ESSAY WRITING

Course Outline
1. INTRODUCTION
a. What is writing
b. Effective writing
c. Correct writing
d. Writing as communication
e. Writing and speech
2. THE ESSAY
a. Meaning of an essay
b. Why write an essay
c. Types of essays
i. Narration
ii. Description
iii. Exposition
iv. Discussion

3. THE PROCEDURE OF WRITING AN ESSAY

a. Planning
b. Drafting
c. Revising
d. Editing

4. DECISIONS IN THE WRITING PROCESS

a. Selecting a topic
b. Analyzing your audience
c. Determining your purpose
d. Deciding on context, language and package

5. MECHANICS OF ESSAY WRITING

a. Paragraphs
b. Sentences
c. Diction
d. Spelling
e. Punctuation
f. Tone and style

6. THE ESSAY EXAMINATION

a. Comprehending the task
b. Planning your answer
c. The writing process
d. Proofreading your answer
e. Common mistakes to avoid

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 1. INTRODUCTION

a. What is writing
A system of graphic symbols that can be used to convey meaning.

 "Writing is not a game played according to rules. Writing is a compulsive, and

delectable thing. Writing is its own reward."
(Henry Miller, Henry Miller on Writing. New Directions, 1964)

 "Writing is really a way of thinking--not just feeling but thinking about things that
are disparate, unresolved, mysterious, problematic or just sweet."
(Toni Morrison, quoted by Sybil Steinberg in Writing for Your Life. Pushcart, 1992)

Writing is a method of representing language in visual or tactile form. Writing

systems use sets of symbols to represent the sounds of speech, and may also have
symbols for such things as punctuation and numerals.

b. Effective writing
Effective Writing is writing which has a logical flow of ideas and is cohesive. This
means it holds together well because there are links between sentences and
paragraphs.

Writing which is cohesive works as a unified whole and is easy to follow because it
uses language effectively to maintain a focus and to keep the reader 'on track'

Effective writing has:

• Ideas that are interesting and important. Ideas are the heart of your piece —
what you’re writing about and the information you choose to write about it.
• Organization that is logical and effective. Organization refers to the order of your
ideas and the way you move from one idea to the next.
• Voice that is individual and appropriate. Voice is how your writing feels to
someone when they read it. Is it formal or casual? Is it friendly and inviting or
reserved and standoffish? Voice is the expression of your individual personality
through words.
• Word Choice that is specific and memorable. Good writing uses just the right
words to say just the right things.
• Sentence Fluency that is smooth and expressive. Fluent sentences are easy to
understand and fun to read with expression.
• Conventions that are correct and communicative. Conventions are the ways we all
agree to use punctuation, spelling, grammar, and other things that make writing
consistent and easy to read.

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 c. Correct Writing
It encompasses the right use of the following:
 Punctuation
 Capitalization
 Paragraphing
 Sentence structure
 Spellings
 Writing order

d. Writing as Communication
To communicate effectively you need to get your point across and relay information
clearly. The reader will understand exactly what you mean.
How to Make Your Writing Communicate
Effective writing allows the reader to thoroughly understand everything you are
saying. This is not always easy to do. Here are a few tips that will help you:
1. Know your goal and state it clearly. Do you want the reader to do something for
you or are you merely passing along information? Do you want a response from
the reader or do you want him to take action? Your purpose needs to be stated
in the communication. Avoid information that is not relevant. Clarity is key.

2. Tone can help your writing be more effective. Certain forms of communication,
like memorandums and proposalsneed a formal tone.

Writing to someone you know well would need a more informal tone. The kind
of tone depends on the audience and purpose of the writing.

3. Explain in clear terms what you want the reader to do. They can not oblige if
they do not understand. Also, they may not even want to try to help if the
communication is vague and sloppily written. It is good to include why it is
beneficial to them to do what you ask or to help you.

4. Language needs to be simple. Do not overuse clichés, jargon, and expressions or

try to impress with big words. Keep sentences and paragraphs short and
concise.

5. Less is more when it comes to length. Leave out words that do not contribute to
the main focus of the communication. This can make the reader work harder to
know why you wrote.

6. Using an active voice will strengthen your writing. Sentences that are written in
the active voice will flow better and are easier to understand.

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 Long, complicated sentences will slow the reader down, even more so if they are
written in the passive voice. An active example is “I caught the ball.” and a
passive example is “The ball was caught by me.” Active voice will engage the
reader and keep his attention.

