Writing a Composition

1
Writing a Composition

• A presentation by the Purdue University Writing
  Lab
• (Adapted by Jochen Lüders)

2
What is a Composition about?

• In a composition you are mostly supposed to
  give your opinion about an issue and support it
  with the help of logical arguments and examples.

3
The Structure of a Composition

• Title
• Introduction
• Main Part
• Conclusion

4
The Function of the Title

• Arouse the readers interest
• Introduce or hint at the topic

5
Creating a Title

• You may try to attract attention e.g. with the
  help of
• an allusion
• a pun
• an alliteration
• a quotation
• a question

6
Evaluating Titles

• Imagine you want to write a composition about the
  problem of road rage. Which do you consider the
  best title?

Road Rage
Mobile Madness
High Noon on the Highway
7
The Function of the Introduction

• Introduce the topic and purpose of the
  composition
• Arouse the readers interest in the topic
• Lead to the main part
• It often gives the writers opinion about a
  controversial issue.

8
Introduction

• personal anecdote
• real or hypothetical example
• question
• quotation
• surprising/shocking statistics
• striking image

9
Main Part

• Normally your main part should consist of three
  paragraphs.
• Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence that
  summarizes the main idea of the paragraph.
• Indent the first line of each new paragraph.
• In a Discuss composition there are four
  paragraphs.

10
Arranging Paragraphs

• Paragraphs should be arranged in climactic order
  i.e. from the weakest to the most convincing
  argument.

11
Discuss Topics

• When the topic demands Discuss, you should give
  two pros and two cons.
• Begin with the weaker arguments and finish with
  the more convincing ones.

12
Conclusion

• Dont just repeat yourself.
• Dont present new arguments.
• It is often elegant to refer back to the
  introduction or the title.