Writing guides20 November 2019

How to Write an Essay on Terrorism: Complete Guide

Terrorism became a global problem as soon as we decided to make it a global problem. Terrorist acts have always been a part of the history of conflicts between countries, nations, religions, and ideologies. It became global when we started sharing these horror stories and broadcasting them around the globe. This topic is current and complex: there is a good chance that you’ll have to write a terrorism essay at least once in your life.

We want you to be ready. We’ve prepared this guide to simplify the writing process as much as possible. Tips, terrorism research paper topics, reliable sources – everything is here.

How to Make Your Terrorism Essay Better: 10 Tips

We’re sure that you know how to write an essay on terrorism – the same way as any other essay. But we want to remind you of a few things that can simplify the writing process and entail a better result and a higher grade. So, be attentive:

1. Pick a narrow topic.

You won’t be able to develop a broad topic in your terrorism essay properly. You’ll only have two or three pages, so don’t try to bite more than you can chew. You can pick one of the topics that we’ve gathered for you in this guide below.

2. Conduct thorough research.

You don’t have to spend days at the library digging through ancient dusty scrolls to find necessary information. A few hours of surfing the internet is usually enough to find many sources and pick important quotes that might enforce your arguments.

3. Choose reliable sources.

And speaking of sources, you should be very picky at this point. The internet is full of garbage: fake news, unverified facts, and “expert” opinions of bloggers. Don’t fall in this trap! Use only trustworthy sources: online encyclopedias (not Wikipedia), scientific journals, non-fiction books, reputable newspapers, etc.

4. Make an outline.

This is an obvious tip, but a really helpful one. An outline will establish the structure of your essay about terrorism and help you organize your thoughts. We also recommend you to include keywords if you don’t want to forget about the essential details.

5. Compose your thesis statement.

The thesis statement is the starting point of your essay. It won’t let you get off your writing track. Imagine that you have to explain the main points of your essay in one sentence – this would be the perfect thesis statement.

6. Find an original point of view.

Don’t be afraid of expressing your personal opinion. Of course, the topic of terrorism is debatable and painful, but you have to be honest with yourself and your readers. Writing a terrorism essay can be quite challenging, but you have this guide and your logical thinking, so it’s not that bad.

7. Use strong arguments.

Let’s define a strong argument first. A strong argument is a piece of evidence that proves your point in such a way that your readers are persuaded to believe you. We suggest you to use real-life examples, quotations from reliable sources, statistical data, and verified facts as your arguments. Avoid logical fallacies, as attentive readers will notice them, and you’ll lose their trust.

8. Stick to an academic writing style.

No matter what type of essay you’ll choose, you have to use an academic writing style. No jargon, no contractions, and no exclamation marks! If you’re new to academic standards, you should read about the requirements in your college code.

9. Format your terrorism essay properly.

Using the proper formatting style is another peculiarity when it comes to writing essays. MLA, APA, Chicago, and Harvard are the most common formats. Your instructor will specify the required style in his or her task. Sticking to the proper formatting style influences your general grade.

10. Use online tools.

Online services make students’ lives much easier. These tools can check your writing and make it free of mistakes. If you don’t have much time to write your essay, you can always rely on one of these writing services – for example, EssayBulls.

Tips – DONE! You know how to write an essay on terrorism, and we’ve shown you how to make it better. Now, let’s focus on what topics you can analyze in your essay. We’ll start with the types of terrorism.

7 Types of Terrorism to Write About in Your Terrorism Essay

The types of terrorism differ in their causes, purposes, and methods. We hope that you’ll learn more about this global problem from the section below:

  • Religious terrorism

Also known to be non-political, religious terrorism is aimed at religious purposes and is motivated by the reasons of a predominantly religious character.

  • Dissent terrorism

Dissent terrorists want to overthrow the existing government or to change the state policy drastically using terrorist attacks as a political tool.

  • Political terrorism

This type of terrorism is used by political parties and organizations against other political factions. Civilians are the most frequent victims of such attacks.

  • State-sponsored terrorism

Such terrorist acts are initiated by the government, often secretly, to achieve a specific goal. This method is frequently used in conflicts with other countries.

  • Quasi-terrorism

A quasi-terrorist is a person who acts like a real terrorist and uses the same methods but doesn’t have the same motivation. They’re often criminals who take hostages and threaten their lives to achieve a particular goal.

  • Civil disorder

Civil disorders are a form of violent protests that frequently cause the destruction of private property and injury to civilians. As a rule, the participants want to demonstrate their resentment against the government.

As you see, terrorism is a complex and multifaceted concept. You can describe and analyze any type in your terrorism essays. If you don’t feel inspired enough, we also offer a list of terrorism research paper topics below.

