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39 “This I Believe” Essay

The history of ‘this i believe’.

by Tanya Matthews

This I Believe is an exciting media project that invites individuals from all walks of life to write about and discuss the core beliefs that guide their daily lives. They share these statements in weekly broadcasts on NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered .

The series is based on the 1950’s radio program This I Believe , hosted by acclaimed journalist Edward R. Murrow. Each day, some 39-million Americans gathered by their radios to hear compelling essays from the likes of Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Robinson, Helen Keller and Harry Truman as well as corporate leaders, cab drivers, scientists and secretaries — anyone able to distill into a few minutes the guiding principles by which they lived. Their words brought comfort and inspiration to a country worried about the Cold War, McCarthyism and racial division.

Eventually, the radio series became a cultural phenomenon. Eighty-five leading newspapers printed a weekly column based on This I Believe . A collection of essays published in 1952 sold 300,000 copies — second only to the Bible that year. The series was translated and broadcast around the globe on the Voice of America. A book of essays translated into Arabic sold 30,000 copies in just three days.

[The NPR series This I Believe can be read and heard here . In addition, the website and organization This I Believe houses thousands of essays written by famous people, such as the ones mentioned above, and everyday people like you and me.]

As a college student in 2020, you are faced with turbulent politics, socioeconomic issues, and ethical dilemmas that will challenge you to take a stand and contribute to the local, national, and global conversation around you. The purpose of this writing task is not to persuade you to agree on the same beliefs. Rather, it is to encourage you to begin the much more difficult task of developing respect for beliefs different from your own. Fifty years ago, Edward R. Murrow’s project struck such a chord with millions of Americans. It can do so again today…with you.

Video Resources for Generating Ideas

Dan gediman on writing a “this i believe essay”.

Read Cecelia Munoz’s essay “Getting Angry Can Be a Good Thing” referred to in the previous video here .

“This I Believe” Essay with Animation

“This I Believe” Essay Ideas

Prewriting Activity

1) analyze others’ statements.

Consider the following statements, written in response to the question What Have You Learned About Life? Highlight any sentences that resonate with you. Talk about them with a partner or group, explaining why. 1. I’ve learned that when I wave to people in the country, they stop what they are doing and wave back. – Age 9 2. I’ve learned that if you want to cheer yourself up, you should try cheering someone else up. – Age 14 3. I’ve learned that although it’s hard to admit it, I’m secretly glad my parents are strict with me. – Age 15 4. I’ve learned that if someone says something unkind about me, I must live so that no one will believe it. – Age 39 5. I’ve learned that there are people who love you dearly but just don’t know how to show it. – Age 42 6. I’ve learned that you can make someone’s day by simply sending them a little note. – Age 44 7. I’ve learned that the greater a person’s sense of guilt, the greater his or her need to cast blame on others. – Age 46 8. I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. – Age 48 9. I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you miss them terribly after they die. – Age 53 10. I’ve learned that making a living is not the same thing as making a life. – Age 58 11. I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. – Age 62 12. I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with kindness, I usually make the right decision. – Age 66 13. I’ve learned that it pays to believe in miracles. And to tell the truth, I’ve seen several. – Age 75 14. I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one. – Age 82 15. I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love that human touch—holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. – Age 85 16. I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn. – Age 92

2) Compose Your Own Statement

Write down a sentence that expresses what YOU have learned about life. Maybe it is similar to one of the statements above; maybe it’s completely different. Whatever it is, write it down.

3) Freewrit e

Now free-write about your sentence. Include at least two examples / experiences that you have had that support why you think this way.

Personal Statement/Philosophy: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Why do you believe in this statement? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Name two experiences that you had that would support the statement: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What does this say about yourself or your personality? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ After your life experience, how have you come to the conclusion that this should be your statement? How have your beliefs changed, if at all? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ How has the event effected your relationship with a person, place, or object? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ How does your statement apply to you today? (How you view yourself & society) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SAMPLE STUDENT ESSAYS

Sample #1: america’s beauty is in its diversity.

written by Alaa El-Saad,  high school student,  as heard on NPR’s Tell Me More (2009)

America is built on the idea of freedom, and there is no exception for Muslim women. I believe in the freedom of religion and speech. But mostly, I believe it’s OK to be different, and to stand up for who and what you are. So I believe in wearing the hijab.

The hijab is a religious head covering, like a scarf. I am Muslim and keeping my head covered is a sign of maturity and respect toward my religion and to Allah’s will. To be honest, I also like to wear it to be different. I don’t usually like to do what everyone else is doing. I want to be an individual, not just part of the crowd. But when I first wore it, I was also afraid of the reaction that I’d get at school.

I decided on my own that sixth grade was the time I should start wearing the hijab. I was scared about what the kids would say or even do to me. I thought they might make fun of me, or even be scared of me and pull off my headscarf. Kids at that age usually like to be all the same, and there’s little or no acceptance for being different.

On the first day of school, I put all those negative thoughts behind my back and walked in with my head held high. I was holding my breath a little, but inside I was also proud to be a Muslim, proud to be wearing the hijab, proud to be different.

I was wrong about everything I thought the kids would say or even do to me. I actually met a lot of people because of wearing my head covering. Most of the kids would come and ask me questions—respectfully—about the hijab, and why I wore it.

I did hear some kid was making fun of me, but there was one girl—she wasn’t even in my class, we never really talked much—and she stood up for me, and I wasn’t even there! I made a lot of new friends that year, friends that I still have until this very day, five years later.

Yes, I’m different, but everyone is different here, in one way or another. This is the beauty of America. I believe in what America is built on: all different religions, races and beliefs. Different everything.

Sample #2: The Essentials to Happiness

written by Alexxandra Schuman, high school student, as heard on The Bob Edwards Show (2013)

As a child, I was generally happy; singing and dancing to my favorite songs; smiling and laughing with my friends and family. But as far back as second grade, I noticed a “darkness,” about me. I didn’t enjoy engaging in many things. I didn’t relate to my peers in elementary school because they appeared so happy, and I didn’t have that ability to achieve happiness so easily.

In middle school things in my life began to get even worse. I began withdrawing from everything I once enjoyed; swimming, tennis, family. I hated going to sleep knowing I had to wake up to another day. I was always tired. Everything was horrible. Finally, midway through eighth grade, I was told I had a chemical imbalance; diagnosed with clinical depression and put on medication. It took months for me to feel the effects of the medication.

When I began to feel happy again, is when I realized that I had to take the responsibility for getting better myself, rather than relying on medication and therapy alone. Aristotle said, “To live happily is an inward power of the soul,” and I believe that this quote describes what I had to do to achieve happiness. Happiness is a journey. Everyone seems to need different things to be happy. But I believe people are blinded from what truly makes one happy.

Growing up, we’re encouraged to be successful in life; but how is success defined? Success and happiness are imagined now as having a lot of money. It is so untrue. Recently I went to Costa Rica and visited the small town of El Roble. I spent the day with a nine-year old girl named Marilyn. She took me to her house to meet her parents. It was obvious that they were not rich; living in a small house with seven children. The house was cluttered but full of life. Those who have decided that success and happiness comes from having money and a big house would be appalled at how utterly happy this family from El Roble is. People say that seeing things like that make you appreciate what you have, but for me, it made me envy them for being so happy without all the things I have.

“The essentials to happiness are something to love, something to do, and something to hope for,” a quote from William Blake sums up what I believe people need to realize to be truly happy in life. People need love; I feel they need their family and their friends more than anything in the world. People need work to do, something to make them feel they are making a difference in the world. People need to know that more good is to come in the future, so they continue to live for “now” instead of constantly worrying about the bad that could come. And most importantly people need to know that happiness is not something that happens overnight. Love and hope is happiness.

Sample #3: Find a Good Frog

written by Delia Motavalli, high school student, as heard on The Bob Edwards Show (2013)

I believe in finding a good frog. It seems that all throughout childhood, we are taught to look for a happily ever after. “And they all lived happily ever after”; isn’t that the conclusion to many children’s films? When I was a kid I always thought of that as magical; but now really it just seems unrealistic. And it teaches us that what we want is a fairytale like they have in the storybooks. We all want to be Cinderella who gets swept off her feet by the hot prince; we want to live in the royal castle, right? But I don’t think that’s necessarily a good thing for us to seek. Now I’m not saying I believe in being pessimistic, but I do believe in being realistic; it’s something I got from my mom.

My mother and I always have our best conversations in the rain. We sit in the car, neither of us wanting to brave the rain to get to the house. So we sit. We watch droplets race down the windshield, listen to the rain strike the roof of her little blue Honda, and feel the heater on full-blast rushing at our feet (just the way we like it). I don’t know why, but sitting in the car, we always talk more than normal. There was one rainy day when my mom told me something that is going to stick with me forever. Earlier that day she and my dad had been arguing about something; I can’t remember what. So she said, “Don’t spend your life looking for Prince Charming. Instead, find yourself a really good frog.”

At the time, I found this thought really disheartening. Who wants to think that you’ll never find Prince Charming? You’ll never get to be Cinderella? Another thought that struck my mind: if my mom says there’s no Prince Charming, then what’s my dad? A frog? I asked her, and she replied with, “Of course! If he were Prince Charming, he wouldn’t snore, would be able to cook, and we would never argue. But you know what? He’s a damn good frog.” Of course, being young, I didn’t think of the meaning behind what she was saying. I was too busy thinking of it literally, visualizing my mom as a princess and my dad in frog form.

But a few years later, I understand the value of my mom’s words. You can’t expect everything to be perfect. Let’s be completely honest; if you wait your whole life for your prince with flowing hair, statuesque features, and a white horse, you’re going to be lonely. I think that the point of finding a good frog is you accept something that’s great, flaws and all. It’s so easy to be picky. You can find the one tiny thing that’s wrong, and that one tiny thing is what you can’t get your mind off of. But in life, we can’t afford to wait years in vain for perfection. So I think that a good frog, an amazing frog, the best frog you can find is what we’re really looking for in this world. Don’t laze through life waiting for a happily ever after, because I don’t think you’ll be very happy with the outcome.

Examples from the ‘This I Believe’ Website

Be Cool to the Pizza Dude by Sarah Adams

They Lived Their Faith by Charles Henry Parrish

Returning to What’s Natural by Amelia Baxter-Stoltzfus

The Birthright of Human Dignity by Will Thomas

Remembering All The Boys by Elvia Bautista

I Am Still The Greatest by Muhammad Ali

A Goal Of Service To Humankind by Anthony Fauci

My Life Is Better by Abraham

Give Me a Waffle by Brenda

The Little Things by Sophie Crossley

You can also browse thousands more This I Believe essays by theme .

Prefer to Listen to Get Inspiration?

Check out This I Believe’s Podcast Series

4) Drafting

Assignment guidelines + suggestions and tips for drafting.

1. While the examples you’ve been given can serve as a model, it is essential that each of you write about a personal belief or philosophy that you feel strongly about. 2. Tell a story. Personal experiences are the corner stone of a good essay. Your story doesn’t have to be a heart breaker or even a major event, but it must be something that has affected how you think, feel, and act. List your personal experiences that you intend to use as evidence below: 3. Be concise. Avoid repetition. This essay should be between 500 – 650 words. When read aloud, it should take roughly four minutes. 4. Name your belief. It is essential that you can name your belief in a sentence or two. Focus on one belief only. This is your thesis. Write it here: 5. Be positive. Avoid preaching or persuading. You aren’t trying to change the way others think or act. Write about what you believe, not what you don’t believe. 6. Use the first person. Speak for yourself. Avoid using we or you. 7. Let your voice shine. Use language that sounds like you. Read it aloud as your revise. Keep making changes until your essay sounds like you and captures the essence of your belief.

5) Peer Review

Once you have written your first draft, arrange for your essay to be edited by a peer, using the following Peer-Editing Checklist: Writer’s Name: ________________________________________________ Peer Editor’s Name: ________________________________________________ Use your PENCIL or PEN (NOT red or green) to make corrections. Remember, this essay is a work in progress. You are not done writing! Look for ways to improve what you’ve already written. Tick each step if it has been completed. _____ 1. Read the paper backwards, one sentence at a time. Check for spelling errors. Use a dictionary, a friend, or a spell checker to find the correct spelling. _____ 2. Check for capitalized proper nouns and the first word of each sentence. _____ 3. Skip a line between each paragraph. _____ 4. Every sentence should have end punctuation. _____ 5. Check commas. Are they only used for compound sentences, a list of items, an introductory word or phrase, direct address, setting off interruptions, separating adjectives, or in dates? Do you need to add commas? Make sure you do not have commas separating complete sentences (i.e. comma splice errors that create run-on sentences). _____ 6. Apostrophes are used only for contractions and to show ownership. _____ 7. The use of more complex punctuation (dashes, hyphens, semi-colons, parentheses, etc.) is done correctly. _____ 8. Have you used commonly mixed pairs of words correctly? Check these: they’re/their/there, your/you’re, it’s/its, a/an, to/too/two, are/our/hour, and others. _____ 9. Read the paper backwards one sentence at a time. Check for sentence fragments and run-ons and correct them. _____ 10. Did you stay in present tense (such as is, am, do, take, know, etc.) or past tense (such as was, were, did, took, knew, etc.) throughout the entire essay? _____ 11. Did you stay in first person (I, me, my, we, us, our) or third person (he, him, she, her, they, them, their) throughout the entire essay? _____ 12. Was there adequate use of specific details and sensory details? Were the details clear and relevant to the statement? _____ 13. Is the overall purpose/philosophy clear? _____ 14. Does the conclusion make you go, “Wow!” “Cool!” “I never thought about it that way,” or any other similar reaction? Other suggestions for the overall content of the piece: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

possible grading rubric for This I Believe essay

This I Believe by Tanya Matthews is licensed by CC-BY-SA

“This I Believe” Essay Copyright © 2020 by Liza Long; Amy Minervini; and Joel Gladd is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Myself — Personal Beliefs

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Essays About Personal Beliefs

Personal beliefs essay topcis.

Personal beliefs are the convictions and values that individuals hold as true and significant in their lives. These beliefs can be shaped by various factors, including cultural background, religious upbringing, personal experiences, and education. The theme of personal beliefs is vast and multifaceted, often touching upon morality, ethics, spirituality, and personal identity. Exploring personal beliefs in an essay allows for deep introspection and examination of how these beliefs influence behavior, decision-making, and interactions with others.

Choosing a Topic for a Personal Beliefs Essay

When selecting a topic for a personal beliefs essay, consider the following steps:

  • Reflect on Your Own Beliefs: Start by reflecting on your own personal beliefs and values. What are the core convictions that shape your life? This reflection can provide a strong foundation for your essay.
  • Consider Broader Themes: Think about broader themes related to personal beliefs, such as morality, spirituality, social justice, or cultural traditions. How do these themes intersect with your own beliefs?
  • Choose the Type of Essay: Decide on the type of essay you wish to write. This could be analytical, narrative, descriptive, argumentative, or compare and contrast.
  • Research and Relevance: Ensure that there is enough research material available on the chosen topic if you are writing an analytical or argumentative essay. The topic should also be relevant and engaging to your audience.
  • Personal Connection: Select a topic that you have a personal connection with or a strong interest in.

Categories and Types of Media Analysis Essay Topics

  • Analytical: Analyze the portrayal of gender roles in "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood.
  • Narrative: Write a narrative about how a particular novel changed your perspective on a social issue.
  • Comparative: Compare the representation of dystopian societies in "1984" by George Orwell and "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley.
  • Descriptive: Describe the impact of literary censorship on society.
  • Argumentative: Argue the significance of diverse voices in contemporary literature.

Social Issues

  • Analytical: Analyze the media's role in shaping public opinion on climate change.
  • Narrative: Share a personal story about how media coverage of a social issue influenced your beliefs.
  • Comparative: Compare the portrayal of social justice movements in different news outlets.
  • Descriptive: Describe the impact of social media on political activism.
  • Argumentative: Argue whether the media has a responsibility to promote social justice.
  • Analytical: Analyze the influence of political advertisements on voter behavior.
  • Narrative: Narrate an experience of how political media influenced your political views.
  • Comparative: Compare the media coverage of two different political events.
  • Descriptive: Describe the role of media in a democratic society.
  • Argumentative: Argue the effects of media bias on elections.

