asked such as, economic factors / wage, class / geography, disability, status.

Proficient in: Choice

“ This writer never make an mistake for me always deliver long before due date. Am telling you man this writer is absolutely the best. ”

If I were to do this again I would rethink why I requested this information and made sure they were relevant in the outcome of the results if requested, Alternatively, I could simply not ask for this information, even though I believe that it is relevant. Advantage: Information may be vital in the outcome of findings Disadvantage: Not relevant if not used, difficult to collate under Equality or Discrimination Acts.

Bias: The questions were closed therefore not giving the respondent leverage to express views. Use of language such a “therapeutic” is not helpful and may constitute a loaded question. If the client states they have never undertaken counselling how would they know if it is therapeutic? This may have been dealt with differently if conducted in interview method. Advantage: Good learning outcome and evaluation for future research.

Disadvantage: May have contributed to final results

ETHICAL AND VALUE ISSUES:

Questionnaires are easy to administer confidentially. Often confidentiality is the necessary to ensure participants will respond honestly if at all. Examples of such cases would include studies that need to ask embarrassing questions about private or personal behaviour. (Internet.2) http://schatz.sju.edu/methods/sampling/intro.html Confidentiality:

Respondents were not required to give information that would personally identify them. Questionnaires were given out safely were there little or no suspicions to answers were raised. All replies were collated and keep safe. Advantage: Privacy and safety of personal information a paramount concern. Disadvantage: None identified. Artificiality: Within this research I did not identify anything that may be construed as artificiality. I assume the reason for this is based on the question being about counselling as a profession and not personalising or criticising respondent as a user of the service. The questions gave little reason for respondent to become defensive; it was also given and received collectively as opposed to privately.

Therefore the permission to be honest and direct was available. However, if this research had been undertaken via interview techniques or observation it may have had a different response. Advantages: Freedom of choice, Disadvantage: Limited and unclear questions caused ambiguity, no room for alternative answers such as not applicable or maybe / sometimes. Choice in participation: Questionnaires were distributed randomly, or in large groups such as class groups. A brief was given regarding the purpose of the research and no pressure placed on participation. The same can be said to respondents on an individual basis and choice given to participate or abstain.

Participants were not given enough choices for an answer; it was either yes or no. Options such as not applicable, maybe or sometimes could have been added. Advantage: Respondents were given the choice and were under no pressure to complete questionnaire Disadvantage: None identified. 3. Evaluate the research methods using a piece of research in counselling Title: Brief dynamic counselling: Making the right choice In reading and evaluating the above article I was very impressed with the hypothesis. The background and introduction made it clear to why it was deemed to be good material for research. Unlike my research the writer had given much thought to the subject and examining its implications on counselling practice.

The methodology used in this research seems to be Case Studies and Literature review. In view of the topic my thoughts were this may not have been the best method. Richards gave two good examples from both sides of the argument. However, the major context of the research seems to be bias against Brief Therapy / Dynamic counselling with negative undertones / prompts to discourage the reader from considering this could possibly be advantageous for the client. The person carrying out a research study may be highly committed and passionate about the project and therefore less open to seeing potential problems” (McLeod. 2003 pg 168 -169.)

The research speaks of society and organisations emphasising lack of time and funding. Although Richards does acknowledge there is a place for this therapy in schools. This highlights that the article was published in 1999 and some articles may take up to two years to be published. Many of the quotes are also almost ten or more years old. Today as I write this society is moving even faster and almost anything can be achieved within an hour or less. Clients still arrive and ask how many sessions they are expected to attend before being given the all clear.

It was interesting to see finance and money are still a consideration in counselling, and that agencies, organisations and private counsellors are seeking ways of making counselling affordable. Ethically, I totally agree that restraints placed on practitioners including strict numbers of sessions or any other description may harm the clients, whether it is financial, lack of resources, poor assessment, inadequate training, and an inexperienced or incompetent counsellor.