7. Good grammar and punctuation are very important. It is a good idea to have
someone else proofread your writing before you send it. If you cannot do that,
then try reading it out loud.

e. Writing and Speech

Written and spoken language differ in many ways. However some forms of writing
are closer to speech than others, and vice versa. Below are some of the ways in
which these two forms of language differ:
 Writing is usually permanent and written texts cannot usually be changed
once they have been printed/written out.
Speech is usually transient, unless recorded, and speakers can correct
themselves and change their utterances as they go along.
 A written text can communicate across time and space for as long as the
particular language and writing system is still understood.
Speech is usually used for immediate interactions.
 Written language tends to be more complex and intricate than speech with
longer sentences and many subordinate clauses. The punctuation and layout
of written texts also have no spoken equivalent. However some forms of
written language, such as instant messages and email, are closer to spoken
language.
Spoken language tends to be full of repetitions, incomplete sentences,
corrections and interruptions, with the exception of formal speeches and
other scripted forms of speech, such as news reports and scripts for plays and
films.
 Writers receive no immediate feedback from their readers, except in
computer-based communication. Therefore they cannot rely on context to
clarify things so there is more need to explain things clearly and
unambiguously than in speech, except in written correspondence between
people who know one another well.
Speech is usually a dynamic interaction between two or more people.
Context and shared knowledge play a major role, so it is possible to leave
much unsaid or indirectly implied.
 Writers can make use of punctuation, headings, layout, colours and other
graphical effects in their written texts. Such things are not available in speech

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 Speech can use timing, tone, volume, and timbre to add emotional context.
 Written material can be read repeatedly and closely analysed, and notes can
be made on the writing surface. Only recorded speech can be used in this
way.
 Some grammatical constructions are only used in writing, as are some kinds
of vocabulary, such as some complex chemical and legal terms.
Some types of vocabulary are used only or mainly in speech. These include
slang expressions, and tags like y'know, like, etc.

2. THE ESSAY
a. Meaning of an essay
A short literary composition on a single subject, usually presenting the personal view
of the author.

b. Why write an essay

To Inform
When you write to inform, your goal is to give your audience information they don’t
already have. In this case, your job is to report facts, not provide your thoughts on
the subject. An example of an informative essay might be one that focuses on three
types of dog breeds
To Persuade
When you write to persuade, your goal is for your audience to take action — or at
least, to want to take action — based on what you’ve written. An example of a
persuasive essay might be one in which you persuade your audience to vote for your
chosen presidential candidate.
To Explain
When you write to explain, your goal is to help your audience understand a process
or situation. An example of writing to explain might be an essay in which you explain
to your audience how to bake a birthday cake.
To Entertain
When you write to entertain, your goal is to provide an emotional experience for
your audience. An example of writing to entertain might be an essay in which you
tell about your most embarrassing moment, or recount your most memorable
vacation.
To educate
Here you want to explain certain news information geared at adding knowledge to
your readers as well as enlightening them.

c. Types of Essays

i. Narration Essays

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A narrative essay usually involves the telling of some kind of story. There are two
commotypes of narrative essays – short stories and book reports.

If your narrative essay is going to be more of a story, you might want to consider a
creative writing class. There are some guidelines that should be followed no matter
what type of narrative essay you’re writing.

 If it will be in story format, include all the parts of story. This includes
characters, plot, setting, etc.
 If you’re going to be writing a book report, it should be an informative
narrative about the book and not a retelling of the entire book.
 Even narrative essays should have a point, just like the thesis statement of
expository essays.
 Choose a point of view for your essay and stick with it. The common point
of view is first person, from the standpoint of the writer.

Narrative essays are similar to memoirs so many of the topics you might find
regarding narrative essays are in that style.

ii. Description Essays

In this type of essay, you will be asked to describe something.

This type of essay allows for much more artistic freedom as the main idea is to
create an image in the reader’s mind.
For this type of essay, you might be better off taking a creative writing class as they
will touch on description that will help you write this type of essay.
While there is no exact format for this essay, there are some guidelines you should
consider following as they will help you write a better descriptive essay.
 Brainstorm before you put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard. If your topic
involves describing your dream last night, you’ll want to start jotting down
specific details about it. For example, if you dreamed about your family you’ll
want to write down who in your family.

 Write down descriptive words in relation to the details that you will likely use
in your essay. Again, you’re going to want to paint a picture in your reader’s
mind so writing a sentence that says, “My cousin was in my dream” is not
going to give your reader any kind of image. However, if you describe your
cousin in more detail – using hair color, eye color, or even skin tone – will
give your reader a better image.

