essay on good citizenship

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Good Citizen Essay | Essay on Good Citizen for Students and Children in English

Good Citizen Essay: A citizen is not one who stays in a city. A citizen can even be one who stays in a village or in slums. One who is a member of the society — of whatever status, is a ‘citizen’.

Long Essay on A Good Citizen 400 Words in English

Short essay on a good citizen 150 words in english, 10 lines on good citizen.

• What qualities make a good citizen?
• What it means to be a good citizen?
• Why is it important to be a good citizen?

Long and Short Essays on Good Citizen for Kids and Students in English

Given below are two essays in English for students and children about the topic of ‘Good Citizen’ in both long and short form. The first essay is a long essay on the Good Citizen of 400-500 words. This long essay about Good Citizen is suitable for students of class 7, 8, 9 and 10, and also for competitive exam aspirants. The second essay is a short essay on Good Citizen of 150-200 words. These are suitable for students and children in class 6 and below.

Below we have given a long essay on A Good Citizen of 400 words is helpful for classes 7, 8, 9, and 10 and Competitive Exam Aspirants. This long essay on the topic is suitable for students of class 7 to class 10, and also for competitive exam aspirants.

As a social being, every citizen has his responsibilities towards society. Every society wants its citizens to be good, and it is the goodness of the citizens which makes society good.

History tells how during the reign of Chandra Gupta Maurya, people did not need to lock their doors. No thefts would be committed; no robberies ever did occur. Maybe that it was due to stem administration and strict policing but it does reflect the nature of the society. All men were law-abiding and law fearing. There were peace and comfort.

Today in same India, every morning the newspaper’s front-page news is there of dacoity, murder, kidnapping, and frauds. This picture of society reflects the character of the citizens. To what low level have they fallen.

Just as to be healthy, every part of the body has to be healthy and in good condition. Similarly for the society to be good, every citizen has to be well-mannered, honest in his dealings, hard-working in his pursuits.

What is meant by being a good citizen? The answer is not far to seek. A good citizen is one who is humble, polite to others, well-mannered, respectful to the feelings of others. ‘Do not do unto others what you do not want to be done to you’ this is a mental dictate that governs a good citizen. What hurts you can hurt others too, therefore do not do anything to others which if done to you may hurt you. A society that works on these lines shall have citizens following this rule and that is good citizenship.

Below we have given a short essay on A Good Citizen is for Classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. This short essay on the topic is suitable for students of class 6 and below.

Everyone wants to have his personal freedom. But personal freedom does not give one the license to do whatever one pleases. If you have the right to enjoy personal freedom others also have the right to enjoy similar freedom. The freedom of one has to be accommodated with the freedom of others. Mutual adjustments alone can bring about peace in the society.

Therefore, a good citizen has always to take care of the interests of others. Neighborly relations mean caring for one another; helping others in the time of their need and be helped by others in your time of need.

It is such a society that everyone wants to live in. But to make the society so liveable every citizen must contribute his ‘goodness’.

Students can find more English  Essay Writing Topics, Ideas, Easy Tips to Write Essay Writing, and many more.

• A citizen is not one who lives in the cities. Everyone living in society is a ‘citizen’.
• Every citizen has responsibilities towards society.
• A good society would be that which has good citizens.
• A healthy body is that in which every part of the body is healthy.
• Who is a good citizen? One who cares for others does not harm others; is humble, and respects the sensibilities of others such a one who is a good citizen.
• A good citizen is law-abiding and obeys the laws of the country.
• A good citizen is honest in word and deed. He is always truthful.
• He seeks his good in the good of all.
• He or she never takes law in his or her hands.
• A good citizen has the welfare of his country and his fellow citizens at heart.

FAQs on Good Citizen Essay?

1.  What qualities make a good citizen?

Qualities of a good citizen include Honesty, Integrity, Respectfulness, Responsibility, and others.

2. What it means to be a good citizen?

To be a good citizen anywhere you have to be a good person. That means showing respect, having a good attitude, or just helping out.

3. Why is it important to be a good citizen?

A good citizen is normally the type of person who works hard, helps others, and respects the law.

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Greater Good Science Center • Magazine • In Action • In Education

How to Inspire Students to Become Better Citizens

The political turmoil of the last few years has many of us worried about the future of our country and our planet.

But here’s the good news: Thanks to new trends in education, the next generation may be more engaged, thoughtful, respectful, and compassionate citizens.

Research suggests that the growing emphasis on social-emotional learning (SEL) in schools can lay the foundation for more active civic engagement among our youth. In a 2018 study of almost 2,500 students, researchers found that those with greater emotional and socio-cognitive skills—such as empathy, emotion regulation, and moral reasoning—reported higher civic engagement.

Among this group of eight to 20 year olds, being more empathic (more upset when others are treated unfairly) and more “future-oriented” (more aware of how decisions impact their future) predicted a host of important civic behaviors and attitudes: volunteering; helping friends, family, and neighbors; valuing political involvement (e.g., keeping up with current events and taking part in rallies); engaging in environmentally conscious behaviors; demonstrating social responsibility values; and prioritizing other civic skills like listening and summarizing conflicting views. In other words, students with certain SEL skills also seemed to be more oriented toward social, community, and political issues.

And when students help others and practice civic behaviors, they may feel better, too. In a recent one-week study of 276 college students, participants experienced greater well-being on days when they engaged in certain types of civic activities, like helping friends or strangers and caring for their environment by recycling and conserving resources. According to the researchers, these kind and helpful behaviors also seemed to be meeting young adults’ basic needs for autonomy, connectedness, and competence—to feel free, close to others, and capable.

By its nature, social-emotional learning can support the democratic structures and processes that raise up all voices in our schools, empowering students to be more engaged in their world. So how can we thoughtfully apply these skills in our own classrooms? Here are several research-based ideas and resources to consider.

1. Re-examine your disciplinary practices

Researcher Robert Jagers and his colleagues found that Black and Latino middle school students who perceived more democratic homeroom, classroom, and disciplinary practices had higher civic engagement, particularly when students perceived an equitable school climate.

Similarly, researcher Peter Levine argues that teachers who truly want to educate students about democracy face massive barriers if the school environment is “unjust or alienating.” Harsh, authoritarian, and less-inclusive climates can ultimately weaken their community engagement, turnout in elections, and trust in government .

More and more research suggests that exclusionary discipline (e.g., suspensions and expulsions) can be alienating and counterproductive, and restorative practices (strategies that focus on learning from mistakes and repairing relationships rather than punishing students) may offer a more humanizing, equitable, and respectful alternative. In this context, students come together to learn to navigate conflicts, process their feelings, and collaboratively problem-solve a way forward.

When reviewing disciplinary practices at your school, also consider the following: Who is being disciplined? How often, and why? (If your school is like many others in the U.S., your students of color are disproportionately disciplined for the same or similar infractions when compared to white students. How is your school addressing that difference?) Are preventive strategies your number-one priority (e.g., relationship and community building)? How do you model and practice communication strategies for resolving conflicts ?

2. Facilitate meaningful dialogue among diverse learners

Research suggests that students in an “open classroom climate,” one that grows out of respectful dialogue and exposure to varying opinions, tend to have greater civic knowledge, commitment to voting, and awareness of the role of conflict in a democracy.

But perhaps you don’t feel prepared to teach students how to discuss and resolve tensions—especially around charged topics like racism. You may want your classroom to feel like a “safe space,” but how, exactly, do you foster and sustain one?

Start by preparing yourself. We all have different comfort levels with conversations about race, and being uncomfortable doesn’t necessarily mean that we are unsafe (or shouldn’t venture into that territory). Teaching Tolerance, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, has created the free online Let’s Talk handbook that can help you outline some of the vulnerabilities that make you feel less effective as a facilitator (along with your strengths!), and discover specific strategies for addressing strong emotions in your classroom.

More Resources

Not Light, But Fire , a new book by educator Matthew Kay, encourages teachers to be more focused and deliberate when discussing race in high school classrooms. Kay shares personal anecdotes coupled with practical strategies for facilitating meaningful classroom dialogue.

The Let’s Talk! handbook can help you navigate and understand your own uncomfortable emotions during heated conversations. It also features practical steps for leading reflective classroom discussions.

Learn the elements of compassionate listening , and seven ways to teach listening skills to elementary students . You can also adapt our Greater Good in Action Active Listening pair practice for children or teens in your classroom.