All these and more can cause more damage than good to the client and profession. The only exception to this would be in of CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) where the model may specify that target to be met by a certain number of sessions, and the clients agree to this contract, Otherwise, ethically after assessment clients should be informed that further sessions may be required outside the allocated time or through private therapy.

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By Felicia Wong

Ms. Wong is the president and chief executive of Roosevelt Forward, a progressive advocacy organization.

Should we have trillionaires? Should we even have billionaires? According to at least one recent analysis , the economy is on track to mint its first trillionaire — that is 1,000 billion — within a decade. Such staggering accumulations of wealth are made possible in large part by the fact that America’s federal tax burden is so comparatively light. After a long period of seeming to venerate the 1 percent, or the 1 percent of 1 percent of 1 percent, American sentiment is swinging hard against this imbalance.

Now President Biden, behind in many polls and with an economy that is objectively strong but politically unpopular, is hoping to boost his re-election bid with a policy idea that would once have been almost unthinkable: For this portion of the population, at least, he is vowing — almost gleefully — to raise taxes.

Even for a popular president, this would seem like a huge risk. For a Democrat with low job approval ratings and precarious poll numbers on his handling of the economy, it’s a shocking rebuke to conventional wisdom — and practically an invitation to critics to call him a tax-and-spend liberal. But on the politics as well as the policy, Mr. Biden is making the right call. Economic ideas that were once dead on arrival are now gaining traction on both the left and the right. The moment has arrived for changes in the tax code — and maybe beyond.

For at least the past half-century, raising taxes has been the third rail of American politics. Ronald Reagan rode the wave of the late-1970s tax revolt into the Oval Office. I was a kid in California then, and I remember how fierce the anti-tax sentiment was. Howard Jarvis and his followers, mostly older white property owners, pushed for the ballot initiative known as Proposition 13 because they were, in their words, mad as hell that their rising taxes would help educate immigrant families. The anti-taxers won by a nearly two-to-one ratio.

Time magazine put Mr. Jarvis on its cover and called Prop. 13 the “most radical slash in property taxes since Depression days.” The movement devastated schools and social services. But it was political gold and spread nationwide.

During his first year as president, Mr. Reagan cut the highest personal income tax rate from 70 percent to 50 percent. He cut taxes for low-income Americans, too, decreased the maximum capital gains rate from 28 percent to 20 percent and cut corporate taxes. These tax cuts caused such deficits that Mr. Reagan had to reverse some of them during the rest of his time in office, but that is not how history remembers his presidency. By the end of his second term, the top individual rate was only 33 percent.

Anti-tax activists made cutting taxes an explicit political litmus test . In 1988, George H.W. Bush famously pledged, “Read my lips: no new taxes.” Twenty-five years later, Barack Obama modestly raised taxes on the highest-earning Americans, but he kept quiet about it, instead touting middle-class tax cuts that, he said, left middle-income families with a lower tax rate than at “almost any other period in the last 60 years.”

Fast-forward to Mr. Biden, who is making $5 trillion in tax increases central to his re-election campaign. During his State of the Union speech this month, he even made fun of Republicans for favoring cuts. Getting the rich to pay their share is right up there with getting greedy companies to stop charging you junk fees and, he said, shrinking your Snickers bars .

What explains the pivot? The president is following the money. Over the past decade and even more since the pandemic, wealth concentration has shot up astonishingly. Elon Musk was worth about $25 billion in 2020 and at the end of 2023 was worth almost 10 times that. In 1990 there were nearly 70 American billionaires . Today there are nearly 700. To what earthly end are we encouraging trillionaires?

The trend toward extreme inequality has fueled tremendous populist outrage, like the tax revolt in reverse. It may have been the Bernie Sanders left that started the “billionaires are a policy failure” meme, but poll after poll shows that two-thirds to three-quarters of Americans want higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations.

It isn’t all outrage, though. A lot of it is common sense. As one of the wealthy nations with the lowest tax rates, the United States has put off investing in our families and children. This deferred maintenance is costly: Our child care, health care, family leave and higher education systems are, as a result, among the most expensive and least accessible in the world. Making these arenas a priority is affordable and effective, and they have waited far too long.

