How to Write An Essay

Introductory Paragraph Your goal is about 5-7 sentences Step 1 – Write two general statements about the topic. Your third sentence starts to zero in on the topic. Your fourth sentence continues to discuss the topic. Your final sentence is your thesis and it can list what the following paragraphs will be about. Note if you are arguing something, you will want to give the other side.

Example Macbeth, a play by William Shakespeare, is set in Scotland in the fourteenth century. This tragic play is based on real events in history. Macbeth, the main character, is an ambitious but loyal soldier. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is focused on winning the civil war against Norway and gaining the respect and approval of King Duncan. All of Macbeth’s heroic qualities come in to question after he meets with the witches who give him prophecies that fuel his ambition. At this point, Macbeth portrays non-heroic qualities as he plots the murder of Duncan and becomes so ambitious that he forgets who he really is. Macbeth becomes an anti-hero because he commits treason, subscribes to witchcraft, and loses all compassion for those around him. THIS DRIVES THE ENTIRE ESSAY

Steps Sentences one and two tell who wrote the play, the title of the play and where it is set. Sentence two says something very general about the plot. Sentence three starts to focus on the topic which is Macbeth’s character. Sentence four starts to mention the topic which is his heroic character. Sentence five nails the word non-heroic which is what the topic is. Sentence six states your position, and uses the three reasons why he is an anti-hero which will be what your following paragraphs will be about. You can use this formula for almost every introduction. YOUR THESIS DRIVES THE ESSAY AND YOUR TOPIC SENTENCES DRIVE THE PARAGRAPHS.

Supporting Paragraph # 1 Gather the evidence you need for Macbeth committing treason, his belief in witchcraft, and murdering all those people – even his best friend. Your topic sentence for each of those three supporting paragraphs support what you are trying to say. Example The act of treason is the murdering of one’s superior. In the case of Macbeth, Duncan, the king of Scotland, was a man whom Macbeth respected, until he encounters the witches. THIS DRIVES THE FIRST SUPPORTING PARAGRAPH Now you could put in a quote of him saying that he respected Duncan and so forth. Everything that you put in this paragraph must relate to Macbeth killing the king. The next paragraph will have a topic sentence about him believing in witchcraft.

Supporting Paragraph # 2 Even though Macbeth is a valiant soldier, he finds himself being confronted by three witches who begin to plant the seed of murder in his mind. THIS DRIVES THE SECOND SUPPORTING PARAGRAPH This sets the stage for the rest of the paragraph. Everything must be about him subscribing to witchcraft. You need quotes from the play to support that. The next paragraph will be about his lack of compassion.

Supporting Paragraph # 3 As Macbeth gains more power in his position, he begins to think dark thoughts about everyone in his path. Everything in this paragraph relates to that. Don’t sway your focus. Be straight and to the point.

Concluding Paragraph Your conclusion is the summary of the main points you have made in the essay. There should be a decisive close or “clincher” statement offering words of wisdom or lessons

Conclusion Example Macbeth began his journey in the play as a man to be admired but soon became quite the opposite. It becomes quite shocking to the reader when he kills a worthy king, believes in those who have no loyalty to him, and continues to harm those whom he loved and respected. These are not qualities of a hero. When one completes the play, it is hard to have anything but disdain for this character who died with nothing but hatred from everyone around him.

Final Tips You do not have to have five paragraphs. Your supporting paragraphs can and should be more than three for a longer, formal essay. Your final supporting paragraph before your conclusion should be your strongest one. This is NOT the only way to write an introduction. If you have a successful method that works for you, go for it! Use an outline or a graphic organizer to plan before you start Pick up a handout from me on “go to” words for essays

Quotations Quotations must be used to provide proof Quotations must be embedded directly into your sentence You should use at least one quotation in every paragraph or argument Punctuation should be outside of the quotation marks Check if your instructor wants MLA or APA format Good Example: With the appearance of the Ghost of King Hamlet, it becomes increasingly obvious that “something is wrong in the state of Denmark” (I.iv.90). Not: Marcellus says, “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark” (I.iv.90).

And Finally…. Don’t’ be wordy. Being to the point is far better than rambling to make it seem longer. Write in present tense where possible. Do not use any personal reference in your essay. Avoid contractions. Write out numbers from 1-10. Avoid repetition. Do not summarize the plot in a literary essay. Be sure to stick to the topic and answer the thesis or question if a test.

Good luck