PLANNING THE

ESSAY
The essay has:

1. A beginning: Called the introduction

 this paragraph is the -first in the essay.
2. A thesis sentence:
 Generally located at the end of the introduction,
 This sentence is the most general, most important sentence in the essay.
 It contains controlling ideas that limit and direct the rest of the essay.
3. A middle: Called the body of the essay,
 These paragraphs explain, define, clarify, and illustrate the thesis sentence.
 Each body paragraph consists of a topic sentence and several supporting
sentences.
 The number of body paragraphs depends on the length and complexity of the
assignment.
4. An end: Called the conclusion, this paragraph completes the essay.
 Introduction
 General statement about the topic
 A little information about the topic
 Thesis statement of intent or opinion
Body Paragraphs

 Begin with a topic sentence

 Explain, define, clarify the controlling ideas of the topic

sentence with facts. example, physical description, and/or
personal experience

 End with a concluding sentence that draws the paragraph

together
Conclusion

 may contain a brief summary;

 will also contain one or more of the following: a prediction,
a recommendation, or a solution
INTRODUCTION

BODY (PRG 1)

BODY (PRGR 2)

BODY (PRGR 3)

CONCLUSION
The Introduction

 The general statement(s) with

which you begin your Introduction
should make your audience
interested in. your topic, and
should lead logically to your
statement of thesis:
 The purpose of the introduction is
to introduce the topic to your
audience and to state the purpose
of your essay in the thesis
statement.
The introduction:

1. often opens with a general statement about the topic.

2. gives the reader general information about the topic that
is needed to understand the essay.
3. narrows from that general information to the thesis
statement of opinion or intent.
 The Thesis Statement
Each essay you write will contain a thesis statement. This statement is
usually one sentence that gives the purpose the essay.
 The thesis is the strongest, clearest statement in the essay.
 The thesis should come at the beginning of the essay, usually at
the end of the introductory paragraph.
 The thesis sentence must not be a simple statement of fact that
requires no elaboration. A simple statement of fact has no
possibilities for development.

Example: Mrs. Brown, my neighbor, has four cats and three dogs.
(not thesis)
  The thesis will probably not be expressed as a
question, for a question contains no attitude or
opinion. The answer to the question is the thesis
statement.
 The thesis will contain controlling ideas that will be
used in the topic sentences of the body
paragraph of the essay.

Example: A successful soccer coach has four

qualities . (controlling ideas circled)
  The thesis may be a statement of opinion that you
will explain and prove in the body paragraph of the
essay.

 Example:

 My neighbor, Mrs. Brown, owns four cats; these

animals present a serious health hazard in our
neighborhood. (statement of opinion)
  The thesis may be a statement of intent that you will explain and illustrate
in the body paragraphs of the essay.
Example:
This essay will show how corn is planted and why this method of
planting is successful. (statement of intent)
 A successful thesis statement results from selection,
qualification, and specificity. For example, if you were
assigned to write a 500-word expository essay-an essay
that explain something-you might choose the holy Quran
or Bible or any other holy books as your subject. In order
to reach a valid thesis for the essay, you might go through
the following process:
The Quran is wonderful.
(The controlling idea is simply a judgment, and cannot be supported.)

The Quran is the perfect book for everyone.

(Still too much generalization and judgment.)

The Quran is one of the best religious books in the world

(Somewhat qualified, but still too general: best and worst are hard words to
support.)

The Quran is one of the most important religious books in the world
(Better: more qualified, more objective in language, but an additional controlling idea
would direct the essay more clearly.)

The Quran is one of the most important religious books in the world it is the
basis for the life-style of million of people
(Reasonable, specific opinion that can be supported in an essay.)
 Examples of good introductions:
Vitamin D Deficiency

Every schoolboy knows that vitamin D is the sunshine vitamin,

interesting
sentence and that vitamin D is essential for good health. Until the
twentieth century, however, little was known about this
important vitamin, and people who lived in temperate climates
background
information
tended to suffer every winter from the lack of vitamin D. Even
today, although knowledge about vitamin D has been available
for more than fifty years, many people still suffer from vitamin
D deficiencies. This essay will describe the chemical makeup of
thesis vitamin D, the group of diseases called rickets that afflict
statement people who are deficient in this vitamin, and solutions to avoid
of intent such deficiencies.
Background Almost all of the small towns in El Salvador are similar in their
information
geography and general appearance. In addition, many of the
thesis people who live in these towns have a special lifestyle. In contrast
statement to life in larger cities, people in small towns share many things and
of opinion all kinds of experiences. This unusual sharing contributes to a
familiar relationship among neighbors.
The Body

The goal of each body paragraph is to state a topic

sentence that is directly related to the thesis, and to
support that topic sentence.

1. Each makes a point, a solid point that is

enlarged into a block of support.
2. One point is made in each paragraph, and
each paragraph is approximately 125 to 150 words
(four to eight sentences).
3. Each paragraph is a self-contained, fully
developed unit. Like the essay itself, every
paragraph has three parts: the beginning, the
middle, and the end.
A. Beginning: Topic sentence that is directly
connected to the thesis
B. Middle: Several sentences that explain
and illustrate the topic sentence
C. End: A conclusion that draws together the
point made in the paragraph
THE CONCLUSION

 The conclusion borrows from

everything that has gone
before, summarizing without
repeating exactly, suggesting.
predicting.
 It gives the essay its final
shape and gives writers a
single last chance to show
that their thesis are valid.
 Women ‘s Liberation in Japan

To conclude, the role of women in Japan used to be to take care

summary of their families; women were not educated, so they did not
Prediction have jobs. However, after the women’s education system was
improved, Japanese women became part of the job force in my
country. Nowadays, many women have jobs, but there are still
problems with low salaries and limited opportunities.
Fortunately, these problems are being solved, so in the future
there will be no difference between men’s and women’s jobs.
 The TOEFL Examination: Why?
summary
Solution In conclusion, it is not fair to deny a student university admission
because he or she has not passed the TOEFL test, especially if
that student has studied English in the United States for a
semester. One question comes to mind: What is the purpose or
the aim of university? The TOEFL examination was created to
measure the language proficiency of students not in the U.S. who
were applying to U.S. university. When that university receives
the foreign applications, it will be able to know from their TOEFL
score if they are able to study in English. However, if the student
applies in person, and if the person has the recommendations of
the intensive English language program, the reason for the TOEFL
is gone. In this case, the TOEFL test is not necessary.