Raising high-end taxes can be good for business, too. In the 1960s, George Romney, Mitt’s father, regularly turned down his bonuses from his auto executive job, perhaps in part because his marginal tax rate would have been about 90 percent. It made more sense for companies then to invest excess profits back into their businesses rather than in C.E.O. pay packages. Today, C.E.O. pay at the largest companies has skyrocketed while businesses have invested less in research , physical plant and other capital assets.

“Tax and spend” wasn’t always an epithet. Reagan Republicans and 1970s-era right-wing populists weaponized the label every chance they got. “You could be talking about the Mets versus the Dodgers,” the former U.S. Representative Steve Israel of New York recalled , “and good Republican operatives would be able to weave in tax-and-spend.”

But the term, as Mr. Biden and his team clearly know, no longer stings in quite the same way, especially not if taxes are linked to a vision that would make Americans’ lives less anxiety-ridden and more stable. Donald Trump’s hallmark legislative achievement, the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which cut more than $1 trillion in taxes — mostly for the wealthy and corporations — has major provisions that are set to expire next year. A partisan battle will ensue. Mr. Biden’s 2024 push on taxes is a shot across that bow. Can we imagine an even bigger shift on taxation than the one Mr. Biden is making?

Could we get past the sense that taxes are what the government takes and toward an idea of taxes as a means of patriotism, a kitty we all pay into to build something for community use: a school, a library, a road, a college, a hospital? What if taxation could bring us all together? It’s not that wild an idea. As the political scientist Vanessa Williamson notes, both liberal and conservative Americans view paying taxes as a moral duty. Just think of the pride with which people refer to themselves as taxpayers.

Of course, taxes are a civic good only if the tax rules are perceived as being fair. Which is why Mr. Biden’s calculated risk could pay many dividends come November.

Felicia Wong is the president and chief executive of Roosevelt Forward, the advocacy partner of the progressive think tank the Roosevelt Institute.

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Opinion What we have learned about the Supreme Court’s right-wingers

Supreme Court observers frequently refer to its right-wing majority of six as a single bloc. However, differences among those six have become more apparent over time. Justices Samuel A. Alito Jr.’s and Clarence Thomas’s extreme judicial activism, partisan screeds and ethics controversies put them in a category unto themselves. Meanwhile, Justice Amy Coney Barrett has demonstrated surprising independence.

Watch Justice Barrett.

Not all Republican-appointed judges are the same. In Trump v. Anderson (concerning disqualification under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of four-times-indicted former president Donald Trump), for example, Barrett, along with Justices Elena Kagan, Ketanji Brown Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor, criticized the maximalist majority opinion, which held that not only could state courts not determine disqualification but that Congress had to act before any candidate could be disqualified from federal office.

Like the so-called liberal justices, Barrett was disinclined to address “the complicated question whether federal legislation is the exclusive vehicle through which Section 3 can be enforced.” The court decided too much, she agreed. Her complaint with the so-called liberal justices was primarily tonal. (“This is not the time to amplify disagreement with stridency.”)

Likewise, in United States v. Texas (considering the stay on enforcement of Texas’s S.B. 4 immigration law ), Barrett, along with Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, offered the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit an opening to take up the case promptly, which it did, rather than wade into a procedural fight over a stay in a case concerning Texas’s constitutionally suspect law.

As Supreme Court expert Steve Vladeck put it , “The Barrett/Kavanaugh concurrence went out of its way to nudge the Fifth Circuit — noting not only that the Fifth Circuit should be able to rule on the stay pending appeal ‘promptly,’ but that, ‘If a decision does not issue soon, the applicants may return to this Court.’” In essence, Barrett said the Supreme Court would not meddle in a circuit’s administrative business. But if the 5th Circuit actually allowed this constitutional monstrosity to proceed, she would have a different view.

