1. A GUIDE TO WRITING WITH READINGS Chapter 14 The Process of Writing an Essay

2. Chapter 14 The Process of Writing an Essay PART A Looking at the Essay PART B Writing the Thesis Statement PART C Generating Ideas for the Body PART D Ordering and Linking Paragraphs in the Essay PART E Writing and Revising Essays

3. PART A Looking at the Essay  An essay is a group of paragraphs about one subject. Both have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Both explain one main, or controlling, idea with details, facts, and examples. Basically, an essay is longer then a paragraph because it contains more details.

4. PART A Looking at the Essay  The paragraphs in an essay are part of a larger whole, so each has a special purpose. The introductory paragraph opens the essay and tries to catch the reader’s interest. It usually contains a thesis statement, one sentence that states the main idea of the entire essay. The body of an essay consists of one, two, three, or more paragraphs, each one making a different point about the main idea. The conclusion brings the essay to a close. It might be a sentence or a paragraph long.

5. PART A Looking at the Essay Topic sentence Body of supporting statements Concluding sentence Thesis statement The Paragraph The Essay Introduction Body of Supporting paragraphs Conclusion

6. PART B Writing the Thesis Statement  Steps are asame in the essay-writing process as in the paragraph-writing process Narrow the topic Write the thesis statement Generate ideas for the body Organize them

7. PART B Writing the Thesis Statement  Narrowing the Topic Usually starts with a broad subject and then narrows it to a manageable size Keeping your audience and purpose in mind may also help you narrow your topic  Writing the Thesis Statement The thesis statement further focuses the narrowed subject because it must clearly state, in sentence form, the writer’s controlling idea.

8. PART B Writing the Thesis Statement The thesis statement and its controlling idea should be as specific as possible.  As a general rule, replace vague words with more exact words and replace vague ideas with more exact information  Something you can make the thesis statement more specific by stating the natural divisions of the subject  Avoid a heavy-handed thesis statement that announces, “Now I will write about…” or “This essay will discuss…”

9. PART C Generating Ideas for the Body  The thesis statement sets forth the main idea of the entire essay, but it is the body of the essay that must fully support and discuss that thesis statement  Make a plan or outline that includes main ideas to support the thesis statement and topic sentences stating these ideas Brainstorm ideas and then find paragraph groups Write topic sentences and then plan paragraphs

10. PART D Ordering and Linking in the Essay  An essay, like a paragraph, should have coherence  Ordering Paragraphs It is important that the paragraphs in your plan, and later in your essay, follow a logical order The types of order often used in single paragraphs—time order, space order, and order of importance—can sometimes be used to arrange paragraphs within an essay

11. PART D Ordering and Linking in the Essay  Linking Paragraphs The paragraph within an essay should be clearly linked one to the next.  Repeat key words or ideas from the thesis statement  Refer to words or ideas from the preceding paragraph  Use transitional expressions  Use transitional sentence

12. PART E Writing and Revising Essays  Writing the First Draft  Revising and Proofreading Revising is perhaps the most important step in the essay-writing process. As you read, underline trouble spots, draw arrows, and write in the margins, if necessary, to straighten out problems.

13. PART E Writing and Revising Essays  Proofreading and Writing the Final Draft  Carefully proofread the draft for grammar and spelling. Recopy your essay or print out a final copy neatly