Understand About Essays

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Understand About Essays

• What exactly is an essay?
• Why do we write them?
• What is the basic essay structure?

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Writing is thinking on paper.-William Zinnser

• Definition of Essay
• An essay is a formal, structured piece of writing
  that makes a statement on a topic or question,
  and it supports this statement throughout with
  information and ideas.

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What is a formal, structured writing?

• Formal writing is the opposite of the way you
  talk to your friends.
• It is not personal or friendly.
• It is reserved, structured and serious.
• Since essays are lengthy, they are structured or
  organized to help the reader follow you.

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Structure of writing

• First, you tell your reader what you are going to
  write about. This is your introduction.
• Then, you write about it. This is your body.
• Finally, you tell your reader what you have
  written. This is your conclusion.

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What is a thesis statement?

• This is a short, direct response to the essay
  question.
• It states one clear idea.
• It is generally one sentence.
• It ties your whole essay together.
• It comes in the first paragraph which is called
  the introduction.

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The thesis statement is mandatory!

• If you dont have a thesis statement you dont
  have an essay!
• A thesis statement is where you tell your reader
  what you are going to write.

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Supporting your statement

• You support your thesis statement in the body of
  the essay by expanding on your statement. You
  prove it, explain it, or discuss it.
• The body is the main section of your essay. You
  will usually have several paragraphs in the body
  of the essay.

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Conclusion

• The conclusion is the last paragraph of your
  essay.
• It is a restatement of the topic or thesis, but
  should be the exact same words.

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Why do we write essays?

• To show what you think about a topic
• To show what you know about a topic
• To show that you can use what you know to support
  and develop your ideas and opinions
• You are trying to convince your reader that you
  are right or at least that your point of view is
  reasonable!

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Dont write essays like you talk

• Do not write about personal feelings or
  experiences in an essay.
• In order to convince the reader, you need to
  sound sensible and logical.
• Do not use slang or informal language.
• You write essays for your teachers or unknown
  readers, not your friends.

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Kinds of Essays

• Essays may be written to
• 1. explain something
• 2. discuss ideas
• 3. describe something
• 4. compare and contrast two things
• 5. to trace the history of something
• 6. take a stand and argue your point

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Fact and Opinion

• Some essays are a combination of fact and
  opinion.
• Most essays in history or geography are mostly
  about facts. But even in these essays, you must
  interpret facts, bring facts together and make
  statements about them. It is not just a list of
  facts. That would be a report.

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Essay QuestionsWhat are they asking you to do?

• Look for instruction verbs, such as
• Describe
• Compare and contrast
• Explain
• Argue
• Analyze
• Discuss

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Describe

• Give details about the features or
  characteristics of something
• These questions ask you-
• Who is and what are questions
• ExampleDescribe the significant battles of the
  Texas Revolution

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Compare and Contrast

• Identify and discuss the similarities or
  differences between two or more things
• Example What are the advantages of PCs compared
  to Macs?
• What are the similarities and differences between
  PCs and Macs?
• Compare and contrast Spanish Texas to Mexican
  Texas.

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Explain

• To make plain
• To examine the reasons, causes and/or effects
• Examples
• How did the law allowing empresario contracts
  change Texas?
• What were the causes of the Texas Revolution?

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Argue

• Argue one side of a given point of view
• (This means you take a side, but show that you
  understand the other side, too.)
• Example
• Do you agree or disagree that Spain had a lasting
  impact on Texas?
• What do you think was the most important period
  of Texas history?

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Discuss

• Give points for and against a point of view, and
  come to a conclusion at the end of your essay
  based on these points.
• Example
• What are the points for and against slavery in
  Texas?
• Is it true that Texas was better off as a
  republic than it was as a state of Mexico?
• What are the pros and cons for having Sam Houston
  as the president of Texas?

