Steps for Writing a Deductive Essay

Writing serves a few goals. Writers write to amuse readers and to present some point of view, while journalists write to present new information. Students usually write to explain and inform something, often using deductive format for the essay. The art of deduction is the means of presenting opinions and information which is well known, and then using reasoning for explanation and conclusion. Deductive essays are often a problem for students. Nevertheless, these types of essays are an important tool for teachers to evaluate how students understand different courses.

deductive writing

A deductive essay is a particular method of evaluation of academic achievements of students in many disciplines. The key features of a deductive essay is that it should show the author’s ability to use the presented information for a logical conclusion. In order to deal with deductive writing successfully, you need to know what steps you should pass through.

Steps for Writing a Deductive Essay

An essay of this kind should be structured in a way to present the process of deductive thinking:

  1. An introduction presents a topic and a thesis statement, grabbing the reader’s attention. Find the recommended list of deductive essay topics.
  2. The first paragraph of the main body presents the initial general information or clues which are further used as a basis for reasoning.
  3. In the second paragraph, attention is dedicated to evidence, the information which your are analyzing to relate it to the premises.
  4. The analysis leads to a deductive conclusion which is the balance between evidence and the premises of the essay.
  5. The final paragraph of the essay includes the repeat of the thesis statement and a deductive conclusion.

An important feature of deductive writing is strong focus and clarity. The passages should be strictly organized discussing one particular question and presenting the examples, details, and explanations why you came up to exactly this deductive conclusion. The support must be strong and well organized, as if you can’t present clear arguments for support, it can make your conclusion more unrealistic.

Sample of Deductive Writing

Rather often, students lack understanding of how to write a deductive essay – that’s why we offer students to read through the following deductive essay sample. If you have enough time and skill, it is possible to write a good essay. The only thing that you may need is to read through an essay sample to understand in what way to structure your thoughts. On the one hand, you can use our sample to write your own paper, but on the other hand, you can’t present the sample as your own paper, as it will be considered plagiarism. Nevertheless, our deductive essay sample will be a great helper for your writing.

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deductive essay writing outline

how to write a deductive essay

deductive essay conclusion

Useful Tips for Deductive Essay Writing

  • Think over your future deductive essay before starting to write it. For example, you may choose the most appropriate argument style for your essay.
  • Concerning your introduction: keep in mind that one of the most important parts in each essay is the beginning, especially in the case of a deductive essay (remember that your task is to produce a conclusion based on your logical thinking). For this reason, it is recommended to ensure your thesis is strong enough and it sounds interesting for potential readers.
  • Use appropriate language. Depending on the topic, your writing style, terminology, and language, use may vary.
  • Always reread your essay before submitting it. Check whether there is enough supporting evidence to back up your premise. If not, add more information where it is needed.

How to Use Deductive Arguments

Deductive arguments are arguments in accordance to which a conclusion should flow from presented evidence. If an argument’s presentation is based on facts and support a conclusion, then it is obvious that the argument conclusion sounds true. There are three main parts of the deductive argument:

  • The main premise.
  • The smaller premise.
  • The conclusion.

Deductive arguments are:

  • Valid. Deductive arguments are valid when the conclusion flows from the premise.
  • Invalid. Arguments are invalid when the conclusion doesn’t flow from the premise.
  • Sound. If the premise of the deductive argument is true, then it can be considered sound.
  • Unsound. When the premise of a deductive argument is untrue, then it can be considered unsound.

Deduction is the method of reasoning from general propositions to particular conclusions. Deductive reasoning only fleshes out our knowledge. In the deductive conclusion, only the information that is in the accepted premises is contained. Deduction allows from already existing knowledge to receive new truths with the help of pure reasoning.

Deduction gives an absolute guarantee of a correct conclusion (with reliable premises). Deduction from truth gives truth.

Example 1.

All metals contain plasticity (a large reliable premise or the main argument).

Bismuth is a metal (a reliable premise).

Consequently, bismuth contains plasticity (correct conclusion).

Deductive reasoning, which provides a true conclusion, is called syllogism.

Example 2.

The International Monetary Fund’s assistance always leads to prosperity (false premise).

Africa has long been helped by the IMF (a credible premise).

Consequently, Africa is wealthy (a false conclusion).

Deductive reasoning is a way of constructing predictions in any sphere of human activity with the highest level of probability. Examining the intricacies of introducing solutions in practice requires the availability of exhaustive methods that can allow you to make predictions with the highest level of reliability. Nowadays, deductive reasoning is a method of cognition, in which a private conclusion is derived from general positions by means of logical laws.

As general thesis statements, either axioms are involved (a certain thesis that is obvious and does not require proof), or hypotheses (postulates that need proof). For a hypothesis to be taken as a basis for constructing a deductive reasoning, it must contain well-founded arguments about the order and principles of the construction and existence of connections between phenomena and events. Deductive reasoning, among all inferences, is the most accurate and justified.

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