GED Essay Sample

Last Updated on April 12, 2024.

This an example of the GED® Essay written for the topic of the Benefits of Daylight Saving.

Make sure you read our  comments that are highlighted in a yellow color.  Keep in mind that Underlined Words are not part of the essay. They are our comments and are added to help you understand the structure of the essay.

Our comments and underlined words show you how each part of the essay is structured for getting maximum points.

This the essay introduction

This article presents arguments from both supporters and critics of Daylight Saving Time who disagree about the practice’s impact on energy consumption and safety.

Both sides provide good support for their position, but the argument against Daylight Saving Time is stronger and more complete. It responds to points made in the argument in favor of Daylight Saving Time and also incorporates arguments of its own. 

 (Our comment: Following the best practices, this introduction introduces the topic and gives a summary of the two positions and then clearly states the claim. This claim is based on the facts included in the stimulus. It is not the writer’s opinion.) 

This the body of the essay.

One of the arguments used by supporters of Daylight Saving Time is that because there is more sun at the end of the day, there is less need for electricity and thus energy costs are lowered.

A statistic is provided claiming Daylight Saving Time saves “about 1% per day in energy costs”. However, that information is from research conducted in the 1970s, which today is fairly outdated.

The supporting argument presents data from other research findings on the subjects of car crashes and crime rates, saying Daylight Saving time reduces the number of accidents and instances of crime.

These findings are again suspect because the dates of the research are not clearly stated. The accident data is pulled from “three decades of research”; the identities of these decades are unknown. The crime studies are not dated at all.

 (Our comment: In this part of the body of the essay, the writer explains that the arguments for supporting the Daylight Saving are weak because they are outdated so not reliable) 

The argument against Daylight Saving Time is much more credible. For example, it provides the results of a much more recent (2007) study in California. The study showed that Daylight Saving Time “had little or no effect on energy consumption that year”, thus countering the argument that Daylight Saving Time lowering energy use.

Also, the results of “recent” research provide evidence against the supposed safety aspect of the yearly switch to and from Daylight Saving Time; more pedestrians were killed by cars “immediately after clocks were set back in the fall” and significantly fewer were killed the week before Daylight Saving Time ended than the following week.

 Here, the writer explains why arguments against the Daylight Saving are stronger, he says that the statistics results are recent and therefore more credible, and he also cites an important passage ” immediately after clocks were set back in the fall.” He also keeps quotes brief. ) 

This is the conclusion of the essay.

The best-supported position in this article is the position against Daylight Saving Time. The argument in favor of Daylight Saving Time contains data from outdated research experiments and does not provide any counterarguments to the points made by the other position.

The argument against Daylight Saving Time contains more credible evidence, and it also does a solid job of countering arguments made by Daylight Saving Time supporters.  (Our comment: The essay conclusion wraps up the argument by repeating the claim and reasons. Overall, the response generates a strong argument, cites specific evidence, evaluates that evidence, and makes reasonable inferences.) 

GED.com

 Our final advice
Try to stay concentrated from start to finish and benefit from the provided stimulus as helpful information. It is important to indicate your main points and move forward.
Don’t continue writing about a topic only to fill in some white spaces on your working sheet. 

This article includes pro and con arguments and instructions that tell you what you need to do.

Remember, your essay should demonstrate your capability to think rationally and clearly. It’s not about your point of view. Your GED credential (diploma or certificate, depending on your state) is your ticket to higher education and will definitely lead to better job opportunities.

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