For example, when you sense confusion or denial of racism, this Teaching Tolerance tool recommends that you “ask questions anchored in class content or introduce accurate or objective facts for consideration.” Or, if students respond that they feel blamed, remind them that “racism is like a smog; we all breathe it in and are harmed by it. We may not have created the system, but we can do something about it.”

3. Use advisory time to encourage group cohesion and connectedness

If you value opportunities for meaningful dialogue, but think there isn’t time in your schedule for yet another priority, consider advisory or homeroom time in secondary schools (and classroom meetings in elementary schools). This time in the day or week can be thoughtfully structured for relationship and skill building. In this setting, students can learn how to actively participate in supportive dialogue with their peers over a sustained period of time.

In the Jagers study mentioned above, the featured homeroom routines included establishing social norms and contracts, group problem solving, and fun group activities to build connection and trust. For example, many teachers support their students in jointly creating a group “constitution” or agreement that highlights 1) the group’s values (e.g., responsibility, respect, fairness, and honesty) and 2) the concrete behaviors demonstrating those values. Further, students might lead or assist the teacher in proposing activities, like fostering a small class pet, developing solutions to pressing problems at school (e.g., creating a recycling program), or simply enjoying social time together (yoga in the gym or a “get to know you” game).

Of course, students can also share greetings, personal interests, and feelings with one another. My daughter’s high school “mentor” group (designed to include multiple ethnicities and viewpoints) meets daily and sticks together for four years. Every Wednesday morning, they check in with each other, share how they are feeling, and receive “support” and “resonance” from their peers and teacher-mentor, as needed—a wonderful opportunity for fostering empathy and a sense of belonging.

During advisory or circle time, many students across the country also plan to participate in service activities in their schools and communities, which is a great way to promote volunteerism and civic responsibility.

4. Feature engaging civics lessons, activities, and projects in your curriculum

Of course, there are plenty of opportunities for further civics education in social studies and history classes.

Teaching Tolerance’s website includes quizzes, videos, stories, and lessons for helping children to understand and value the voting process even though they aren’t active voters yet.

Facing History and Ourselves offers a plethora of ready-made lessons and resources for secondary teachers for discussion within the following units: Standing Up for Democracy , Identity and Community: An Intro to Sixth Grade Social Studies , and Universal Declaration of Human Rights . You may also be interested in exploring civic dilemmas .

The Morningside Center for Social Responsibility regularly features lessons on current issues, such as Overcoming Hate: A Circle on the Pittsburgh Synagogue Massacre or Caravan: Why Are People Leaving Their Homes? .

In the Action Civics program, for example, students “ learn politics by doing politics .” They identify an issue they care about (e.g., homelessness, teacher pay, the opioid crisis), research it, and design a plan of action to advocate for that issue at a local level. Project-based learning like this—that is experiential, situated in the real world, and powerfully linked to students’ interests—makes politics come alive for them.

There are a number of different teaching strategies and activities (debates, Socratic seminars , and mock trials, as well as the National Model United Nations ) that give students the opportunity to actively practice civic behaviors, attitudes, and values while learning more about social studies, history, and political science. Many of these approaches help students learn how to paraphrase main ideas, develop an evidence-based argument, and anticipate counter-arguments while they practice conducting themselves respectfully and professionally in a group context.

With these ideas and resources in mind, it’s time to revitalize civic learning in our schools, and SEL skills can help serve as the building blocks. When students actively practice these skills in their schools, they are likely to feel a stronger sense of personal agency in their communities and in the larger world. There may be no more meaningful work right now than supporting a thriving democracy and more informed, responsible, and caring student citizens.

About the Author

Amy L. Eva, Ph.D. , is the associate education director at the Greater Good Science Center. As an educational psychologist and teacher educator with over 25 years in classrooms, she currently writes, presents, and leads online courses focused on student and educator well-being, mindfulness, and courage. Her new book, Surviving Teacher Burnout: A Weekly Guide To Build Resilience, Deal with Emotional Exhaustion, and Stay Inspired in the Classroom, features 52 simple, low-lift strategies for enhancing educators’ social and emotional well-being.

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9. The responsibilities of citizenship

When it comes to what it takes to be a good citizen, the public has a long list of traits and behaviors that it says are important. And there’s a fair amount of agreement across groups about what it takes to be a good citizen.

Still, there are differences when it comes to which aspects are considered very important (as opposed to somewhat important), and points of emphasis differ by party identification as well as by age.

Overall, 91% say it is either very (74%) or somewhat (17%) important to vote in elections in order to be a good citizen; just 8% say this is not too or not at all important.

Large shares also say it is important to pay all the taxes you owe (92%) and to always follow the law (96%), including about seven-in-ten who say each is very important (71% and 69%, respectively).

For several other traits and behaviors, about nine-in-ten say they are at least somewhat important to good citizenship. However, the share saying each is very important varies significantly. For example, 89% say it’s important to serve jury duty if called, including 61% who say this is very important. While a comparable 90% say it’s important to follow what’s happening in government and politics as part of good citizenship, a smaller share (49%) says this very important.

Protesting government actions you think are wrong and knowing the Pledge of Allegiance are considered important parts of what it means to be a good citizen, though they rank somewhat lower on the public’s list. Displaying the American flag ranks last among the 11 items tested in the survey. Still, a majority says this is either a very (36%) or somewhat (26%) important part of what it means to be a good citizen.

Republicans and Democrats largely agree on the importance of most responsibilities of citizenship.

About three-quarters of Republicans and Republican leaners (76%) and Democrats and Democratic leaners (75%) say it’s very important to vote in elections.

Similarly, comparable majorities of Republicans and Democrats say it’s very important to pay all the taxes you owe, serve jury duty if called, respect the opinions of those you disagree with and participate in the census. There also are no partisan divides over the importance of volunteering to help others and following what’s going on in government and politics.

However, Republicans (79%) are more likely than Democrats (61%) to say it’s very important to always follow the law to be a good citizen.

Knowing the Pledge of Allegiance ranks higher on Republicans’ list (71% say it’s very important) than Democrats’ (just 34% say it’s very important). In addition to placing greater importance on the Pledge of Allegiance, Republicans are twice as likely as Democrats to say it is very important to display the American flag (50% vs. 25%).

By contrast, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to think it is very important to protest if government actions are believed to be wrong: About half of Democrats (52%) this is very important to what it means to be a good citizen, compared with just about a third (35%) of Republicans.

Partisans and ‘leaners’ differ over importance of aspects of citizenship

On many items, the views of independents that lean toward one of the two major parties diverge from those of self-identifying Republicans and Democrats. In general, partisan leaners tend to be less likely than straight Republicans and Democrats to view a range of responsibilities as important to what it means to be a good citizen.

Overall, 83% of Republicans say voting in elections is a very important aspect of being a good citizen, compared with a smaller majority of Republican leaners (67%). There is an even wider 28-point gap between the share of Democrats (86%) and Democratic leaners (58%) who say this is very important.

Similarly, roughly two-thirds of both Republicans (64%) and Democrats (68%) say participating in the U.S. census every 10 years is very important to being a good citizen; slightly fewer Republican leaners (55%) and Democratic leaners (53%) say the same.

This pattern is seen across other items as well: Those who identify with a party are more likely than independents who lean to a party to say it is very important to serve jury duty if called, pay all owed taxes and to follow what is happening in government.

While large shares of Republicans (96%) and Republican leaners (87%) say it is important to know the Pledge of Allegiance, Republican identifiers are somewhat more likely than leaners to say this is very important to good citizenship.

By comparison, smaller majorities of Democrats (67%) and Democratic leaners (60%) say it’s important to know the pledge. Self-identifying Democrats (42%) are significantly more likely to say knowing the pledge is a very important part of good citizenship than Democratic leaners (24%).

There is a 22-point gap between the share of Republicans (90%) and Republican leaners (68%) who say displaying the American flag is at least somewhat important to being a good citizen. And 63% of Republicans call this very important, compared with 35% of Republican leaners. About half of Democrats (52%) think this is a very or somewhat important aspect of good citizenship; 43% of Democratic leaners say the same.

In contrast to the patterns seen on many items, Republican leaners (81%) are more likely than Republicans (66%) to say protesting government actions you think are wrong is an important part of being a good citizen. The views of Republican leaners place them closer to those of Democrats and Democratic leaners in terms of the overall importance they place on this aspect of citizenship.

Age differences in views of the responsibilities of citizenship

Young adults place less importance on many aspects of citizenship than older adults, especially when it comes to the share that describes a trait or behavior as very important for being a good citizen.

