Introduction
The fundamentals of a good essay vary in terms of the type of essay you are writing however the basic structure of essay writing contains the major three-part as introduction, body and conclusion. Essays can be written in many different ways, but the traditional five-paragraph essay has essential elements that transcend all essay writing. Proper planning and organization are required when writing an essay, particularly when developing a thesis statement, which sets the focus and tone of an essay. The introduction, body paragraph and conclusion are the other primary elements of an essay. It is customary to prepare an outline before writing to give your essay structure and effective flow.
The Core Components of an Essay
1. Thesis of The Essay
The thesis is the statement of an essay that determines the primary focus. A thesis statement should be one coherent, concise sentence that clearly states the point of your essay. If you are writing a persuasive essay, the thesis statement is where you make your primary argument. A strong thesis statement is essential for an effective and cohesive essay. Traditionally, your thesis statement should be the last sentence in your introductory paragraph, but more relaxed styles of essays may have the thesis elsewhere in the introduction.
2. The Outline
One of the main steps in writing an essay is creating an outline of material to create the most effective structure. Traditionally, outlines use a system of Roman numerals, upper- and lower-case letters, and numbers to classify points. Create one heading for each paragraph, including your introduction and conclusion. For each supporting paragraph in the body of your essay, list the most essential points you want to cover.
3. The Introduction
An essay introduction consists of one paragraph that introduces your reader to your essay. Mention any background information or general information that is pertinent to the topic in the introduction before your thesis statement. The introduction should summarize the point you intend to make in the body of your essay.
4. The Body
The supporting paragraphs that back up your thesis make up the body of an essay. Each paragraph should contain at least one point to confirm your thesis with any necessary supporting information. A five-paragraph essay, for example, has three body paragraphs. Depending on the style of your essay, you may have more body paragraphs. Write one body paragraph for each point that supports your thesis.
5. The Conclusion
The conclusion of an essay is one paragraph that summarizes the principal points made throughout the body. Contrary to the introductory paragraph, which summarizes the overall idea of the essay, the conclusion should specifically confirm why your thesis is correct using the points from your supporting body paragraphs.
In "Poetics," the Greek philosopher Aristotle remarked that in writing "a whole is that which has a beginning, a middle, and an end." This rather simplistic view of the structure in essence provides a basis for all written communication. In the case of the essay, the beginning, middle and end become the introduction, the body and the conclusion. The three components must be composed correctly and integrated properly for the essay to achieve structural integrity.
Function and Types of Essays
Function: As a general rule, an essay's primary function is to express the point of view of its author. For example, someone who is particularly passionate about a religious or political issue may write an essay to support his or her position, especially when the issue is a controversial one. Of course, not all essays are argumentative in nature. The function for each, however, is the same--to express a point of view.
| Type of Essay | Purpose and Description |
|---|---|
| Narrative | Written to tell about an event--often one in the author's life, but always from the author's point of view. |
| Descriptive | Used to describe something specific, such as a person or a place. |
| Persuasive | Written in an attempt to sway the reader's way of thinking. |
| Compare-and-Contrast | Used to show the similarities and differences between two or more objects or ideas. |
| Expository | Simply lays out an argument about a topic to present logical evidence. |
The Essentials & Expert Insights
If you have been assigned the task of writing an essay, you may be wondering what exactly that entails. The following tips will make writing your essay easier:
- Begin by writing a clearly defined point of view (or thesis) statement.
- Gather your facts, information and sources before you begin writing the essay.
- Create an outline to help you organize your information into five (or more) paragraphs.
- Remember that an essay does not have to be boring--instead, engage your reader with descriptive writing, an interesting topic and a unique point of view.
- Always proofread your essay when you are finished.
The Micro Essay
As you would expect from the name, a micro essay is simply an essay that fits onto one sheet of paper, typically single-spaced. When writing a micro essay, you must still have an introduction, an organized explanation and analysis of ideas and a conclusion, just as you would with a regular essay. However, because of the limit on your word count, you must focus on getting your point across in as concise a manner as possible.