 Don’t forget that you have more than just the sense of sight. If you were
describing a day at the beach, you would want to include more than what
you saw. Include things you smelled, what you touched, sounds you heard,
and things you tasted.

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  Emotions and feelings play a key role in description too. However, it’s
important that you don’t write a sentence that says, “I was sad.” Again, this
kind of language does not paint pictures in reader’s minds. Rather, describe it
for them – “My shoulders drooped, and my chin trembled. Tears flooded my
eyes.” A sentence like that will show your reader that you were sad and paint
the picture in their mind. In fact, they will likely connect with you on an
emotional level as they read.

 Keep your essay organized. No matter how descriptive you are, no one is
going to know what you’re describing if everything is out of order. If you just
stuff your essay full of descriptive words, emotions, and senses, you might
leave your reader thinking that you were describing one thing when in fact
you were describing something completely different.

iii. Exposition Essays

An expository essay is a specific kind of essay that involves investigating an idea,

evaluating the evidence, presenting the idea, and supporting the presentation with
an argument.
Expository essays are usually written through comparison and contrast, definition,
example, and the analysis of cause and effect. There is a specific structure that
expository essays follow.
 First, there should be a clear and expansive thesis statement somewhere
within the first paragraph of the essay. This statement should be narrowed
down to follow the guidelines of the assignment. It should include something
involving the topic of the essay as that is usually included in the guidelines.

 The transitions between the introduction paragraph, body paragraphs, and

conclusion paragraph should make sense and be clear. Without these
transitions, there is no logical path to follow throughout the essay, and the
reader could end up lost in your essay. Your argument would then be lost.

 Each paragraph of the body should include evidence that supports the thesis
statement. You should only discuss one sub idea of the thesis statement in
each paragraph. Discussing a number of ideas in each paragraph can lead to
confusion.

 Don’t forget the evidence! While this was just stated earlier, it’s important
enough to be said again. Your essay will not be an expository essay if you
don’t have some kind of proof to back up your thesis statement.

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  When writing your conclusion, don’t just repeat the thesis. Expand on it by
discussing the evidence you revealed. Don’t present any new information or
ideas into the conclusion.

This is the most common essay written while in elementary school. It is usually
considered the five-paragraph essay – one introductory paragraph, three body
paragraphs, and a single conclusion paragraph.

However, as you enter later grades and college, you will come to realize that
expository essays sometimes run a little longer than that. This format is usually just a
way to begin introducing the idea of expository essays to students.
Expository essays are best thought of as conversations or debates with classmates.

Just as your conversation will have a beginning, middle, and end, your essay should
also. If it is not complete, you will likely leave behind questions in your readers. The
most important thing to remember is to state the intent of your essay in the
introduction, back it up in the body, and summarize everything in the conclusion.

iv. Discussion Essays

A discussion essay presents and discusses issues surrounding a particular topic--
usually one that is debatable and open to argument.

A good discussion essay must include a thorough discussion of both sides of the
topic. It should provide a well-rounded understanding of the issues before the writer
presents his personal opinions and conclusions.

The discussion essay's quality relies primarily on the writer's ability to provide solid
research and evidence to present different views of the topic.
How to write discussion essays
Step 1. Choose your discussion essay topic. Make sure the topic is one that you're
interested in personally since it will be easier for you to write.

You'll need to discuss both sides of the issues surrounding the discussion
essay topic, so ensure that you have access to good research that provides
pertinent information.
Step 2
Outline your discussion essay using paper and a pen. Your goal at this point is
to get your thoughts on the discussion essay topic organized and in writing.
You can write a detailed outline for your discussion essay, using traditional
outline format--letters and numbers to separate key points--or you can
simply jot down a list of the main discussion points you plan to cover in the
body of your essay.
Step 3

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 Write your introduction. Explain any important words or terms your reader
may not understand that you'll need to use in the essay.

Providing your reader with a simple overview of how your discussion essay is
organized will ensure that she understands your flow of thought throughout
the body of the essay.
Step 4
Write the body of your discussion essay, using any research sources that you
have collected. Typically, you should present each issue individually and
impartially, discussing first one side and then the other side of each
argument that relates to your topic.

Progress through your body arguments in order, starting with your weakest
argument or issue and progressing to the strongest. This structure allows
your reader to follow your flow of thought easily without getting distracted.
Step 5
Write your discussion essay conclusion. Your goal with your conclusion is to
summarize the overall information from the discussion essay body, leading
the reader to mentally review the pros and cons of the topic argument.

