RE: Giving examples in AWA

[tweakin_it_up]

I was wondering about the necessity of giving "real life" examples in the AWA essays in order to strengthen a point of view. In all of the essays I've read thus far examples are given to back up reasoning in the essay and most are very specific and detailed. I often find myself wasting a lot of time brainstorming for "real life" examples to use to illustrate my point and was wondering how legitimate these examples have to be? Can you create a hypothetical "real life" example that fits your argument or would that be looked upon negatively by the Grader? Thanks in advance

[StaceyKoprince]

It is much better to use real life examples - things that have actually happened. If you cannot think of anything that actually happened, make it up. (That is, take your hypothetical, and then start talking about it as if it actually happened to you or someone you know.) You get more credit for a real example than a hypothetical - and they can't possibly know that you just made it up unless you write about it really badly. :)

[davetzulin]

It is much better to use real life examples - things that have actually happened. If you cannot think of anything that actually happened, make it up. (That is, take your hypothetical, and then start talking about it as if it actually happened to you or someone you know.) You get more credit for a real example than a hypothetical - and they can't possibly know that you just made it up unless you write about it really badly. :)

Stacey,

would you say the same for the argument essay? I know the answer is not black/white, but let me give some examples:

i know two companies called fujifilm and kodak , so i made up the fact that one of them was able to reduce its costs by improving efficiency while the other was unable to.

i know two companies pepsi and coca cola, and I know coca cola has been doing better lately than pepsi, so i make up the span of time this occurred, say over the course 10 years from 1970 to 1980 was when coca cola started to edge out pepsi.

i figure there must be some degree i can fib the facts i know, or perhaps i can even make things up entirely? this would really make my argument essay much easier because i hate to make blanket statements to support my position, ie "it is obvious that", "we all know that"...