Entertainment

  • Analytical: Analyze the representation of mental health in contemporary television series.
  • Narrative: Write a narrative about how a movie or TV show impacted your personal beliefs.
  • Comparative: Compare the portrayal of heroism in Marvel and DC movies.
  • Descriptive: Describe the evolution of diversity in Hollywood films.
  • Argumentative: Argue the importance of representation in media.
  • Analytical: Analyze the impact of social media algorithms on information consumption.
  • Narrative: Narrate a personal story about how technology has influenced your beliefs.
  • Comparative: Compare the media portrayal of technological advancements in different decades.
  • Descriptive: Describe the role of media in the digital age.
  • Argumentative: Argue the ethical implications of media technology on privacy.
  • Analytical: Analyze the portrayal of health crises in the media.
  • Narrative: Write a narrative about how media coverage of a health issue impacted your beliefs or actions.
  • Comparative: Compare the media coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic with past health crises.
  • Descriptive: Describe the role of media in promoting public health awareness.
  • Argumentative: Argue the responsibility of the media in addressing misinformation about health.
  • Analytical: Analyze the impact of media on consumer behavior.
  • Narrative: Narrate a story about how media influenced your views on a particular brand or product.
  • Comparative: Compare the portrayal of corporate responsibility in different media outlets.
  • Descriptive: Describe the role of media in shaping business ethics.
  • Argumentative: Argue the effects of advertising on consumer culture.

Choosing a topic for a personal beliefs essay involves deep reflection on your own values and convictions, and considering broader themes that intersect with these beliefs. By selecting a type of essay and ensuring there is ample research material available, you can create a compelling and insightful essay. Exploring media analysis topics allows you to critically examine how media influences various aspects of society, from literature and social issues to politics and business. By carefully selecting and researching your topic, you can provide a thorough analysis that highlights the profound impact of media on personal beliefs and societal norms.

Personal Belief Thesis Statement Examples

Here are a few examples of personal belief statements:

  • I believe in the power of kindness and strive to make a positive impact on those around me through compassionate actions and words.
  • I believe in continuous learning and personal growth, seeking out new experiences and knowledge to better myself and the world.
  • I believe in the importance of family and friends, cherishing the relationships that provide support, love, and happiness in my life.
  • I believe in equality and justice, advocating for fair treatment and opportunities for all individuals, regardless of their background or circumstances.
  • I believe in the resilience of the human spirit, knowing that challenges and setbacks are opportunities for growth and strength.
  • I believe in the necessity of environmental stewardship, committing to sustainable practices to protect our planet for future generations.
  • I believe in the transformative power of creativity, using artistic expression to inspire, heal, and connect with others.

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Integrity and What It Means to Me

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Personal beliefs are the principles or convictions that individuals hold to be true, guiding their behaviors, decisions, and perceptions of the world. These beliefs are often influenced by cultural, religious, familial, and personal experiences.

  • Personal beliefs can significantly shape a person's identity and influence their life choices.
  • Beliefs can change over time due to new experiences, education, and introspection.
  • Cognitive dissonance occurs when an individual holds conflicting beliefs, leading to mental discomfort and a drive to reconcile the differences.
  • Beliefs are not just confined to religious or spiritual domains but can encompass a wide range of topics including politics, health, and morality.
  • The strength of a belief can affect how a person interprets new information and interacts with others who hold different beliefs.

Understanding personal beliefs is crucial as they influence behavior, shape identity, and affect interactions with others. Exploring this topic can lead to greater self-awareness and empathy towards different perspectives, fostering a more inclusive and understanding society. This understanding can also be a compelling subject for Personal_Beliefs ssay topics.

Relevant topics

  • Self Reflection
  • Personal Strengths
  • Self Assessment
  • About Myself
  • Personal Goals
  • Responsibility

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belief essay outline

How to Write a Paper About Your Beliefs

Writing a paper about your beliefs, as part of a creative or essay writing course, requires knowing your thoughts and organizing them. Usually assigned as a personal essay, this topic is also used in social studies, philosophy and psychology classes. Personal essays about beliefs share the same essay structure as essays on other topics, and following an outline can keep you on point throughout the writing process.

belief essay outline

Develop a Thesis Statement

The thesis statement should encompass your overall life's philosophy as well as at least three major points that support that belief system. Your thesis statement guides your writing and is included as the final sentence of your introductory paragraph. Begin developing your thesis statement by making a list of words that describe your personal belief system. From that list choose three to five words that best encompass your entire philosophy and work those words into one or two sentences that explain your beliefs. Keep the ideas in the thesis as broad as possible to allow for specific examples and explanations throughout your paper.

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How to make a conceptual framework for a thesis, how to write a college expository essay, how to write a good argumentative essay introduction, how to write a personal profile for a university application, how to write an essay based on a film and an article, organize your thoughts.

Once you have a thesis statement that gives an overall view of your personal beliefs, it is time to organize your thoughts into an outline. Your outline should have five main headings that talk about your belief system as it relates to things like faith, family, relationships, community and worldview. Each main heading needs three to five subheadings that provide examples of how your belief system informs each area of your life. Organize your headings as follows: introduction, three to five body paragraphs and a conclusion. The introductory paragraph introduces your topic and contains your thesis statement. The body paragraphs explain the points of your thesis, and the conclusion summarizes your paper and leaves the reader with some final thoughts about your belief system.

Introduce Your Topic

Use your introduction to let your reader know some background information about how your belief system has developed and how you plan to explain your beliefs throughout your paper. Your introduction should be conversational in order to draw the reader in and make her sympathetic to what you have to say. Remember that the goal of a personal essay about beliefs is to inform the reader and inspire empathy, not to persuade.

Build the Body

The body of your paper should be three to five paragraphs in length depending on your thesis statement. Each paragraph should cover one aspect of your belief system -- faith, family, relationships and worldview -- as outlined in your thesis and should contain three to five well-crafted sentences giving examples of how your belief system impacts each area of your life. For example, you might talk about how your belief system affects your daily and weekly schedule as far as church attendance, prayer times, meditation, yoga practice or other rituals you do that enhance or reflect your beliefs. Give the history of and reasons for these practices and how they coincide with your worldview.

Final Thoughts

Your final paragraph should summarize what you have written and include any information that further illustrates your personal belief system. Use quotes from people that personify your worldview or examples of behaviors from others that you admire. Your conclusion should leave your reader with a firm grasp of who you are and what you believe in three to five sentences.

  • Writers Digest: How to Write a Reader-Friendly Essay
  • 10th Grade College Writing: Personal Belief Essay-Grading Criteria

Patti Richards has been a writer since 1990. She writes children’s books and articles on parenting, women's health and education. Her credits include San Diego Family Magazine, Metro Parent Magazine, Boys' Quest Magazine and many others. Richards has a Bachelor of Science in English/secondary education from Welch College.

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  • This I Believe Essay Showcase

'This I Believe' Essay Showcase

We asked GEL students and GEL alumni to share a belief in the form of an essay. The GEL program has long been one that helps students take stock of themselves and find their way through social and moral landscapes. Instructors in this program often assign This I Believe essays, sometimes as entry points into these landscapes and sometimes as souvenirs. Out of many, seven This I Believe essays stood out to a reading committee made up of students, faculty, and staff.

This I Believe is a popular essay genre that allows the writer to share a personal belief and, through a narrative, explain that belief’s origin or a time that belief was put into action. The essay genre started in the 1950s on a radio show with Edward R. Murrow and was continued by NPR in 2004. Many have enjoyed writing and reading these essays ever since. You can read or listen to tens of thousands of This I Believe essays at This I Believe.org .

To submit your essay for the 2019-2020 academic year, please use the link below:

This I Believe Showcase Essay Submission

The Writing Center is proud to present CSUSM’s This I Believe Showcase winners and their essays from the 2018-2019 Academic Year!

“I Am Enough” by Adrianna Adame

Throughout my life, I have always thought of myself as a failure. I was a failure for not being smart enough, friendly enough, or pretty enough. Always, I criticized myself for not putting in enough effort in order to work up to my full potential. Though, this wasn’t about working up to my full potential, but for not fulfilling the unrealistic expectations that I had burdened upon myself and by the people closest to me. The burdens that I carried weighed me down like how an anchor holds down a boat. Only, it was attached to my mind, instead of my ankle or a ship. The weight of the self-hatred and low self-esteem that I had made me feel like I was drowning. There wasn’t a bright horizon that could be seen in the distance, but instead more black and gray clouds that would bring another storm my way.

Day after day, I would look at myself in the mirror, tearing myself down. I would tell myself every night that I was never enough. I believed that I was a weak and worthless individual, a waste of time. This kind of hateful thinking made it a struggle to stay afloat. Before I knew it, I was weighed down by anxiety and an eating disorder. Each morning I would wake up to only to prepare to endeavor the difficulties of my illnesses.

At one point, I was fully consumed by the storm of my dark thoughts. I had trouble getting through each day. It was a struggle to pretend that everything was okay. I couldn’t even fake a smile anymore. During this time, I began to wonder what it would be like if I no longer existed. When I was staring at the cold and harsh waves of Monterey Bay one night, I realized that I didn’t want to drown. All of a sudden, I remembered all of the people in my life who helped me throughout the different stages of my life. I didn’t want to let them down. I thought about how I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life struggling to get through a single day. I didn’t want to go through life isolated, because of my anxiety. I wanted to live a life where I could be happy and be surrounded by people I admire. That moment of staring at the waves of Monterey Bay was when my determination to not only to just live came back, but my will to enjoy life came back.

I had to first learn from myself to begin to let go of the dark and anxious thoughts that had plagued me. Once I accepted that I would never be able to fulfill those unrealistic expectations that I had, I acknowledged that I needed to seek help by talking to mental health professionals. I couldn’t remain alone in the open sea forever, but needed to climb onto the lifeboat and communicate with people in my life.

Eventually, I realized that I wasn’t a failure. I actually was successful in many ways: for making it to CSUSM; being able to be there to those close to me; and having the beautiful gift of having the freedom to be the person that I am today.

I believe that I am enough. I am good enough for society. I am good enough to be myself without the burden of negative thoughts and unrealistic expectations. I am good enough to get the help that I need from others. I am good enough to live a happy life.

“The Power of Potstickers” by Lauren Brown

I believe in my mother’s cooking.

Ever since my mother realized I would have to cook for myself in college, she dedicated her summer to teaching me the ways of the kitchen. Whether it was educating me on how to operate a pressure cooker, showing me the best ways to peel of the skin of garlic, or demonstrating the right way to steam potstickers in a wok, the resilience my mother had in passing down as much as she knew was admirable. She insisted that the exact measurements or the exact ingredients weren’t necessary and cooking was more of an art than a hard science, but I still felt I would undoubtedly obliterate any flavor or texture with a single misplaced grain of salt; no compromise would yield perfection. Still, she persisted I pour rice into the cooker without a measuring cup and my heart sank with disappointment as I watched the watery, soupy mess fall heavily into the trash can.

“Sometimes, things won’t be perfect,” is what she told me, “and you just have to roll up your sleeves and realize that finding a different solution is the only way to save the dish.”

From then I started to see the compromises and solutions my mother would speak of, not just in the kitchen, but in her life around her.

My mother wanted to make us a traditional Taiwanese dinner, one her mother would make for her before she left for America. However, the pallet of my younger brother, only appreciating the complexities of chicken nuggets and pizza slices, refused to eat our cultural family infused feast. Next time my mother wanted to recreate the dishes, she opted for the frozen potstickers from Trader Joe’s with beef and American broccoli instead of cabbage and bok choy. Although this satisfied the tastes and likings of my sibling, I couldn’t help but despair over the changes to the recipes that I held so dear, despair over the compromise of our culture.

When I went away to college, my mother dutifully packed a freezer bag full of our pre-prepped food from home, and sitting on top of the frozen dishes were the Trader Joe’s potstickers.

Having roommates in college was a large enough compromise in itself, but food proved especially difficult. Caught off guard by roommates asking for tastes of my meals, I found myself naturally flowing into compromise the way my mother did, cooking for everyone and incorporating their preferences and restrictions. Egg noodles instead of rice. Less sesame oil and more soy sauce. Even though I didn’t welcome these changes to my dinners at first and feared the substitutes would produce a subpar dinner, I slowly found myself liking the alternatives more than the recipes. I continued, adding fried eggs, bean sprouts, spinach and spam to the prepackaged ramen noodles that only called for powdered flavor packets, and even my roommates began to show interest towards the unorthodox combination.

Although I find the exact measurements of recipes comforting, I do my best to add a pinch of this and a dash of that in my meals every so often. It’s how I get to go outside my comfort zone every day. And I see in myself a newfound wisdom: it's ok to go off the beaten path, you can experiment, compromise can lead to something new and beautiful. My mother’s cooking taught me that and I expect to bring that with me wherever I may go.

“I Believe in Healing” by Yahaira Cazares

I believe in healing. I believe in the enduring process of healing. September of 2017 I had an experience that has made the last year very difficult for my family and I. I long to heal and at times I feel like those steps towards healing are possible because I believe in hope, and that hope is part of healing. The idea that if I am not okay or not happy in this moment but have the capacity to become happy and become okay in the future is a motivating force for healing. I am in a place where I welcome the hurt and the pain because I understand that it is part of the healing process. I also welcome laughter and new opportunities because I believe allowing myself to be paralyzed in unhappiness will paralyze my healing.

I believe that as a person I am capable of allowing love to heal me. I believe that when my dog lays on my chest, she is healing me; when I tuck my younger brother in, he is healing me; when I hug my parents, they are healing me; when I watch “While you were Sleeping” for the fifteenth time, it is healing me. I am in the process of growth, and what I mean by that is I am “Filling my cup until my cup runneth over” I am choosing to fill my cup with understanding. The process of healing is like filling my cup with one drop per day, desperately agonizing, but desperately necessary to appreciate a full cup.

I have been visiting Mexico almost every other weekend, I see a lot of poverty, mothers are seated on the ground in the hottest and coldest of temperatures, with their babies and toddlers on their laps, trying to sell gum for any spare change. I had never been exposed to that level of poverty, and yet the babies and the toddlers were playing, laughing using rocks or a single action figure they had to share to create a fantasy, a game. That is when I realized that they were healing. Kids heal because they believe that good outweighs evil. They so willingly hope and neglect the possibility of failure. As adults, that diminishes. Experience takes it away, trauma takes it away, insecurity takes it away. Healing is taking it back. Taking back hope, taking back the unwavering belief that things will not always be bad. That there is always room for growth, always room for healing. To understand why things happen and appreciate the things that cannot be understood. There is strength in that, strength I hope one day to possess. I believe in change, I believe in growth, I believe in healing.

“Patience and Perseverance” by Erica Gershom

I believe that nothing in this world is unattainable if an individual works hard to achieve his or her goals. I have witnessed first-hand how much power perseverance has and how it can completely alter a person’s lifestyle and mindset. As an aspiring surgeon, I realize that it will take more than just good grades and volunteer experience to become someone who saves lives. Dedicating my life to helping patients will require a tremendous amount of sacrifice, self-control, and determination. In 2016, my father had a stroke, which permanently disabled his ability to walk and speak. At that time, I was enrolled in four A.P. classes, two dual enrollments classes, A.V.I.D., and I participated in three clubs on campus. I was also volunteering at Loma Linda Hospital on the weekends and singing at church on Sundays. The sole reason I was able to maintain a balance between all of my academic and extracurricular activities is because I believed in myself. I believed that I was capable of working harder than usual to juggle my school life and my family life together. I stayed up late to study for exams and woke up early to take my younger brothers to school since my mother had no other option but to work two jobs after my dad had become physically disabled. I do not know who I would be today if I had not pulled through these rough circumstances and persisted through high school regardless of the tragic events that occurred in my life. I wanted nothing but to wallow in my self-pity and feel horrible for all the setbacks that were persisting in my life. However, I made the decision to keep moving forward, and it was the best decision of my life.

I slowly began to see that my mindset played a huge role in determining how much work I could get done and where I would be in two years. I told myself to have a positive mindset and be patient, since I had seen the direct results of how well that played out in my life. Even today, I am faced with both internal and external struggles that would have normally held me back and prevented me from following my dreams, but a small voice of motivation in my head tells me to keep pushing through. As a 19-year-old female, I am proud to say that I have reached many milestones in my life that were on my to-do list, and it makes my passion for becoming a doctor intensify even higher, all thanks to diligence and patience.