Majorities of adults across all ages say it is very important to vote in elections in order to be a good citizen. Still, a smaller majority of those under 30 say this (56%), compared with larger shares of those ages 30 to 49 (72%), 50 to 64 (76%) and 65 and older (92%).

And while fully 81% of those 65 and older say that to be a good citizen it is very important to serve jury duty if called, just about half (47%) of those under 30 say the same.

On other items, the pattern is similar. Young adults are less likely to call paying the taxes you owe, following the law, participating in the census, and following government and politics very important. Still, large majorities of young adults say each of these is at least somewhat important to being a good citizen.

There is no meaningful age gap in views of the importance of protesting government actions you think are wrong. Overall, 85% of those ages 18 to 29 say this is either very (45%) or somewhat (40%) important to being a good citizen. Views among those ages 65 and older are similar (50% very important, 36% somewhat important).

Displaying the American flag and knowing the Pledge of Allegiance do not rank particularly highly for young adults on their list of important characteristics for good citizenship. Among those ages 18 to 29, 63% say it is important to know the Pledge of Allegiance (38% very important) and 53% say it is important to display the American flag (19% very important). These items do not top the list of older adults either, though those 65 and older are more likely than the youngest adults to say both are important parts of being a good citizen.

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What Does it Mean to Be a Good Citizen?

In this section.

"We don't agree on everything—but we do agree on enough that we can work together to start to heal our civic culture and our country." CPL's James Piltch asked people all over the US what it means to be a good citizen .

What Is a “Good Citizen”? a Systematic Literature Review

• Open Access
• First Online: 01 September 2021

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• Cristóbal Villalobos 23 ,
• María Jesús Morel 23 &
• Ernesto Treviño 24  

Part of the book series: IEA Research for Education ((IEAR,volume 12))

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4 Citations

The concept of “good citizenship” has long been part of discussions in various academic fields. Good citizenship involves multiple components, including values, norms, ethical ideals, behaviors, and expectations of participation. This chapter seeks to discuss the idea of good citizenship by surveying the academic literature on the subject. To map the scientific discussion on the notion of good citizenship, a systematic review of 120 academic articles published between 1950 and 2019 is carried out. The review of the literature shows that good citizenship is broadly defined, incorporating notions from multiple fields, although these are mainly produced in Western countries with comparatively higher income levels. Additionally, although there is no single definition of good citizenship, the academic literature focuses on three components: the normative, active, and personal dimensions. This systematic review informs the estimation of citizenship profiles of Chap. 3 using the IEA International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) 2016.

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Reflections on the Good Citizen

• Citizenship norms
• Good citizenship
• Systematic review
• International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS)

1 Introduction

The concept of “good citizenship” is part of a long-standing discussion in various academic fields, such as political science, education, sociology, anthropology, evolution, and history, among others. In addition, good citizenship involves various components, including values, norms, ethical ideals, behaviors, and expectations of participation. Finally, the idea of good citizenship is related to diverse contemporary issues, such as patterns of political participation, the meaning of democracy and human rights, the notion of civic culture, equal rights, and the role of technology in the digital era (Bolzendahl and Coffé 2009 ; Dalton 2008 ; Hung 2012 ; Noula 2019 ).

In this regard, the notion of good citizenship can be considered as a concept with three basic characteristics: multidisciplinary, multidimensional, and polysemic. Therefore, the definition of good citizenship is a topic of constant debate and academic discussion. This chapter seeks to discuss the idea of good citizenship, with the aim of contributing to the understanding of this phenomenon and its social, political, and educational implications. In this way, this chapter aims to map the academic discussion and literature regarding the notion of good citizenship, presenting the key debates about the limits and possibilities of this concept in the framework of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) 2016.

In order to organize this complex debate, we start from the premise that any notion of good citizenship is composed of the interaction of two definitions. On the one hand, it involves a certain notion of membership, that is, of belonging to a community. As Stokke ( 2017 ) shows, the definition of who is (and who is not) a citizen is, in itself, a subject of debate, since the definition of citizenship implies political, social, cultural, and legal components. On the other hand, the definition of good citizenship always implies a conceptual position regarding how citizens are expected to act and what they are expected to believe (the “public good” component). In this sense, the debate focuses on the types of behaviors that should be promoted and their ethical-political basis, which is highly dynamic depending on the cultural and historical context (Park and Shin 2006 ). Finally, in order to answer the question about the meaning of good citizenship, it is necessary to first decide who qualifies as a citizen, and how they are expected to behave.

Considering these objectives, the chapter is structured into five sections, including this introduction. The second section describes the systematic review methodology used to select the literature and analyze the discussion regarding the concept of good citizenship. The third and fourth sections describe the results of the analysis, mapping the main trends and characteristics of the academic discussion on good citizenship and exploring its different meanings. Finally, the fifth section presents the conclusions, focusing on the conceptual challenges and methodological limitations to be considered in future research.

2 Methodology

2.1 the systematic review.

We conducted a systematic review to map the academic discussion on good citizenship. This review seeks to identify, evaluate, and analyze the publications in relevant fields of study, in order to determine what has already been written on this topic, what works and what does not, and where new studies are needed (Petticrew and Roberts 2006 ). Through the definition of eligibility criteria, the systematic review is an explicit and reproducible methodology that allows for both an evaluation of the validity of the results of the selected studies (Higgins and Green 2011 ) and the objective valuation of evidence by summarizing and systematically describing the characteristics and results of scientific research (Egger 1997 ). In this regard, the systematic review, unlike other forms of literature review, allows for recognizing “gray” spaces in the literature, describing trends in academic research, and analyzing conceptual and methodological aspects of studies.

2.2 Procedure

The systematic review was conducted using five academic databases, including the main journals in the fields of education, social science, and the humanities. These databases are: (i) Journal Storage, JSTOR ( https://www.jstor.org ); (ii) Educational Resource Information Center, ERIC ( https://eric.ed.gov ); (iii) Springerlink ( https://link.springer.com ); (iv) WorldWideScience ( https://worldwidescience.org ); and (v) Taylor & Francis Group ( https://www.tandfonline.com ). For each search engine, the keywords used were: “good citizen” and “good citizenship.” Additionally, each search engine was tested with other related concepts, such as “citizenship norms,” “citizenship identities,” or “citizen norms.” The results showed that articles containing these latter concepts represented no more than 10% of new articles. For this reason, we decided to concentrate on the two keywords described above.

Considering the importance of these key concepts, the search was limited to those articles that contain these terms in the title, abstract, and/or full text. Of the five search engines, only two had the full-text option in the advanced search and only one allowed searching by keywords, then all results were filtered manually. The search was conducted from May to July 2019, obtaining 693 academic articles.

The search was restricted to those academic articles written in English and published between 1950 and 2019, as a way to study contemporary conceptualizations of good citizenship. We discarded letters to the editor, responses to articles, and book reviews. As a result, we obtained 693 articles to which, based on a full-text review, we applied an additional criterion, excluding those articles about other subjects or from other disciplines. Included in the first search exclusively for having the word “citizenship” in the abstract, there is a wide range of articles including studies on biology, entomology, and film studies. Similarly, with this search strategy we retrieved articles on a related topic but not specifically about citizenship (e.g., leadership, public participation, social values, and immigration), articles on the concept of corporate or organizational citizenship, and articles on social studies in the school curriculum and its contribution to the education of citizens.

After applying the abovementioned selection criteria, we analyzed the abstracts of the articles to verify that they were related to the general objective of the study. As a result, all articles were selected that sought (directly or indirectly) to answer the question, “what is a good citizen?” Specifically, this involved incorporating studies that: (i) study or analyze citizen norms in conceptual, historical, political, educational, or social terms; (ii) generate models or analytic frameworks that define variables or dimensions that should make up the concept of a good citizen; (iii) explore factors on how good citizenship occurs, studying the educational, institutional, and cultural factors that would explain this phenomenon; (iv) relate the expectations (or definitions) of a good citizen with other dimensions or aspects of the political or social behavior of the subjects. The research team, which was comprised of two reviewers, held a weekly discussion (six sessions in total) during which the selection criteria were discussed and refined. This analysis resulted in the selection of a total of 120 articles (see list in Appendix A ).

2.3 Analytical Strategy

The data collected in a systematic review may allow for a wide variety of studies, but the analysis depends on the purpose and nature of the data. Given that the review included quantitative and qualitative studies, as well as both theoretical and demonstrative essays, such heterogeneous literature does not allow for statistical analysis. As a result, the recommended methodology is to carry out a narrative synthesis and an analysis that focuses on relationships between different characteristics and the identification of gaps (Grant and Booth 2009 ; Petticrew and Roberts 2006 ).

