How to write an essay?
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Brainstorming: find an original idea.
Use different
techniques: cf diagram
Brainstorming is the art of thinking critically to discover original, hidden insights about a topic.
Assuming you've done a fair amount of research and listened carefully in class, you should now
have a solid base of concepts to play around with for an essay. The task is now to take an outside
point of view and find something original to say about the topic. It's not enough to regurgitate what
has been said, try to go beyond what you have learnt to propose an original idea. Your paper should
expose some new idea or insight about the topic, not just be a collage of what you have studied in
class or found on the net -- although you will definitely rely upon these resources as you move
toward your point.
Outline: use an outline to plan
Can you imagine a construction manager working on a skyscraper without a set of blueprints? No
way! Similarly, writers construct essays using sets of blueprints or outlines to guide them in the
writing process.
Drawing up an outline allows you to think before you write. What use is there in writing the entire
paper only to realize that, had you done a little more planning beforehand, you would have
organized your essay in an entirely different way? What if you realize later, after free-writing the
essay, that you should have omitted some paragraphs, restructured the progression of your logic,
and used more examples and other evidence?
The outline allows you to think beforehand what you're going to write so that when you do write it,
if you've done your planning right, you won't have to do as much rewriting. (You will still, of course,
need to revise.)
Make your points brief
When you construct your outline, keep it brief. The titles, headings, and points in your outline should be
about one line each. Remember that you are only drawing an outline of the forest, not detailing each of
the trees. Keep each line under a dozen words. If you can't you probably don't have a clear idea of
what you're trying to say.
Look out for clues : you must back up each point with significant quotations, it's easier to have plenty
of quotes in mind or at hand before starting the writing process.
The five to seven-paragraph essay:
A classic format for compositions is the five-paragraph essay. It is not the only format for writing an
essay, of course, but it is a useful model for you to keep in mind, especially as you begin to
develop your composition skills.
Introduction:
Introductory Paragraph
The purpose of an introduction is to get your reader involved in your essay. The introductory paragraph should also include the thesis statement, a kind of mini-outline for the paper: it
tells the reader what the essay is about. The last sentence of this paragraph must also contain a
transitional "hook"(=accroche) which moves the reader to the first paragraph of the body of the
paper.
1.
Get the reader's interest so that he or she will want to read more. What can a writer do that
will secure the interest of a fair sized audience?"
You may rely on a few of the following patterns to grab a reader's interest:
• critical review : select a critic ‘s insightful statement on your novel/topic
•anecdotal: begin a paper by relating a small story that leads into the topic of your paper
•surprising statement Sometimes the statement is surprising because it is disgusting, joyful.
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Material adapted from Harry Livermore's handout for his high school English classes at Cook High School in Adel, Georgia
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/five_par.htm
shocking. Sometimes it is surprising because of who said it. Whatever.
•famous person’s quotation that you can tie in with the subject
•a declarative statement: in this pattern, the writer simply states straight out what the topic of his
paper is going to be about. It is the basic and easytechnique that most students use.
2.
Let the reader know what the writing is going to be about. You will do so by crafting a
thesis statement. The thesis statement is that sentence or two in your text that contains
the focus of your essay and tells your reader what the essay is going to be about. The lack
of a thesis statement may well be a symptom of an essay showing a lack of focus. The
thesis statement usually appears near the beginning of a paper. It can be the first
sentence
of an essay, but that often feels like a simplistic, unexciting beginning. It more
frequently
appears at or near the end of the first paragraph.
Things NOT to do in an introductory paragraph:
•—Apologize. Never suggest that you don't know what you're talking about or that you're not enough of an
expert in this matter that your opinion would matter. Your reader will quickly turn to something else. Avoid
phrases like the following: I'm not sure about this, but . . .
•Use a dictionary or encyclopaedia definition. According to Merriam-Webster's WWWebster Dictionary, “love”
is . Although definitions are extremely useful and it might serve your purpose to devise your own
definition(s) later in the essay, try to avoid using it to define your topic.
•Dilly-dally. Get to it. Move confidently into your essay. Don't spend two-three paragraphs explaining the topic
or telling the author's whole life, your essay will cover about 500 words, so get to the point.
Body — First paragraph:
The first paragraph of the body should contain the strongest idea, most significant
example, cleverest illustration, or an obvious beginning point. The first sentence of this paragraph
should be linked with the hook you have just mentioned in the introduction. This topic should relate
to the thesis statement in the introductory paragraph. The last sentence in this paragraph should
introduce the second paragraph of the body.
Body — Second paragraph:
The second paragraph of the body should contain the second strongest idea, second most
significant example, second cleverest illustration, or an obvious follow-up the first paragraph in the
body. The topic for this paragraph should be in the first or second sentence. This topic should
relate to the thesis statement in the introductory paragraph. Use transitional words to tie in with the
next paragraph. a.s.o with § 3 or 4
Body — Last paragraph
The last paragraph of the body should contain the weakest argument, weakest example,
weakest illustration, or an obvious follow up to the previous paragraph in the body. The last
sentence in this paragraph should include a transitional concluding statement that signals the reader
that this is the final major point being made in this paper. It must lead into the concluding,
paragraph.
Conclusion: concluding paragraph:
This paragraph should include the following:
1 an allusion to the pattern used in the introductory paragraph,
2 a restatement of the thesis statement, using some of the original
language or language that "echoes" the original language. (The restatement,
however, must not be a repetition of the thesis statement. Alter its contents so as
to give it a wider scope)
3 a summary of the three-five main points from the body of the paper.
4 a final statement that gives the reader signals that the discussion has come to an end
Good luck!