Barani Institute of Sciences

How to write an Essay

This resource aims to:
• Explain briefly what an essay is and why it is
important for academic study
• Demonstrate an essay structure and represent it
visually
• Show how to write an introduction
• Show how to write a conclusion
• Provide links to further useful resources
Structure of an Essay

An introduction to an essay usually has three primary purposes:

1.To set the scene
2.To tell readers what is important, and why
3.To tell the reader what the essay is going to do
Main body
The body of the essay should be organized into paragraphs. Each
paragraph should deal with a different aspect of the issue, but they
should also link in some way to those that precede and follow it. This is
not an easy thing to get right, even for experienced writers, partly
because there are many ways to successfully structure and use
paragraphs.
Conclusion

The conclusion
usually does three
things:

Reminds your readers Provides an answer, Reminds your reader

of what the essay where possible, to how you reached
was meant to do. the title. that answer.
Essay Writing: Introductions
and Conclusions
Argumentative Essay
• Type of academic writing
• Presents a clear and logical argument or position
• Focuses on a specific issue, topic, or question
• Primary goal is persuasion
• Persuades the reader to accept the writer's viewpoint
• Relies on well-reasoned and well-supported arguments
• Requires thorough research
• Involves critical thinking
• Presents evidence to support the writer's stance
• Addresses counterarguments or opposing views.
Expository Essay
An expository essay is a type of academic writing that aims to
inform, explain, or describe a particular subject to the reader.
Unlike an argumentative essay, the primary purpose of an
expository essay is to provide factual and objective
information without expressing the writer's opinions or
persuading the reader. Here's a brief overview of an
expository essay in bullet-point format:
Expository Essay
• Type of academic writing
• Focuses on informing, explaining, or describing a subject
• Emphasizes providing factual and objective information
• Avoids expressing personal opinions or arguments
• Typically follows a clear and organized structure
• Includes a thesis statement that states the main idea
• Supports the main idea with evidence, examples, and facts
• Organizes content logically, often using a chronological, cause-and-effect, or compare-
and-contrast structure
• Uses a neutral and formal tone
• May include subheadings or transitional phrases for clarity
• Commonly found in educational settings, research, or explanatory publications.
Narrative Essay
A narrative essay is a form of academic writing that tells a story, often
from the writer's own perspective or personal experiences. The
primary purpose of a narrative essay is to engage the reader by
conveying a compelling and vivid account of events or experiences.
Here's a brief overview of a narrative essay in bullet-point format
Narrative Essay
• Type of academic writing
• Tells a story or recounts a series of events
• Often based on personal experiences or perspective
• Engages the reader by creating a vivid and relatable narrative
• Includes characters, setting, plot, and a clear narrative structure
• Typically written in the first-person point of view
• May incorporate descriptive language and vivid details to make the story come to life
• Can convey emotions, reflections, and personal insights
• May have a moral or lesson learned within the narrative
• Allows for creativity and artistic expression
• Commonly used in creative writing, personal essays, and autobiographies.
Descriptive essays

• A descriptive essay is a type of academic writing that paints a vivid

picture of a person, place, object, or experience through detailed and
sensory descriptions. The primary purpose of a descriptive essay is to
enable the reader to visualize and feel a deep connection to the
subject of the essay.
Descriptive essays

• Type of academic writing

• Focuses on providing a detailed and sensory description of a subject
• Aims to create a strong, vivid, and immersive mental image for the reader
• Utilizes descriptive language, sensory details, and figurative language
• Engages the reader's senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste) to convey the subject's essence
• Often organized spatially or by the five senses
• Uses a variety of literary devices such as metaphors, similes, and personification to enhance
descriptions
• Appeals to the reader's emotions and imagination
• Can depict a wide range of subjects, from a favorite place to a childhood memory, a work of art,
or a beloved person
• Encourages the use of precise and evocative vocabulary
• Commonly found in creative writing, travel literature, and personal essays.
Textual analysis essays

• Though every essay type tests your writing skills, some essays also
test your ability to read carefully and critically. In a textual
analysis essay, you don’t just present information on a topic, but
closely analyze a text to explain how it achieves certain effects.
Rhetorical analysis

• A rhetorical analysis looks at a persuasive text in terms of the

rhetorical devices it uses, and evaluates their effectiveness.
• The goal is not to state whether you agree with the author’s
argument but to look at how they have constructed it.
• The introduction of a rhetorical analysis presents the text, some
background information, and your thesis statement; the body
comprises the analysis itself; and the conclusion wraps up your
analysis of the text, emphasizing its relevance to broader concerns.
Literary analysis

• A literary analysis essay presents a close reading of a work of literature—e.g. a

poem or novel—to explore the choices made by the author and how they help to
convey the text’s theme. It is not simply a book report or a review, but an in-
depth interpretation of the text.
• Literary analysis looks at things like setting, characters, themes, and figurative
language. The goal is to closely analyze what the author conveys and how.
• The introduction of a literary analysis essay presents the text and background,
and provides your thesis statement; the body consists of close readings of the
text with quotations and analysis in support of your argument; and the
conclusion emphasizes what your approach tells us about the text
The Academic Essay

An essay at university is a written argument in favor of

What? a view. It does not mean writing about everything you
have learned in your lectures.

The main skill being developed at university is the

ability to think critically, which means being able to
Why? analyse (examine) and evaluate (judge) other peoples’
arguments and theories before coming to your own
conclusion.

Structure your essay clearly with an introduction that

sets out your position before presenting a number of
How? relevant points, supported by academic references.
Finish off with a conclusion that restates your position.
The following slides will show you how to do this.
The Christmas Cracker

One way of thinking about essay

Introduction structure visually is the Christmas
cracker.