The narrative synthesis is a process that allows for extracting and grouping the characteristics and results of each article included in the review (Popay et al. 2006 ), and can be divided into three steps: (i) categorization of articles; (ii) analysis of the findings within each category; and (iii) synthesis of the findings in the selected studies (Petticrew and Roberts 2006 ). The first step towards the narrative synthesis consisted of reading, coding, and tabulating the selected documents in order to describe their main characteristics. A set of categories was designed to classify documents according to four dimensions: general characteristics, purpose, methodology, and results.

To analyze these categories, we transformed data into a common numeric rubric and organized it for thematic analysis, using the techniques proposed by Popay et al. ( 2006 ). The first category was used to summarize the quantity and characteristics of the published studies, while the thematic analysis focused on systematically identifying the main, recurrent, and/or most important concepts of good citizenship.

3 The Concept of Good Citizenship in Academia

Despite being a topic of interest for several decades, academic production on good citizenship tends to be concentrated in the second decade of the 21st century. Since 2009, there has been an explosive increase in the number of scientific papers published on this topic (Fig.  1 ). Although an important part of this growth may be due to the global pressures of academic capitalism to publish in academic journals (Slaughter and Rhoades 2009 ), it could also be the case that academic communities have cultivated a growing interest in studying this issue.

Academic papers by year of publication

Although few in number, the earliest articles published represent a landmark for the discussion. Thus, for example, the text of Almond and Verba ( 1963 ), which analyzes through interviews the perceptions of individuals in communities in five countries (United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, and Mexico) and highlights their different participation profiles, has been repeatedly cited in the discussion with 263 references (as of August 2019), according to Google Scholar. Another classic text is Ichilov and Nave ( 1981 ), which aims at understanding the different dimensions of citizenship by surveying young Israelis. To this end, it generates the following five criteria, which have been widely used in academic discussions: (i) citizenship orientation (affective, cognitive, or evaluative); (ii) nature of citizenship (passive or active); (iii) object of citizenship (political or non-political); (iv) source of demand (mandatory or voluntary); and (v) type of guidance (support principles or behavior).

The selected articles are geographically concentrated in two aspects: by institutional affiliation and by the location of their studies. Considering the institutional affiliation of the authors, 32.77% of the articles were produced in the United States, a figure that rises to more than 60% when the countries of Western Europe and Australia are included. This bias is maintained, although to a lesser extent, when analyzing the countries where the studies were carried out. Moreover, more than 50% of the studies were carried out in the United States, England, and the democracies of Western Europe. Africa (4.24%) and Latin America (2.54%) were the regions least represented in the studies. These characteristics, which tend to be representative of global academic production in the social sciences (Connell 2007 ), may encourage certain notions of good citizenship that are anchored in Anglo-Saxon traditions, such as the liberal conception of citizenship studied by Peled ( 1992 ), or more recently, the conception of active citizenship (Ke and Starkey 2014 ), both of which have had an important influence on academic discussion about good citizenship.

Finally, the third characteristic of academic production is related to the multiple research fields and diverse purposes of the studies that deal with the concept of good citizenship. Research on good citizenship is published in multiple disciplines. Of the articles included in the review, 82.29% are concentrated in three disciplines: education, political science, and sociology. However, there are also articles associated with journals of history, philosophy, anthropology, and law. Additionally, we identified six main objectives from the articles reviewed (Table  1 ). The most common objectives are related to bottom-up research, which seeks to gather information on how diverse populations understand good citizenship, and top-down research, which seeks to conceptualize and/or define the idea of good citizens based on conceptual, historical, or political analysis. In addition, there are a wide variety of studies that seek to explain good citizenship, as well as studies that use the idea of a good citizen to explain other behaviors, skills, or knowledge. In other words, in addition to being multidisciplinary, research on good citizenship has multiple purposes.

In sum, although the academic discussion on good citizenship has been mainly developed during the last two decades in the most industrialized Western countries, the academic research is a field of ongoing and open debate.

4 Understanding the Meaning of “Good Citizenship”

As an academic field with a lively ongoing discussion, the notion of good citizenship is associated with different sets of ideas or concepts. Some keywords were repeated at least three times in the articles reviewed (Table  2 ). Only those articles that used a keyword format were included. The most frequent concepts are related to education, norms, social studies, political participation, and democracy.

This indicates that, first, studies tend to associate good citizenship with civic norms and citizen learning, highlighting the formative nature of the concept. Second, studies that associate good citizenship with other dimensions of citizenship (such as knowledge or civic attitudes) or contemporary global problems (such as migration) are comparatively scarcer.

Another way to approach the concept of good citizenship is by analyzing the definitions proposed by the authors in the articles studied. Most of the articles propose characteristics or aspects of good citizenship (in 43.8% of the cases) that, instead of creating new definitions, are often based on existing political, non-political, liberal, or philosophical concepts. In this regard, many papers define good citizenship based on specific behaviors. In contrast, other authors (18.6%) refer to citizenship rules when it comes to voting or participating in politics, thereby seeking to relate the concept of the good citizen with a specific civic attitude—participation in elections. Finally, a large group of studies define good citizenship in terms of the values, virtues, or qualities of a good citizen (22.6%). Within the group of studies that propose new definitions, it is possible to identify two main categories: studies that propose types of citizenship, such as Dalton ( 2008 ), distinguishing between “duty” and “engaged” citizenship, and works, such as Westheimer and Kahne ( 2004 ), which differentiate between “personal responsible citizenship,” “justice-oriented citizenship,” and “participatory citizenship.”

Finally, the meaning of good citizenship can be analyzed by studying the variables used in the studies. Among the quantitative studies included in the review, only 28.3% use international surveys such as ICCS, the Center for Democracy and Civil Society (CDACS), the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP), the United Citizenship, Involvement, Democracy (CID) Survey, and the European Social Survey (ESS). Each of these surveys contained a slightly different definition of good citizenship and the variables used to measure the concept (Table  3 ).

In general, the indicators used to measure citizenship in the different surveys share certain similarities. Variables associated with rules (such as obeying the law or paying taxes) are present in all surveys. Additionally, variables related to participation also have an important presence, especially (although not only) related to voting in national elections. To a lesser extent, surveys include variables related to solidarity (supporting people who are worse off than yourself) as well as attitudes related to critical thinking and civic culture (knowing the history of the country, thinking critically).

5 Discussion and Conclusions

The concept of good citizenship can be considered an umbrella term, which includes ethical, political, sociological, and educational aspects and discussions about who qualifies as a citizen and how they should act. The systematic review has shown that good citizenship is broadly defined, although these notions are mainly valued in Western countries with comparatively higher income levels.

For this reason, the definition of good citizenship used is, in large part, highly dependent on the research objective of the academic endeavor. In our case, the analysis is based on ICCS 2016, which defines good citizenship in relation to notions such as conventional citizenship, social movement citizenship, and personal responsibility citizenship (Köhler et al. 2018 ). The variables included in ICCS 2016 are related to the three main dimensions of good citizenship: normative, active, and personal. These three components of good citizenship have been essential in the academic discussion in the last seven decades, constituting the central corpus of the concept, although this definition does not incorporate current discussions on good citizenship, which focus, for example, on the notion of global citizenship (Altikulaç 2016 ) or the idea of digital citizenship (Bennett et al. 2009 ). These latter concepts are part of the ongoing debate on good citizenship, although it seems that more work is needed to better understand how these notions of citizenship are related to the ways in which individuals or groups in society relate to power and exercise it to shape the public sphere.

This systematic review has mapped the academic discussion to date on good citizenship. However, despite its usefulness, this review has a number of limitations. Firstly, it summarizes and analyzes the academic discussion, ignoring the gap between the scientific debate on good citizenship and the social discussion related to this subject. Secondly, it focuses on English-language literature, which may result in a bias towards publications produced in Western countries. In spite of these limitations, the review allows us to study the process of defining the concept of good citizenship, and to identify the main debates related to this notion, which is the central focus of this book.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank their research sponsors, the Center for Educational Justice ANID PIA CIE160007, as well as the Chilean National Agency of Research and Development through the grants ANID/FONDECYT N° 1180667, and ANID/FONDECYT N° 11190198.

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Cristóbal Villalobos & María Jesús Morel

Center UC for Educational Transformation, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile

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Ellen Claes

University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

Kerry J. Kennedy

The following list of publications is the reviewed references for the systematic review conducted in this chapter.

