Writing an Essay

What’s the Point?  An essay is a series of closely related ideas that develop and support the writer’s point about a topic.

Four Parts of an Essay  Title  Introduction  Body Paragraphs  Conclusion

Traits of an Effective Essay  Narrow Topic  Supports a main idea with relevant details  Uses Logical Order  Uses Effective Expression

Gathering Details Major and Minor Details Balance Details Credible Sources Get Organized

Thesis Statement  Should include:  Topic  Opinion  Pattern of organization  A near-death experience dramatically changes a person.  Voter turnout remains dismal for several reasons.

Thesis cont... Always state your thesis as a complete sentence. Use specific statements. Replace general words with vivid, exact words. Football is a dumb game. Football glorifies violence.

Thesis cont... Don’t announce your topic. “I’m going to write about football and violence..” “My essay is about violence in football..” In this class, your thesis statement should be the last sentence of the introduction paragraph.

Get Organized  Chronological: to tell a story, to explain a process (first, next, finally, yesterday)  Spatial: to describe a place or object (above, across, beside, between)  Logical: to explain or classify (by defining, diving a subject into parts, or comparing and contrasting) (likewise, although, however, similarly)  Order of Importance: to persuade (most, another, furthermore, more importantly)  Use Transitions (Handout)

Effective Introductions  Introduces topic  Explains importance of essay and/or gives necessary background  Hooks the reader’s interest  Presents the essay’s main idea in a thesis statement

Types of Effective Introductions  An interesting illustration or anecdote  A surprising fact or statement  A direct quotation  A definition  A contradiction or opposing view  A vivid description  A general or historical background

Effective Conclusions  Brings the essay to an end  Re-emphasizes the essay’s main idea  Summarizes the essay’s main points

Types of Effective Conclusions  Question  Quotation  Call to action  Suggestion  Warning about consequences  Vivid image  Summary

Effective Titles  Hooks the reader’s interest  Vividly describes the topic of the essay

Types of Titles  Question: states the main point as a question  Descriptive: uses key words to form the thesis statement  Recommendation: calls for action  General-Specific: states the general topic, followed by a controlling point  Pattern of Organization: uses the words that establish the essay’s central pattern

Connecting Paragraphs  Echo or repeat important words or phrases from the thesis statement in the body paragraph.  Thesis: We can ease the pain that occurs from illness or injury in many ways.  Topic Sent.: Pain can be eased by deep breathing.  Topic Sent.: Visualization and imagery ease pain.

Connecting Paragraphs  Refer to main idea of the previous paragraph in the topic sentence of the present paragraph.  Tie the last idea in one paragraph to the opening of the next paragraph.

Connecting Paragraphs  Use transitional words, phrases, or sentences  Thesis: Sleep disorders can deprive sufferers of much needed rest and complicate their lives.  Topic Sent.: One type of sleep disorder is known as night terrors.

Revising  1. Cut Clutter  Due to the fact thatbecause  In the event thatif  At this point in timenow  Utilize to the maximumfully use

Revising  2. Avoid redundancy  Refer back  Repeat again  Free complimentary dinner  End result  Basic fundamentals

Revising  3. Limit Qualifiers  Particularly, little, very, rather, pretty  4. Cut “It is” and “there are” when possible  There are two cats sleeping in the back underneath the window.  It is E.B. White who wrote the book on style.

Revising  5. Use your natural vocabulary  Pumped up: Contemporary cinematic theorizers privilege European auteurs.  Lean: Today’s film critics prefer European directors.  6. Use concrete nouns  Instead ofwrite  A lot of good foodfeast  A really tall buildingskyscraper

Revising  7. Use strong verbs  Weak- Cockroaches were all over the cafeteria.  Strong- Cockroaches infested the cafeteria.  Weak- He looked at me very angrily.  Strong- He glowered at me.

Revising  Read your copy aloud.

Editing  Do NOT rely on Word to find your corrections.  Read your copy aloud  Ask your peers to help you edit  Read your copy aloud  Ask Questions  Read your copy aloud

Peer editing  For each assignment, it is possible that you will have criteria to examine for one another that is specific to that assignment.  A standard sheet that may be used. Read Write Think rintouts/Editing%20Checklist.pdf Time Savers for Teachers ms/peereditingform.pdf

Peer Editing  Remember you are NOT helping one another be successful unless you are being honest.  Please remember to use tact in your comments when peer editing.

Final Copy  Use the Purdue for MLA and/or APA formatting and style