And in Moore v. Harper (the independent state legislature doctrine), Barrett joined in the chief justice’s majority opinion, along with the three Democratic-appointed justices, to bat down the radical notion that state courts have no role in determining alleged violations of state election laws (provided they did “not transgress the ordinary bounds of judicial review”).

Beyond her opinions in high-profile cases, Barrett also sought to repair the court’s reputation damaged by right-wing partisanship. She has started appearing alongside Sotomayor publicly to insist that the court’s ideological combatants are more collegial than they might appear. Perhaps she is.

Barrett is no Sandra Day O’Connor (a true swing justice). Barrett was just as extreme on Roe v. Wade as the other right-wingers. Nevertheless, her efforts to carve an independent niche on the court should not be ignored.

On the other hand, there is no limit to what Justices Alito and Thomas will do.

In contrast to Barrett, no right-wing theory or activist invitation is too wacky for Alito and Thomas to entertain.

During oral argument on Danco Laboratories v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine (considering the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone), Alito and Thomas took up the right-wing infatuation with the Comstock Act , passed in 1873. Alito, alone among the justices, seemed anxious to speed past the very real “standing” issue to ruminate about a means of banning abortion nationwide.

The Comstock law, which has not been enforced in about a century, bans sending “every article, instrument, substance, drug, medicine, or thing which is advertised or described in a manner calculated to lead another to use or apply it for producing abortion .” (Also, certainly unconstitutionally, it bans a large category of vaguely defined pornography.) Thomas and Alito seem ready and willing to deploy the law in a way it has never been applied: namely, to states where abortion is otherwise legal, thereby threatening the availability of medical abortions nationwide.

The Post reported , “Some experts and Biden officials fear Alito and Thomas are planning to write a separate opinion focused solely on the Comstock Act, arguing that the law remains viable and providing legal cover to a future administration that seeks to invoke it.” Even if Alito and Thomas do not carry the day, the Hill reported , “access to abortion pills could still very much be at risk if Alito and Thomas succeed in soliciting a Comstock-focused challenge in the future,” abortion rights defenders fear. A future Republican administration might well start trying to employ the law to throw abortion providers in jail.

Fishing for a hook to extrapolate the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling into a nationwide ban on medical abortions epitomizes these justices’ radical disregard for precedent and brazen judicial activism. Indeed, Alito and Thomas increasingly seem like stalking horses for the far-right agenda, be it on guns, abortion or voting.

The Supreme Court’s credibility

Numerous polls show the court’s approval has cratered , likely a function of its ethics scandals, partisan rhetoric and aggressive reversal of precedent. In other words, judicial imperialism and disdain for ethical rules that apply even to members of Congress are unpopular with voters.

Increasingly partisan Thomas and Alito no longer bother to conceal their contempt for ethical restrictions , congressional oversight or judicial temperament . They have repeatedly failed to disclose luxurious gifts (with no sign of remorse) and remain adamant that they will accept no outside oversight.

After a firestorm of protest over financial disclosure lapses, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. released ethical guidelines so weak that they lack an enforcement mechanism. Worse, the guidelines are so porous that they posed no barrier to Thomas sitting on cases involving attempts to overturn the 2020 election that his wife supported.

Unless the rest of the court decides to restrain Thomas and Alito, concerns about ethical lapses and misalignment with contemporary American values will deepen, heightening demands for congressional responses (e.g., mandatory ethics, term limits, court expansion). If that happens, Alito and Thomas will be largely responsible.

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'Ripley' returns in black and white — and is so much better for it

Linda Holmes

The new Netflix adaptation of The Talented Mr. Ripley is brilliantly shot in black and white. It's a meticulously built piece of filmmaking and looking at it shot by shot is a profound pleasure. Maurizio Lombardi/Netflix hide caption

The new Netflix adaptation of The Talented Mr. Ripley is brilliantly shot in black and white. It's a meticulously built piece of filmmaking and looking at it shot by shot is a profound pleasure.

