Draw up a skeleton plan
Before writing your opinion, you should draw up a skeleton plan. It is a false economy to start by going straight into writing an opinion without drawing up a skeleton, as you will often find that you miss something out or get confused and have to start again. You should never have to waste time writing an opinion out twice. The properly planned opinion will be right on first attempt. However, this does not preclude the necessity of editing.
The broad structure of your opinion, and therefore your skeleton, should by now be clear to you. However, the value of a skeleton plan is that it tells you not just what you are going to write about, but what you are actually going to say. In other words, it contains your conclusions and opinions within the structure of issues.
The skeleton should present your case in logical, persuasive fashion. Break your analysis into parts. Readability is enhanced by headings and subheadings that tell a logical story. Use your plan to make topic headings for each major point in your brief.
Remember:
There is no correct way to create a skeleton plan. Use whichever method suits you.
