Essay Writing

Thesis sentence
Thesis sentence:
1. Governs the content and structure of a
whole composition which may consist of
two or more paragraphs.
2. Indicates the purpose of the composition
and convey the central or main idea
contained in the article.
3. Ideally, it is one-sentence summary of the
whole essay.
Thesis sentence
4. The thesis sentence should be written in the
first paragraph of an essay
5. It may be the first and only sentence of the
first paragraph, or it may follow an
introductory sentence or two and then lead
to the climax of the first paragraph which is
the thesis sentence
 The difference between topic sentence
and thesis sentence

1. Topic sentence governs the

controlling idea of a paragraph;
2. Thesis sentence governs the whole
essay consisting of several
paragraphs.
Example
A common poultry disease known as leukosis
is now prevalent and has been reported by
the veterinary service program of the
Department of Agriculture. The disease has
spread to small and large poultry farms a
like. Thousands of chickens died and many
more will join them. Veterinarians are now
investigating the case. They fear that the
infected chickens have some how penetrated
the markets. The role of the veterinarians is
indeed crucial because they safeguard the
public health.
Form of thesis sentence
Depending on the content of the subject
matter:
1. A statement of position (as in
example)
2. A statement of belief
3. A point of view
1. To make thesis sentence a clear statement and a
good plan for composition: is to divide the thesis
sentence into two or three parts (could be more for
long essay).
2. The essay must discuss each part of the thesis
sentence in the order in which it appears in the
thesis

Example: first, it states the subject then states the

support (fakta yang mendukung)

The role of the veterinarians is crucial because they

safeguard the public health.
The thesis sentence can be divided into two parts:
1. The role of the veterinarians is crucial.
2. They safeguard the public health.
1. The following is a thesis sentence that contains three
parts: "The new agricultural scientist working for the
Students Community Service (KKN) has three admirable
qualities; namely, patience, dedication to his work and
love for humanity."
2. The essay should discuss the supporting parts in the
order shown below; however, the topic sentence may
vary.
The following are just examples of possible topic
sentences:
1.Patience with the ignorance of the unskilled farmers
has made the new agricultural scientist an admirable
person.
2. Dedication to his work is the outstanding
characteristic of the new agricultural scientist.
3. Love for humanity has made the new agricultural
scientist enjoy the job with the Students Community
Service in the rural areas.
1. The following are words or expressions that are
commonly used to introduce the supports: because,
since, as, due to, by, in that, or
2. These words may be substituted (digantikan) by a colon
(:)

Examples:
3. (subject) The disease is called bovine
spongiforin encephalopathy (support) because the virus
attacks the brains of cattle.
2. (subject) Anthrax is a feared infectious disease
of animals (support) since it is transmissible to
man.
3. (subject) His profession demands three
important qualities: (supports) the ability to
analyze, an interest in people, and patience with
details.
4. (subject) Veterinary service has increased in
the city (support) due to the fact that rabid
animals are now found in urban
environments.

5. (subject) The patient will certainly die

(support) since there is no cure for rabies.

6. (subject) The topic of his paper for

presentation at the World Congress of
Veterinary Medicine covers three main
animal diseases (support): ketosis, leukosis
and laryn gotracheitis.
Environmental Effects on Stomates
 First paragraph:  Thesis sentence:  Many factors influence
stomatal apertures, and any theory purporting to explain guard-
cell action must account for this effects: light, CO 2 in the leaves,
atmospheric humidity, water potential in the leaves and
temperature.  Of these factors, CO 2 is considered to have the
most direct effect on opening and closing of the stomates.

 Second paragraph:  Topic sentence:  Stomates of most plants

open at sunrise and close at darkness, allowing entry of the
CO2 used in photosynthesis during the daytime.  Controlling
idea:  Opening generally requires about one hour, and closing is
often gradual throughout the afternoon.  Stomates close faster
if plants are suddenly exposed to darkness.  The minimum light
level for the opening of stomates in most plants is about
1/1000 to 1/30 of full sunlight, just enough to cause some net
photosynthesis.  High irradiance levels cause wider stomatal
apertures.
 Third paragraph:  Topic sentence:  In most plants,
low concentrations of CO2 in the leaves also cause
stomates to open.  Controlling idea:  If CO2-free
air is blown across leaves even in darkness, then
their slightly open stomates open
wider.  Conversely, high CO2 concentration in the
leaves can cause the stomates to close partially, and
this occurs in the light as well as the dark.  When
the stomates are completely closed, which is
unusual, external CO2-free air has no effect.  In
short, stomates responds to intercellular CO2 levels
but not to the CO2 concentration at the leaf surface
and in the stomatal pore.  Succulents fix CO2 into
organic acids at night, thus lowering internal
CO2 concentration, which causes stomatal opening.
 Fourth paragraph:  Topic sentence:  Stomatal of many
species are highly sensitive to atmospheric
humidity. Controlling idea:  They close when the
difference between the vapour content of the air and
that of the intercellular spaces exceeds a critical level.  A
large gradient tends to induce oscillations in opening
and closing with a periodicity of about 30 minutes.  This
is probably because, as the steep vapour gradient
induces closing, CO2 in the leaf is depleted, and this in
turn leads to opening.  The most rapid responses to
lowered humidity occur under low irradiances.

 Fifthparagraph:  Topic sentence:  The water potential

within a leaf also has a powerful effect on stomatal
opening and closing.  Controlling idea:  As water
potential decreases (water stress increase), the stomates
close.  This effect can override low CO2 levels and bright
light.  Its protective value during drought is obvious.
 Sixth paragraph:  Topic sentence:  High temperatures (30
to 35 oC) usually cause stomatal closing.  Controlling
idea:  This might be an indirect response to water stress,
or a rise in respiration rate might cause an increase in
CO2within the leaf.  High CO2 concentration in the leaf is
probably the correct explanation for high temperature
stomatal closing in some species because it can be
prevented by flushing the leaf continuously with CO 2-free
air.  In some plants, however, high temperatures cause
stomatal opening instead of closing.  This leads to
increased transpiration, which removes heat from the leaf.
 Seventh paragraph:  Conclusion:  It is clear that although
many environmental factors are found to affect the
opening and closing of stomates, CO2 is the key and the
most direct factor in this phenomenon.  This information
is important, particularly for those people who are doing
research dealing with stomatal characteristics. 
Assignment 1
1. There is an urgent need for good extension
services in the newly developed transmigration
area in Jambi.
2. The plant breeders and plant pathologists are
found in every agricultural faculty in certain
universities in Indonesia.
3. Genetic engineering is a possible method to be
applied in breeding pest and disease resistant
plants.
4. The rising cost of fertilizers and pesticides is a
serious problem to horticultural industry in
Indonesia.
Assignment 2
Make an outline of a short essay based on the following title and thesis
sentence.
 Title      :  The Difference between Dicotyledonous and
Monocotyledonous Plants.
 Thesis sentence   :  Based on botanical systematic, plants can

be classified into two

groups: monocotyledonous and
dicotyledonous.
 Support 1    :  Monocotyledonous plants are characterized by
…………
 Support 2    :  Dicotyledonous plants are characterized by …………
 Conclusion  :  It is clear that ……….

Upon have the outline, try to write a short essay consisting

of four paragraphs.  The first paragraph consists of a short
introduction leading to the thesis sentence.  The second
paragraph develops the first support, the third paragraph
develops the second support, and the fourth paragraph is
the conclusion.