You are on page 1of 17

Essay Structure and

Writing Convention
Definition of essay
 Essay- a piece of writing from combination of
several paragraphs
 Discuss only one topic but more complex than
paragraph
 So several paragraphs are needed to form the
body of essays
 The body paragraphs are complemented by
introduction and conclusion paragraphs
Diagram of an essay
Introduction paragraph
 The first paragraph of essay
 the place in which the writer introduces the
reader to the topic
 Contains general overview of the topic and
thesis statement
 General overview- discuss briefly about the
topic without giving too much details
 Try to capture readers’ interest by providing
anecdotes or statistics
How to introduce an introduction
 Funnel introduction- started with
something general and focus to something
more specific
 Interesting anecdotes- dramatic,
interesting or funny story/experience
 Surprising statistics/data
 Historical background
Thesis statement
 It is also used to announce the essay topic
 It briefly underlines the framework/sub
topics of the essay
 It shows the direction/pattern of your writing
 Sometimes it is used for the purpose of
declaring the opinion
 Almost similar to topic sentence but it operates
at essay level
 must contain the topic and controlling ideas

e.g. there are many factors that cause pollution


such as human, industrial activities and nature.
Sample of an introduction
paragraph
The Benefits of Television
We hear a lot about the negative effects of television of
the viewer. Obviously, television can be harmful if it is
watched constantly to the exclusion of other activities. It
would be just as harmful to listen to CDs all the time or to
eat constantly. However, when television is watched in
moderation, it is extremely valuable, as it provides
relaxation, entertainment, and education
Exercise…
 Try to make introduction on following topics
- Patriotism is lacking among young peoples?
- Illegal racers@’mat rempits’ issue
- Football progress in Malaysia
- Food poisoning at school
- Batik making process
- Maid abuse
- Should we teach entrepreneurship at primary
school?
Thesis statement exercise 1
 Malaysia is definitely one unique tourism
destination in Asia
 To make a moist chocolate cake, you have
to follow several steps
 There are three causes of obesity, namely
overeating, lack of exercise and genetic.
 Although smoking seems to be stylish, I
disagree that it is good for the teenagers.
Thesis statement exercise 2
 1. announcing the topic- topic: academic
performance, controlling idea: girls are better
 2. subtopic- topic: benefits of fast food
controlling ideas: quick, good taste, easily
made
 3. pattern- topic: vacation in local and
overseas controlling idea: differences
 4. opinion- topic: dating among teenagers
controlling idea: not allowed
Body paragraphs
 Normally, essay body contains two to four
paragraphs - depending on discussed points
 each paragraph contains topic sentence and
supporting sentences
 Topic sentence is main point of the paragraph
and supporting sentences develop it
 It relates the readers to the relevancy and
relationship of each of the subtopics to the
thesis statement.
 Consequently, the readers will understand the
topic better
How to develop body paragraphs
 1. examples- give examples
 2. facts- facts that relevant and credible
 3. statistics- numbers, figures, graphs etc
 4. quotations- quoted words of a person
 Do not forget to link the body paragraphs
with transition signals
Sample of a body paragraph
First of all, watching TV has the value of sheer
relaxation. Watching television can be soothing
and restful after an eight hour day of pressure,
challenges, or concentration. After working
hard all day, people look forward to a new
episode of a favorite show or yet another showing
of Casablanca or Sleepless in Seattle. This period
of relaxation leaves the viewers refreshed and
ready to take on the world again
Concluding Paragraph
 Final paragraph of the essay
 Provide the definite end point to the readers
 There are many ways to write it
- Restatement of the thesis statement
e.g. Again, I believe students should not be
allowed to bring hand phone to campus
- Summary of main points
e.g. Overall, there are many reasons such as…
- Comment/suggestion
e.g. Government should solve this problem…
Sample of a concluding paragraph
Perhaps because television is such a powerful
force, we like to criticize it and search for its
flaws. However, the benefits of television should
not be ignored. We can use television to relax, to
have fun, and to make ourselves smarter. This
electronic wonder, then, is a servant, not a master
Master.
Writing convention and mechanics
 Referring to smaller but important details of
writing
 Aspects such as capitalization, spelling,
punctuation, documentation technique, hand
writing ( mechanics)
 Grammar and sentence structure ( writing
convention)
 Many students ignore these aspects-lose marks
 Students should be more careful in writing.
Please provide conclusion based
on these topic sentences
 Firstly, students are stressed due to peer
pressure
 Next, financial problem also makes them
stressed.
 Finally, academic achievement is another
factor of stress among students.

You might also like