1. ©2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 16-1 EXPLORING WRITING: PARAGRAPHS AND ESSAYS JOHN LANGAN 3 RD EDITION Chapter 16 Writing the Essay

2. ©2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 16-2 Steps in Writing an Essay Use the same steps in essay-writing that you used in writing paragraphs. 1. Begin with a point, or thesis. 2. Support the thesis with specific evidence. 3. Organize and connect the specific evidence. 4. Write clear, error-free sentences.

3. ©2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 16-3 Step 1: Begin with a Point, or Thesis Like a topic sentence, a thesis includes  a topic.  the writer’s attitude, opinion, idea, or point. You will probably have to narrow your topic. Tips for an effective thesis statement:  Avoid announcing the subject; write a statement.  Avoid statements that are too broad.  Avoid statements that are too narrow.  Develop only one idea.

4. ©2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 16-4 Step 2: Support Thesis with Specific Evidence An informal outline may help. Use specific details rather than vague generalities. Use adequate details – enough to support your point.

5. ©2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 16-5 Step 3: Organize and Connect the Evidence Choose a method of organization:  Time order--details are listed as they occur in time.  Emphatic order--puts emphasis on the most interesting or important detail by placing it in the final supporting paragraph. Use transitional words which include:  Addition, time, space, change-of-direction, illustration, and/or conclusion signals Use transitional (or linking) sentences between paragraphs. Use other connecting words which include:  Repeated words, synonyms, and pronouns

6. ©2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 16-6 Step 4: Write Clear, Error-Free Sentences Rewrite using:  Parallelism  Consistent point of view  Specific words  Concise words  Varied sentences  Active verbs

7. ©2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 16-7 Review Questions Briefly summarize each step in writing an essay. How do each of these steps help you write an effective essay? What advice would you give to a student who feels anxious about essay-writing?