I was happy that I didn't know a lot about the Netflix series Ripley before I watched it. I had heard, vaguely, that there was a new adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel The Talented Mr. Ripley , which has been adapted before, perhaps most famously in 1999's film of the same name. But I'd forgotten that the lead character, Tom Ripley, would be played by Andrew Scott, whom I have loved in everything from Fleabag (so sexy!) to Black Mirror (so creepy!). And I hadn't heard it was in black and white.

It's a brilliant idea, really, particularly because that 1999 film adaptation, directed by Anthony Minghella, is so beloved. And it's beloved in part because of its rich, luscious, sunshine-drenched color palette. Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow as Dickie and Marge gleam gloriously on the Italian beach. The jazz club where Tom comes on stage for that fevered rendition of "Tu Vuo' Fa L'Americano" — the moment in which Tom becomes briefly, perfectly happy, and thus the moment that probably sets the rest of the tragedy in motion — glows with red and blue light. And even when Dickie finds himself in that little boat with Tom, he begins the scene reclining, with the sun shining on his face and warming his ankles, which are exposed by his rolled-up cuffs.

Untangling the contradictions of crime novelist Patricia Highsmith

Perhaps not for that reason, but still to its great benefit, Ripley pulls hard in the opposite direction. This is chilled noir filmmaking, where deep shadows land in cheekbone hollows and light is carved into blocks by bars and blinds. Scott's eyes don't just look dark; they look like onyx marbles. It fits, because this version of Tom is not the kid who never meant to end up in a terrible situation and might have lived a perfectly normal life if not for his collision with Dickie's father, who believes Tom to be something he's not. This version of Tom is pure con artist from the opening frames, running small-time scams to rip people off for a little bit of money at a time, much of it specifically by pretending to be someone he's not.

Stephen Zaillian, the screenwriter and director, and Robert Elswit, the director of photography, are both Oscar winners. Zaillian won for writing Schindler's List ; Elswit won for the cinematography on There Will Be Blood . (Elswit also was the cinematographer for Michael Clayton , which makes perhaps the most direct comparison not to the particular look of Ripley , but to its impeccable tension and dread.) They collaborate here and create a meticulously built piece of filmmaking that references classic noir and Hitchcock as well as Italian cinema greats, and just looking at it shot by shot is a profound pleasure.

Andrew Scott as Tom Ripley. Philippe Antonello/Netflix hide caption

I read a comment the other day that said there's no reason to make anything in black and white now that color exists. Nothing, this comment alleged, has ever been better in black and white than it would have been in color — black and white was used by necessity, and to use it by choice is an affectation. But this, of course, is extraordinarily silly. Black and white photography, perhaps because it's become so rare in television and film, positions a piece relative to particular immovable cultural artifacts. If The Talented Mr. Ripley makes you think of Hitchcock's splashy mid century Technicolor, Ripley will perhaps invoke Psycho instead. It asks different things of the viewer, too. For people accustomed to watching in color, it shifts the focus of the visuals away from color to shapes and light.

'Ripley' offers a novel take. Literally.

But more fundamentally, the fact that an "advancement" is more rigorously representative of reality does not make it artistically superior. Yes, the real world is in color for most people. But the real world also takes place in real time, and that doesn't make editing a regrettable compromise. Reality is full of the boring and the mediocre; fiction is not meant to precisely copy it. Color photography can be done well or badly, thoughtfully or thoughtlessly. Black and white is the same. There is an interplay between light and architecture in Ripley , for instance, that would not be nearly as effective in color. Also, this is a story with some awful violence, and a scene of violence that does without the red blood that has been used and overused to the point of numbness is not any less brutal. It just moves the focus to other things — in this case, very often, that's the logistics of handling dead bodies and murder scenes.

Netflix's stylish 'Ripley' stretches the grift — and the tension — to the max

In the very first scene you'll see in Ripley , Tom is moving a body down a flight of stairs. Were the scene in color, it might be overwhelmed by the sight of blood. In black and white, it is dominated by a thump-thump-thump, and by the sickening slackness of the body's uncontrolled limbs. Color would not enhance the dark corners of the story; it would in fact distract from them.

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