Part 1: What’s in a good essay?
Part 2: Perfect paragraphs …
Success at Study
Linda
Quentin
7th July, 2015
What is an essay?
What is an essay?
• If we want to understand essay writing, we can consider the following
metaphors …
Which metaphor suits you?
Writing an essay is like diving into a swimming pool – the diving board
is the title, entering the water is the introduction, swimming across the
pool is the main body, and leaving the pool is the conclusion.
Williams (1995)
Which metaphor suits you?
Writing an essay is like making a patchwork quilt – you assemble lots of
interesting and colourful pieces of fabric – spread them out and then
stitch them together to form an appealing and cohesive whole.
Creme and Lea (1997)
Which metaphor suits you?
Writing an essay is like going on a journey – you start by checking the
map, then you depart, enjoy the scenery on the way (perhaps you go
off on a few side-trips) then you arrive at your destination.
Which metaphor suits you?
Writing an essay is like building a house – you decide on the structure,
make a plan, assemble the tools and order the building materials –
then you start building. When you have finished building, you call in the
building inspectors to check the quality.
Which metaphor suits you?
Discuss with your neighbour – here are the four metaphors:
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diving into a swimming pool
making a patchwork quilt
going on a journey
building a house
Our favourite metaphor …
Writing an essay is like building a house – you decide on the structure,
make a plan, assemble the tools and order the building materials –
then you start building. When you have finished building, you call in the
building inspectors to check the quality.
So how is writing an essay like building a
house?
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Structure
Function
Tools
Materials
Approaches
Quality control
Writing an essay
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Structure: intro/body/conclusion
Function: to argue a case
Tools: grammar/vocabulary
Materials: ideas/statistics/facts/examples
Quality control: proofreading/editing
Approaches >> timeline
Writing an essay
Write the essay
Hand it in
Writing a good essay
What do you have to do when you write an essay?
How many steps in the process?
Discuss with your partner.
Writing a good essay
Analyse
the
question
Make
a plan
Brainstorm
ideas
Revise
Draft
Hand
in
Writing a good essay
Analyse
the
question
Make
a plan
Brainstorm
ideas
Revise
Draft
Hand
in
Analyse the question
Read the question 2-3 times
Highlight key words
instruction words
content words
context words
verbs
nouns (what)
who/where/when/how
How many parts does the question have?
What information is required?
Focus on instruction words
The following verbs are often used in essay questions:
analyse
discuss
argue
integrate
demonstrate
show
Do you know what these words mean?
Match these definitions with the instruction words below
1. Make a case, based on evidence for and/or against some given point of
view
2. Unite, combine or incorporate into a whole
3. Break an issue down into its component parts, discuss and show how
they interrelate
Match these definitions with the instruction words below
1. Make a case, based on evidence for and/or against some given point of
view
2. Unite, combine or incorporate into a whole
3. Break an issue down into its component parts, discuss and show how
they interrelate
Analyse the question – have a go …
Discuss the role of stress in students’ lives – at home and at school. You
must outline the signs of stress, the causes of stress and some methods
of dealing with stress.
Highlight key words
instruction words
content words
context words
Analyse the question – instruction words
Discuss the role of stress in students’ lives – at home and at school. You
must outline the signs of stress, the causes of stress and some
methods of dealing with stress.
Analyse the question – content words
Discuss the role of stress in students’ lives – at home and at school. You
must outline the signs of stress, the causes of stress and some methods
of dealing with stress.
Analyse the question – context words
Discuss the role of stress in students’ lives – at home and at school.
You must outline the signs of stress, the causes of stress and some
methods of dealing with stress.
Writing a good essay
Analyse
the
question
Make
a plan
Brainstorm
ideas
Revise
Draft
Hand
in
Brainstorm ideas first: ‘wh’ x 6
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Who
What
Where
When
Why
How
Brainstorm ideas first: ‘wh’ x 6
HOW
WHO
WHY
WHAT
topic
WHEN
WHERE
You can use this layout for any topic; ask questions …
exercise
relaxation
students
HOW
WHO
parents
counselling
commuters
workers
$
relationships
causes
deadlines
WHY
health
assignment deadlines
exams
rush hour
work deadlines
stress
signs
WHAT
causes
definition
WHEN
university
WHERE
at home
rush hour traffic
at work
Brainstorming activity: in pairs [post-it notes]
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Who
What
Where
When
Why
How
Identify key concepts
• Discuss the role of stress in students’ lives – at home and at school.
You must outline the signs of stress, the causes of stress and some
methods of dealing with stress.
• Mindmap ….
Identify key concepts
Mindmap
• Choose one concept …
• Eg managing stress
Identify key concepts re strategies for management
Activity: Create a mind map
Choose from one of these options
Signs
Causes
Activity: Create a mind map
In pairs: one do signs, the other do
causes
5 minutes >> then share and explain to
partner
Writing a good essay
Analyse
the
question
Make
a plan
Brainstorm
ideas
Revise
Draft
Hand
in
Writing an essay
 Structure: intro/body/conclusion
 Function: to argue a case
 Tools: grammar/vocabulary
Materials: ideas/examples
 Quality control: proofreading/editing
 Approaches >> timeline
Lunch!
Starting again, in here, at 1 pm …
Part 1: What’s in a good essay?
Part 2: Perfect paragraphs …
Success at Study
Writing a good essay
Analyse
the
question
Make
a plan
Brainstorm
ideas
Revise
Draft
Hand
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 Structure: intro/body/conclusion
 Function: to argue a case
 Tools: grammar/vocabulary
Materials: ideas/examples
 Quality control: proofreading/editing
 Approaches >> timeline
EN
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Writing a good essay
Analyse
the
question
Make
a plan
Brainstorm
ideas
Revise
Draft
Hand
in
Writing an essay