Now, whenever someone asks me if I am really willing to undergo 14 more years of school—including residency and training—to become a surgeon, I say “absolutely, without a doubt.” Hard work has not only been a tool for success, but it has also given me a sense of purpose for my life. It has taught me how to have good work ethic and to always aim higher in everything I do.  It has also shown me that I have the power to change my own life and determine who I could be in this vast world. Success is not measured by the position a person is in, but rather how much hard work a person put in and how many challenges had to be overcome. With this in mind, I am willing to put forth as much effort as it takes to achieve my goal of becoming a great doctor and an even greater person.

“Faith, Hope, and Love” by Karen Siguenza

When I was six years old, my father, an undocumented immigrant was deported. I never knew that that was the reason why he moved to Mexico. I always thought that he just grabbed his stuff and left. Three years later, my mother was also deported. I remember when the ICE came into our room at 6 am in the morning. We were sleeping, then all of a sudden one of the ICE agents gets my sister and I dressed up and sends us to my aunt's house. I didn't understand anything that was going on. I mean I was nine, and my family would never speak the subject to me until a year later.

Every night I would pray to God to make sure my Mom was healthy. It was my faith in God that made me strong these past years. My mom would send me letters but she would never call because she was in a detention center. In those letters, there were prayers inside. Prayers of us seeing each other soon, and for us to be safe and healthy. I had all my faith in God, I would pray that I could see my mom. Having hoped to see mom again gave me strength. I tried my best in school and I always stayed focused. I wanted there to be a purpose for me being a first generation in the United States of America. I never let any opportunity go by.

I wanted to make my parents proud, and I still do. Even though they weren’t here physically with me throughout the years, I still received support from my mom. I had a few rough times in life that almost made me get off track. Through them I had my mom help me get through the difficult times, she would always give me love and support. You see, the most important thing a person can have is love. Having faith gives you a chance of having hope. Because of my faith, I never gave up on working hard in school.

I believe that faith and hope are a beautiful thing. When someone tells you, "I hope you do good." or "I hope everything will be ok for you." , that in my opinion, is the best feeling. I feel cared for and motivated because of it. It is true what they say, "it's the little things in life". Having hope makes me motivated in achieving success. In the Bible, the verse Corinthians 13:13, states: "And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love". I had faith in God, which gave me hope. Faith and hope motivated me to succeed in my education. Without it, I wouldn't be where I am today, at California State University, San Marcos. I am here to receive an education and to graduate with a Bachelor's Degree in order for me to have a stable job that I will love doing. But without my mother's love, I wouldn't be who I am today, a first-generation college student. I believe in faith, hope, and love. I believe that by giving or receiving these three things, it can make a better you.

“I Believe in Loving Myself” by Samantha Sparkenbach

I believe in loving myself. As a millennial, I am part of the majority of people who use social media. I was convinced that it was necessary to have platforms like Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. I thought nothing harmful could come from an app, but I was wrong. From scrolling through pictures of girls who were living lavish lives that I would never have to compare my body to models photos that were most likely photoshopped, I was destroying my confidence slowly.

I grew up loving myself like any other kid would with so much innocence and happiness when I would sink my teeth into my favorite foods. What I would do to go back to a time where I could care less about what I was eating because it could affect the way my body looks. As I got older, I started to get more interested in fashion and makeup, I was more inclined to go on social media to get ideas and inspiration from online influencers. I thought there was no wrong in doing this because everyone my age was doing the same thing. People were posting all the adventurous trips they were going on as well as the most thrilling parts of their day. I was starting to notice how unsatisfying my life seemed compared to everyone else. I started questioning why I wasn’t living nearly the same exciting way they were. Not only was social media making my life feel dull but it was making me judge my body a certain way.  The more I found myself spending time standing in the mirror looking at myself and obsessing over the fact that my body wasn’t skinny enough was making me lose my self-worth. The mirror was starting to become a daily chore where I would point out every little detail I hated. I was viewing myself completely different than I really was, and just causing destruction inside of me. I no longer wanted to go out or hang out with people because I thought people would see what I was perceiving and not enjoy me anymore.

I remember one morning when I woke up and saw a stretch mark on the inside of my leg and I fell apart. All I could think about was how models don’t have stretch marks, so why do I? I was a mess about this and just wanted total isolation. I knew I could not keep filling my head with unhealthy acquisitions about myself.  I decided that it would be beneficial to remove all my social media accounts to see if I would feel more valuable.

As time would pass that I wouldn’t be checking my phone and wouldn’t be comparing my body to others, I was loving myself more. I started to wear clothes that I felt truly beautiful in and adapted my own style, not the style social media told me I should wear to feel sexy. I had completely created an ideal body in my head of what was perfect and no one can achieve that realistically. My body is unique and no one else has the same one as I do. Through the process of loving myself, I have been able to help so many of my friends to do the same, and the glow I started to see within them made me feel so content. Through loving myself I have learned inner peace and what it means to not rely on anyone else but myself. I believe in loving myself because my body is constantly working to keep me alive and healthy. I believe in loving myself because I deserve to think in a positive way instead of negative. I believe in loving myself.

“Infatuation” by Reignmarc Vincent Labuguen

I believe infatuations are necessary to strengthen desire, passion, and happiness in life. It’s a word that describes admiration for a short period of time. Infatuations is a viral emotion that can occur without notice. Whether it’s a job you’ve seen on television, following the footsteps of your idol, or getting your crush’s phone number. The word does not have to be involved romantically. Infatuations may end in disappointment. Sometimes it may become an excuse to never attempt a dream again. Time flies by, I have somehow made it this far. Thanks to these admirations.

I believe infatuations are all a part of a process that makes me an open book to opportunities. It’s hard to see it as a positive outcome, but the illusion of being disappointed begins to fade when a new opportunity is presented.

I can recall experiences that consist of undesirable outcome and disappointment. But I choose not to because who would like to hear me complain about my past. I am nowhere qualified for a podcasting career. But I do want to share you my past experience because I do believe it’s the reason why I hold my passions to live a successful life. My infatuations have always been a time when I do something uncharacteristic. It is usually my mother that notice my actions first, more than anyone.

In ninth-grade, I tried out for the varsity basketball team. My mom called me out and said, “why bother, your physically and mentally unathletic.” Boy, I wanted to prove her wrong. This would’ve been the best underdog story you’ve ever heard. I was cut from the team after the third day of try-outs. I was out of my comfort zone, literally and physically. Yes, it ended my dream following Kobe Bryant’s legacy. But I couldn’t imagine myself getting out of my comfort zone again without being in this position. Rejection is my greatest fear, but without it, I’ll never know how to cope with failure ever again.

In eleventh grade, I finally came at peace that basketball will never be a reality, and I accept it. So, I came back to my passion for public service. I ran for a position in ASB, not once but twice. When I told my mom that I wanted to return to public service, she told me, “you got to be kidding me, you’re not going through this and lose it all again.” She called me out for not being mainstream to win in a high school setting. But of course, my infatuation got the best of me and submitted my campaign to run for president. It is a huge commitment to run for public service. The front-runner was no other than the popular girl on campus. I was committed to winning, but the high school population was too overwhelming. I can certainly tell you my mom is a fortune teller, I lost the election by a landslide. Cheers to democracy.

My obsession achieving a dream influence actions outside my comfort zone. I accept that infatuation gets the most of me. The short-term desires reveal uncharacteristic actions. It is a bittersweet process, but I am thankful for it. While most outcomes result in heartbreak, it also reveals new characteristics of me. I take advantage of it, so when the next desire come, achievement might actually be a possibility.

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Essay About Beliefs: Top 5 Examples and 8 Prompts

To write an essay about beliefs, you need to know the different beliefs people hold; continue reading this article for examples and prompts to help!

Beliefs are a person’s perception of what they believe to be true. However, not everybody’s belief system is accurate. Beliefs are not necessarily religious or spiritual. It can also be political, philosophical, or societal. Our beliefs are formed early based on our environment – what we are told, heard, observed, and experienced. Below are essay examples to help you understand other writers’ viewpoints about beliefs.

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1. Christianity Beliefs in The Exorcism of Emily Rose by Penny Silva

2. a personal believe that god does not exist by lauren trauscht, 3. my beliefs by patrick of shrewsbury, massachusetts, 4. irrational beliefs by vincent bridges, 5. my ethical beliefs by blanche allen, 1. your thoughts about the definition of belief, 2. what influenced your belief on a certain subject, 3. an experience that shaped your beliefs, 4. thoughts about the role of religion, 5. your personal political beliefs, 6. your stand on gender identity, 7. opinions about the connection between social media and suicide, 8. the belief system of millenials.

“This means that she believes it is a fact that if there is a God, there is a devil, and if there is a devil, there is God.”

Silva’s essay discusses the movie “The Exorcism of Emily Rose,” – a film based on the true story of Anneliese Michel. It’s about a court case concerning the death of a girl. She was either possessed by a demon or was suffering from a severe mental illness.

Viewers of the movie are free to believe what they think happened to Emily as it demonstrates the apparition of both the devil and the However, divine. Silva believes that it’s a must-watch if one wants to understand the accurate interpretation of the works of evil.

“…how could anybody keep up on the Bible for thousands and thousands of years? The stories in there had to have gotten mixed up… if there is a God, then who created God? ”

Trauscht’s many questions about a divine existence lead him to believe there is no God. The author shares these reasons in a simple essay about his beliefs.

“ I have no stronger link to anything else in this world than my family… This belief … was something that was one hundred percent infused in me through my parents.”

The author grew up a family-oriented person, and there’s nothing more important to him than his family. He believes he is today because his parents influenced his life. His belief made him a better person.

“I can always distract myself from negative, judgmental thoughts by simply telling myself, “STOP!” Then replace my blaming, complaining, or excusing with something positive. Wisely choosing the thoughts that occupy my mind and avoiding automatic, negative thoughts that undermine my self-esteem will also help.”

Bridges shares his experience with irrational beliefs that made him think negatively, which affected his behavior and self-esteem. He also talks about how he overcame his irrational beliefs when someone believed in him until he finally started to believe in himself, turning the negative thoughts into positive ones.

Looking for more? Check out these essays about religion .

“In a way, ethics are like a set of rules that govern human behaviors and serve as a basis for right conduct principles.”

Allen argues that we have a different understanding of ethics and how we use it in our everyday lives. He says fairness is one of the ethics he applied in his life. Before concluding, he considers the good and bad effects. He believes ethics should be used to reach a fair decision.

8 Writing Prompts on Essay About Beliefs

After reading the examples above, you now better understand what beliefs are. Below are prompts that can help you in writing your essay.

If you want to properly convey your reasons why you believe in a topic, here is a guide on how to write an argumentative essay .

Since all of us may have varying ideas about the definition of beliefs, you can write an essay about your understanding of what belief is all about. You can also provide answers to the following questions: Is belief something you unconsciously developed or something you consciously made? Do you agree that some of your beliefs may not be authentic? 

Many factors can influence why we think what we think. This includes our environment, what we hear and see, and our observations and experiences. 

Pick a particular belief you have and relay to your readers how you came to consider it as fact. You can also talk about something you didn’t believe before, then tell your audience how you came to support it.

If a particular experience forced you to develop a belief about something consciously, you could explore it via your essay. For example, you grew up not believing in God, but due to a near-death experience where you were forced to pray and were saved, you finally accepted that there is an existing God. 

Or, if you previously believed in God but suffered a painful death of a loved one, you start to question His existence. There are so many experiences out there that may have contributed to what we believe in today. Feel free to write them all down.

Essay About Beliefs: Thoughts about the role of religion

You might have heard adults complaining about the morality of the youth today. Does the decreasing interest of young people in religion have to do with moral degeneration? Explain your thoughts about the relationship between religion and morality. 

Your political beliefs have to do with what you consider a prosperous country. “Success” can be defined as a booming or not-so-great economy, but one where the citizens are happy, safe, and accessible. Discuss why you favor a particular political system, including aspects that you want to change.

Gender identity is an ever-controversial subject that still divides many groups today.

However, it also has many subtopics you can focus on. For example, some parents would let their minor children undergo procedures and treatments to change their sex, believing they are supporting their child’s decision. Do you agree with the parents’ beliefs, or would you instead want the parents to wait for the child to be of legal age before undergoing such a procedure?

If you want to expand your knowledge on diversity, here are 21 essays about diversity for students and writers .

With social media’s popularity, cyberbullying also increased. Research found that children and people below 25 years old cyberbullying victims are twice more likely to present suicidal behaviors and self-harm. The same study also found that bullies or perpetrators risk experiencing suicidal ideation and self-harm. What is your opinion on this matter, and do you believe that social media has to do with it? Do parents also have liability on this matter?

During challenging times, more people seek God. However, during the pandemic, millennials in the US-led the shift away from religious organizations. If you belong to the Gen Z or millennials, what’s your stand on this matter? 

Examples

This I Believe Essay

This i believe essay generator.

belief essay outline

In the realm of personal expression and introspection, the “This I Believe” essay stands as a testament to the power of individual beliefs and narratives. Rooted in the context of personal experiences and convictions, these essays provide a platform for individuals to articulate their core principles, values, and perspectives. Through the use of various literary devices and elements , authors craft narratives that illuminate their unique outlook on life. In this article, we will delve into the definition of a This I Believe essay, present a step-by-step guide on how to craft one, address common questions, and explore the essence of this expressive form.

1. High School This I Believe Essay Example

High School This I Believe Essay

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2. Sample This I Believe Essay Example

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3. Student This I Believe Essay Example

Student This I Believe Essay

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4. Middle School This I Believe Essay Example

Middle School This I Believe Essay

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5. This I Believe Essay Topic Example

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6. This I Believe Essay Life Example

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7. This I Believe Essay Overview Example

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8. This I Believe Essay Steps Example

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9. This I Believe Essay Friendship Example

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10. Sports This I Believe Essay Example

Sports This I Believe Essay

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11. This I Believe Essay Rubric Example

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12. This I Believe Personal Essay Example

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13. This I Believe Essay Writing Example

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14. This I Believe Essay Statement Example

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15. God This I Believe Essay Example

God This I Believe Essay

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16. This I Believe Essay Brief Example

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17. This I Believe Essay Thesis Statement Example

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18. This I Believe Essay Speech Example

19. this i believe essay college example.

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20. This I Believe Essay Lesson Plan Example

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21. This I Believe Essay Music Example

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22. Faith This I Believe Essay Example

Faith This I Believe Essay

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23. Reflection This I Believe Essay Example

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24. This I Believe Immigration Essay Example

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25. This I Believe Love Essay Example

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26. This I Believe Dream Essay Example

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27. This I Believe Power Essay Example

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28. This I Believe Essay Prompt Example

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29. This I Believe Essay Peer Review Example

This I Believe Essay Peer Review

30. Elements of This I Believe Essay Example

Elements of This I Believe Essay

31. This I Believe Essay Transcript Example

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What is a This I Believe Essay?

A This I Believe essay is a written composition that encapsulates an individual’s personal beliefs, values, and philosophies. Often reflective and intimate in nature, these essays offer readers insight into the author’s subjective understanding of the world. They provide an opportunity to explore the depth of one’s convictions, making use of various literary devices and characteristics to convey a sense of authenticity and sincerity. Through the exploration of individual experiences and convictions, these essays aim to connect with readers on a personal and emotional level.

How to Write a This I Believe Essay

Step 1: choose your core belief.

At the heart of your essay lies your core belief. Choose a belief that holds personal significance and represents your worldview. This belief should be something you feel passionately about and can articulate convincingly.

Step 2: Develop a Compelling Context

Create a context for your belief by providing background information. Explain why this belief is important to you and how it has shaped your experiences and outlook on life. A relatable context will engage your readers and make your essay more relatable.

Step 3: Employ Effective Literary Devices

Incorporate literary devices to enhance the impact of your essay. Metaphors, similes, and anecdotes can help convey your belief in a vivid and relatable manner. Consider how these devices can strengthen your narrative and connect with your audience emotionally.

Step 4: Craft a Strong Conclusion

Summarize your belief and its significance in your life, reinforcing the message you want to leave with your readers. Reflect on the journey you’ve taken them on and inspire them to reflect on their own beliefs.

Can I write about a commonly held belief?