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The Introduction

• The introduction is like a signpost pointing the
  way, so your reader does not get lost in the
  forest of your ideas!
• The introduction is a paragraph, not just a
  sentence.
• A paragraph has a topic sentence, a few
  explanatory sentences and a concluding sentence.
• An Essay has an introductory paragraph, a few
  paragraphs making your point, and a concluding
  paragraph.

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The Introduction restates the essay question

• It does not contain details of your essay
  points. The details go in the body of your essay
  or the middle paragraphs.
• Without an introduction, you really dont have an
  essay.

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A Useful Pattern for your introduction

• 1. One or two sentences that set the context for
  your essaythe lead-in
• 2. The thesis statement which is the statement
  on the essay question which ties the whole essay
  together
• 3. One or two sentences which show the reader
  how you are going to develop the statement in the
  body paragraphs-the preview

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Break it down

• The Lead-In
• Gives you some background or context for your
  essay
• The Thesis Statement
• Directly relates to the Essay Question
• The Preview or essay map
• indicates what is to follow in the body
  paragraphs

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How this all looks

• Introduction
• Lead In 1 to 2 sentences
• Thesis Statement Responds to the question or
  gives the topic statement of the essay 1
  sentence
• Preview shows the reader where you are going
  with your body paragraphs 1 to 2 sentences

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Body Paragraphs

• These paragraphs each state a point of your
  argument, description or explanation and proves
  it or develops the description or explanation.
• Each body paragraph has a topic sentence, which
  will be your stated point, and several sentences
  of explanation which you use to explain your
  position.

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Conclusion

• The conclusion is the least emphasized part of
  your essay.
• In the introduction, you have stated your topic
  and stated your position.You have also pointed
  out what you will explain.
• In the body paragraphs, you develop your points
  with supporting information, giving reasons for
  your argument or more detail for your
  explanation.
• Your conclusion is a short restatement of the
  topic, wrapping up your position.

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In conclusion,

• The conclusion reminds the reader why you wrote
  the essay, what you wrote in it, or what your
  main idea was throughout the essay.
• It gives the reader a chance to read a wrap up
  of the essay.
• It never introduces any new points or includes
  any detail.

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Connecting Your Sentences and Paragraphs

• Use transition words to connect sentences
  together and paragraphs to each other to help the
  flow of your ideas.
• Some of these words are also, in addition,
  furthermore, besides, likewise, so, therefore,
  then, consequently, in fact, in particular, next,
  first, secondly, finally, in conclusion, however,
  nevertheless, in contrast, instead, otherwise,
  yet

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Use the right kind of language

• Avoid personal terms like I, me and my
• Your focus is not on you, but on your ideas and
  information
• Examples of what to avoid
• In my opinion,
• I think that,
• I am going to tell you is
• That is what I think

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Spelling

• Spelling mistakes distract the reader from what
  you are saying.
• They give a bad impression because they show lack
  of effort.
• Use dictionaries, computer spell checks and your
  parents to proofread your work.

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Punctuation and Grammar

• Both punctuation and grammar help us express
  exactly what we mean and help the reader
  understand what we write.
• This is particularly important in long and formal
  writings where the thoughts are complex.
• If you want to be taken seriously, you must write
  using the accepted writing practices of correct
  punctuation and grammar.

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Complete Sentencesnothing but complete sentences!

• Proofread your work for complete sentences, and
  correct run-on sentences or fragments.
• Proofread for spelling, punctuation, grammar.
• Proofread for clarity to be sure you are staying
  on point, proving your point, and making sense.
  Revise that which does not make sense or sounds
  awkward.

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In a good essay, a reader could read only the
introduction and topic sentences and still have a
very good idea of your argument or the point of
your essay.

• Therefore, creating a good thesis statement or
  topic statement is very important.

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Outline, Write, Edit, Rewrite

• A good essay will take time. It is necessary to
  follow these steps.
• When asked to write an essay for a test, you will
  only have time to outline
• and write.
• Writing good essays takes practice.