Below is an example of an outline for a For and
Against Essay.
Introduction
- Paraphrase! Restate the topic
in your own words.
- Acknowledge the complexity of
the issue and state that you will look at both For and Against arguments.
Body (Paragraph 1)
- Introduce the major argument
For: "On the one hand..."
- Present the main points and
elaborate.
Body (Paragraph 2)
- Introduce the major argument
Against: "On the other hand..."
- Present the main points
and elaborate.
Conclusion
- State that after weighing both
arguments you have finally developed your own opinion.
- Close your essay with a
dramatic, thought-provoking statement of your personal thoughts on the
issue.
Essay Topic: “ Should
GMOs be labeled or not – For and Against “
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs), also
known as genetically modified or engineered foods, are created by forcing a
piece of DNA from a totally different species, such as bacteria or viruses,
into the DNA of a plant or animal. There are no long-term studies demonstrating
that GMOs are safe for humans and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does
not do its own safety testing. Since most people like to know what they are
eating, the question is: “Should GMO products be labeled”?
Proponents of the idea of labeling genetically
modified foods argue that refusing to label is wrong and unfair to the
consumers who should have the right to know what they are buying so they can
decide for themselves whether they want to buy the food or not. Even if health
safety factors are not an issue, some people might have moral or religious
objections. They also strongly advocate that the FDA does not require a set of
specific human safety studies prior to commercialization, thus the consumer
needs to be warned.
Opponents of the aforementioned idea of
labeling, claim that both the companies that produce the crops, and a wide
range of independent researchers, have studied GMO crop safety for years.
Highly qualified scientific panels have reviewed those data and consistently
concluded that these improved crops represent no unusual risk compared to crops
improved by traditional methods. Consequently, since no hazard has been
documented for dozens of biotech crops, over all these years of extensive
commercialization, they feel that labeling GMO products does not make sense.
In conclusion, the issue of human safety over
the consumption of genetically modified products should be a heated and
controversial matter. But, since there
is no evidence that GM food is truly safe for human consumption, nor
is there any consensus on this topic within the scientific community, mandatory food labeling should be
reserved for well-documented public health needs and should be linked to viable
public education efforts.
(326 words)