Absolutely. While it’s important to maintain authenticity, even exploring a cliché belief can be powerful when you provide a fresh perspective or personal context. Your unique experiences and reflections make your essay stand out.

Can I use proper nouns in my essay?

Yes, proper nouns can add specificity and authenticity to your essay. Mentioning specific places, people, or events can help ground your beliefs in real-world experiences.

How can I make my essay more impactful?

Focus on using strong verbs to convey emotions and actions. Instead of saying “I felt sad,” consider saying “I crumbled under the weight of sorrow.” This adds depth to your writing and engages the reader’s senses.

In the realm of personal expression, the This I Believe essay shines as a vehicle for exploring one’s deepest convictions. By carefully selecting beliefs, weaving context, employing literary devices, and crafting strong conclusions, authors can create narratives that resonate with readers on a profound level. Through the power of words, these essays bridge the gap between individual experiences and universal truths, reminding us of the strength and diversity of human beliefs. So, take the plunge into introspection and share your beliefs with the world through the art of the This I Believe essay.

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Write a This I Believe Essay about the power of kindness in everyday life

Discuss in a This I Believe Essay how overcoming challenges has shaped your character

Crafting Beliefs into Words: Top ‘I Believe’ Essay Ideas

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Table of contents

  • 1 70 I Believe Topics for Essays
  • 2 This I Believe Essay Examples
  • 3 Final Words

This article will explore a wide range of thought-provoking This I Believe essay topics that can inspire meaningful and reflective essays. They cover various aspects of life, values, beliefs, and personal experiences. What I believe essay is a unique form of personal essay that focuses on a single core belief of the writer.

  • The article lists 70 thought-provoking topics that cover a wide range of subjects, including kindness, empathy, family, diversity, resilience, honesty, music, forgiveness, education, and many more.
  • These topics are designed to inspire writers to find the theme that resonates most deeply with them.
  • To provide insight into the style and content of these essays, examples from the project are shared.

70 I Believe Topics for Essays

Delving into the realm of personal reflection and expression, “I Believe” essays stand as a cornerstone for introspection and sharing the essence of one’s ethos. It is rather a popular task for students. Thus, This I Believe winner essays are a powerful medium to express your deeply held convictions, values, and experiences.

Below, we present 70 thought-provoking I believe essay ideas that cover a wide spectrum of subjects. Explore the following list and find the topic that resonates most with you:

  • The Power of Kindness: Small acts of kindness can transform lives.
  • The Importance of Empathy: Understanding others’ feelings fosters deeper connections and mutual respect.
  • Finding Joy in Small Moments: Cherishing little things brings happiness in everyday life.
  • Overcoming Fear: Facing fears leads to growth, courage, and new opportunities.
  • The Value of Family: Families provide love and support and shape our foundational values.
  • The Beauty of Diversity: Diversity enriches experiences, promoting learning and cultural appreciation.
  • The Impact of a Smile: A simple smile can brighten days and bridge connections.
  • The Strength of Resilience: Overcoming challenges builds strength and fosters personal growth.
  • Honesty in Relationships: Truthfulness is the foundation of trust and strong relationships.
  • The Influence of Music: Music transcends barriers, evoking emotions and connecting people.
  • The Freedom of Forgiveness: Forgiving liberates from grudges, bringing peace and reconciliation.
  • The Significance of Education: Education empowers, enlightens, and opens doors to opportunities.
  • The Magic of Nature: Nature’s wonders inspire awe, offering peace and rejuvenation.
  • Pursuit of Dreams: Chasing dreams adds purpose and excitement to life’s journey.
  • The Role of Hope: Hope provides strength during adversity and motivates progress.
  • The Wisdom of Age: Age brings wisdom, insights, and valuable life lessons.
  • Overcoming Adversity: Facing hardships head-on builds character and resilience.
  • The Gift of Giving: Giving enriches the giver’s soul more than the receiver’s.
  • Embracing Change: Change, though challenging, is essential for growth and progress.
  • The Power of Imagination: Imagination fuels creativity, innovation, and endless possibilities.
  • Finding Purpose in Life: Discovering life’s purpose brings direction, fulfillment, and satisfaction.
  • The Strength of Vulnerability: Embracing vulnerability leads to authenticity and deeper connections.
  • The Healing Power of Laughter: Laughter heals, reduces stress, and promotes emotional connection.
  • Self-Discovery: Understanding oneself is key to personal growth and happiness.
  • The Importance of Self-Care: Prioritizing self-care is essential for wellbeing and balance.
  • Learning from Mistakes: Mistakes are valuable lessons that guide future success.
  • Embracing Creativity: Creativity expresses individuality and drives innovation.
  • The Joy of Travel: Travel broadens horizons, fosters understanding, and creates memories.
  • The Impact of Gratitude: Gratitude cultivates positivity and appreciation for life’s blessings.
  • The Beauty of Solitude: Solitude offers peace, reflection, and rejuvenation for the soul.
  • The Value of Friendship: Friends provide support, joy, and a sense of belonging.
  • The Courage to Be Authentic: Authenticity requires courage but leads to genuine self-expression.
  • The Gift of Time: Time is a precious, non-renewable resource to be cherished.
  • The Power of Second Chances: Second chances offer opportunities for growth and redemption.
  • The Importance of Mindfulness: Mindfulness encourages living fully in the present moment.
  • The Influence of Role Models: Role models inspire and guide through their actions and values.
  • The Joy of Giving Back: Giving back to the community brings fulfillment and joy.
  • Embracing Diversity: Celebrating diversity leads to a richer, more inclusive world.
  • The Strength of Community: Communities provide support, strength, and a sense of belonging.
  • The Value of Perseverance: Perseverance through challenges leads to success and achievement.
  • The Magic of Serendipity: Unexpected, fortunate discoveries add surprise and delight to life.
  • The Significance of Humility: Humility grounds us and fosters genuine human connections.
  • The Beauty of Simplicity: Simplicity brings clarity, focus, and appreciation for the essentials.
  • The Importance of Compassion: Compassion creates empathy and understanding in relationships.
  • The Wisdom of Experience: Experience teaches invaluable lessons and enriches decision-making.
  • Overcoming Prejudice: Challenging prejudices leads to a more inclusive, fair society.
  • The Healing Power of Art: Art heals, expresses emotions, and transcends cultural boundaries.
  • The Influence of Literature: Literature expands minds, stirs imagination, and reflects societies.
  • The Freedom of Expression: Expressing oneself is fundamental to individuality and democracy.
  • The Impact of Technology: Technology revolutionizes lives but requires mindful usage.
  • The Joy of Parenting: Parenting, while challenging, is immensely rewarding and transformative.
  • The Role of Faith: Faith provides comfort, guidance, and a sense of belonging.
  • The Value of Honesty: Honesty builds trust and is key to ethical living.
  • The Strength of Patience: Patience leads to better outcomes and less stress.
  • The Beauty of Cultural Exchange: Cultural exchange enhances understanding and enriches lives.
  • The Importance of Environmental Stewardship: Protecting the environment ensures a sustainable future for all.
  • The Power of Respecting Differences: Respecting differences fosters harmony and mutual respect.
  • The Impact of Small Acts of Kindness: Small kindnesses can have a huge impact on others.
  • The Significance of Dreams: Dreams inspire and guide us towards our goals.
  • The Joy of Learning: Learning keeps the mind active and expands horizons.
  • The Influence of Family Traditions: Traditions strengthen family bonds and connect generations.
  • The Freedom of Choice: Making choices empowers and shapes our life paths.
  • The Role of Acceptance: Acceptance leads to inner peace and harmonious relationships.
  • The Value of Integrity: Integrity is the cornerstone of character and trustworthiness.
  • The Strength of Optimism: Optimism brightens perspectives and overcomes challenges.
  • The Beauty of Sunsets: Sunsets remind us of nature’s beauty and life’s transience.
  • The Importance of Mental Health: Mental health is vital for overall wellbeing and happiness.
  • The Healing Power of Love: Love heals, comforts, and forms the basis of relationships.
  • The Influence of Role Models: Role models shape lives through inspiration and example.
  • The Power of Self-Reflection: Reflecting on oneself leads to growth and self-awareness.

These topics encompass a wide array of beliefs and experiences, offering you the opportunity to explore your own convictions and share them with others through the art of the “I Believe” essay.

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This I Believe Essay Examples

How to write a This I believe essay? To better understand the This I believe statements format and get inspired, you can read some exemplary essays from the project. This project, initiated by Edward R. Murrow in the 1950s and revived by National Public Radio (NPR), encourages individuals to share their personal beliefs in concise essays. Here are a few This I believe ideas to provide insight into the style and content:

“The Courage to Be Yourself” by Laura Yoo:

In this essay, Laura Yoo shares her belief in the importance of being true to oneself and embracing individuality. She reflects on her experiences as an immigrant and how her journey led her to appreciate the courage it takes to stay authentic.

“The Power of Music” by Michelle Barrios:

Michelle Barrios explores her deep connection with music and how it has been a source of comfort, inspiration, and healing throughout her life. She believes in the transformative power of melodies and lyrics.

“The Gift of Gratitude” by Sarah Adams:

Sarah Adams discusses the significance of gratitude in her life. She believes acknowledging and expressing gratitude for even the smallest blessings can lead to a more fulfilling and content existence.

These examples showcase the diversity of topics and personal experiences that “I Believe” essays can encompass. Each essay offers a unique perspective, emphasizing the power of personal beliefs and reflections.

Final Words

At long last, This I Believe essays allow people to express their deepest beliefs and share their personal philosophy with a larger audience. Remember that the most compelling I believe statements about life come from the heart, drawing on your unique life experiences and values. As demonstrated by the examples from the “This I Believe” project, these essays have the potential to inspire, provoke thought, and connect people through the power of shared beliefs. So, pick a topic that resonates with you, and let your beliefs shape your words, creating a meaningful essay that can touch the hearts and minds of others.

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belief essay outline

50 I Believe Essay Topics

To better train students on how to present their personal opinions on subjective matters, teachers will assign what is known as an “I Believe” or “This I Believe” essay writing assignment.

Designed to provide the reader with insight into the writer’s character, these essays are typically written in first-person point of view. The writer shares their beliefs on a particular topic – ranging from religion and politics to more personal subjects such as love and happiness – and offers supporting arguments for why they hold these beliefs.

The Challenges of Writing “I Believe” Essays

This type of essay prompt is a welcome break from more detail-oriented or researched-based writing assignments for many students. However, “I believe” essay writing assignments aren’t always easy.

It can be challenging for students to articulate their beliefs in a clear and concise way that isn’t argumentative or offensive to the reader. Students may also struggle to explain their reasoning behind these beliefs in a thorough and not overly simplistic way.

Despite these challenges, “I believe” essays can be an excellent opportunity for students to share their thoughts and feelings on important topics and learn more about themselves in the process.

Tips for Writing “I Believe” Essays

If you’re given an “I believe” essay assignment, here are a few tips to help you get started:

  • Start by defining what it is that you believe. This may seem like a simple task, but it can be challenging to identify your core beliefs. If you’re struggling, start by jotting down a list of topics that are important to you – from politics and religion to family and friendship.
  • Reflect on why each topic is important to you. Think about the reasoning behind your choices and how these reasons evolved over time. After all, your core beliefs are likely to have changed or grown since you reached adolescence.
  • Determine which of your beliefs are the most important. Focusing on developing thought processes that support your beliefs. For extra help, consider sharing these thoughts with a trusted friend or family member for advice.

By reflecting upon your core beliefs and developing clear arguments to support them, you can craft a powerful “I believe” essay that will truly reflect your thoughts and feelings.

How to Write an “I Believe” Essay

To craft a well-written “I Believe” essay, students must forgo the typical essay structure of introduction, body, and conclusion.

Instead, the essay should be organized around a series of specific beliefs that the writer wishes to share. Each thought should be introduced with a clear thesis statement, followed by supporting arguments and examples.

The conclusion of the essay should wrap up the main points that have been made and leave the reader with a final thought to ponder.

Here is an example of how an “I Believe” essay might be structured:

Thesis: I believe that everyone has the right to love and be loved.

Argument: Everyone deserves to find love and experience happiness in their lives. This should not be limited by race, religion, socioeconomic status, or any other factor.

Example: I saw a video of a man proposing to his girlfriend at Fenway Park. She said yes and the crowd went wild! Now that is love. If they can find it, then so can we all!

Conclusion: Society should not stand in the way of love. Love is the most powerful force in the world, and we should all embrace it.

As you can see, the “I Believe” essay structure allows for a great deal of flexibility. Students can choose to focus on a variety of topics and can organize their essays in different ways. An “I Believe” essay can be an excellent opportunity for students to present their thoughts on important issues under a few simple guidelines. With a bit of planning and organization, this type of essay writing assignment can be a breeze!

What You Shouldn’t Do When Writing an “I Believe” Essay

To ensure that you are writing an “I Believe” essay and not another form of an argumentative or persuasive essay, avoid doing the following:

  • Don’t provide evidence or use statistics to support your position – this is not an essay that calls for research.
  • Don’t attack or criticize the beliefs of others – your goal is to share your own opinions, not to tear down those of others.
  • Don’t go off on tangents – stay focused on the main points you want to make.
  • Don’t speak objectively or in the third person – for example, don’t say “people believe that” or “studies show.”
  • Don’t use filler words and phrases such as “I think,” “I feel,” and “it seems like.”

Use any of these 50 “I Believe” essay topics to help you brainstorm ideas for your essay!

I Believe Essay Topics About Life

  • I believe that life is too short to spend time with people who bring you down.
  • I believe that laughter is the best medicine
  • I believe that we should make time for quiet reflection every day.
  • I believe that the only thing that matters in life is love.
  • I believe that we are all capable of change.
  • I believe that it is never too late to learn and grow.
  • I believe in the power of positive thinking.
  • I believe that we should always be kind, even when it is difficult.
  • I believe that there is no such thing as a coincidence.
  • I believe in the saying “what goes around, comes around.”
  • I believe that we are all responsible for our own happiness.
  • I believe that the best things in life are free.
  • I believe that it is essential to be grateful for what we have.
  • I believe that it is never too late to achieve our dreams.
  • I believe that we should surround ourselves with people who make us better.
  • I believe that you can either love or hate something; there is no in-between.

I Believe Essay Topics About Education & School

  • I believe that education is the key to a bright future
  • I believe that children are our future and should be treasured as such.
  • I believe that there is no such thing as a dumb question.
  • I believe that schools should do more to celebrate diversity.
  • I believe that homework is essential, but it should not be excessive.
  • I believe in the importance of having a strong support system while attending school.
  • I believe that standardized tests are not an accurate measure of a student’s knowledge.
  • I believe that it is vital to find a balance between work and play while in school.
  • I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn how to swim.
  • I believe in the importance of recess and physical activity in students’ lives.
  • I believe that there is no such thing as a bad grade.
  • I believe that teachers deserve more respect and better pay.
  • I believe that it is never too early to learn a foreign language.
  • I believe that education should be free for everyone.

I Believe Essay Topics About Friends & Family

  • I believe that family is the most important thing in life.
  • I believe that friends are the family we choose for ourselves.
  • I believe that it is essential to maintain close relationships with friends and family.
  • I believe that there is no substitute for quality time spent with loved ones.
  • I believe that family is not defined by blood but by love and commitment.
  • I believe that we should spend more time with the people we care about and less time worrying about material things.
  • I believe that it is better to have a few close friends than many superficial ones.
  • I believe that it is healthy for friends to grow apart.
  • I believe that competition between friends is healthy.

I Believe Essay Topics About Money

  • I believe that money cannot buy happiness.
  • I believe that it is essential to be happy with what you have, not what you want.
  • I believe that people are more important than things.
  • I believe that it is okay to splurge on something even if it means going into debt.
  • I believe that it is better to give than to receive.
  • I believe that money can’t buy everything.
  • I believe that the love of money is the root of all evil.
  • I believe in saving for a rainy day.
  • I believe in investing in oneself.
  • I believe in the saying, “money doesn’t grow on trees.”
  • I believe that rich people should be forced to pay more taxes.

These 50 I Believe essay topics are sure to inspire your own original beliefs and help you create a powerful and unique essay. When writing your I Believe essay, be sure to focus on the beliefs that are most important to you and that you feel passionate about discussing. The best I Believe essays are the ones that are personal and reflective, so don’t be afraid to share your own thoughts and experiences.