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Villalobos, C., Morel, M.J., Treviño, E. (2021). What Is a “Good Citizen”? a Systematic Literature Review. In: Treviño, E., Carrasco, D., Claes, E., Kennedy, K.J. (eds) Good Citizenship for the Next Generation . IEA Research for Education, vol 12. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-75746-5_2

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Good Citizenship and Global Citizenship Essay

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Introduction

Good citizen needed to make a global citizen, global citizenship needed to make a good citizen, works cited.

The 21st Century has witnessed integration and increased cultural interaction among people on a previously unprecedented scale. This frequent interaction between people from varied countries and cultures has risen mostly as a result of the advances that have been made in transport and communication technologies.

As a result of this interaction, there has been the major integration of economies and cultures in a process known as globalization. As a result of globalization, governments are increasingly being required to link together different levels of their activities: national and global. This has resulted in the building of a global citizenry which sees the world as their “country”.

However, the global citizen continues to be heavily influenced by the traditional notion of citizen, a term that is “wrapped up in rights and obligations and in owing allegiance to a sovereign state” (Lagos 1). This paper shall argue that it is hugely necessary for one to be a good citizen so as to become a global citizen. To reinforce this claim, this paper shall analyze the extent to which it is necessary to be a “good citizen” in order to be a “global citizen”, and vice versa.

The world is full of social injustices mostly perpetrated by the stronger members of the society against the weaker ones. A defining characteristic of a good national citizen in such an environment is his/her concern about the injustices that occur within their boundaries.

This concern normally manifests itself in protests and public demonstrations calling for action by the government in place to counter the perceived injustices. A report by the World Bank demonstrates that the global citizen shows the same concern for the welfare of the globe and is moved to free their fellow men from dehumanizing conditions (1). As such, it takes a good citizen to make the global citizen who will be keen to decry social injustices against other human beings.

Core to the agendas of the good citizen is the preservation of peace in his country. A good citizen will strive to preserve peace especially within the boundaries of his/her country. This is mostly because the citizen recognizes the destruction and loss that war culminates in. For this reason, the good citizen seeks to mobilize against all wars through peaceful demonstrations and advocacy against wars.

The United Nations declares that peace is a precondition of global citizenship. The global citizen views war and strife as being contrary to his/her agenda. A good citizen who is committed to preserving peace is therefore needed to make a global citizen.

One of the attribute that a good citizen in any democratic society should possess is an understanding of public policies in his/her country. An understanding of this policies will result in enlightenment on one’s country position on issues such as energy, free trade, agriculture and the environment to name but a few.

It is only by understanding the public policies adopted by one’s country that a person can act so as to shape certain conditions such as protection of natural habitat. A global citizen is also concerned with the protection of the environment and establishment of free trade. It would therefore take a good citizen who is well versed with public policies to make a global citizen.

A good citizen is concerned about the impact that his individual actions and daily personal choices have on the country. This is an ideal that is also desirable in the global citizen since as a global citizen should make his/her decisions bases on an awareness of the impact that the decisions will have on the planet. A good citizen who is aware and conscious of the impact that his actions have on a larger scale is therefore needed to make a global citizen.

The international community is characterized by a rich diversity of cultures among its people. The global citizen is therefore prepared to operate amicably in this intercultural environment. The global citizen realizes that there should be unity in diversity and nobody has the right to impose their ideology on anybody or any group of persons.

An ideal citizen should also demonstrate this values and pay respect to people from different cultures and strives to live harmoniously with them. The good citizen should recognize that differences may exist within members of the country and this should not be a cause of strive. By acting as a global citizen who operates in a multicultural sphere, a person can be a good citizen and exist harmoniously with other citizens of varied backgrounds.

Lagos documents that while globalization is acclaimed for having opened up the world and led to the emergence of a “global village”, the same force has paradoxically resulted in localization and local communities have taken greater and greater importance (9). In such an environment, it is the global citizen who holds the separate entities together and seeks to iron out the differences that the various local communities seek to advance.

For a citizen to pass for a good citizen in such an environment (the environment where local communities have taken great importance), he must have the global perspective of the global citizen. It is only by taking the global perspective that a citizen can give fair consideration to ideas with which they disagree.

Global citizenship is increasingly working towards making the planet sustainable for all people. The efforts directed to this end are mostly in the form of advocacy for conservation of the environment, reduction of pollution and the reliance on renewable sources of power. A good citizen is supposed to work towards the preservation of the country’s resources for future resources. As such, the good citizen has to be a global citizen who is concerned with making the planet sustainable.

As a global citizen, one is expected to be non judgmental and overlook the religious differences that divide humanity. The UN states that the global citizen should have values such as “rights to freedom of thought, conscience and religion”. A good citizen should also have these values enshrined in them. A good citizen should avoid engaging in religious discrimination since this threatens unity among the citizens of the nation.

This paper has demonstrated that being a global citizen is intrinsically connected to being a good citizen. As such, being a global citizenship implies a responsibility to be a good citizen. However, there are instances where being a global citizen may cause one to be a “bad citizen”.

For example, a global citizen is not expected to advocate for war or side with any party during war. Good citizenship calls for one to back their country when it is involved in a war. Acting as a global citizen in such instances can therefore prevent one from being an ideal citizen.

Lagos indicates that a citizen obtains a certain amount of protection from his/her country in return for abiding to some restrictions that the government may impose on him/her (3). A good citizen is therefore required to abide by some laws and allow some bureaucratic control from his/her nation.

A global citizen on the other hand does not have any kind of protection and has some amount of degree from bureaucratic control. Lagos states that the hallmark of global citizen is the lack of allegiance to any body of laws to control the individual. In this light, being a global citizen goes contrary to what being a good citizen entails.

This paper set out to argue that to a large extent, it is necessary to be a “good citizen” in order to be a “global citizen” and vice versa. The paper performed a detailed analysis of how a person may be obligated to be a good citizen so as to qualify as a global citizen and vise versa.

This paper has shown that global citizens borrow most of their rights and obligations from the traditional “citizen” who is defined by a civic engagement to a nation existing in a particular geography. In particular, the paper demonstrates that values such as tolerance, civic education are innate in both the good citizen and the global citizen. However, the paper has also shown that global citizen differs significantly from the citizen and in some instances, being a global citizen may cause one not to fulfill his role as a good citizen.

Lagos, Taso. Global Citizenship- Towards a Definition . 2002. Web.

The World Bank. “Global Citizenship- Ethical Challenges Ahead”. Conference on Leadership and Core Values . 2002. Web.

UN. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 2010. Web.

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IvyPanda . 2019. "Good Citizenship and Global Citizenship." February 20, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/good-citizenship-and-global-citizenship/.

1. IvyPanda . "Good Citizenship and Global Citizenship." February 20, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/good-citizenship-and-global-citizenship/.

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IvyPanda . "Good Citizenship and Global Citizenship." February 20, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/good-citizenship-and-global-citizenship/.

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How To Be A Good Citizen Essay | Qualities and Benefits of A Good Citizen Essay

October 18, 2021 by Prasanna

How To Be A Good Citizen Essay: What does it really mean to be a good citizen? This is a question that has been debated for many years, but the answer remains unclear. The definition of citizenship varies from person to person. It can be defined as an individual who participates in the running of their society, or someone who bears rights and duties within their society. Citizens are also people who are eligible for citizenship in the state they reside in.

On the other hand, citizenship is a legal concept usually defined as the status of a person recognized under the custom or law as being a legal member of a sovereign state or belonging to a nation. The word may apply both to natural persons and legal persons. The definition of citizenship used by governments or institutions differs based on their values and beliefs. For example, while some countries may define citizens as people born there while others may include those with parents born locally, some countries do not require you to have any connection at all to be considered eligible for citizenship. Regardless, citizens are an integral component of a functional society. In this essay, we shall explore what it means to be a good citizen, importance, benefits, characteristics and more.

You can also find more  Essay Writing  articles on events, persons, sports, technology and many more.

Who is a Good Citizen?

In today’s world, it is very easy to fall into the trap of being a “bad citizen”. The key to being a good citizen is being an active participant in society and contributing to the greater good. A person can be a good citizen through various ways such as: volunteering, philanthropy, charity work, etc.

So how do we bring this idea of a good citizen into our day-to-day life? First and foremost, we have to be an active participant in society and not just sit on the sidelines. We have to get involved with what is going on around us and talk about these issues with others. In order for change to happen in society there has to be a conscious effort from all of us. A good citizen is also someone who contributes to their society, does not take more than they need, and helps others. It is important for people to be good citizens because it benefits the society as a whole.