- Write an outline: Include a thesis statement, three to five short main points, and a restatement of the thesis for your conclusion.
- Write the introduction: This may only be your thesis statement. If room permits, include a quote or supporting sentence.
- Write the body: Begin with your first main point, then provide one supporting reference or statistic. If room permits, return and add a few more facts.
- Write the conclusion: A complete sentence that restates your thesis.
- Revise: Check grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Read out loud to check flow. Omit any extraneous words.
Comparing Persuasive, Expository, and Narrative Styles
Persuasive & Expository Similarities
A persuasive essay is a type of expository essay. Though they serve different purposes, they follow a similar structure consisting of an introduction, a definitive thesis statement, supporting body paragraphs and a strong conclusion.
- Defining Argument: Both state a clear and supportable argument and present logical evidence.
- Supportive Facts: Both rely on studies, statistics, or experiment results found in the body paragraphs.
- Nonfiction Style: Both use an informational tone. Relying on facts rather than subjective opinions makes them more professional.
The Difference: The main difference is the author's purpose. In a persuasive essay, the writer goes into great detail about why a reader should agree with an argument. An expository writer is simply expected to present facts.
Persuasive & Narrative Similarities
Purpose: Each has a main purpose explored through the body. Persuasive aims to convince; Narrative aims to make the reader feel something.
Audience: Both consider their audience (often academic) and aim to leave a specific impression.
Details and Support: Both take the reader down a path supported by details—evidence for persuasive, and personal events or imagery for narrative.
Advanced Structural Elements
What Are the Two Parts of an Effective Thesis?
An effective thesis contains two parts: your argument proposal and support for your claim. The first part declares your argument, and the second part states the point of the paper. This allows the reader to grasp the paper's intent and helps the writer demonstrate the logical structure.
- Does it answer the question presented as the topic?
- Is there a potential argument against your thesis? (It must not be just a summary).
- Have you avoided vague language?
- Does the thesis fit the actual ideas explored in the essay?
Writing Argumentative Essay Methods
The generally accepted method is to explain your argument in a thesis paragraph, expand in the body, and conclude findings. Alternative methods include:
- “What, Why and How”: The “What” explains the research; the “How” discusses application to different situations; the “Why” explains relevance to the world at large.
- The Five-Paragraph Essay: Imposes a paragraph limitation: 1 intro, 3 body, 1 conclusion.
The Mechanics of Writing
The Essay Header
A header is a continuous line of text at the top of a page. It makes your essay look polished and organized, helping professors sort pages if they get mixed up.
- MLA: Last name and page number (no punctuation).
- APA: First several words of the title and the page number (five spaces in between).
The first page of an essay does not require an essay header. Headers may be forbidden in contest "blind reviews" to ensure impartiality.
How to Write a Point of View Essay
- Choose a Position: Decide to argue for one side before developing an outline.
- Research: Know your side and the opposing viewpoints fully to counter them effectively.
- Outline Arguments: Identify two to five major "reasons" for the position.
- Draft and Revise: Each argument should contain evidence like statistics, quotes, or facts. List sources on a references page.
What Is a Conclusion Statement?
The conclusion means the end or finish of an event in progress. Writing a strong conclusion is the best way to leave your reader with a memorable, complete sense of the overall argument. It acts as the girders that give final support to the topic, asserting the significance of the writer's position.
- Restatement of Thesis: Restate using words that "echo" but do not duplicate the original.
- Summary and Synthesis: Summarize how main arguments fit together and why they are relevant. Avoid simply regurgitating information.
- Final Thought: Leave the reader with a sense of finality. In persuasive essays, this is a "call to action."
Things to Avoid: The thesis should not appear for the first time in your conclusion. This is not the time to introduce new arguments or topics. Ensure arguments are not opposed to those in the rest of the writing.