Structure: intro/body/conclusion
Function: to argue a case
Tools: grammar/vocabulary
Materials: ideas/examples
Quality control: proofreading/editing
Approaches >> timeline
Writing an essay






Structure: intro/body/conclusion
Function: to argue a case
Tools: grammar/vocabulary
Materials: ideas/examples
Quality control: proofreading/editing
Approaches >> timeline
Focus on essay structure
 Introduction
 Body paragraph
 Conclusion
Refer to your handout which provides a summary
for each paragraph type.
Structure of an essay
We can identify six components
in a well-written introduction:
Focus on argument
Function of an argument
 To argue a case
 To present your opinion
 To choose a side
Developing an argument – have a go …
“All stress is bad.”
Do you agree?
How might you develop an argument from this idea?
Discuss with a partner.
Developing an argument – have a go …
“it is impossible to manage stress effectively”
Do you agree?
How might you develop an argument from this idea?
Discuss with a partner.
Focus on paragraph structure
 Introduction
 Body paragraph
 Conclusion
Refer to your handout which provides a summary
for each paragraph type.
Structure of an essay
Structure of an essay
We can identify five components
in a well-written body paragraph:
Perfect paragraphs
• Topic sentence
Topic of paragraph
Controlling idea
Must be a complete sentence
At the beginning of the paragraph
Topic sentences
Focus on paragraph structure
 Introduction
 Body paragraph
 Conclusion
Refer to your handout which provides a summary
for each paragraph type.
Structure of an essay
We can identify three components
in a well-written conclusion:
Planning an essay
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Structure: intro/body/conclusion
Function: to argue a case
Tools: grammar/vocabulary
Materials: ideas/examples
Quality control: proofreading/editing
Approaches >> timeline
Writing a good essay
Analyse
Make a
plan
the question
Brainstorm
ideas
Revise
Draft
Plan your Essay
Review question
Jot down main ideas (topics)
Add subtopics
Use mind mapping
Reflect on your plan
Work out which order you will introduce your ideas
Identify key concepts
• Discuss the role of stress in students’ lives – at home and at school.
You must outline the signs of stress, the causes of stress and some
methods of dealing with stress.
Writing an essay






Structure: intro/body/conclusion
Function: to argue a case
Tools: grammar/vocabulary
Materials: ideas/examples
Quality control: proofreading/editing
Approaches >> timeline
Identify key concepts
1
3
2
2
1
3
Writing a good essay
Analyse
Make a
plan
the question
Brainstorm
ideas
Revise
Draft
Drafting an essay
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

Structure: intro/body/conclusion
Function: to argue a case
Tools: sentence starters/ linking words
Materials: ideas/statistics/facts/examples
Drafting an essay
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Structure: intro/body/conclusion
Function: to argue a case
Tools: sentence starters/ linking words
Materials: ideas/statistics/facts/examples
Analysing an essay
Putting it all together
• Essay analysis
• Paragraph reconstruction
• Individual activity
• Sample essay with one body paragraph cut up
• Read essay >> reassemble paragraph
• Check with partner
Review: Essay writing = building a house
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Structure
Function
Tools
Materials
Approaches
Quality control
Review: Essay writing
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Structure
Function
Tools
Materials
Approaches
Quality control
success …
Writing a good essay
Analyse
Make a
plan
the question
Brainstorm
ideas
Revise
Draft
Revision checklist
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Answer the question: Argument
Structure
Grammar
Spelling
Finally ... Be Curious!
Keep an open mind. Be open to learn, unlearn, and relearn.
Never take things for granted. Try to dig deeper beneath the surface of what is
around you.
Ask questions: What is that? Why is it made that way? When was it made?
Who invented it? Where does it come from? How does it work? What, why,
when, who, where, and how.
See learning as something fun …
Don’t spend too much time on just one world; take a look at other worlds.
Part 1: What’s in a good essay?
Part 2: Perfect paragraphs …
Success at Study