30 Unique Terrorism Research Paper Topics for Your Writing

  1. Compare and contrast a few acts of terrorism during the Civil War and in the 21st century.
  2. How does terrorism influence US immigration laws?
  3. Is there any connection between terrorist acts and immigration laws in Europe?
  4. Is terrorism the most important problem in our society?
  5. Why do people become suicide bombers?
  6. Is terrorism a more significant problem for the USA or for the Middle East?
  7. How do terrorists use technologies for their attacks?
  8. Is religion the main cause of terrorism in the 21st century?
  9. Is cyberterrorism the most dangerous form of terrorist attack?
  10. How have the September 11 attacks changed the image of terrorism?
  11. Are immoral methods justified when it comes to fighting terrorism?
  12. Will the GWOT (Global War on Terrorism) ever end?
  13. Can the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki be considered terrorist acts?
  14. How can be the internet be used to further terrorists’ goals?
  15. What is Al Qaeda? What are the main purposes of this organization?
  16. Define the term “Jihad.” Why is its literal meaning not well known?
  17. What factors shape public opinion toward terrorism?
  18. Can terrorism be considered a political tool?
  19. Is the death penalty an effective method to fight terrorism?
  20. Compare and contrast dynamic and economic models of terrorism.
  21. Why has the level of domestic terrorism increased recently?
  22. Define the term “selective terrorism.”
  23. Terrorists: criminals or combatants?
  24. How does terrorism affect the global economy?
  25. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a soft-line approach to terrorism?
  26. How does terrorism affect the perception of Arabs in society?
  27. How has the stereotypical image of a terrorist changed over the last 50 years?
  28. How can individuals fight terrorism?
  29. Does Islam approve of terrorist acts?
  30. What makes terrorism so frightening in comparison to other global problems?

Well, have you found something special? We hope so. You have the instruction, and you have the topic. Now, you need to pick a range of sources to use for your writing. We have some suggestions for you right here.

Helpful Resources for Your Terrorism Essay: Articles and Books

You don’t have to use these sources if they aren’t appropriate for your essay. Your instructor may have recommended you particular sources. But if you have any difficulties in gathering information, don’t hesitate to check these lists.

12 Articles to Quote in Your Essay on Terrorism

  • Annette Schaefer. Inside the Terrorist Mind. Scientific American Mind.
  • Katarina Jonev. Terrorist Influence on Children in Cyberspace. The Market for Ideas.
  • Jasper Jackson. Police Urge Public to Help Counter UK’s Complex Terror Threat. The Guardian.
  • Douglas Pratt. Terrorism and Religious Fundamentalism: Prospects for a Predictive Paradigm. Research Gate.
  • Max Abrahms. Why Terrorism Does Not Work. Quarterly Journal: International Security.
  • Scott Atran. Genesis of Suicide Terrorism. Science.
  • CNN Library. US Terrorist Attacks Fast Facts.
  • Steven E. Miller. After the 9/11 Disaster: Washington’s Struggle to Improve Homeland Security. Axess.
  • Peter Bergen. Why Do Terrorists Commit Terrorism? The New York Times.
  • Mario Arturo Ruiz Estrada. The Economic Impact of Terrorism: A New Model and Its Application to Pakistan. Journal of Policy Modeling.
  • Zulaika, Joseba, and Imanol Murua. How Terrorism Ends – and Does Not End: The Basque Case. Critical Studies on Terrorism.
  • Parag Khanna. Terrorism As War. Hoover Institution.

20 Books to Quote in Your Essay on Terrorism

  • Jonathan R. White. “Terrorism and Homeland Security.”
  • Clifford E. Simonsen and Jeremy R. Spindlove. “Terrorism Today: The Past, the Players, the Future.”
  • Yael Danieli. “The Trauma of Terrorism: Sharing Knowledge and Shared Care, an International Handbook.”
  • Jonathan Matusitz. “Terrorism and Communication: A Critical Introduction.”
  • Laura Scaife. “Social Networks As the New Frontier of Terrorism: #Terror.”
  • Louise Richardson. “What Terrorists Want: Understanding the Enemy, Containing the Threat.”
  • Bruce Hoffman. “Inside Terrorism.”
  • Stephen Vertigans. “The Sociology of Terrorism: People, Places and Processes.”
  • Anna Geifman. “Thou Shalt Kill: Revolutionary Terrorism in Russia, 1894-1917.”
  • Dilip Hiro. “War Without End: The Rise of Islamist Terrorism and Global Response.”
  • Dawson, M., & Omar, M. “New Threats and Countermeasures in Digital Crime and Cyber Terrorism.”
  • Gabriel Weimann. “Terrorism in Cyberspace: The Next Generation.”
  • Igor Primoratz. “Terrorism: A Philosophical Investigation.”
  • Richard Jackson. “Writing the War on Terrorism.”
  • Walter Laqueur. “A History of Terrorism.”
  • John R. Liederbach et al. “Digital Crime and Digital Terrorism.”
  • Cynthia C. Combs. “Terrorism in the Twenty-First Century.”
  • Vincenzo Ruggiero. “Understanding Political Violence.”
  • Patrick Sookhdeo. “Understanding Islamist Terrorism: The Islamic Doctrine of War.”
  • Brigitte L. Nacos. “Mass-Mediated Terrorism: The Central Role of the Media in Terrorism and Counterterrorism.”

That’s enough for today. You’re tired, and we’re tired. Still, we believe that you have enough energy to write your terrorism essay. No? Maybe you have enough energy to fill in an ordering form? We promise that it won’t take more than five minutes. And you’ll get an excellent essay on terrorism provided by a professional writer at an affordable price. Imagine how good some rest can be… Pay for college essay and see for yourself!

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