Essay Writing Lessons

ENG 4U
Essay Writing Lessons
 Essay Structure
 Essay Outline
 Moving from Topic to Essay
 Organizing the Essay Body
 Essay Format
 Hints & Tips
Essay Structure

The framework of your writing

Essay
Structure
 Structure
 Introductory Paragraph
- introduce & ease reader into topic
- move from general sentences to specific ones
- end with your thesis statement

Eg: life – literature – book – topic – thesis

life – history – people – topic – book - thesis
Structure
 Thesis
- An arguable statement, making clear the
position the author takes on a topic
- Depends upon your purpose & audience

(Topic = what the text is “about;” the subject

addressed by a text
Eg: greed, love, hope, jealousy, etc.)
Structure
 Body Paragraphs
- where you prove your thesis

 Body Paragraph Structure:

1. Point (topic sentence: proves thesis)
2. Proofs (as many as are practical)
3. Comment (relates proofs to thesis)
Structure
 Concluding Paragraph
- re-state your thesis
- move from specific sentences to
general ones
- ease reader away from essay, and
back to real life again
(theme statement)
Structure
 The Rebuttal Paragraph

- Acknowledge points of opposing

argument
- Minimize the validity of these points

* Insert after your introductory paragraph!

Essay Outline

-What’s required
-Marks for summative
Essay Outline
 Thesis (2)
 List of rebuttal points (3)
 For each body paragraph: (3X4)
- Full topic sentence
- Proofs in point form
- Full comment sentence
 Thesis restatement in different words (1)
 Theme statement (2)
Moving from Topic to Essay

…in 8 easy steps!

Moving from Topic to Essay

1. Read & understand topic

2. Dissect & brainstorm topic
3. Pick argument & brainstorm thesis
4. Form & test thesis
5. Brainstorm & organize support
6. List rebuttals
7. Write, Revise, Edit
8. Proofread & print good copy
Organizing the Essay Body

Principles & Development Methods

Organizing the Essay Body
 Organizing principle?
- chronology - cause & effect
- process - logic

 Development method?
- define - classify
- analyze - describe
- compare - exemplify
Essay Format

MLA Style Presentation

Hints & Tips

Advice for top marks

Hints & Tips
 Do not write in 1st person (avoid “I”)
 Do not start a body / concluding paragraph
with a quotation
 Move from your weakest point to your
strongest
 Do not use contractions
 Do not use colloquial language
 Use the present tense
 Refer to author by last name
 Develop a creative title that relates to thesis
 Essay
Writing

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