The essay starts by introducing the

general subject area before identifying
Main body the specific problem being addressed
(approximately and indicating the structure. A series of
80% of word count) paragraphs in the main body then
delivers the argument in a coherent
way. The essay concludes by returning
to the question, stating your position
and summarising the main arguments
Conclusion
before linking back out to the general
subject area.

Source: adapted from Wallbank (2018)

 Keep the introduction short and to the point – between 5 and 10 per cent of the
Introductions word count is a rough guide. Some people find it easier to write the main body of
the essay first and then write the introduction at the same time as the conclusion.

General Introduce the essay: briefly set your essay in its wider context
or subject area with a general statement. You could provide a
‘hook’ for the reader such as a data, facts or a quote.
Focus the essay: identify the central issue or the
specific problem that the essay is addressing. You
could briefly define any key terms you will be
using. Thesis Statements
A thesis (position) statement
Orient the reader: provide your
says what the essay argues and
reader with a road map by outlining
basically answers the question.
the structure of your argument. It
It is not essential but including
should not be a mystery tour. The
one here may help to keep your
reader needs to know where the
Specific writing focused and on track
essay is going.
throughout the essay.

Source: adapted from Kain (1999) and Wallbank (2018)

Introduction Example

The social networking site Facebook has become increasingly popular since its
Introduce the
inception in 2004, with over 1.8 billion people using the sire on a monthly basis
essay
(Facebook, 2017). As a result, a discussion has arisen within the education
sector about the ways in which websites like Facebook can be used in learning
and teaching. The use of such social networking sites within universities is not
Focus the uncontroversial and has the potential for both positive and negative impact.
essay Therefore, learners and teachers should critically evaluate the educational value
of such sites before endorsing their use. This essay discusses both the positive
and negative effects of using Facebook in Higher Education (HE). First, it
Orient the identifies benefits related to online community building, engagement and
reader collaboration, before identifying concerns about its potential for distraction and
issues related to safety and privacy. It will argue that despite the teaching and
learning opportunities it presents, the use of Facebook in HE remains too Thesis Statement
fraught with threats to safety to be unequivocally endorsed for educational
use, without specific guidance for teachers and students.

Source: text adapted from Auckland University of Technology (2018b)

 The conclusion should not introduce new ideas or references. It should state or
Conclusions restate your final position on the question.

Specific Restate position: link back to the Thesis Statements

question and make sure you have
reached a conclusion, e.g. answer the
question!
Summarise the argument: remember that the
reader has just read your essay so no need to
overdo this. Simply reiterate your main points in the
order you presented them in the body of the essay.
If you used a thesis statement,
reword it here to reflect the
argument you have just laid out in
your essay. Don’t simply copy and
paste it from the introduction.

Discuss implications: State why this is important for the

subject area of the essay. You could also signal the future by
suggesting where things might go next in terms of policy or
General more research for example.

Source: adapted from Hull (2020 and Wallbank (2018)

Conclusion Example

In summary, this essay has considered both the positive and negative aspects of
Restate
using Facebook in the HE classroom. It has argued that an unequivocal Thesis Statement
position
endorsement of the social media site is not possible given the very real threats
to student safety its use presents. Research has identified that Facebook can
facilitate social interaction and rich collaboration between peers. Therefore, it
has the potential to complement face-to-face modes of delivery. However, if
Summarise Facebook is going to be effectively and safely used in teaching and learning,
discussion then students and teachers need careful guidance. Concerns about its use
centre on the tendency for Facebook to distract students as well as the need to
support students to better control privacy settings. Although the use of any
online tool comes with inherent challenges that needs careful consideration,
Discuss the benefits exemplify how the integration of technology offers new approaches
implications to teaching in learning. Higher education institutions will need to adapt rapidly
to this changing landscape and learn to harness these possibilities safely if they
are to succeed in the current remote-learning environment.

Source: text adapted from Auckland University of Technology (2018a)

Next Steps
This resource provides a basic guide to writing introductions and
conclusions in academic essay writing.
Here are links to online resources for students wanting to take their
understanding further:
http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/introducing-work/

https://libguides.hull.ac.uk/essays/home

Connelly, J. and Forsyth, P. (2012) Essay writing skills: essential techniques to gain top grade. Available
from:https://www-dawsonera-com.ezproxy.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/abstract/9780749463922

Creme, P. and Lea, M. R. (2008) Writing at university: a guide for students 3rd ed. Available
from:https://www-dawsonera-com.ezproxy.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/abstract/9780335235476
References
Auckland University of Technology (2018a) Essays: Conclusion paragraphs. [Online video], April 2018. Available
from:<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmntQAkOeRI>[Accessed 28 July 2020].

Auckland University of Technology (2018b) Essays: Introduction paragraphs. [Online video], April 2018. Available
from:<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmntQAkOeRI>[Accessed 28 July 2020].

Kain, P. (1999) Beginning the Academic Essay. [Online] Available

from:<https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/beginning-academic-essay >[Accessed 23 July 2020].

Leeds Beckett University (2018) Skills for Learning: Essay writing. [Online presentation] Available
from:<https://skillsforlearning.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/local/academic_communication/essay_writing/01.shtml>[Accessed
29 July 2020].

University of Hull (2020) Essay writing: Home. [Online guide] Available

from:<https://libguides.hull.ac.uk/essays/main>[Accessed 21 July 2020].

UT Writing Center (2015) Making an Outline: Sticky Notes. [Online video], August 2015. Available
from:<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAxjUwomB9g>[Accessed 21 July 2020].

Wallbank, A. J. (2018) Academic Writing and Dyslexia: A Visual guide to Writing at University. Abingdon: Routledge
Thank You