ESSAY STRUCTURE

Three Main Parts of an Essay Introduction Body Conclusion

The Introduction Thesis Statement Interesting Lead-in Essay Map Supporting sentences

The Essay Map A brief statement in the introductory paragraph, introducing the major points to be discussed in the essay. Add an essay map to your thesis statement. Thesis-The library’s reserve facility is badly managed. E. map-Its unpredictable hours, poor staffing, and inadequate space discourage even the most dedicated students.

The Lead-in You may use another interesting introductory device called the lead-in. -The lead-in catches the reader’s attention, announces the subject and mood of your essay, and leads into the presentation of your thesis statement and essay map.

Suggestions for Writing a Lead-in A paradoxical or intriguing statement An arresting statistic or shocking statement A quotation or literary allusion A relevant story, joke or anecdote A description, often used for emotional appeal A factual statement or summary-who-what-when-where & why lead-in An analogy or comparison A contrast A personal experience A catalogue of relevant examples Statement of problem or popular misconception

Avoiding Errors in Lead-ins Make sure it introduces your thesis. Keep it brief. Do not begin with an apology or a complain. Do not assume your audience already know the subject matter. Stay clear of over-used lead-ins.

The Body Paragraphs The body p.s develop the main points stated in the essay map. Ex. Because of its free services, well-trained tutors and useful learning aids, the Study Skill Center is an excellent place for students seeking academic help. B. P 1=discussion of free services B.P 2=discussion of tutors B.P. 3=discussion of learning aids

Each B.P. should have a topic sentence Consider paragraph length A good b.p. has unity It also has coherence Use transitions within and between paragraphs

Creating P. Coherence Order of time-ex. chronological order Order of space-ex-left to right Deductive order-moving from generalization to specific details Inductive order Repetition of key words parallelism

A Good Conclusion A restatement of the thesis and the main points An evaluation of the essay’s subject A statement of the essays broader implication(s) A call to action A warning based on the essay’s thesis etc

Errors in Conclusion Mechanical endings-word word re-statement of thesis Introducing new points Abrupt conclusions Changing the stance Using stale expressions such as “as you know,” “in conclusion,” “as you can see,” “this proves that,” “in summary” etc