Which of the following arguments is most convincing?
A: Deception is bad. B: Deception is bad because it is dishonest. C: Deception is bad because when the dishonesty is revealed, real people are deeply impacted like those that lost their life savings when Bernard Madoff’s ponzi scheme collapsed.
Of course “C” is clearly more convincing. Why? Because “C” uses a very concrete example. “A” is too vague. “B” is better but it is still a bit abstract.
If you want to make your essays more convincing, shoot for “C” as in concrete. The number one way to make your essays more convincing is to use concrete examples. This is true on standardized test essays like the S.A.T. as well as essays for school assignments.
So for your next essay, lose the abstract and get concrete!