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108 Belief Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Belief Essay Topic Ideas & Examples: Exploring the Depths of Human Faith

Beliefs shape our identity, influence our actions, and provide meaning and purpose to our lives. They can be deeply personal or widely shared, encompassing religious, philosophical, political, or cultural perspectives. Writing an essay on beliefs allows us to delve into the complexities of human faith, understanding how it impacts individuals and societies. To inspire your exploration, here are 108 belief essay topic ideas and examples.

Religious Beliefs:

  • The role of religion in shaping individual identity.
  • The impact of religious beliefs on personal happiness and fulfillment.
  • Analyzing the connection between religious beliefs and moral values.
  • The role of rituals and ceremonies in religious practices.
  • The significance of religious symbols and their interpretation.
  • Exploring the concept of faith and its importance in religious contexts.
  • The relationship between religious beliefs and the afterlife.
  • The influence of religious beliefs on social and political issues.
  • Comparing and contrasting religious beliefs across different cultures.
  • The impact of religious beliefs on attitudes towards science and technology.

Philosophical Beliefs:

  • The significance of personal philosophies in guiding life choices.
  • Analyzing the connection between philosophy and morality.
  • The role of reason and logic in shaping philosophical beliefs.
  • Exploring the concept of free will and its implications on belief systems.
  • The relationship between philosophy and religion in shaping worldviews.
  • The impact of philosophical beliefs on ethical decision-making.
  • The influence of philosophical beliefs on political ideologies.
  • Examining the concept of truth and its interpretation in different philosophical traditions.
  • The role of skepticism and doubt in challenging existing belief systems.
  • The connection between philosophical beliefs and the pursuit of knowledge.

Political Beliefs:

  • The influence of political beliefs on individual values and actions.
  • Analyzing the connection between political ideology and social justice.
  • Exploring the role of political beliefs in shaping public policies.
  • The impact of political beliefs on attitudes towards globalization.
  • The relationship between political beliefs and economic systems.
  • The connection between political beliefs and attitudes towards immigration.
  • The influence of political beliefs on environmental policies and sustainability.
  • Examining the role of political beliefs in shaping international relations.
  • The significance of political beliefs in promoting social equality and inclusivity.
  • The impact of political beliefs on attitudes towards human rights.

Cultural Beliefs:

  • The role of cultural beliefs in shaping individual and collective identities.
  • Analyzing the impact of cultural beliefs on gender roles and expectations.
  • Exploring the concept of cultural relativism and its implications on belief systems.
  • The influence of cultural beliefs on attitudes towards marriage and family.
  • The connection between cultural beliefs and artistic expressions.
  • The impact of cultural beliefs on attitudes towards education and learning.
  • Examining the role of cultural beliefs in promoting social cohesion.
  • The significance of cultural beliefs in shaping dietary choices and food practices.
  • The influence of cultural beliefs on attitudes towards aging and death.
  • The connection between cultural beliefs and perceptions of beauty and body image.

Personal Beliefs:

  • The role of personal beliefs in shaping individual goals and aspirations.
  • Analyzing the impact of personal beliefs on decision-making processes.
  • Exploring the connection between personal beliefs and self-esteem.
  • The influence of personal beliefs on attitudes towards risk-taking.
  • The significance of personal beliefs in promoting mental well-being.
  • The impact of personal beliefs on attitudes towards relationships and love.
  • Examining the role of personal beliefs in cultivating resilience and perseverance.
  • The connection between personal beliefs and attitudes towards personal growth.
  • The influence of personal beliefs on attitudes towards material possessions.
  • The significance of personal beliefs in shaping attitudes towards failure and success.

Controversial Beliefs:

  • Analyzing controversial beliefs and their impact on social dynamics.
  • The role of controversial beliefs in fostering critical thinking and debate.
  • Exploring the connection between controversial beliefs and social progress.
  • The influence of controversial beliefs on attitudes towards marginalized groups.
  • Examining the role of controversial beliefs in shaping media narratives.
  • The significance of controversial beliefs in challenging societal norms.
  • The impact of controversial beliefs on freedom of speech and expression.
  • The connection between controversial beliefs and social activism.
  • The influence of controversial beliefs on attitudes towards authority.
  • The role of controversial beliefs in promoting empathy and understanding.

Scientific Beliefs:

  • The impact of scientific beliefs on attitudes towards the natural world.
  • Analyzing the connection between scientific beliefs and evidence-based thinking.
  • Exploring the role of scientific beliefs in shaping technological advancements.
  • The influence of scientific beliefs on attitudes towards health and medicine.
  • The significance of scientific beliefs in promoting environmental conservation.
  • The connection between scientific beliefs and attitudes towards climate change.
  • Examining the role of scientific beliefs in shaping educational curricula.
  • The impact of scientific beliefs on attitudes towards animal rights and welfare.
  • The connection between scientific beliefs and attitudes towards genetic engineering.
  • The influence of scientific beliefs on attitudes towards the origin of life.

Historical Beliefs:

  • The role of historical beliefs in shaping cultural identities.
  • Analyzing the impact of historical beliefs on nationalistic ideologies.
  • Exploring the connection between historical beliefs and historical revisionism.
  • The influence of historical beliefs on attitudes towards war and conflict.
  • The significance of historical beliefs in shaping collective memory.
  • The impact of historical beliefs on attitudes towards colonialism and imperialism.
  • Examining the role of historical beliefs in shaping political ideologies.
  • The connection between historical beliefs and attitudes towards immigration.
  • The influence of historical beliefs on attitudes towards human rights.
  • The role of historical beliefs in promoting intercultural understanding.

Literary and Artistic Beliefs:

  • The significance of literary and artistic beliefs in shaping cultural movements.
  • Analyzing the connection between literary and artistic beliefs and social change.
  • Exploring the role of literary and artistic beliefs in challenging societal norms.
  • The influence of literary and artistic beliefs on attitudes towards censorship.
  • The connection between literary and artistic beliefs and the pursuit of beauty.
  • Examining the impact of literary and artistic beliefs on self-expression.
  • The role of literary and artistic beliefs in promoting empathy and understanding.
  • The significance of literary and artistic beliefs in shaping collective memory.
  • The influence of literary and artistic beliefs on attitudes towards social justice.
  • The connection between literary and artistic beliefs and the imagination.

Media and Technology Beliefs:

  • The impact of media and technology beliefs on attitudes towards information consumption.
  • Analyzing the connection between media and technology beliefs and political polarization.
  • Exploring the role of media and technology beliefs in shaping public opinion.
  • The influence of media and technology beliefs on attitudes towards privacy.
  • The connection between media and technology beliefs and the digital divide.
  • Examining the impact of media and technology beliefs on online communities.
  • The role of media and technology beliefs in shaping media literacy.
  • The significance of media and technology beliefs in promoting digital citizenship.
  • The influence of media and technology beliefs on attitudes towards artificial intelligence.
  • The connection between media and technology beliefs and social media activism.

Environmental Beliefs:

  • The impact of environmental beliefs on attitudes towards sustainability.
  • Analyzing the connection between environmental beliefs and environmental policies.
  • Exploring the role of environmental beliefs in shaping consumer behavior.
  • The influence of environmental beliefs on attitudes towards climate change.
  • The connection between environmental beliefs and attitudes towards resource conservation.
  • Examining the impact of environmental beliefs on attitudes towards animal rights.
  • The role of environmental beliefs in promoting environmental education.
  • The significance of environmental beliefs in shaping attitudes towards eco-friendly practices.

These belief essay topic ideas and examples provide a starting point for your exploration of the intricate tapestry of human faith. Remember to approach each topic with curiosity, open-mindedness, and respect for diverse perspectives. By delving into these beliefs, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

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  • How to write an essay outline | Guidelines & examples

How to Write an Essay Outline | Guidelines & Examples

Published on August 14, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An essay outline is a way of planning the structure of your essay before you start writing. It involves writing quick summary sentences or phrases for every point you will cover in each paragraph , giving you a picture of how your argument will unfold.

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Table of contents

Organizing your material, presentation of the outline, examples of essay outlines, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about essay outlines.

At the stage where you’re writing an essay outline, your ideas are probably still not fully formed. You should know your topic  and have already done some preliminary research to find relevant sources , but now you need to shape your ideas into a structured argument.

Creating categories

Look over any information, quotes and ideas you’ve noted down from your research and consider the central point you want to make in the essay—this will be the basis of your thesis statement . Once you have an idea of your overall argument, you can begin to organize your material in a way that serves that argument.

Try to arrange your material into categories related to different aspects of your argument. If you’re writing about a literary text, you might group your ideas into themes; in a history essay, it might be several key trends or turning points from the period you’re discussing.

Three main themes or subjects is a common structure for essays. Depending on the length of the essay, you could split the themes into three body paragraphs, or three longer sections with several paragraphs covering each theme.

As you create the outline, look critically at your categories and points: Are any of them irrelevant or redundant? Make sure every topic you cover is clearly related to your thesis statement.

Order of information

When you have your material organized into several categories, consider what order they should appear in.

Your essay will always begin and end with an introduction and conclusion , but the organization of the body is up to you.

Consider these questions to order your material:

  • Is there an obvious starting point for your argument?
  • Is there one subject that provides an easy transition into another?
  • Do some points need to be set up by discussing other points first?

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Within each paragraph, you’ll discuss a single idea related to your overall topic or argument, using several points of evidence or analysis to do so.

In your outline, you present these points as a few short numbered sentences or phrases.They can be split into sub-points when more detail is needed.

The template below shows how you might structure an outline for a five-paragraph essay.

  • Thesis statement
  • First piece of evidence
  • Second piece of evidence
  • Summary/synthesis
  • Importance of topic
  • Strong closing statement

You can choose whether to write your outline in full sentences or short phrases. Be consistent in your choice; don’t randomly write some points as full sentences and others as short phrases.

Examples of outlines for different types of essays are presented below: an argumentative, expository, and literary analysis essay.

Argumentative essay outline

This outline is for a short argumentative essay evaluating the internet’s impact on education. It uses short phrases to summarize each point.

Its body is split into three paragraphs, each presenting arguments about a different aspect of the internet’s effects on education.

  • Importance of the internet
  • Concerns about internet use
  • Thesis statement: Internet use a net positive
  • Data exploring this effect
  • Analysis indicating it is overstated
  • Students’ reading levels over time
  • Why this data is questionable
  • Video media
  • Interactive media
  • Speed and simplicity of online research
  • Questions about reliability (transitioning into next topic)
  • Evidence indicating its ubiquity
  • Claims that it discourages engagement with academic writing
  • Evidence that Wikipedia warns students not to cite it
  • Argument that it introduces students to citation
  • Summary of key points
  • Value of digital education for students
  • Need for optimism to embrace advantages of the internet

Expository essay outline

This is the outline for an expository essay describing how the invention of the printing press affected life and politics in Europe.

The paragraphs are still summarized in short phrases here, but individual points are described with full sentences.

  • Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages.
  • Provide background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press.
  • Present the thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.
  • Discuss the very high levels of illiteracy in medieval Europe.
  • Describe how literacy and thus knowledge and education were mainly the domain of religious and political elites.
  • Indicate how this discouraged political and religious change.
  • Describe the invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg.
  • Show the implications of the new technology for book production.
  • Describe the rapid spread of the technology and the printing of the Gutenberg Bible.
  • Link to the Reformation.
  • Discuss the trend for translating the Bible into vernacular languages during the years following the printing press’s invention.
  • Describe Luther’s own translation of the Bible during the Reformation.
  • Sketch out the large-scale effects the Reformation would have on religion and politics.
  • Summarize the history described.
  • Stress the significance of the printing press to the events of this period.

Literary analysis essay outline

The literary analysis essay outlined below discusses the role of theater in Jane Austen’s novel Mansfield Park .

The body of the essay is divided into three different themes, each of which is explored through examples from the book.

  • Describe the theatricality of Austen’s works
  • Outline the role theater plays in Mansfield Park
  • Introduce the research question : How does Austen use theater to express the characters’ morality in Mansfield Park ?
  • Discuss Austen’s depiction of the performance at the end of the first volume
  • Discuss how Sir Bertram reacts to the acting scheme
  • Introduce Austen’s use of stage direction–like details during dialogue
  • Explore how these are deployed to show the characters’ self-absorption
  • Discuss Austen’s description of Maria and Julia’s relationship as polite but affectionless
  • Compare Mrs. Norris’s self-conceit as charitable despite her idleness
  • Summarize the three themes: The acting scheme, stage directions, and the performance of morals
  • Answer the research question
  • Indicate areas for further study

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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You will sometimes be asked to hand in an essay outline before you start writing your essay . Your supervisor wants to see that you have a clear idea of your structure so that writing will go smoothly.

Even when you do not have to hand it in, writing an essay outline is an important part of the writing process . It’s a good idea to write one (as informally as you like) to clarify your structure for yourself whenever you are working on an essay.

If you have to hand in your essay outline , you may be given specific guidelines stating whether you have to use full sentences. If you’re not sure, ask your supervisor.

When writing an essay outline for yourself, the choice is yours. Some students find it helpful to write out their ideas in full sentences, while others prefer to summarize them in short phrases.

You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, it’s okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why you’re doing so.

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How To Write A Winning This I Believe Essay

this i believe essay

One of the common types of academic writing you are likely to encounter is this I believe essay. In this type of essay, you are required to write about something you believe in. Note that unlike many students think, the topic does not have to be related to religion. For example, you can write about something you love or interested in.

Although writing this I believe essay might sound simple; many students find it one of the complex types of academic writing. To help make the process simpler, we created this guide to help you understand how to write the best this I believe essay. We have also highlighted the 22 hot essay ideas that you can use.

How To Write This I Believe Essays

Here’s a brief guideline on how to write a good belief essay:

  • Get a good essay topic When you are faced with the task of writing a this I believe essay, the first step is selecting a good topic. At this point, you should look for something that you have learned about through various experiences, life struggles, or humanity. Because it is a piece of academic writing, it is advisable to go for a topic that has some resources that you can use to back personal arguments. This will make the essay weighty and earn you more marks.

In the body of the essay, you should dig into more details about your beliefs. Make sure to discuss each point in a separate paragraph and provide examples to support it. If the narrative is long, break it down into several sections and use subtopics.

  • Write and proofread your essay After developing the essay structure, it is time to start writing it. Pool together the main points and write a draft. Then work on the final copy and proofread it carefully to remove all mistakes. You could even ask an unbiased friend to help proofread the essay.

Special Tips for Writing this I Believe Essay

Once your teacher asks you to write an assignment on this I believe essay; the secret is ensuring to understand a concept that you are passionate about. To make it simpler for you, try to be truthful. Here are some more tips to help you craft a winning this I believe essay:

Follow the guidelines provided by your teacher or department. Make sure to focus on the item of interest and support it with personal examples. If possible, support the essay with secondary resources. Make sure to stay positive about the topic of interest. Because you are working on something personal, make sure to write in the first person. Try to be as concise as possible. The focus should be selecting points that explain your belief and restricting the essay within the recommended number of words. Read other this I believe essay examples to understand how to craft a winning paper. Most samples can help you to understand how to structure the essay and discuss different topics.

Top This I Believe Essay Topics

The most critical thing about writing a this I believe essay is selecting a topic idea because it determines what to focus on and points to discuss. To help you get started, we are going to list 22 hot this I believe essay ideas for you. Go ahead and pick the one you prefer or tweak them to suit your preference.

  • I believe in having a lot of fun in and out of school.
  • I believe in using a mentor to build a career.
  • I believe in using advanced technology for learning.
  • I believe I am unique.
  • I believe in dreaming big and going out of my way to succeed.
  • I believe in hard work to succeed in life.
  • I believe in my facility.
  • I believe in our justice system to build a harmonious society.
  • I believe in repentance and hope.
  • I believe that time is the best way to cure pain.
  • I believe in the support of my family.
  • I believe in our culture.
  • I believe in love.
  • I believe in the power of God to heal the sick.
  • I believe in life after death.
  • I believe in doctors’ ability to help pregnant mothers safely deliver their babies.
  • I believe I can make my county better.
  • I believe in my basketball team.
  • I believe in always trusting my guts.
  • I believe in the nature top address the problem of global warming.
  • I believe in dedication to my duties at work.
  • I believe that everyone’s life is predetermined.