What are the Qualities of a Good Citizen?

Qualities of a good citizen are qualities that people should have in order to make the world a better place. Qualities of a good citizen are as follows:

• Good Citizens always obey the law – In order to be a good citizen, one must obey the law. There are many reasons as to why one should abide by the law. One reason being that if one breaks the law, they will have to pay a penalty for their actions. If an individual does not follow the law, they may be causing inconvenience to others, putting others or themselves at risk for physical, financial or emotional damages.
• Good Citizens pay taxes – A good citizen always pays taxes. People who do not pay their taxes are considered tax evaders. Tax evasion is illegal in most countries and can result in fines, jail time, or both. Moreover, tax helps to maintain public infrastructure, which is essential for a healthy society.
• Good Citizens serve on a jury – Jury duty is a privilege, not a punishment. It is a common misconception that jury duty is a punishment. In fact, jury duty is a privilege because it allows citizens to participate in the democratic process. Everyone has the right to be judged by their peers-the jurors in their community.
• Good Citizens always vote – Voting is one of the most important rights and duties of any citizen in any democracy. Moreover, it is a fundamental right that is necessary for the existence of democracy in any country.
• Good Citizens do not litter – One of the most important issues in our global society is littering. It’s not hard to see it everywhere, whether it be near your house or on the side of the highway. Littering is not only an eyesore, but it can also be detrimental to the environment.
• Good Citizens respect the rights of others – The Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do to you,” is a good guideline for good citizenship around the world. It’s a universal and timeless principle that respects the rights of all people, and encourages cooperation and understanding among cultures.
• Good Citizens are Loyal – Good citizens are people who are loyal to their country. They obey the law, they help others, and they are honest.
• Good citizens are Responsible – Responsible citizens are good citizens. They are the ones who volunteer every day for their community. A responsible citizen takes care of their home, car, and friends. They are honest, dependable, and trustworthy.

Importance of Being a Good Citizen

In recent years, citizenship has been a much debated topic in political and social circles. The term “good citizen” is usually defined as being civic minded and knowing the rights and obligations of citizenship. Citizenship lessons are typically taken by children when they are in grade school. But recent research has shown that adults should also receive the lessons. Adults who take these lessons are more likely to be civically engaged in their community. In a nutshell, being a good citizen is more than just following the law. It is about being a good person, which includes having empathy for other people and setting a good example for others to follow.

How to be More Involved in Your Community

Volunteering is a great way to share your skills and help others. It is also a good opportunity to learn new things and meet new people. Volunteering can be done in many different ways, such as:

• Helping out at a soup kitchen
• Teaching underprivileged children
• Helping elderly
• Participating in trail cleanups
• Become a foster parent
• Teach a life skills class
• Volunteer at a homeless shelter
• Volunteer at a community center
• Volunteer at an animal shelter

Benefits of Being a Good Citizen

There are many benefits to being a good citizen. Good citizenship can help you get a good reputation, it can be an example for others, and it can help you feel better about yourself.

One of the most important things in life is to be able to take pride in oneself. A good citizen does this by contributing to the welfare of the society. We must be honest, truthful, and brave in order to make our nation great again. It is not always easy to be a good citizen in today’s society. But in the long run, it will pay off and make life easier for you and others.

Being a good citizen can enhance one’s personal sense of well-being. Residents who take care of communities, participate in the political process, and volunteer for civic activities feel a greater sense of community and affiliation.

A good citizen improves society and makes a positive difference in the world. Building a society that values the needs of every single citizen is an important step in moving our world forward. When we cultivate a sense of belonging and support, we create a society that can thrive.

Moreover, being a good citizen is one of the most important things you can do for the environment. It’s possible to save our environment and reduce our carbon footprints by recycling, using less energy, conserving water, and planting trees.

Being a good citizen is not just a superficial label that a person can be proud of. It is about having a sense of responsibility towards the society that we live in and for the world we will leave behind. Being a good citizen is more than just voting every year. It’s about being an active citizen. Being an active citizen means being involved in your community and taking action to make it a better place. Here are some great ways to become more civic minded:

Get involved with a local charity, or start your own. Another excellent option is to volunteer your time at the orphanage, old-age home, soup kitchens, animal rescue shelters etc. Alternatively, teaching languages math, science or other subjects for underprivileged children or even adults who are willing to learn something new. Regardless, being a good citizen is one of the best things you can do for your community. By being a good citizen, you are helping to enrich the lives of others as well as yourself.

FAQ’s on How To Be A Good Citizen Essay

Question 1. Who is a Good Citizen?

Answer: A good citizen is someone who fulfills their duties to their community, state, or nation. They are generally law abiding and are not seeking to cause any harm.

Question 2. Why should you be a good citizen?

Answer: People often believe that being a good citizen is just a matter of following the law. But, in reality, it’s more complicated than that. Being a good citizen means doing your part in society and supporting the things you care about. It means engaging with your community and giving back to those around you.

Question 3. What are the qualities of a good citizen?

Answer: A good citizen has the following qualities:

• Abides the law
• Always vote
• Do not litter
• Always respect the rights of others
• Are loyal and responsible
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IELTS Essay: Good Citizens

by Dave | Real Past Tests | 3 Comments

This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of good citizens, school, and individuals from the real exam.

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Some people think the main purpose of school is to turn children into good citizens and workers, rather than to benefit them as individuals.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Many are of the opinion that the primary role of schools is to create good citizens, instead of simply working towards individual betterment. In my opinion, schools should aim to elevate the individual, not impose conformity.

Those is favor of this statement argue the value of a well-functioning society. As the world develops and there are advances in medicine, safety, working conditions, and so on it is easy to forget that this level of comfort requires sacrifices for the common good. Individuals must work at companies to stimulate the economy and the public must have a basic sense of community in order to live peaceably with one’s neighbors. School is where this education can begin. Teachers can explicitly and implicitly guide students to socially beneficial behaviors and educate them well enough to establish a viable future career.

However, I would argue that focusing on the individual will accomplish the goals detailed above but also be mentally healthier. Students who are taught to share, work well in teams, and develop their talents will contribute to society as a byproduct of pursuing their own seemingly selfish interests. Moreover, there may be times when the focus on society will come at the cost of the mental health of individuals. For instance, students who are taught to withhold their personal viewpoints in school, as is common in many authoritarian nations, may harbor resentment and not feel they can fully express themselves in a free environment. Psychological research has shown that the key to healthy growth is feeling safe to express oneself without fear of reprisals and repercussions.

In conclusion, although there is a valid argument in favor of social stability, schools should aim to produce healthy, industrious individuals. Naturally, these goals are not mutually exclusive and the overlap should be emphasized.

1. Many are of the opinion that the primary role of schools is to create good citizens, instead of simply working towards individual betterment. 2. In my opinion, schools should aim to elevate the individual, not impose conformity.

• Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
• Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here .

1. Those is favor of this statement argue the value of a well-functioning society. 2. As the world develops and there are advances in medicine, safety, working conditions, and so on it is easy to forget that this level of comfort requires sacrifices for the common good. 3. Individuals must work at companies to stimulate the economy and the public must have a basic sense of community in order to live peaceably with one’s neighbors. 4. School is where this education can begin. 5. Teachers can explicitly and implicitly guide students to socially beneficial behaviors and educate them well enough to establish a viable future career.

• Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
• Explain your main idea.
• Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
• Keep developing it fully.
• Vary long and short sentences.

1. However, I would argue that focusing on the individual will accomplish the goals detailed above but also be mentally healthier. 2. Students who are taught to share, work well in teams, and develop their talents will contribute to society as a byproduct of pursuing their own seemingly selfish interests. 3. Moreover, there may be times when the focus on society will come at the cost of the mental health of individuals. 4. For instance, students who are taught to withhold their personal viewpoints in school, as is common in many authoritarian nations, may harbor resentment and not feel they can fully express themselves in a free environment. 5. Psychological research has shown that the key to healthy growth is feeling safe to express oneself without fear of reprisals and repercussions.

• Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
• Explain your new main idea.
• Include specific details and examples.
• Add as much information as you can and make sure it links logically.
• Develop the example fully.

1. In conclusion, although there is a valid argument in favor of social stability, schools should aim to produce healthy, industrious individuals. 2. Naturally, these goals are not mutually exclusive and the overlap should be emphasized.

• Summarise your main ideas.
• Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here .

What do the words in bold below mean? Make some notes on paper to aid memory and then check below.

Many are of the opinion that the primary role of schools is to create good citizens , instead of simply working towards individual betterment . In my opinion, schools should aim to elevate the individual , not impose conformity .

