TARA Writing Task Book · Deep Explanation, Best Examples and What to Avoid

Proposition: “Schools should teach students how to think, not what to think.”

A strong response would begin by separating two ideas that are often confused. Teaching students how to think means giving them tools for judging evidence, recognising weak arguments, and explaining their own reasoning. Teaching them what to think, by contrast, means pushing them towards a fixed opinion before they have evaluated the issue. This distinction matters because education should prepare students to face unfamiliar problems, not merely repeat approved answers. However, this does not mean that schools should avoid knowledge or values altogether. Students need historical, scientific and cultural knowledge in order to think well. The best interpretation of the proposition is therefore not anti-knowledge, but anti-indoctrination.

Proposition: “Universities should give more weight to potential than past achievement.”

There is a strong case for considering potential more seriously, because past achievement often reflects unequal opportunity. A student from a poorly resourced school may have developed independence, resilience and intellectual curiosity that grades alone do not fully show. If universities rely only on past marks, they may reward advantage rather than ability. Yet potential is also difficult to measure fairly. Interviews, personal statements and predictions can be subjective, and universities must ensure that admitted students are ready for demanding courses. A balanced approach would therefore use past achievement as evidence of preparation while allowing contextual information to reveal potential that grades may hide.

Claim: Public libraries should continue to receive public funding.

Public libraries deserve public funding because they provide access to learning that the market does not distribute equally. A student who cannot afford a quiet study space, a reliable computer or expensive books can still use a library to prepare for exams or applications. This is not only a private benefit for that student; it also supports a more educated and socially mobile community. While digital resources are increasingly available, they do not remove the need for public spaces where guidance, materials and technology are accessible without payment. For this reason, library funding should be seen as educational infrastructure, not as a luxury.

Proposition: “Social media companies should be responsible for harmful misinformation on their platforms.”

A serious objection is that making platforms responsible for misinformation may encourage excessive censorship. Companies might remove controversial but legitimate opinions simply to avoid criticism or legal risk. This concern is important because open debate is valuable, especially in politics, science and public policy. However, it does not follow that platforms should have no responsibility at all. A better approach is to require transparency, rapid correction systems and clear standards for demonstrably false harmful claims, while protecting genuine disagreement. Responsibility should therefore be targeted and accountable, not unlimited.

Body paragraph topic: Why exams can still be useful.

Exams remain useful because they provide a common standard under controlled conditions. Coursework and projects can measure depth, but they may also be affected by outside help, unequal home environments or long-term teacher support. A timed exam is not perfect, yet it can show how well a student understands core material independently. This matters especially when universities or employers need some basis for comparing candidates from different schools. Therefore, the problem is not that exams exist, but that they should not be the only form of assessment.

Remote work can improve productivity when employees have tasks that require concentration and when communication systems are clear. It reduces commuting time and may allow workers to organise their day more efficiently. However, it is less suitable for roles that depend on informal collaboration, supervision or immediate access to equipment. The best policy is therefore not to treat remote work as universally better or worse, but to match it to the type of work being done.

Proposition: “Public transport should be cheaper, even if taxes must rise.”

A strong 750-word answer would not try to discuss every form of transport, every tax system and every environmental issue. It would select two main lines of reasoning: first, cheaper transport can increase access to work and education for lower-income people; second, it may reduce congestion and pollution if it attracts drivers out of cars. It would then consider the strongest objection: higher taxes may be unfair if the service remains unreliable or if rural residents cannot use it. The final judgement could be that cheaper transport is justified only when paired with service improvement and fair funding design.

Prompt: “Competition brings out the best in people.”

5-minute plan: Define competition as comparison for reward or recognition. Position: competition can motivate excellence, but only when rules are fair and failure is not destructive. Body 1: competition encourages effort, discipline and innovation. Body 2: unfair or excessive competition can create anxiety, cheating and exclusion. Counter-response: the issue is not competition itself but design. Conclusion: competition is beneficial when it is fair, purposeful and balanced with cooperation.