Essay Writing

Essay Writing Lessons

Essay Structure Essay Outline Moving from Topic to Essay Organizing the Essay Body Essay Format Hints & Tips

Essay Structure

The framework of your writing

EssayStructure

Structure

Introductory Paragraph

- introduce & ease reader into topic

- move from general sentences to specific ones

- end with your thesis statement

Eg: life – literature – book – topic – thesis

life – history – people – topic – book - thesis

Structure

Thesis

- An arguable statement, making clear the position the author takes on a topic

- Depends upon your purpose & audience

(Topic = what the text is “about;” the subject addressed by a text

Eg: greed, love, hope, jealousy, etc.)

Structure

Body Paragraphs

- where you prove your thesis

Body Paragraph Structure:

1. Point (topic sentence: proves thesis)

2. Proofs (as many as are practical)

3. Comment (relates proofs to thesis)

Structure

Concluding Paragraph

- re-state your thesis

- move from specific sentences to general ones

- ease reader away from essay, and back to real life again

(theme statement)

Structure

The Rebuttal Paragraph

- Acknowledge points of opposing argument

- Minimize the validity of these points

* Insert after your introductory paragraph!

Essay Outline

-What’s required -Marks for summative

Essay Outline Thesis (2) List of rebuttal points (3) For each body paragraph: (3X4)

- Full topic sentence

- Proofs in point form

- Full comment sentence Thesis restatement in different words (1) Theme statement (2)

Moving from Topic to Essay

…in 8 easy steps!

Moving from Topic to Essay

1. Read & understand topic

2. Dissect & brainstorm topic

3. Pick argument & brainstorm thesis

4. Form & test thesis

5. Brainstorm & organize support

6. List rebuttals

7. Write, Revise, Edit

8. Proofread & print good copy

Organizing the Essay Body

Principles & Development Methods

Organizing the Essay Body

Organizing principle?

- chronology - cause & effect

- process - logic

Development method?

- define - classify

- analyze - describe

- compare - exemplify

Essay Format

MLA Style

Essay Format: Page 1

Essay Format:Subsequent Pages

Essay Format: Works Cited

Essay Format: In-Text Citation

1.Author’s name in text -- page information in parentheses:eg: Murray claims that food is good for you (35-7).

2.Author’s name in reference -- name and page information in parenthesis:eg: There are many reasons why food is good for you (Murray 35-

7).

3.Full reference in text -- no parentheses necessary:eg: Murray, in pages 35-7 of his book, explains why food is good

for you.

Hints & Tips

Advice for top marks

Hints & Tips

Do not write in 1st person (avoid “I”) Do not start a body / concluding paragraph

with a quotation Move from your weakest point to your

strongest Do not use contractions Do not use colloquial language Use the present tense Refer to author by last name Develop a creative title that relates to thesis

EssayWriting

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