End the intro with your thesis statement. Step 5: Develop Body Paragraphs (PEEL method) Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link
Corruption is perceived to be rising, even if some indices show stagnation, because legal corruption has expanded. rise of corruption walkthrough
“Corruption is rising and it’s bad.” Strong thesis: “The rise of corruption in established democracies since 2000 stems from three interrelated factors: the deregulation of campaign finance, the revolving door between government and industry, and the erosion of journalistic accountability; countering this trend requires systemic transparency reforms rather than punitive measures alone.” Step 3: Outline the Essay Structure | Section | Purpose | Content summary | |---------|---------|------------------| | Introduction | Hook, context, thesis | Anecdote (e.g., a bribery scandal) + definition of corruption + thesis | | Body Para 1 | Cause 1: Campaign finance | Dark money, Super PACs, legalized bribery | | Body Para 2 | Cause 2: Revolving door | Regulators becoming lobbyists; captured agencies | | Body Para 3 | Cause 3: Media erosion | Local news collapse; clickbait over investigative reporting | | Counter-argument | Address opposing view | “Isn’t corruption actually falling per Transparency International?” – then refute with limitations of perception indices | | Conclusion | Synthesize & propose solutions | Restate thesis + transparency registers, cooling-off periods, public funding of media | Step 4: Write the Introduction Hook: Start with a vivid, recent example. “In 2021, over a dozen federal officials from both U.S. parties traded stock in companies their own committees regulated—and faced no legal consequences.” Define corruption: Not just bribery, but abuse of public office for private gain (including legal influence-peddling). End the intro with your thesis statement