This I Believe Essay Topics

Are you looking for the best this I believe essay topics? You can start with these. They are all dynamic and don’t point to just one subject. They are based on different realities of life.

  • Everyone has a positive outlook on life
  • Success requires self-determination
  • Life and creativity and interlinked.
  • A good life provides a positive outlook on my life
  • There are stipulated fundamental factors to success.
  • There are many modes of achieving success.
  • Sure shortcut to reading fast
  • There isn’t any accurate journey to success.
  • Determination leads to better time management
  • Collaboration is the start of a beautiful career journey.
  • Immigrants also have beautiful lives.
  • Making the most of the available time in a day leads to more goal achievement.
  • A good life is the result of hard work and determination.
  • Many factors lead to stigmatization
  • The right implementation can help improve the health care setting.
  • Proper conservation can lead to a cleaner ecosystem and environment.
  • Well-built bonds can lead to an increase in better human relations.
  • The industrial revolution will make an impact on the world.

This I Believe Essay Topic Ideas

What do you conform to? Do you think your beliefs are similar to your neighbors? Then you can consider challenging yourself using this I believe essay topic.

  • I believe that the world can be a better place when justice is implemented
  • I believe that love can help to sustain many family bonds
  • I believe positivity is a major factor that leads to success.
  • I believe that people should have a positive outlook on life.
  • I believe that leaders are both born and made.
  • I believe that friendship is important when it comes to socialization
  • I believe that strong family bonds lead to the prosperity of different people in certain capacities.
  • I believe that the solar system needs to be done more research.
  • I believe that all dreams are valid
  • I believe that many ideas can be implemented.
  • I believe in kindness, honesty, and faith.
  • I believe that every person has a role to play to make an impact in the world.
  • I believe that college plays a big role in making students think out of the box.
  • I believe that robots will play a huge role in the future.
  • I believe that artificial intelligence will boost the business world.
  • I believe that everyone has a right to a good life.
  • I believe that life is much simpler when people help each other.
  • I believe that all ideas are valid, regardless of how crazy they seem.

This I Believe Essay Topic List

We all have different beliefs that make us who we are. However, you don’t need to be too rigid, you need to be flexible enough to accept any new perceptions. The world is ever-changing.

  • People can get visions that later become reality.
  • Animals have a brain of their own.
  • Every person on earth has a mission.
  • Sports are essential for boosting flexibility.
  • Technical ideas can help make the world easier to live in.
  • People have different callings in their professions.
  • Everyone has a good heart.
  • The world can be a better place without any violence.
  • Dead people can listen to us.
  • Ancestors still exist within us.
  • All the different professions have a purpose.
  • Augmented reality will change the world.
  • Industry 4.0 will help to revolutionize the world.
  • Everyone was assigned a purpose at birth.
  • A good mindset leads to more happiness.
  • Patience and perseverance are important in life situations.
  • Faith, love, and hope are important.
  • Everyone has virtues they follow.

Best Belief Essay Ideas

People have different beliefs that make them who they are. However, you need to make a point of having a firm stand on what seems like the reality of life.

  • I believe everything happens for a reason.
  • I believe that miracles do happen.
  • I believe that healing happens to those who have faith.
  • I believe in the power of prayer
  • I believe in the existence of aliens
  • I believe that anger can at times be a good thing.
  • I believe that people need to accept themselves as they are
  • I believe that people connect better by giving
  • I believe that ordinary people can change the world.
  • I believe it is more important to focus on the bigger picture.
  • I believe that the environment one lives in plays a role in how one grows up
  • I believe in workplace ethics.
  • I believe that families are the greatest support system
  • I believe that family support escalates how fast one heals when sick.
  • I believe that people start socializing better when young
  • I believe that information technology is a game-changer
  • I believe that equality of people can make the world a better place.
  • I believe that everyone needs to have goals in life.

Interesting This I Believe Research Essays

When doing an essay, you need to do proper research to ensure that you capture all that is needed. Here are some interesting “this I believe” essay topics from our essay writers for hire that you can start with.

  • You should worry about being judged by others.
  • Without education, you can’t succeed in life.
  • Creativity is both inborn and made.
  • Anger can spoil many things.
  • Change comes from within.
  • Being kind to others is important.
  • Knowledge can help you succeed in life.
  • Reading helps to increase your creativity.
  • Having two jobs can help you prosper in life.
  • Everyone has a right to true happiness.
  • Good parenting is good for moral adults.
  • Ordinary people can change the world.
  • Humanity is vital for everyone.
  • We all have different realities.
  • Nations can simply be led by laws without men.
  • Without rules, the world can be dangerous.
  • Injustices can be reduced.
  • Small acts of kindness go a long way.

What’s Next?

Now that we have provided you with great essay topics demonstrated how to start a this I believe essay and close it, it is time to get down to writing your paper. However, if you still find it hard to write your college essay or the deadline is tight, consider seeking writing help or buy homework .

Writing assistance is provided by experts who understand what is the best this I believe essay format and can craft it even within short deadlines. Also, they are cheap and provide their services with a guarantee for high marks. Therefore, why settle for average marks when you have an opportunity to get A-quality papers?

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How to Write A ‘This I Believe’ Essay

Table of Contents

How to Write the Essay on ‘I Believe’

The ‘I believe’ is an essay that expects an individual to write about the particular beliefs that a person has. This topic does not necessarily need to be a religion as thought by many students. It is what can carry someone’s interests. Anything that comes to mind is applicable as long as it is a belief to you and in society like an essay on love and proof that love exists either personally or generally. Besides, it applies to writing about something which people do not believe in its existence. Similarly, the essay can be personal or based on research. In research, one is expected to support their ideas with references to the provided source. The written story should be accurate and have the ability to carry the readers easily. If possible, the writing should be able to bring the reader into believing the particular theme used despite their beliefs. The idea provided should have the emotional status of the user depending on the trait presented. If it is a funny story, the reader should be able to be carried in the capacity where they find themselves laughing without expecting it. In this case, the story will be real. Moreover, consider the particular moments for the creation, testing, or changing of your principles and ensure the story surrounds the essence of a person’s daily life values to the shaping of their beliefs. Besides, this essay should be a reflection of the life of an individual. One has to explain their faith critically in this article and after that relate to life including the personal beliefs one has experienced. A statement or the body in the explanation of this essay should be as brief as possible. The shorter the length, the greater the focus on the central belief in an individual’s life.

How to Start this I Believe Essay

Before beginning to write the essay construct a structure that guides the writing of the entire article. At the beginning of the piece, to be able to explain one’s belief quickly, the writers have to talk about the main idea just like in introduction of other essays where you state and explain your objectives in the article. It is always best when a writer quickly explains the core belief focused on in the piece. The introduction should only comprise the ‘I believe’ statement and a phrase to attract the reader.

How to Write Body Paragraphs for this I believe essay

The body structure which entails all the events in the paragraphs provides a detailed explanation using figurative language which should always have the letters ‘a’ and ‘e’ to enable the reader quickly see the story and provide a smooth flow in writing. Also under the body, one should create a paragraph about what they have learned from the belief and the effect this view on their lives into them growing into well-rounded people. Through identifying the picture, explain the application of this idea in one’s personal life in the future . The writer always has to remind the reader of the core belief they stated in the introduction and their hope to share this knowledge with the reader. Also, an explanation of why the reader should care about their personal beliefs and their teaching lesson to the reader entailing what the reader learns. When writing a “this I believe” assignment despite allowing a writer to write either the positivity or negativity in their beliefs this is what they believe in or what they do not believe in, it is always best to focus on one’s beliefs to compose an excellent essay.

How to conclude the Essay

It is not advisable to include religious belief statements, preaching, or editorializing when constructing the article. Also, always make the article about one’s yourself. Writing in the first person is allowed in this type of composition to bring out the personal belief perspective apparently.

Tips for Final Revision

Upon completion of describing one’s opinion, edit the piece to ensure the right word tone used lacks the editorial ‘we’ and provides an echo of one’s beliefs and original manner of speech towards people. The essay composed should be a personal story; not an opinion piece about social ideals. Review the written piece and compare it with the provided instructions to make ensure the correct answering of the questions. Remove any mistakes or spelling problems and ensure there is a flow in the writing of the essay. Also, ensure that the structure of the paragraphs has supporting detail and an explanation of the detail as per the stated point. In the writing of this section, the approach employed should not be direct. The sentences constructed should be simple. The essay after every sentence should leave the reader with suspense and an urge to know what comes next. They should not be able to predict the events because if they do the ‘I believe essay’ will be very annoying. Finally, the most important thing is to stay on topic. A person’s core belief in an article is the subject of the composition. For example, writing on a core belief as ‘love’ should be the only idea covered in the essay. Also, ensure that the formats used are per the required forms. In doing all this an excellent ‘this I believe composition’ will be poised.

Outline Example for this I Believe Essay

Introduction – Introduce the aim of writing the paper.

Thesis statement

  • Paragraph one – Introduce your first point on the “this I believe” paper.
  • Paragraph two – One should create a paragraph about what they have learned from the belief
  • Paragraph three – Explain the application of the specific idea in one’s personal life in the future.

Closing paragraph – Restate the purpose of the essay (What has the text shown us?).

belief essay outline

A clear, arguable thesis will tell your readers where you are going to end up, but it can also help you figure out how to get them there. Put your thesis at the top of a blank page and then make a list of the points you will need to make to argue that thesis effectively.

For example, consider this example from the thesis handout : While Sandel argues persuasively that our instinct to “remake”(54) ourselves into something ever more perfect is a problem, his belief that we can always draw a line between what is medically necessary and what makes us simply “better than well”(51) is less convincing.

To argue this thesis, the author needs to do the following:

  • Show what is persuasive about Sandel’s claims about the problems with striving for perfection.
  • Show what is not convincing about Sandel’s claim that we can clearly distinguish between medically necessary enhancements and other enhancements.

Once you have broken down your thesis into main claims, you can then think about what sub-claims you will need to make in order to support each of those main claims. That step might look like this:

  • Evidence that Sandel provides to support this claim
  • Discussion of why this evidence is convincing even in light of potential counterarguments
  • Discussion of cases when medically necessary enhancement and non-medical enhancement cannot be easily distinguished
  • Analysis of what those cases mean for Sandel’s argument
  • Consideration of counterarguments (what Sandel might say in response to this section of your argument)

Each argument you will make in an essay will be different, but this strategy will often be a useful first step in figuring out the path of your argument.  

Strategy #2: Use subheadings, even if you remove them later  

Scientific papers generally include standard subheadings to delineate different sections of the paper, including “introduction,” “methods,” and “discussion.” Even when you are not required to use subheadings, it can be helpful to put them into an early draft to help you see what you’ve written and to begin to think about how your ideas fit together. You can do this by typing subheadings above the sections of your draft.

If you’re having trouble figuring out how your ideas fit together, try beginning with informal subheadings like these:

  • Introduction  
  • Explain the author’s main point  
  • Show why this main point doesn’t hold up when we consider this other example  
  • Explain the implications of what I’ve shown for our understanding of the author  
  • Show how that changes our understanding of the topic

For longer papers, you may decide to include subheadings to guide your reader through your argument. In those cases, you would need to revise your informal subheadings to be more useful for your readers. For example, if you have initially written in something like “explain the author’s main point,” your final subheading might be something like “Sandel’s main argument” or “Sandel’s opposition to genetic enhancement.” In other cases, once you have the key pieces of your argument in place, you will be able to remove the subheadings.  

Strategy #3: Create a reverse outline from your draft  

While you may have learned to outline a paper before writing a draft, this step is often difficult because our ideas develop as we write. In some cases, it can be more helpful to write a draft in which you get all of your ideas out and then do a “reverse outline” of what you’ve already written. This doesn’t have to be formal; you can just make a list of the point in each paragraph of your draft and then ask these questions:

  • Are those points in an order that makes sense to you?  
  • Are there gaps in your argument?  
  • Do the topic sentences of the paragraphs clearly state these main points?  
  • Do you have more than one paragraph that focuses on the same point? If so, do you need both paragraphs?  
  • Do you have some paragraphs that include too many points? If so, would it make more sense to split them up?  
  • Do you make points near the end of the draft that would be more effective earlier in your paper?  
  • Are there points missing from this draft?  
  • picture_as_pdf Tips for Organizing Your Essay

My Values in Life Personal Essay

  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment

Introduction

My values in life.

Personal values are qualities that one considers to be worthwhile and, as such, act as the driving force in their life. They take precedence over other qualities and therefore dictate the manner in which an individual may behave in particular instances. When it comes to my values in life, I have a few that I hold dear.

These values are a result of my upbringing, development, my principles, as well as my socialization and the culture around me. In this “my values in life” essay, I shall identify the core beliefs that I hold and how they influence my everyday choices, actions, and plans that I make.

One of the educational values that are fundamental to me is achievement. This is a result of my belief that what defines me most as a person is my determination to succeed and my desire to make a positive contribution to society through my career. Achievement is, therefore, one of the values that are most important to me since, in today’s world, achievement and success are mostly tied together with educational success. As a result of this, I hold my educational exploits in high esteem since education is one of the avenues where one’s determination leads to quantifiable success.

I greatly value close relationships with my friends and constantly seek to cement the same. This is because good friends can assist one in achieving his/her goals in life and can sometimes even be closer than family. For this reason, I invest a lot of time and effort in my close friends. I make it a priority to be a part of the significant moments in my friends’ lives, such as their birthdays, wedding days, and even baby christening ceremonies. In addition to this, I always ensure that I inquire as to their well beings periodically.

Growth and personal development for me is a very fundamental value, and its importance in my life cannot be understated. It is my belief that my life is not worth much if I do not strive to constantly improve on my achievements as well as in becoming a better person. This value of personal growth and development greatly impacts my daily living, especially when establishing new relations. It is generally my rule that if a new relationship does not add any value to my life, then I should not waste my time exploring it.

One of the constant realities in human life is that we will always be surrounded by needy people. As such, on a social level, I always strive to give my services to the less fortunate. In my opinion, a life well lived is one that is lived in such a way that it makes a difference to someone else’s life. This is the philosophy with which I have led my life up to this point, and at all times, I try to make a difference in the lives of the people that surround me. Helping other people is, therefore, a value that I value not only in myself but also in other people.

While modern-day living has somewhat led to a degradation of the value of family from what it used to be in gone years, I still hold the value of family to be very important in my life. To me, one’s family members are the ones who will stand by you no matter the situation and encourage you through life’s troubles.

While I reckon that family may not always be supportive or as ideal as I envision it, in my experience, my family is closely knit and always stands up for me. I, therefore, always have my family in mind when making my decisions and consider how my actions will affect them. In addition, I try to seek guidance from members of the family who are more experienced than I am before making monumental decisions in my life.

It has been argued that honest men and women are a dying breed. This statement holds true in our capitalistic society, where profits and personal gains are the primary objectives. The means by which one achieves success is often overlooked, and as such, the ends justify the means.

Even in the midst of such an environment, I still hold honesty as one of my core values. This is mostly a result of my upbringing, whereby honesty was applauded and dishonesty shunned. Also, I have come to realize that when one achieves success through honesty, the level of satisfaction that comes with it is truly unrivaled by any other feeling.

Owing to my upbringing, I have a huge regard for religion. As such, one of my spiritual values is engaging myself in some religious organizations. While it is true that most of my religious values are a result of my upbringing, I have, over time, come to embrace them as my own and therefore make it my personal duty to be actively involved in my religious organization.

To me, this brings about a sense of balance and helps me be more reflective and appreciative in my life. My religious values impact my decision-making since I try not to make choices that are contrary to my religious beliefs.

In this paper, I have identified some of the values that I hold dear to me. I have also identified how these values impact the choices that I make as well as the actions that I take. From this deep exploration of my values, I have come to the realization that my values greatly dictate how I treat the people around me as well as how I prioritize matters. I believe that as a result of my values, I strive harder to achieve the things that I want in life, and as such, I am a better person as a result of them.

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IvyPanda. (2018, July 15). My Values in Life. https://ivypanda.com/essays/my-values-in-life/

"My Values in Life." IvyPanda , 15 July 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/my-values-in-life/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'My Values in Life'. 15 July.

IvyPanda . 2018. "My Values in Life." July 15, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/my-values-in-life/.

