1. Chapter 11: Writing the Essay What Is an Essay?
You write an essay when you have more to say than can be covered in one paragraph.
An essay is a series of paragraphs about one subject.
Organizing an Essay
Essays differ in length, style, and subject; however, the structure of an essay generally consists of the following:
The introductory paragraph containing the thesis statement (main point)
Several body paragraphs (each with a topic sentence, which are the sub-points) support the thesis.
The concluding paragraph

2. Chapter 11: Writing the Essay What Is an Essay?
Writing the Thesis
The thesis is expressed in a sentence in the introductory (the first) paragraph of the essay.
A thesis is not the same as the topic of the essay or as the title of an essay.
A thesis makes a point about the subject instead of announcing the subject.
Example thesis (CORRECT): Young adults should watch what they eat, so they can live healthy lives today and prevent health problems in the future.
Example announcement (WRONG): This essay will explain the reason why young adults should watch what they eat.
A thesis should not be too broad.
A thesis should not be too narrow.

3. Chapter 11: Writing the Essay What Is an Essay?
Hints for Writing a Thesis
Your thesis can mention the specific subpoints. In each subsequent paragraph, discuss each subpoint.
You can write a thesis without listing your subpoints; however, you will still need to discuss each subpoint in other paragraphs in the essay.

4. Chapter 11: Writing the Essay Writing the Essay in Steps
Prewriting: Gathering Ideas
In an essay, you will follow the same steps you learned in writing a paragraph, but you will adapt them to a longer essay form.
When you narrow your topic, keep in mind that an essay contains several paragraphs; therefore, an essay topic will be broader than a paragraph topic.
An essay needs more details and concrete examples to support its thesis than a single paragraph would contain.
However, do not choose a topic that is too broad. (You are writing an essay, not a book.) Make sure the topic is specific enough that you can successfully cover the necessary information in the essay.

5. Chapter 11: Writing the Essay Writing the Essay in Steps
Prewriting: Gathering Ideas
After you have narrowed your topic, find ideas by trying the following:
Freewriting: for fifteen minutes, focus on your topic and write whatever comes to your mind. Write without stopping.
Brainstorming: this technique is similar to freewriting; however, you can pause to ask yourself new questions that may lead to more answers.
After you write the ideas, you will find it easier to see connections between the ideas if you cluster (or group them together).
Clustering: grouping ideas together, which helps you create subtitles. These groups of ideas can become the body paragraphs.

6. Chapter 11: Writing the Essay Writing the Essay in Steps
Planning: Devising a Plan—Structure of a Formal Outline
First paragraph Thesis: Thesis Statement Placed here.
Second paragraph I. Topic Sentence
Details A. B. C.
Third paragraph II. Topic Sentence
Fourth paragraph III. Topic Sentence
Fifth paragraph IV. Conclusion

7. Chapter 11: Writing the Essay Writing the Essay in Steps
Hints for Outlining
Check the topic sentences:
Each topic sentence in every body paragraph should support the thesis sentence.
Include enough details:
To effectively write an essay, you need to have enough specific details.
Stay on one point:
Each body paragraph should discuss one point. When you have a problem staying on one point, you can do the following:
Eliminate details that do not fit your main point.
Change the topic sentence to cover all the ideas in the paragraph.

8. Chapter 11: Writing the Essay Writing the Essay in Steps
Revisiting the Prewriting Stage
Go back to the writing you did in the prewriting stage. Check whether items on a list or ideas from prewriting can lead you to more details for your outline.
Brainstorm for more details by answering questions that you ask relating to your topic.
Checklist for Revising the Outline
Unity: Do the thesis and topic sentences all lead to the same point? Does each paragraph make one, and only one, point? Does the conclusion unify the essay?
Support: Do the body paragraphs have enough supporting details?
Coherence: Are the paragraphs in the most effective order? Are the details in each paragraph arranged in the most effective order?

9. Chapter 11: Writing the Essay Writing the Essay in Steps
Drafting: Drafting and Revising
Thesis: The thesis should be in the first paragraph (the introductory paragraph). Generally, the thesis is the last sentence in the introductory paragraph.
Hints for writing the introduction
You can do any of the following in the introductory paragraph:
Begin the paragraph with a few general sentences that lead up to your thesis.
Begin with a quotation that smoothly leads to your thesis.
Provide a brief story as a way of leading up to your thesis.
Explain why the topic is worth writing about.
Use one or more questions to lead into your thesis.
Use a contradiction of your main point, and your thesis can then explain why that contradiction is incorrect.

10. Chapter 11: Writing the Essay Writing the Essay in Steps
Drafting: Drafting and Revising
Writing the Body of the Essay
In the body of the essay, the paragraphs should do the following:
Explain the thesis
Support the thesis
Develop the thesis
Topic sentences of each paragraph in the body should do the following:
Act as a focus for the sentences in the paragraph
Make a point connected to the thesis

11. Chapter 11: Writing the Essay Writing the Essay in Steps
Checklist for the topic sentences in each paragraph:
Does the topic sentence give the point of the paragraph?
Does the topic sentence connect to the thesis of the essay?
The body paragraphs should be supported by details, explanations, and examples.
The body paragraphs should be at least seven sentences long.

12. Chapter 11: Writing the Essay Writing the Essay in Steps
Checklist for revising the body paragraphs:
Does the topic sentence cover everything in the paragraph?
Do I have enough details to explain the topic sentence?
Do all the details in the paragraph support, develop, or describe the topic sentence?

13. Chapter 11: Writing the Essay Writing the Essay in Steps
Writing the Conclusion
The last paragraph in the essay is the conclusion.
The concluding paragraph does not need to be as long as the body paragraphs; however, it should be long enough to unify the essay and remind the reader of the thesis.
These strategies can be used in creating the concluding paragraph:
Restate the thesis in new words.
Make a judgment, prediction, or recommendation.
Use a statement mentioned in the introductory paragraph that pertains to the thesis and further discuss that subject.

14. Chapter 11: Writing the Essay Writing the Essay in Steps
Checklist for revising the draft:
Does the essay have a clear, unifying thesis?
Does the thesis make a point?
Does each body paragraph have a topic sentence?
Are the body paragraphs roughly the same size?
Do any of the sentences need combining?
Do any of the words need to be changed?
Do the ideas seem to be smoothly linked?
Does the introduction catch the reader’s interest?
Is there a definite conclusion?
Does the conclusion remind the reader of the thesis?

15. Chapter 11: Writing the Essay Writing the Essay in Steps
Transitions
In an essay, you can use two kinds of transitions: those within a paragraph and those between paragraphs.
Using transitions between paragraphs:
Restate an idea from the preceding paragraph at the start of a new paragraph.
Use synonyms and repetition as a way of reminding the reader of an important point.
Common transitions within a paragraph:
To join two ideas: again, also, and, another, etc.
To show a contrast or a different opinion: but, however, etc.
To show a cause-and-effect connection: accordingly, thus, etc.
To give an example: for example, for instance, such as, etc.
To show time: after, at the same time, before, finally, etc.
For more transitions see page 261.

16. Chapter 11: Writing the Essay Writing the Essay in Steps
Polishing: Polishing and Proofreading
Creating a Title:
After you have completed the essay, think of a title focusing upon the main point.
Effective titles have the following qualities:
Brief
Depict the topic and purpose of the essay
Attract the reader’s attention
Center the title at the top of the page.
Capitalize the first word of the title, and capitalize the main words except for prepositions (in, at, for, etc.) and articles (a, an, the).
Do not underline or place quotes around your title.

17. Chapter 11: Writing the Essay Writing the Essay in Steps
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