Although you don't technically have to be in favor of one side of the

discussion yourself, if you are, be sure to present your own conclusions in this
paragraph rather than earlier in the essay.

3. THE PROCEDURE OF WRITING AN ESSAY

a. Planning
i) Understand the essay question:
• Its topic
• Any restriction/ expansion to the topic i.e number of words no to exceed.
• The aspect/angle you are asked to consider.
• Instructions you need to follow.
ii) Research on the essay question topic so that you get enough points to express
your ideas. Read on previous similar essays.
iii) Make a structure plan. Know what is needed at the introduction, body and
conclusion.
iv) Decide on the language to use
v) Analyse your audience, know what they need and their expectations so as to
satisfy them.

b. Drafting
Writing introductory paragraphs
i) State title of essay in first line/link to question

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ii) Explain the title/why the question is important/establish the field/give
background information/state aim of the essay
iii) Outline approach to the essay
iv) Narrow the field/particular focus/outline issues

Writing main body paragraphs

Start with a topic sentence that carries the main idea of the paragraph
Follow it with several supporting sentences: gives details about/ explains the topic
sentence
Concluding sentence: repeats the main idea/gives final comment about the essay
topic
Writing conclusion paragraphs
• Summarise main arguments of your essay
• State general conclusions
• Refer back to question so as to directly answer it
• Make recommendations or suggest way forward/further research
• Do not present new material or ideas in your conclusion

c. Revising
i. Check whether you have answered the question title.
ii. Check on typographical and grammatical errors.
iii. Do you show a good grasp of the ideas?
iv. Have you presented a coherent argument?
v. Check whether you have written the essay in an objective, analytical way,
with appropriate use of illustration and evidence.
vi. Is the essay clearly written and well presented?

d. Editing
 Rewrite to ensure the essays actually answers the question
 Correct all errors of grammar, fact, omission, sentence structure, punctuation
and typography.
 Correct illogical ideas by replacing them with coherent arguments
 Correct sentences that are not clear, use jargon or poorly presented so that
the final copy is an easy to read manuscript.
 Rewrite the entire essay now making all the above corrections. Ensure you
don’t make new errors in the final copy.

4. DECISIONS IN THE WRITING PROCESS

a. Selecting a topic
A good topic is one that the wrier knows about, cares about and can efficiently
communicate about.
Once a writer has selected the topic, he/she must now narrow down the topic.
Broad topics are not necessarily good subjects.
One way to select and focus a topic is to suggest titles or topic sentences.
Another way is to brainstorm, whose goal is to produce as many details about a topic
as possible, then choose the most vivid, lively and relevant.

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 b. Analyzing your audience
Who will read your work? Take considerations of the age, social status, gender,
beliefs and attitudes of your audience as you write.
Use a language that they can understand best. Communicate effectively.

c. Determining your purpose

Decide on the major purpose for writing the article or essay.
Are you writing to:
 Inform?
 Educate?
 Correct a misconception?
 Entertain?
 Persuade?
 Give an explanation?

d. Deciding on context, language and package

The writer must know what they want to say, what words to use, and how to convey
the ideas in meaningful sentences.

Here, focus main focus should be on the content, context and how to package the
ideas so that they flow logically and with ease when being read.

The context is the setting, the time, the place, the people involved in the story and
what they are doing.

Language should be simple and easy to understand.

In packaging, decide on which ideas should kick off the story, which to come at the
middle and which to wrap up the story.

5. MECHANICS OF ESSAY WRITING

a. Paragraphs

What is a Paragraph?

A paragraph is a group of sentences organized around a central topic. In fact, the

cardinal rule of paragraph writing is to focus on one idea. A solidly written paragraph
takes its readers on a clear path.
How to Write a Paragraph Using the Four Essential Elements

A basic paragraph structure usually consists of five sentences: the topic sentence,
three supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence. But the secrets to paragraph
writing lay in four essential elements, which when used correctly, can make
a okay paragraph into a great paragraph.

