Writing the Essay

The Essay

Basic Structure Introduction Tell the reader the topic and main points of the paper Body Paragraph Detail the main points Each paragraph has a separate point Conclusion What did you just tell me

Thesis Audience Topic Your Opinion Clear Position You have to take a stance No straddling the fence Can’t be neutral Objective

Thesis The thesis statement is the ONE sentence in your essay that conveys the central idea. It is the ONE sentence that tells your reader what your essay is about. It is the ONE sentence in your essay that addresses your topic directly and states the main point of the essay.

Thesis It should also forecast the order of the paragraphs [arguments or ideas] to follow. As a rule, it is the last sentence in your introduction. The thesis RULES the essay

Thesis The purpose of the Russian Revolution was not only to revise Russia's class system, but to create a new world, and within that world, a new kind of human being.

Thesis A good thesis statement is short and simple: it should be no longer than one sentence, regardless of essay length. Good Example: Success is a result of doing the right things consistently. Bad Example: In a world full of success gurus and books about success, it becomes ever so more important to delineate the one trait that ultimately determines success: doing the right things consistently. Source:

Thesis A good thesis statement is limited to one main idea. Good example: The key to successful dieting is focusing on a specific goal. Bad example: The key to successful dieting is focusing on a specific goal, which is also the key to successfully running a business and coaching a football team. Source:

Thesis A good thesis statement is a declarative sentence with no qualifiers (might, maybe, perhaps, etc.): Good example: Lebron James' ability to score, pass, and rebound make him the league's most valuable player. Bad example: Does Lebron James' ability to score, pass, and rebound make him the league's most valuable player? Bad Example: Lebron James' ability to score, pass, and rebound just might make him the league's most valuable player. Source:

Thesis Try it: Does Reading a Book Count More Than Listening to One?

Body Paragraphs Supports the Thesis Has Only One Idea Provides Evidence to Prove the Thesis Details Need to be Relevant to Paragraph and Thesis

Body Paragraphs A topic sentence is a sentence that captures the meaning of the entire paragraph or group of sentences. It tells what the passage is mainly about. It almost always is the first sentence in each paragraph.

Body Paragraphs Does the topic sentence further my argument? Is the topic sentence relevant to my thesis? Does the topic sentence control my paragraph? Where have I placed my topic sentence? Is there a clear relationship between this topic sentence and the paragraph that came before?

From Paragraph to Paragraph Transitions

From Paragraph to Paragraph Your essay should flow from:  Paragraph to Paragraph  Sentence to Sentence  Point to Point

From Paragraph to Paragraph The connection (a word, phrase, clause, sentence, or entire paragraph) between two parts of a piece of writing, contributing to cohesion.

Conclusion Paragraph Summarizes Stays on Topic No New Ideas States How You Proved Your Thesis Leave an impression with reader

Questions