Those is favor of this statement argue the value of a well-functioning society . As the world develops and there are advances in medicine , safety, working conditions , and so on it is easy to forget that this level of comfort requires sacrifices for the common good . Individuals must work at companies to stimulate the economy and the public must have a basic sense of community in order to live peaceably with one’s neighbors. School is where this education can begin. Teachers can explicitly and implicitly guide students to socially beneficial behaviors and educate them well enough to establish a viable future career .

However , I would argue that focusing on the individual will accomplish the goals detailed above but also be mentally healthier . Students who are taught to share, work well in teams, and develop their talents will contribute to society as a byproduct of pursuing their own seemingly selfish interests . Moreover, there may be times when the focus on society will come at the cost of the mental health of individuals. For instance, students who are taught to withhold their personal viewpoints in school, as is common in many authoritarian nations , may harbor resentment and not feel they can fully express themselves in a free environment . Psychological research has shown that the key to healthy growth is feeling safe to express oneself without fear of reprisals and repercussions .

In conclusion, although there is a valid argument in favor of social stability , schools should aim to produce healthy, industrious individuals. Naturally , these goals are not mutually exclusive and the overlap should be emphasized .

For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:

Many are of the opinion that some think

primary role main responsibility

good citizens productive members of society

instead of rather than

working towards individual betterment making one’s own life better

elevate raise

individual one person

impose conformity make everyone the same, fit in

Those is favor of this statement argue supporters say

value importance

well-functioning society healthy public

advances in developments in

medicine hospitals and doctors, etc.

working conditions labor and how safe it is to work

easy to forget many don’t remember

level of comfort how convenient it is

requires needs

sacrifices having to give up on

common good for the good of all

stimulate the economy help people make money

basic sense of community fundamental feeling of togetherness

in order to so that

peaceably in a peaceful way

explicitly overtly

implicitly guide not overtly show

socially beneficial behaviors good for all

establish create

viable future career good future profession

however yet

focusing emphasizing

accomplish finish

goals detailed above aims mentioned before

mentally healthier not stressed, feeling good

talents abilities

contribute add to

byproduct result of

pursuing following

seemingly selfish interests appears to be just for them

focus on care about

come at the cost of at the expense of

withhold keep back

personal viewpoints individual opinions

as is common in like where this happens a lot

authoritarian nations countries with strong governments

harbor resentment feel angry about

fully express say what you want

free environment open society

psychological research studies about the mind

key crucial part

feeling safe to don’t feel afraid to

express oneself say and do what you want

without fear of not concerned about

reprisals and repercussions consequences

valid argument good points

in favor of supporting

social stability no unrest in society

industrious productive

naturally of course

not mutually exclusive both can be achieved

overlap true for both, in common

emphasized focused on

Pronunciation

Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search :

ˈmɛni ɑːr ɒv ði əˈpɪnjən ðæt   ˈpraɪməri rəʊl   gʊd ˈsɪtɪznz ɪnˈstɛd ɒv   ˈwɜːkɪŋ təˈwɔːdz ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəl ˈbɛtəmənt eɪm   ˈɛlɪveɪt   ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəl   ɪmˈpəʊz kənˈfɔːmɪti ðəʊz ɪz ˈfeɪvər ɒv ðɪs ˈsteɪtmənt ˈɑːgjuː   ˈvæljuː   wɛl-ˈfʌŋkʃənɪŋ səˈsaɪəti ədˈvɑːnsɪz ɪn   ˈmɛdsɪn ˈwɜːkɪŋ kənˈdɪʃənz ˈiːzi tuː fəˈgɛt   ˈlɛvl ɒv ˈkʌmfət   rɪˈkwaɪəz   ˈsækrɪfaɪsɪz   ˈkɒmən gʊd ˈstɪmjʊleɪt ði i(ː)ˈkɒnəmi   ˈbeɪsɪk sɛns ɒv kəˈmjuːnɪti   ɪn ˈɔːdə tuː   ˈpiːsəbli   ɪksˈplɪsɪtli   ɪmˈplɪsɪtli gaɪd   ˈsəʊʃəli ˌbɛnɪˈfɪʃəl bɪˈheɪvjəz   ɪsˈtæblɪʃ   ˈvaɪəbl ˈfjuːʧə kəˈrɪə haʊˈɛvə ˈfəʊkəsɪŋ   əˈkɒmplɪʃ   gəʊlz ˈdiːteɪld əˈbʌv   ˈmɛntəli ˈhɛlθɪə ˈtælənts   kənˈtrɪbju(ː)t   ˈbaɪˌprɒdʌkt   pəˈsjuːɪŋ   ˈsiːmɪŋli ˈsɛlfɪʃ ˈɪntrɪsts ˈfəʊkəs ɒn   kʌm æt ðə kɒst ɒv   wɪðˈhəʊld   ˈpɜːsnl ˈvjuːpɔɪnts   æz ɪz ˈkɒmən ɪn   ɔːˌθɒrɪˈteərɪən ˈneɪʃənz   ˈhɑːbə rɪˈzɛntmənt   ˈfʊli ɪksˈprɛs   friː ɪnˈvaɪərənmənt ˌsaɪkəˈlɒʤɪkəl rɪˈsɜːʧ   kiː   ˈfiːlɪŋ seɪf tuː   ɪksˈprɛs wʌnˈsɛlf   wɪˈðaʊt fɪər ɒv   rɪˈpraɪzəlz ænd ˌriːpɜːˈkʌʃənz ˈvælɪd ˈɑːgjʊmənt   ɪn ˈfeɪvər ɒv   ˈsəʊʃəl stəˈbɪlɪti ɪnˈdʌstrɪəs   ˈnæʧrəli nɒt ˈmjuːtjʊəli ɪksˈkluːsɪv   ˌəʊvəˈlæp   ˈɛmfəsaɪzd

Vocabulary Practice

I recommend getting a pencil and piece of paper because that aids memory. Then write down the missing vocabulary from my sample answer in your notebook:

M__________________________t the p_____________e of schools is to create g________________s , i_____________f simply wo____________________________________t . In my opinion, schools should a___m to e_________e the i____________l , not i_____________y .

T_____________________________e the v_______e of a w____________________y . As the world develops and there are a________________________e , safety, w______________________s , and so on it is e_________________t that this l________________t r______________________s for the c__________________d . Individuals must work at companies to s________________y and the public must have a b_____________f c____________y i__________o live p________y with one’s neighbors. School is where this education can begin. Teachers can e___________y and i___________y g______e students to s______________________s and educate them well enough to e___________h a v___________________r .

H________r , I would argue that f_______g on the individual will a__________h the g________________e but also be m_________________r . Students who are taught to share, work well in teams, and develop their t_______s will c___________e to society as a b_____________t of p____________g their own s_________________________s . Moreover, there may be times when the f__________n society will c________________f the mental health of individuals. For instance, students who are taught to w____________d their p___________________s in school, a_________________n many a____________________s , may h_________________t and not feel they can f_______________s themselves in a f________________t . P____________________h has shown that the k___y to healthy growth is f______________________________f w_______________f r___________________________s .

In conclusion, although there is a v_________________t i________________f s___________________y , schools should aim to produce healthy, i_____________s individuals. N____________y , these goals are n____________________e and the o________p should be e_____________d .

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic by watching videos from YouTube below and practice with these activities :

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice :

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/may/16/mindfulness-lessons-child-mental-health

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam :

• Did you like your school when you were a child?
• What did you learn about?
• Did you have a favorite teacher?
• Are there many rules in schools in your country?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related IELTS essay topic below:

Some people believe the purpose of education should be helping the individual to become useful for society, while others believe it should help individuals to achieve their ambitions.

Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

IELTS Essay: Purpose of Education

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in body paragraph 1,what is the example?

I’m not sure what you mean Lima – I write there about companies and schools.

If you have a logical argument, you don’t necessarily need a very specific example.

Does that answer your question, Lima!

Hi, can I ask in the second paragraph why you used “those is” instead of “those are” or it was just typo. You mean “those in” instead?

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Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Individual and Society — Citizenship

Essays on Citizenship

What makes a good citizenship essay topics.

Choosing the right topic for your citizenship essay is crucial in creating an engaging and thought-provoking piece. A good citizenship essay topic should be relevant, thought-provoking, and inspire critical thinking. When brainstorming for a topic, consider issues that are important in today's society, such as social responsibility, civic engagement, and global citizenship. It's also important to choose a topic that you are passionate about and have a genuine interest in exploring further.