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 1. Element #1: Unity. Unity in a paragraph begins with the topic sentence. Every
paragraph has one single, controlling idea that is expressed in its topic sentence,
which is typically the first sentence of the paragraph. A paragraph is unified
around this main idea, with the supporting sentences providing detail and
discussion.
2. Element #2: Order. Order refers to the way you organize your supporting
sentences. Whether you choose chronological order, order of importance, or
another logical presentation of detail, a solid paragraph always has a definite
organization
3. Element #3: Coherence. Coherence is the quality that makes your writing
understandable. Sentences within a paragraph need to connect to each other
and work together as a whole. One of the best ways to achieve coherency is to
use transition words. These words create bridges from one sentence to the next.
You can use transition words that show order (first, second, third); spatial
relationships (above, below) or logic (furthermore, in addition, in fact).
4. Element #4: Completeness. Completeness means a paragraph is well-
developed. If all sentences clearly and sufficiently support the main idea, then
your paragraph is complete. If there are not enough sentences or enough
information to prove your thesis, then the paragraph is incomplete. Usually
three supporting sentences, in addition to a topic sentence and concluding
sentence, are needed for a paragraph to be complete.

b. Sentences

How to Write Clear, Concise, and Direct Sentences

1. Unless you have a reason not to, use the active voice. At the heart of every
good sentence is a strong, precise verb; the converse is true as well--at the
core of most confusing, awkward, or wordy sentences lies a weak verb.
Passive a. It is believed by the candidate that a ceiling must be placed on the
budget by Congress.
Active b. The candidate believes that Congress must place a ceiling on the
budget.

There are sometimes good reasons to use the passive voice: To emphasize
the action rather than the actor.
e.g After long debate, the proposal was endorsed by the long-range planning
committee. !

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 To keep the subject and focus consistent throughout a passage. f.
The data processing department recently presented what proved to be a
controversial proposal to expand its staff.

2. Put the action of the sentence in the verb.

Don't bury it in a noun or blur it across the entire sentence. Watch out
especially for nominalizations (verbs that have been made into nouns by the
addition of -tion).

a. An evaluation of the procedures needs to be done.

b. The procedures need to be evaluated.
c. We need to evaluate the procedures.

3. Reduce wordy verbs.

a. is aware, has knowledge of ----------> knows
b. is taking --------> takes
c. are indications --------> indicate
d. are suggestive --------> suggests

4. Use expletive constructions ("It is," "There is," "There are") sparingly.
a. It was her last argument that finally persuaded me.
b. Her last argument finally persuaded me.
c. There are likely to be many researchers raising questions about this
methodological approach.
d. Many researchers are likely to raise questions about this methodological
approach.

5. Try to avoid using vague, all-purpose nouns, which often lead to wordiness. --
factor, aspect, area, situation, consideration, degree, case . . .
a. Consumer demand is rising in the area of services.
b. Consumer demand for services is rising.
c. Consumers are demanding more services.

6. Unless your readers are familiar with your terminology, avoid writing strings of
nouns (or noun strings!).
a. patient program satisfaction
b. student-professor relationship factors
c. processing step change
e. program implementation process evaluation
f. MHS has a hospital employee relations improvement program.
g. MHS has a program to improve employee relations.
h. MHS has a program to improve relations among employees.

7. Eliminate unnecessary prepositional phrases.

a. The opinion of the working group.
b. The working group's opinion.

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c. The obvious effect of such a range of reference is to assure the audience of the
author's range of learning and intellect.

8. Avoid unnecessarily inflated words.

e.g cognizant of -aware of, facilitate –help, impact on –affect, implement - carry out

c. Diction
It refers to the manner in which ideas are expressed. It implies a high level of
language usage. It chiefly refers to the choice of words, their arrangement and the
accuracy and distinction with which they are used.

Individuals vary their diction depending on different contexts and settings.

Therefore, we come across various types of diction. It may be “formal” where formal
words are used in formal situations e.g. press conferences, presentations etc.

Similarly, we use “informal” diction in informal situations like writing or talking to

our friends. Moreover, a “colloquial” diction uses words common in everyday
speech. “Slang” is the use of words that are impolite or newly coined.

In literature, writers choose words to create and convey a typical mood, tone and
atmosphere to their readers. A writer’s choice of words and his selection of graphic
words not only affects the reader’s attitude but also conveys the writer’s feelings
toward the literary work.

Moreover, poetry is known for its unique diction that separates it from prose.
Usually, a poetic diction is marked by the use of figures of speech, rhyming words
etc.

d. Spelling
It is the forming of words with letters in an accepted order; orthography.
The spelling of words in English is more regular and pattern based
than commonly believed.

According to Hanna, Hanna,Hodges, and Rudorf (1966), half of all English words can
be spelled accurately on the basis of sound-symbol correspondences
alone, meaning that the letters used to spell these words predictably represent their
sound patterns

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One of the main reasons that English seems so irregular is that we have lots of
different spellings for the same sound. For example, the /k/ sound can be spelled
with several different letters and letter combinations, such as k (king), c (cat), ck
(back), qu (queen), and ch (chorus).

