School Uniform Keith King Analysis

Characteristics of a Powerful Essay There is no single technique for writing a respectable essay. In fact, essays of the highest quality often handle the same subject matter quite differently. Be that as it may, there are various characteristics that differentiate good quality essays from dire ones. An examination of Keith King’s essay, “Should School Uniforms be Mandated in Elementary School?” -which is neither for nor against school uniforms- shows how characteristics general to all essays collectively determine its efficacy. When looking at King’s essay, it is easy to categorize his use of organization, eye-catching statistics, accurate sources and a well-built conclusion as strengths in his writing. Keeping an essay well organized is
Because a well-organized essay presents its ideas in a logical and sensible way, it is also easier for the reader to comprehend the focal points presented, so that the reader is not confused or forced to miss the main-point of the essay. King’s use of bold headings and smooth transitions are both elements of well-built organization. In his essay, King uses topical organization when addressing all sides of the issue of school uniforms. In King’s section “The Case for Uniforms,” he will clearly observe the positive aspects of school uniform policies. He continues to describe how uniforms affect safety, regulation, and learning in the classroom, declaring, “Youths who feel safe, secure, and free from threats of violence perform better academically” (King). The second topic is easily determined by the bold heading “The Case Against Uniforms,” where King studies the negative side of school uniforms. According to King, “[Though] most parents and teachers seek to ensure the safety and security of their school children, some believe adopting a
Statistics are persuasive pieces of evidence and can effectively strengthen an essay. Nonetheless, this same power can also make them intimidating: we too often acknowledge them as fact without ever questioning their authenticity or aptness. Throughout his essay, King generally uses actual numbers, not percents, which aids in strengthening his arguments. In a section of “Should School Uniforms be Mandated in Elementary School?” King states “… of the 5,500 principals surveyed …in February 1996, more that 70% believed that requiring students to wear uniforms to school would reduce violent incidents and discipline problems”. This example shows King’s strength when using not only numbers but also eye-catching statistics. Despite this fact, later on in his essay, King does resort to using percentages. Because percentages are consequent of a specific foundation, they are insignificant until associated with it. In the opening of his essay, King states that “after a year of implementing school uniforms, school crime decreased by 36%”. This leaves the reader questioning if anything else took place that would be a factor in this decline. He adds that there may be other factors that were introduced along with the uniform policy that may also have contributed to the decrease in violence and crime, which solves the percentage problem by admission (King). King does an excellent job of supplying supportive evidence and