1. IvyPanda . "My Values in Life." July 15, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/my-values-in-life/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "My Values in Life." July 15, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/my-values-in-life/.

essay outline

How to Write an Essay Outline: Examples, FAQs & Tips

belief essay outline

An essay outline is a structured plan that organizes the main points and supporting details of an essay before writing. It guides the flow of ideas and ensures that each section of the essay is logically connected and coherent.

In this article, we'll walk you through the steps to build a strong essay outline. You'll discover how to define your thesis, arrange your main points, and structure your outline for clarity and effectiveness. If you're still having trouble putting your outline together after reading this, EssayService can provide expert help to make sure your essay is well-structured and persuasive!

Basic Elements of an Essay

An essay begins with an introduction, which is followed by one or more body paragraphs that expand on the points introduced. It ends with a conclusion that restates the thesis and summarizes the main ideas from the body paragraphs.

Basic Parts of an Essay

Introduction

The introduction of an essay introduces the topic and engages the reader from the start. It usually starts with a hook—a statement or question that grabs attention. After the hook, some background information is given to provide context for the topic.

The introduction ends with a thesis statement, which clearly presents the main argument or purpose of the essay. This section not only introduces the topic but also outlines what the essay will cover, setting the tone for what follows.

Avoid these pitfalls:

  • Don't try to cover too much ground in your introduction.
  • Avoid vagueness. Be specific and precise in your language.

Body Paragraphs

The body of the essay is where your main ideas and arguments take shape. Each paragraph should open with a topic sentence that clearly states the main point. This is followed by supporting details like evidence, examples, and analysis that back up the topic sentence.

Smooth transitions between paragraphs are key to maintaining a logical flow throughout the essay. Together, the body paragraphs build and support the thesis by adding depth and detail to your argument.

Remember these tips for effective body paragraphs:

  • Begin each paragraph with a clear and concise topic sentence.
  • Use specific examples, facts, or quotes to support your point.
  • Explain why the evidence is important and how it relates to your argument.

The conclusion of an essay wraps up the argument and reinforces the thesis. It usually starts by restating the thesis and reflecting on the discussion and evidence presented in the body paragraphs. A brief summary of the main points follows, highlighting the key arguments made throughout the essay.

The conclusion should close with a final thought or call to action, leaving the reader with something to think about or a sense of closure. The aim is to make a lasting impression that emphasizes the importance of the essay's conclusions.

Remember these tips:

  • Briefly recap the key arguments you've made.
  • Leave the reader with a thought-provoking final sentence or a call to action.
  • Don't introduce any new ideas or arguments in your conclusion.

belief essay outline

How to Write an Essay Outline?

Now, let's dive into the heart of this article and show you how to write an essay outline in just four smart steps:

  • Determining your thesis and key arguments
  • Organizing points into sections
  • Adding supporting details
  • Drafting a rough outline

belief essay outline

Determine Your Thesis and Key Arguments

Your thesis should present a specific point of view or a central idea that your essay will support or explore. Here's how to identify your thesis:

  • Ask a question: What is the main point you want to convey?
  • Brainstorm: Jot down ideas related to your topic.
  • Refine your ideas: Narrow down your focus and develop a clear argument.

Once you have your thesis, identify the main points that support it. These points should be logical, relevant, and comprehensive.

  • Divide your thesis: Break down your thesis into its key components.
  • Create a mind map: Visually organize your ideas.
  • Ask yourself questions: What are the main reasons for your argument? What evidence supports your claims?

Group Main Ideas into Sections

The best way to organize your main points when writing an essay outline depends on the specific topic and purpose of your essay. Experiment with different arrangements to find the one that works best for you. Here are some strategies for organizing your main points:

Use this when Example
Chronological Order Your essay is about a sequence of events or a process. An essay about the history of the French Revolution could be organized chronologically, starting with the causes and ending with the aftermath.
Spatial Order Your essay is describing a physical space or object. An essay about the architecture of the Colosseum could be organized spatially, moving from the exterior to the interior.
Order of Importance Your main points vary in significance. An essay arguing for stricter gun control laws might begin with the most compelling argument and end with the least compelling.
Compare and Contrast Order Your essay examines similarities and differences between two or more things. An essay comparing the philosophies of Plato and Aristotle could be organized by alternating between points of similarity and difference.

Add Details to Each Main Idea

When working on your essay outline, remember to choose supporting details that are relevant, specific, and convincing. The more evidence you can provide, the stronger your arguments will be. Consider these tips for developing supporting details for each one.

  • Provide examples: "For example, the Great Depression led to a significant increase in homelessness and poverty."
  • Cite expert opinions: "As the renowned historian, Eric Hobsbawm, once said, 'The French Revolution was a watershed moment in European history.'"
  • Make comparisons and contrasts: "While both cats and dogs make excellent pets, cats are generally more independent, while dogs are more social."
  • Offer definitions: "A democracy is a form of government in which the people have the power to elect their leaders."

Make a Rough Outline

Once you've developed supporting details for each main point, you're ready to create a draft outline. This outline will serve as a roadmap for your essay, guiding you through the writing process.

Here's a basic outline template:

  • Background information
  • Thesis statement

Body Paragraph 1

  • Topic sentence
  • Supporting detail 1
  • Supporting detail 2
  • Supporting detail 3

Body Paragraph 2

Body Paragraph 3

  • Restate thesis
  • Summarize key points
  • Final thought

Remember to:

  • Use consistent formatting: Indent supporting details.
  • Label sections clearly: Use Roman numerals for main points and letters for supporting details.
  • Be flexible: Adjust your outline as needed to accommodate new ideas or changes in your argument.

Essay Outline Examples

Now that you have an understanding of the basic structure of an essay outline let's explore some specific examples tailored to different essay genres. Remember, these are just templates, and you should feel free to adapt each essay outline example to fit your unique needs and writing style.

Argumentative Essay Outline

I. Introduction

  • Hook: A captivating opening sentence to grab the reader's attention.
  • Background information: Relevant context to the topic.
  • Thesis statement: A clear and concise statement of your argument.

II. Body Paragraph 1

  • Topic sentence: The main point of this paragraph.
  • Supporting evidence: Facts, statistics, examples, or expert opinions to support your argument.
  • Explanation: Analysis of the evidence and its relevance to your thesis.

III. Body Paragraph 2

  • Topic sentence: The second main point of your argument.
  • Supporting evidence: Facts, statistics, examples, or expert opinions.

IV. Body Paragraph 3

  • Topic sentence: The third main point of your argument.

V. Counterargument

  • Acknowledge opposing viewpoint: Briefly mention a counterargument.
  • Refute counterargument: Provide evidence or reasoning to disprove the opposing viewpoint.

VI. Conclusion

  • Restate thesis: Reiterate your main argument.
  • Summarize key points: Briefly recap the main supporting points.
  • Final thought: Leave the reader with a memorable and impactful statement.

Expository Essay Outline

  • A. Hook: Start with an engaging statement or fact to grab the reader's attention.
  • B. Background Information: Provide context or background information necessary for understanding the topic.
  • C. Thesis Statement: Clearly state the main point or purpose of the essay.
  • A. Topic Sentence: Introduce the main idea of the paragraph.
  • B. Explanation/Detail: Provide a detailed explanation or description of the first point.
  • C. Evidence/Example: Include evidence or examples to support the explanation.
  • D. Analysis: Explain how the evidence or example supports the topic sentence.
  • B. Explanation/Detail: Provide a detailed explanation or description of the second point.
  • B. Explanation/Detail: Provide a detailed explanation or description of the third point.

V. Conclusion

  • A. Restate Thesis: Restate the thesis in a new way, summarizing the main points of the essay.
  • B. Summary of Main Points: Briefly summarize the key points discussed in the body paragraphs.
  • C. Final Thought: End with a concluding statement that reinforces the significance of the topic or provides a closing thought.

Persuasive Essays Outline

  • Background information: Provide context or history related to your topic.
  • Thesis statement: Clearly state your argument or position.
  • Main argument: Present your strongest argument in support of your thesis.
  • Supporting evidence: Use facts, statistics, examples, or expert opinions to back up your argument.
  • Counterargument: Briefly acknowledge an opposing viewpoint.
  • Rebuttal: Refute the counterargument with evidence or reasoning.
  • Main argument: Present your second strongest argument in support of your thesis.
  • Main argument: Present your third strongest argument in support of your thesis.
  • Restate thesis: Briefly rephrase your argument.
  • Summarize key points: Recap the main supporting arguments.
  • Call to action: Encourage the reader to take a specific action or adopt a particular viewpoint.

Final Words

As we sum up this article, let's recap the main steps for writing an outline:

  • Determine the main argument or purpose of your essay.
  • Break down your thesis into key ideas or arguments.
  • Group related ideas together under clear headings.
  • Include evidence, examples, and explanations for each main point.
  • Arrange everything in a logical order, ensuring a smooth flow from one section to the next.

To ensure your writing is well-structured and effective, rely on EssayService, which is here to help with any type of essay.

Frequently asked questions

  • Linford, J. (2014). Essay Planning: Outlining with a Purpose What Is an Outline? How Do I Develop an Outline? https://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter/docs/handouts/Essay%20Planning%20-%20Outlining.pdf
  • ‌ Writing an Outline for your essay | MacOdrum Library . (n.d.). Library.carleton.ca . https://library.carleton.ca/guides/help/writing-outline-your-essay

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How to Write an Essay Outline in 4 Steps

Lindsay Kramer

An essay outline is essentially an essay’s skeleton. It’s a text representation of an essay’s thesis and key supporting points. 

An essay outline serves multiple purposes, including helping its writer organize their thoughts before they start writing, giving readers a quick synopsis of the essay, and acting as a roadmap for the writer to follow as they work through their supporting paragraphs. Writing an essay outline is a fairly straightforward process, and in this blog post, we’ll walk you through it. 

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What is an essay outline?

An essay outline is an informal document that lists and orders the parts of an essay so the writer can stay on track and make sure they don’t miss anything. Because it’s informal, an outline is usually written in incomplete sentences, similar to notes. This can make it easier for you to determine the most effective way to transition between paragraphs and the ideal order in which to present your supporting paragraphs. 

Outlining is an important early stage in the writing process . It’s where you organize all the thoughts and insights you brainstormed into a neat roadmap to follow as you write. If you get stuck as you’re writing your essay, your outline is there to help you get back on track. 

It’s not uncommon for professors to require their students to submit essay outlines before getting started on their essays. Usually, this is so the professor can make sure each student is on the right track in terms of choosing an essay topic that has a sufficient amount of sources to reference, that it fits the parameters of the assignment, and that the student understands the assignment. 

Basic parts of an essay

Although every essay is unique, they all adhere to the same basic essay structure . Every essay starts with an introduction section, follows it with at least one body paragraph that supports the points made in the introduction, then wraps up with a conclusion section that reiterates the author’s thesis and summarizes the body paragraphs. 

Introduction

The first section of your essay is called the introduction. As this name implies, this is where you introduce the topics you’ll be covering in your essay. It’s also where you state your thesis , the definitive sentence where you make your argument clear. 

Body sections

Your essay might only need two supporting paragraphs, or it could need four or five (or more). Unless your professor assigned a specific number of body paragraphs for your essay, how many of these you write is your call. 

If you’re supporting your thesis with multiple sources, a general rule to follow is one body paragraph per source cited. However, the type of essay you’re writing might require you to deviate from this. For example, in a compare-and-contrast essay, you’ll write one section (at least one paragraph long) for each comparison and contrast you make. In an analytical essay, you’ll write one body section for each point you make to support your thesis. 

Once you reach your conclusion , you’re almost there! This is the part of your essay where you wrap it up and summarize the points you made in your body paragraphs. If you have any final thoughts or perspectives you want to impress on your reader before they finish reading your essay, this is where you make them. 

4 steps for writing an essay outline

So you’re sitting at your desk, ready to write your outline. Great!

…how do you get started?

Just follow these four steps to craft an outline that makes the rest of the writing process simple. 

1 Determine your objective

Think about your thesis statement. You might not have the exact wording at this point, but you should have a general idea of the point you’ll make and defend in your essay. Having a clear objective enables you to work through your brainstorming notes and craft an outline that hits all the necessary points you need to support that objective. 

2 Filter out the fluff

When you brainstormed, you explored every possible avenue to go down in your writing and every potential piece of information to include. 

Now it’s time to go through your brainstorming notes and pick out the points that will most effectively achieve your goal for your essay. For each piece of information you jotted down, ask yourself “how does this prove my point?” If you can answer that question with a clear, thoughtful response, add it to your list of points to make in your essay. 

3 Identify the points you’ll make in each paragraph

Using the list of points you wrote down, identify the key arguments you’ll make in your essay. These will be your body sections. For example, in an argumentative essay about why your campus needs to install more water fountains, you might make points like: 

  • Providing water fountains helps students save money
  • Fountains reduce plastic waste
  • Readily available water can cut down heat exhaustion incidents

Jot down the facts, anecdotes, and statistics that support each of these arguments. For example, you might cite the number of disposable water bottles recovered from campus grounds last year in your section on how water fountains reduce plastic waste. These supporting points are part of your essay outline. 

4 Write your outline using a standard template

With your key topics and supporting points clearly defined, it’s time to actually write your outline. Using a template for the type of essay you’re writing (more on that in the next section), format your key points into a clear, organized frame that you’ll flesh out with content when you write your first draft. 

Essay outline examples

Although every outline follows the same general structure, there are a few key differences to keep in mind when you’re outlining different kinds of essays. Take a look at how these example outlines for various essay types are similar as well as where they differ: 

Argumentative essays

Here is an example outline argumentative essay :

Title: Italian Ice is a Superior Dessert to Ice Cream

  • Introduce the differences between Italian ice and ice cream, touch on how popular each is.
  • Thesis: Italian ice is a healthier, more refreshing, more environmentally friendly dessert than ice cream. 
  • Cite the average amount of calories in a serving of Italian ice vs. ice cream
  • Cite how Italian ice thus fits more easily into most consumers’ daily caloric allotment
  • Discuss the benefits of consuming vegan vs. animal-sourced products
  • Discuss how Italian ice is vegan, making it accessible to both vegans and non-vegans and a healthier, more environmentally conscious choice for all
  • Because of the lack of dairy, Italian ice is a more refreshing treat than ice cream on a hot day
  • Discuss anecdotes about dairy making consumers feel hotter and not refreshed
  • Reiterate why Italian ice is a better dessert than ice cream and summarize supporting points.

Admissions essays

Take a look at this admissions essay outline: 

Title: Arigato, Sato Sensei

  • My Japanese teacher was the most influential teacher I had in high school because she taught me more than just a language—she taught me how language shapes perspective. 
  • Thesis: Choosing to study Japanese in high school changed my perspective on myself, my community, and my role in society 
  • Discuss how I struggled in Japanese class and wanted to give up
  • State how Sato Sensei encouraged me to keep trying instead of changing to another language
  • Learning Japanese was more than memorizing vocabulary and copying hiragana and katakana; it’s understanding Japanese cultural perspectives and concepts versus Western ones
  • How Japanese language skills enabled me to succeed during my summer abroad
  • How I understood cultural nuances through my understanding of the language
  • With the perspective I developed as an American student who studied Japanese, I’m well-equipped to succeed as an international business major. 

Persuasive essays

Here’s an example of a persuasive essay outline: 

Title: We Need More Security Cameras in the Student Parking Deck

  • Vehicle break-ins are far too common on campus
  • Thesis: The current level of parking deck security is insufficient
  • State car break-in statistics and any related stats, like the average cost of repairs to broken-into vehicles and value of goods stolen
  • Discuss the intangible value of increased security with quotes and anecdotes
  • Cite statistics on how other campuses reduced break-ins by installing more security cameras
  • State the actual cost of installing sufficient security
  • Summarize the points made and emphasize how community safety should be a top priority for campus administration. Then, reiterate how more security cameras in the parking deck would improve safety. 

Personal essays

Here is an outline example for a personal essay :

Title: The Two Best Birthdays of my Life

  • Introducing your feelings about birthdays and how you like to celebrate yours
  • Thesis: The two best birthdays of my life were my 17th and 22nd
  • I got my driver’s license and drove to my first concert with my best friends
  • I still have the ticket stub and wristband from that night
  • At first, I thought everybody had forgotten my birthday. I was devastated
  • Then, my siblings surprised me by traveling six hours to pick me up and take me to the art exhibit I’d been wanting to see
  • My 17th and 22nd birthdays were particularly meaningful because of the points cited above. 
  • Perhaps finish with a parting thought on looking forward to more great birthday celebrations

 Outlining is just one step to great writing

Once you’re finished writing your outline, follow the rest of the writing process steps to complete your essay. 