When considering potential essay topics, think about the impact that the issue has on individuals, communities, and the world at large. A good citizenship essay topic should spark discussion and inspire readers to think critically about their role as a citizen and how they can contribute to positive change in their communities.

Best Citizenship Essay Topics

• The impact of social media on civic engagement
• The role of young people in shaping the future of citizenship
• Environmental stewardship and global citizenship
• The importance of volunteerism in building strong communities
• Immigration and the concept of citizenship in a globalized world
• Civic responsibility in the digital age
• The intersection of citizenship and human rights
• The role of education in fostering good citizenship
• Corporate social responsibility and its impact on citizenship
• The power of grassroots movements in promoting civic engagement
• The influence of technology on modern citizenship
• The role of media in shaping public perception of citizenship
• The impact of globalization on citizenship rights and responsibilities
• Indigenous rights and citizenship
• The concept of citizenship in a multicultural society
• The role of art and culture in promoting citizenship
• Social justice and the concept of citizenship
• The impact of political polarization on civic engagement
• The role of citizenship in promoting sustainable development
• The influence of historical events on modern concepts of citizenship

Citizenship essay topics Prompts

• Imagine a world where everyone embraced the concept of global citizenship. How would this impact the way we interact with each other and the world around us?
• Think about a time when you witnessed an act of exceptional citizenship. What made this act stand out to you, and how did it impact those involved?
• Consider a current social or political issue that you feel strongly about. How does this issue relate to the concept of citizenship, and what actions can individuals take to address it?
• Reflect on a personal experience that shaped your understanding of citizenship. How has this experience influenced your views on civic responsibility and community engagement?
• Explore the role of the arts in promoting citizenship. How can creative expression inspire social change and foster a sense of belonging in diverse communities?

When it comes to choosing a citizenship essay topic, it's important to consider issues that are relevant, thought-provoking, and inspire critical thinking. By selecting a topic that you are passionate about and that has a real impact on society, you can create an engaging and meaningful essay that encourages readers to consider their own role as citizens in a global community.

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Essay on Who is a Good Citizen

Students are often asked to write an essay on Who is a Good Citizen in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Who is a Good Citizen

Understanding a good citizen.

A good citizen is someone who respects others and their property. They are friendly, helpful, and considerate. They understand their rights and responsibilities as a member of a community. They always try to make their surroundings a better place for everyone.

Responsibilities of a Good Citizen

A good citizen always follows the rules and laws of their country. They pay their taxes on time and vote in elections to support democracy. They respect the rights of others and do not harm or disturb anyone. They help others in need and participate in community activities.

Qualities of a Good Citizen

A good citizen is honest, brave, and responsible. They always tell the truth and stand up for what is right. They take responsibility for their actions and do not blame others for their mistakes. They respect diversity and treat everyone equally.

Role of a Good Citizen in Society

A good citizen plays an important role in society. They contribute to the well-being of their community by volunteering, cleaning up the environment, and helping the less fortunate. They promote peace and harmony by treating others with kindness and respect.

250 Words Essay on Who is a Good Citizen

Who is a good citizen, respecting laws.

A good citizen follows all the rules and laws of their country. They know that rules are made to keep everyone safe and to make sure things are fair. They do not break laws, even if they think no one is watching.

Caring for Others

A good citizen cares about other people. They help those who need it. They might give food to a person who is hungry, help a neighbor with their work, or just be kind to someone who is having a bad day. They think about how their actions affect others.

Being Active in the Community

A good citizen is active in their community. They might vote in elections, attend town meetings, or join a local club or group. They want to be involved in making decisions that affect their community.

Protecting the Environment

A good citizen also cares about the environment. They do things like recycle, pick up litter, and use less water and electricity. They know that taking care of the environment is important for the future.

In conclusion, a good citizen is someone who respects laws, cares for others, is active in their community, and protects the environment. By doing these things, they help make their country a better place for everyone.

500 Words Essay on Who is a Good Citizen

Respect for rules and laws.

A good citizen always follows the rules and laws of their country. They understand that these rules are made for everyone’s safety and well-being. They also know that breaking these rules can lead to problems for them and others around them. For example, they follow traffic rules, pay taxes on time, and respect public property.

Active Participation

Good citizens are actively involved in their community. They vote in elections, attend local meetings, and voice their opinions on matters that impact their community. They understand that their opinion matters and that they can contribute to positive changes in their society.

Respect for Others

Responsible behavior.

Good citizens display responsible behavior. They take care of their environment by not littering, recycling waste, and using resources wisely. They also take care of public property and do not damage it. They understand that the resources and facilities they enjoy are shared with others, and they need to use them responsibly.

Education and Awareness

A good citizen is educated and informed. They keep themselves updated about what is happening in their country and the world. They also understand the importance of education and encourage others to get educated. They know that an educated society is a progressive society.

Remember, every small action counts. Even simple acts like throwing trash in the bin, helping an elderly person cross the road, or voting in elections can make you a good citizen. So, let’s strive to be good citizens and make our society a better place to live in.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

Happy studying!

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Essay on Responsibilities of a Good Citizen for Students [500+ Words]

December 10, 2020 by Sandeep

Essay on Responsibilities of a Good Citizen: Responsibility of a good citizen is to sacrifice everything for the motherland. Respecting the culture & heritage of their own country is one of the duties of a citizen. He or She must always keep in mind to raise the future of his country. Unity & prosperity must be the priorities of a good citizen.

Essay on Good Citizen 500 Words in English

Below we have provided the responsibilities of a good citizen essay, written in easy and simple words for class 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 school students.

We are born and raised in a single country, sometimes different countries., regardless of location, we incorporate the values of our respective cultures in the way we act and treat other people. Being a citizen of a country, however, is much more than some words and a stamp on endless paperwork. Along with it, one bears an ideology that connects them to other citizens of that country, regardless of their race, religion, or gender. Being a citizen gives a person all the rights to which the constitution says they are entitled.

This is why the process of citizenship of any country is a long and complicated one since it means that the person will legally have a voice in matters of the country. It also means that they will have to abide by the laws of that country, out of respect for the nation as a whole, as well as to uphold law and order. To be a responsible citizen, the person must educate themselves about their country and culture. This begins by conversing with people and understanding their way of life. It also involves an awareness of the country’s history and heritage.

This would mean reading about important figures in the country’s history, crucial events that led the country to where it currently stands, and other aspects such as the history of art and literature. It is also crucial that people who want to be responsible citizens know the diversity of different socioeconomic groups in the country. They must learn about the situation in the country in regard to equality in terms of race, religion, gender, and several other factors. One must learn about how minority groups are treated in the country, and if they are discriminated against, then the person must be an advocate to protect their rights.

A responsible citizen must always stay updated with the news. This does not mean simply reading the headlines on the front page of a newspaper- it means reading the articles thoroughly to understand the state of the nation. In an age where fake news is rampant, one must also not limit themselves to a single news source. They should try understanding an issue by learning about it from different news channels and articles by different newspapers. They will always provide different perspectives on the same issue, and this knowledge will allow the person to gain a better understanding of what their stance ought to be.

One must also learn about their own purchases- in an age of globalization, the products we use can be made in one country with materials from another. As a responsible citizen, one must not completely boycott products from other countries but should try to use local goods and services as much as possible. By doing so, the person is helping the economy of the country as well as financing local households. Volunteering and contributing to community development efforts is an important step in helping the country progress. One does not have to have widespread connections with major NGOs to volunteer- simply helping a disabled neighbour with their groceries also counts.

One can volunteer in local homeless shelters, orphanages, animal shelters, retirement homes, as well as other educational institutions like struggling schools and nurseries. If one does not have the time in their schedule to volunteer physically, they can instead choose to donate to charity. However, one must always donate wisely, because some charities are dishonest and lack transparency in terms of what actually happens with the funds from the donation. Therefore, always research the charity before donating to it.

However, supporting the community isn’t limited merely to volunteering with organizations or donating- it also involves supporting art, music, and cultural activities. One should support local artists by promoting their work and also stay on the lookout for shows, exhibitions, and other cultural events. By attending and promoting them, the person will not only develop a healthy sense of what truly constitutes entertainment but also allow the culture of the country to flourish in all areas truly. Being a good citizen involves being cooperative, friendly, considerate, and dedicated to fostering a positive environment in the community.

What Is a “Good Citizen”? a Systematic Literature Review

• September 2021
• CC BY-NC 4.0
• In book: Good Citizenship for the Next Generation (pp.13-32)

• Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

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