Therefore a writer must be careful in ensuring that only the correct word spelling is
written, otherwise an unintended meaning of the word will emerge when wrongly
spelt.

e. Punctuation
It is the use of standard marks and signs in writing and printing to separate words
into sentences, clauses, and phrases in order to clarify meaning.

These marks include commas, colons, semi colons, question marks, exclamation
marks, hyphens, apostrophes, full stops, quotation marks and brackets.

Understanding the principles behind the common marks of punctuation should

strengthen your understanding of grammar and help you to use the marks
consistently in your own writing.

As Paul Robinson observes in his essay "The Philosophy of Punctuation" (in Opera,
Sex, and Other Vital Matters, 2002), "Punctuation has the primary responsibility of
contributing to the plainness of one's meaning. It has the secondary responsibility of
being as invisible as possible, of not calling attention to itself."

f. Tone and style

Style in fiction refers to the language conventions used to construct the story. A
fiction writer can manipulate diction, sentence structure, phrasing, dialogue, and
other aspects of language to create style.
Thus a story's style could be described as richly detailed, flowing, and barely
controlled or sparing and minimalist to reflect the simple sentence structures and
low range of vocabulary.

Predominant styles change through time; therefore the time period in which fiction
was written often influences its style.

The communicative effect created by the author's style can be referred to as the
story's voice. To identify a story's voice, ask yourself, "What kind of person does the
narrator sound like?"

A story's voice may be serious and straightforward, rambunctiously comic, or

dramatically tense.
A story's style and voice contribute to its tone.
Tone refers to the attitude that the story creates toward its subject matter.

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For example, a story may convey an earnest and sincere tone toward its characters
and events, signaling to the reader that the material is to be taken in a serious,
dramatic way.

On the other hand, an attitude of humor or sarcasm may be created through subtle
language and content manipulation.

6. THE ESSAY EXAMINATION

a. Comprehending the task

This means understanding the question or the task assigned to do. Make sure you
get the meaning of the task otherwise you will write irrelevant ideas that are out of
the question topic.

Read through the question severally.

Answers will come to mind immediately for some questions write down key words,
listings, etc. Now when they're fresh in mind. Otherwise these ideas may be blocked
(or be unavailable) when the time comes to write the later questions. This will
reduce "clutching" or panic (anxiety, actually fear which disrupts thoughts

b. Planning your answer

Before attempting to answer a question, look at the directive words.

Your instructor may give you specific directions how to write your answer. If he/she
wants you to evaluate a philosophical theory, you won't get full credit if you describe
just the theory. Make sure you know what you are being asked to do.

Outline the answer before writing.

whether the teacher realizes it or not, he/she is greatly influenced by the
compactness and clarity of an organized answer. To begin writing in the hope that
the right answer will somehow turn up is time consuming and usually futile.

To know a little and to present that little well is, by and large, superior to knowing
much and presenting it poorly--when judged by the grade it receives. Be sure to
follow the directive words, and check your outline to see that it is logical.

c. The writing process

Since you have arranged your ideas in a logical way, now start writing. Introduce the
essay well in the first paragraph such that the instructor sees that you actually
understood the question.

Let your ideas flow with ease, use simple language. Ensure that paragraphs are well
linked to each other. Avoid a clear cut transition from one paragraph to the next.

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Let the body carry most of the ideas. Explain them well, giving relevant examples if
need be. The content should be devoid of errors of grammar, punctuation or
typography.

The conclusion should summarize the main ideas. Avoid repetition of words in the
conlusion.

d. Proofreading your answer

Check whether you have answered the question to satisfaction. Check for errors in
the manuscript and correct them.
Check on paragraphing, each paragraph should carry an idea that is drawn from the
previous paragraph.

e. Common mistakes to avoid

 Selecting the wrong topic and subject.

 Failing to answer the question.
 Being general and unspecific.
 Making your essay the wrong length.
 Using the wrong tone
 Relying on your computer’s spell checker.
 Forgetting to proofread.
 Writing a disorganized essay.
 Beginning with a weak introduction.
 Starting late and rushing through the writing process.
 Repetition of ideas in the essay
 Answering the wrong question
 Using jargon and technical terms.
 Writing to the wrong audience.
 Making errors throughout the write up.

ESSAY WRITING 17