When it’s time to edit your work, Grammarly can help you polish your draft into a perfectly publishable piece of writing. Grammarly catches spelling mistakes, grammar errors, and gives you feedback on all the tones present in your writing to help you make any necessary adjustments to strike a clear, consistent tone that accurately communicates exactly what you need to say. 

belief essay outline

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Narrative Essay Outline

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Design A Winning Narrative Essay Outline

Coming up with a narrative essay outline is essential so that you can have an overview of how to present your story. When you follow a narrative essay outline template, you can be sure that you are going to write a good narrative essay that will engage your readers. Whether you are looking for a narrative essay outline example or just looking for help on how to create one, having an outline is useful in structuring your work and ensuring that it is coherent. To get professional help with narrative outline and for further guidance on how to improve your narrative essay, contact The Student Helpline .

Significance Of Narrative Outline

A narrative essay outline is a roadmap that will be used when writing a story that is either personal or fictional. It usually comprises an introduction, body sections that contain events or scenes, and a conclusion. Narrative writing outline is important because it assists the writer in developing a logical structure and a coherent story. A narrative essay outline examples can be used as a guide for developing a narrative essay.

How To Write A Narrative Essay Outline?

A narrative essay outline template helps to organise your personal story. It assists in categorising events, characters, and reflections. It is important to understand how to construct this outline to produce a good narrative essay. The points given below present the narrative outline with the brief information.

  • Narrative Essay Outline Format: Hook, Background Information, Thesis Statements
  • Body Paragraph 1: Setting, Character involved, Action and Dialogue
  • Body Paragraph 2: Rising Actions, Conflict Development, Character Growth
  • Body Paragraph 3: Peak of conflicts, Turning Point, Emotional Intensity
  • Conclusion: Resolution, Reflection on the experience, Final thoughts or lessons learned

Personal Narrative Essay Outline To Structure An Appealing Essay

Examples of personal narrative outline show how to organise your personal story. These are the outlines that contain all elements to enable you to create an interesting personal narrative. These elements are comprehensively discussed below:

  • Introduction: Hook, Background, Thesis Statements
  • First Key Event: Setting, People Involved, What Happened
  • Second Key Event: Connection to the first event, Details of the occurrence, your reaction and reflection
  • Third Key Event: How it relates to previous events, Significant moments, Impact on you
  • Conclusion: Summary of events, Lesson learned, How the experience changed you

Literacy Narrative Outline Components

Among all the college narrative essay outline templates, literacy narratives are particularly helpful. They assist in framing your learning in language and literature, guaranteeing a linear flow of experiences and reflections in your essay. The format of literacy narrative outline is simplified below.

  • Introduction: Hook, Background Information, Thesis Statements
  • Early literacy experiences: First memories of reading and writing, Influential people, challenges or successes
  • Turning point in literacy: Significant event or realisation, Changes in attitude or approach, Impact on your literacy skills
  • Current Literacy Practices: Your relationship with reading/writing now, How you use literacy in daily life, Ongoing challenges or achievements
  • Conclusion: Reflection on your literacy journey, lessons learnt, future literacy goals

How To Create A Narrative Story Outline?

Narrative story essay outline templates help in developing fictional or non-fictional stories. They help to control such important components as characters, their evolution, plot and themes, thus providing a clear and coherent storyline. The narrative essay outline is simplified below:

  • Introduction: Hook, Setting introduction, Main character introduction
  • Rising Action: Inciting incident, character’s goal, Challenges and obstacles
  • Climax: Peak of conflict, Major decision or action, Turning point
  • Falling Action: Consequences of climax, Resolution of smaller conflicts, Character growth
  • Resolution: Final outcome, Character’s new understanding, Tie-up of loose ends

Narrative Essay Outline College Level Requirements

College narrative essay outline templates are formal and at the same time, the students are free to be creative. They assist in maintaining the narrative and analytical approaches in check, guaranteeing that your narrative conforms to college writing standards and norms. Here is the college narrative essay outline for students.

  • Introduction: Engaging Hook, Context of the Story, Thesis Statement
  • Background: Relevant information about yourself, Setting of the Story, Other key characters
  • Main Events: Chronological order of occurrences, Vivid details and descriptions, Your thoughts and feelings
  • Reflection: Analysis of the experience, lessons learnt, How it impacted your life
  • Conclusion: Restate thesis, Summarise key points, Final reflective essay thought

5 Paragraph Narrative Essay Outline Template & Format

The 5-paragraph narrative essay outline template is suitable for brief narratives because of its simplicity. It modifies the personal narrative outline examples to align with a more formal structure suitable for academic works. Here is the template for 5 paragraph narrative essay:

  • First Event: Topic sentence, Detail of the events, your reaction or feelings
  • Second Event: Topic sentence, Detail of the events, your reaction or feelings
  • Third Event: Topic sentence, Detail of the events, your reaction or feelings
  • Conclusion: Restate thesis , Summarise main points, Final reflective thought

Tips For Writing Good Narrative Essay

Tips For Writing Good Narrative Essay

A narrative essay outline is required to be written appropriately to provide all the information. The outline assists in organising your ideas and making sure that the flow of events is coherent and logical. Here are the best tips for organising ideas in the narrative outline.

  • Begin narrative essay outline with an engaging hook to engage the readers and keep them interested
  • Identify and describe the main characters of the story.
  • Introduce the scene to set the tone of the story.
  • Create a powerful conflict that will be the basis of the plot.
  • Employ concrete descriptions to make the story captivating.
  • Use dialogue to make the characters more realistic in outline for narrative essay.
  • Explain how the character changes or evolves over the course of the story.
  • Create suspense up to a certain point or to a specific climax or discovery.
  • End with a conclusion and a thoughtful analysis of the events.
  • Make sure that the narrative outline has a consistent narrative voice.

Draft Narrative Outline With The Best Narrative Essay Writer

When writing a narrative essay, it is essential to have a proper structure of the outline. This foundation helps your story make sense, and keep the readers engaged from the beginning to the end. When you are following the outline for narrative essay, you can easily plan your ideas, create characters, and even construct conflict.

Just a reminder, it is important to note that great narrative essay examples are developed from well-thought-out narrative essay outline. When you are in the process of editing your essay, think about how each aspect of the paper relates to the whole. If you need help with your narrative outline or any other writing services , feel free to contact The Student Helpline for professional help.

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Personal Narrative Outline

Why is creating an outline an important step in writing a personal narrative.

The benefits associated with a narrative essay outline is that it helps a person to systematise ideas and plan out the events in logical order. It makes work easier and ensures that there is a flow between the different sections of the essay. The Student Helpline provides tips on how to write an outline for a narrative essay.

How To Write An Outline For A Narrative Essay?

Personal narrative essay outline begin with the major events and place them in a time sequence and then provide other relevant information. It is recommended that the narrative essay should have an introduction and conclusion. The Student Helpline offers personal narrative outline examples to help you improve your narrative essay writing process.

Which Statement Best Explains The Reason To Create An Outline For A Narrative Essay?

A Narrative writing outline helps in organising the work and makes it easier to make sure that all prominent aspects are covered and organised systematically. It is a guide to writing narrative essays. The Student Helpline provides information to assist you in developing a narrative essay outline.

How To Write An Outline For A Personal Narrative Essay?

An outline of narrative essay begins with the major actions. Then write how you felt in the essay. Structure it chronologically with the narrative outline. The Student Helpline can help you create an effective personal narrative essay outline.

How Do You Write A Personal Narrative Outline?

The overview of a personal narrative outline is the events, organising them in chronological order, and then explaining them. You are not supposed to forget to add your feelings and thoughts. The Student Helpline provides individual support in crafting appealing personal narrative outlines from experience.

What Is A Personal Narrative Outline?

A personal narrative outline is an outline that guides in the flow of events of your story and their details, together with your feelings and thoughts about the happenings. The Student Helpline provides you with help on how to come up with a personal narrative outline helpful for your case.

How Do You Write An Outline For A Narrative Essay?

First, write down the major events of the story and set them in chronological order then fill in the minor events into your outline for narrative essays. When doing an outline, students should be keen to include an introduction and a conclusion. The Student Helpline offers professional guidance on how to write a narrative essay outline.

How To Outline A Narrative Essay?

Begin with major events in your outline for narrative outline, organise them in a sequence, and then add more information. You need to have an introduction and a conclusion. The Student Helpline provides guidelines and tips on how to write a narrative essay.

What Is A Narrative Essay Outline?

A narrative essay outline is a framework of main events, supporting details, and a logical sequence of events in a story. The Student Helpline provides you with the necessary tools to develop an effective outline for narrative essays.

How To Write A Narrative Outline?

Students are expected to list down events, organise them chronologically, and add more details. While creating the outline for personal narrative, make sure that the essay has an introduction and a conclusion too. Reach The Student Helpline to assist you in making a good outline for the narrative essays.

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  1. "This I Believe" Essay

    This I Believe is an exciting media project that invites individuals from all walks of life to write about and discuss the core beliefs that guide their daily lives. They share these statements in weekly broadcasts on NPR's Morning Edition and All Things Considered. The series is based on the 1950's radio program This I Believe, hosted by ...

  2. Personal Belief Essay Examples and Topics to Write about

    The theme of personal beliefs is vast and multifaceted, often touching upon morality, ethics, spirituality, and personal identity. Exploring personal beliefs in an essay allows for deep introspection and examination of how these beliefs influence behavior, decision-making, and interactions with others. Choosing a Topic for a Personal Beliefs Essay

  3. How to Write a Paper About Your Beliefs

    Personal essays about beliefs share the same essay structure as essays on other topics, and following an outline can keep you on point throughout the writing process. Develop a Thesis Statement The thesis statement should encompass your overall life's philosophy as well as at least three major points that support that belief system.

  4. 223 Belief Essay Ideas, Topics, & Examples

    One more option is to talk about your strongest personal beliefs and practices. Whether you have to write a high-school or a college assignment, our article will be helpful. Here you'll find everything you might need to write a belief essay. Best personal belief essay topics and examples written by A+ students are collected below.

  5. 'This I Believe' Essay Showcase

    This I Believe is a popular essay genre that allows the writer to share a personal belief and, through a narrative, explain that belief's origin or a time that belief was put into action. The essay genre started in the 1950s on a radio show with Edward R. Murrow and was continued by NPR in 2004. Many have enjoyed writing and reading these ...

  6. This I Believe Essay Writing Guidelines

    Make sure your story ties to the essence of your daily life philosophy and the shaping of your beliefs. Be brief: Your statement should be between 500 and 600 words. That's about three minutes when read aloud at your natural pace. Name your belief: If you can't name it in a sentence or two, your essay might not be about belief.

  7. Essay About Beliefs: Top 5 Examples And 8 Prompts

    1. Christianity Beliefs in The Exorcism of Emily Rose by Penny Silva. "This means that she believes it is a fact that if there is a God, there is a devil, and if there is a devil, there is God.". Silva's essay discusses the movie "The Exorcism of Emily Rose," - a film based on the true story of Anneliese Michel.

  8. This I Believe Essay

    In this article, we will delve into the definition of a This I Believe essay, present a step-by-step guide on how to craft one, address common questions, and explore the essence of this expressive form. 1. High School This I Believe Essay Example. misswrighteng9.weebly.com. Details. File Format. Size: 487 KB. Download.

  9. 'I Believe' Essay Topic Ideas

    What I believe essay is a unique form of personal essay that focuses on a single core belief of the writer. The article lists 70 thought-provoking topics that cover a wide range of subjects, including kindness, empathy, family, diversity, resilience, honesty, music, forgiveness, education, and many more. These topics are designed to inspire ...

  10. PDF How to Write Your Own This I Believe Essay

    o the shaping of your beliefs.Be brief: Your sta. forces you to focus o. central to your life. or two, your essay. ight As heard on NPRnot be about be. ief. Rather than writing a l. ocusing on one core belief.Be positive: Sa. what you belie. not what you believe. Avoid do don'tstatements of rel.

  11. 50 I Believe Essay Topics

    I believe in saving for a rainy day. I believe in investing in oneself. I believe in the saying, "money doesn't grow on trees.". I believe that rich people should be forced to pay more taxes. These 50 I Believe essay topics are sure to inspire your own original beliefs and help you create a powerful and unique essay.

  12. 108 Belief Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

    Writing an essay on beliefs allows us to delve into the complexities of human faith, understanding how it impacts individuals and societies. To inspire your exploration, here are 108 belief essay topic ideas and examples. Religious Beliefs: The role of religion in shaping individual identity. The impact of religious beliefs on personal ...

  13. How to Write an Essay Outline

    Revised on July 23, 2023. An essay outline is a way of planning the structure of your essay before you start writing. It involves writing quick summary sentences or phrases for every point you will cover in each paragraph, giving you a picture of how your argument will unfold. You'll sometimes be asked to submit an essay outline as a separate ...

  14. Best This I Believe Essay Guide For You

    Develop the essay outline . Your this I believe essay outline takes the format of the common essays; introduction, body, and conclusion. In your introduction, you should commence the essay with a hook sentence to capture the attention of the reader. Then, briefly highlight the background of your topic and close the introduction with a thesis.

  15. Argumentative Essay: Guide on How to Write

    1. First evidential support of your reason (known as confirmatio) 2. Second evidential support of your reason, then third, and so on. B. Summarize your first reason again and tie it together with evidential support. III. Second reason, etc. A. Continue to list your reasons in the same format as the first.

  16. This I Believe, Essay Writing Guide with Outline

    For example, writing on a core belief as 'love' should be the only idea covered in the essay. Also, ensure that the formats used are per the required forms. In doing all this an excellent 'this I believe composition' will be poised. Outline Example for this I Believe Essay. Introduction - Introduce the aim of writing the paper. Thesis ...

  17. Tips for Organizing Your Essay

    Strategy #2: Use subheadings, even if you remove them later. Scientific papers generally include standard subheadings to delineate different sections of the paper, including "introduction," "methods," and "discussion.". Even when you are not required to use subheadings, it can be helpful to put them into an early draft to help you ...

  18. My Values in Life Essay Personal Essay Example

    My Values in Life. One of the educational values that are fundamental to me is achievement. This is a result of my belief that what defines me most as a person is my determination to succeed and my desire to make a positive contribution to society through my career. Achievement is, therefore, one of the values that are most important to me ...

  19. PDF Essay Planning: Outlining with a Purpose

    Outlining is a vital part of the essay planning process. It allows the writer to understand how he or she will connect all the information to support the thesis statement and the claims of the paper. It also provides the writer with a space to manipulate ideas easily without needing to write complete paragraphs.

  20. How to Write an Essay Outline: Steps and Templates

    An essay outline is a structured plan that organizes the main points and supporting details of an essay before writing. It guides the flow of ideas and ensures that each section of the essay is logically connected and coherent. In this article, we'll walk you through the steps to build a strong essay outline. You'll discover how to define your ...

  21. This I Believe- Essay Outline

    List your "I Believe" statement. II. The Event-Paragraphs ( Section 2 of the yellow brainstorm paper) (Describe the event/events that lead you to your belief. Give as much detail as possible. Use figurative. language. Each event you choose to talk about should include letters a-e. Make me see the story!

  22. Home

    Explore. Featured Essays Essays on the Radio; Special Features; 1950s Essays Essays From the 1950s Series; Browse by Theme Browse Essays By Theme Use this feature to browse through the tens of thousands of essays that have been submitted to This I Believe. Select a theme to see a listing of essays that address the selected theme. The number to the right of each theme indicates how many essays ...

  23. How to Write an Essay Outline in 4 Steps

    3 Identify the points you'll make in each paragraph. Using the list of points you wrote down, identify the key arguments you'll make in your essay. These will be your body sections. For example, in an argumentative essay about why your campus needs to install more water fountains, you might make points like:

  24. How To Write a Narrative Essay Outline? Template and Example

    Narrative writing outline is important because it assists the writer in developing a logical structure and a coherent story. A narrative essay outline examples can be used as a guide for developing a narrative essay. How To Write A Narrative Essay Outline? A narrative essay outline template helps to organise your personal story.