WRITING THE ESSAY Format, Style, Evidence, and Conclusions

FORMAT ~ Paragraphs  Say it: What’s your point? Topic Sentence should relate this point to your overall thesis  Support it: Where’s the evidence? Use a quote or paraphrase an idea to back up your idea  Explain it: How does the evidence relate to your point?

STYLE  Present Tense – and be careful to be consistent  3 rd person – no 1 st or 2 nd  No contractions  Without being wordy, use more formal language than you would in non-academic writing

REMEMBER Good writing is writing you don’t notice.

They Say  A number of sociologists have recently suggested that X’s work is limited by____  In their recent work, Y and Z criticize X for ______________.  Canadians today tend to believe that __________________________________.  Common sense seems to dictate that __________________________________.  Many people assumed that _____________________________________.  X observes/suggests/acknowledges/agrees that _________________________.  X argues/emphasizes/insists that _______________________________.  X claims/demonstrates/reports that _______________________.  X denies/ does not deny that __________________________.  X refutes the claim that ____________________________.  In making this comment, X supports the idea that ________________________.

“I” say  One implication of X’s treatment of ____________________ is that _______________.  Although X does not say so directly, she apparently assumes that __________________.  [I think] X is mistaken because she overlooks ______________________.  X’s claim that ____________ rests on the questionable assumption that ______________  On the one hand, X argues ____________­­­­. On the other hand, she also claims ________.  By focusing on ____________, X overlooks the deeper problem of _______________  X’s theory of _______ is useful because it helps us understand the problem of ________.  X seems on more dubious ground when she claims that _______________________.  X overlooks [what I consider] an important point about ________________________.  My own view, however, is that ________________________.  X’s claim that __________ offers us a new way of thinking about _______________.

Transition Words and Phrases Cause and effect Then, he moves on to the next work station. As a result, the team loses the game. Therefore, the aircraft overshoots the runway. Thus, it is just a matter of time. Because of this, the results are always the same. Consequently, he is no longer friends with Frank.

Contrast Unlike last year, this one was highly profitable. In spite of the dot com bust, the company prospers. On the other hand, earnings per share have increased. On the contrary, the impact is less than expected. However, that approach may actually prove better. Contrary to his findings, the revenue picture is good. Nevertheless, something still appears to be missing.

Quotations Do Not Quote:  Yourself  Widely-known facts  Your professor Do Not:  Begin paragraph or sentence with a quote  End paragraph with a quote

Introduce your quotation  writes  asserts that  informs us that  observes that  affirms that  agrees, stating that  notes that  thinks that  indicates that  remarks that  comments,  explains that  adds that  states,  implies that  declares that  claims that  proposes that

Conclusions  Should echo thesis  Should summarize how your main points supported your thesis  Should not introduce new ideas  Should be quite short