OF AN EFFECTIVE ESSAY

PRESENTATION ADAPTED FROM UTPB WEST TEXAS LITERACY CENTER

ELEMENTS

What is an Essay?

An organized piece of writing that focuses on a single topic

Organized around a general idea (or, often, thesis) Paragraphs that develop the main idea comprise

the body of the essay Begins with an introduction Ends with a concluding paragraph

The Writing Process

Prewriting Begin by asking—and answering—these questions:

For what purpose am I writing? (Don’t say “Because my English teacher made me;” instead, try “to persuade” or “to inform”)

What is the scope of my topic? (Your scope is the depth or level of complexity you plan on exploring in your essay—it clarifies not only what you are writing about, but what you are not when it comes to a specific topic)

What point of view am I taking and how do I establish this through tone?

Who is my specific audience? Brainstorming (mind maps, point-form notes,

discussions, etc.) Free-writing: jump in and begin your first draft

Determining Scope

Wide Scope- General, big and inclusiveNarrow Scope- Specific, smaller and more

exact or precise

Example:General 1. Mammals General 1. Education to 2. Humans to 2. High School Specific 3. Female Specific 3. Westdale

4. Mary 4. Ms. Linton’s class

Introduction to an Essay:The Introductory Paragraph

The first part of an essay

The reader’s first contact with the topic from your perspective – makes a first impressions

Major influence on the reader’s desire to keep reading

Reader begins to evaluate the essay based on the introduction

Attention Getters for Introductory Paragraphs

Strategy

Provide some interesting background about the topic in the form of a general statement

Use a thought-provoking quotation

Ask a question about your topic

State a surprising fact or a puzzling statement

Share an anecdote

Use descriptive details and rhetorical devices

Examples

Today’s children become tomorrow’s leaders.

“Adolescence is not a stage of life, it is a disease!”

Dr. S. Rosner

Why don’t children want to be controlled by adults?

Teenagers join gangs because they need the support of a family.

When I was a teen, it took three arrests for me to straighten out.

Deafening gun shots ring out at least three times a week at the east-end neighborhood.

Attention Getters for Introductory Paragraphs

Strategy

State a common misconception

Describe a problem

Give an analogy

Show how the topic is related to the reader’s personal experience

Write an interesting and precise thesis statement

Examples

Despite popular misconceptions, children don’t learn bad habits from adults.

Everyone knows what a problem juvenile delinquency has become.

Children are just like domestic animals: they need someone to set rules and expectations in order to behave best.

Most people know how difficult it is to raise children.

To help curb youth gun violence, educators, parents, community groups, and the local police must work collaboratively and proactively.

Body of an Essay

Set of paragraphs that develop the idea expressed in the introduction

Like any paragraph, should be unified around a main idea and arranged coherently Make a list of specific ideas or sub-points that support your

main idea Each one should become the topic sentence and focus of a

body paragraph Arrange the main ideas in logical order (time, place, or

importance) Plan out each body paragraph by listing major details that

support each main idea Each body paragraph should end with a transitional or

concluding sentence

Supporting Paragraphs Methods of Development: Writing the Body

Allusion to help your reader relate Analogy to help the reader infer that because two events/ideas are alike

in one respect, they will be alike in other respects as well Anecdotes brief narration of a real-life event to connect to a larger issue Classification to organize information according to groups or categories Cause and Effect to make connections/trace patterns between events or

ideas Concession to admit that the opposition is correct on a specific point

(but then usually continues on to destroy the rest of the opposition’s argument)

Contrast and Comparison to illustrate the difference or to show similarities between

Descriptive Details to appeal to the reader’s senses and creates imagery

Examples facts, statistics, supporting reasons, charts, graphs, and survey results, that give evidence to support the author’s claim or give detail

Most to Least Important Details to capture the reader’s attention with the most compelling evidence and then gives a series of other supports to reinforce it

Problem and Solution to explore an issue with a realistic answer or resolution

Process Analysis to explain step-by-step how something is done or how to do something

Quotation to make one’s stance more credible by quoting a text or a person who is an authority or expert on the subject, thus making the writer’s position more credible

Rhetorical Question to encourage the reader to consider a key point

Series of Events According to Time to organize ideas chronologically

Summary to offer a succinct and clear overview of a text, philosophy, or concept that covers the main ideas but does not contain irrelevant and/or extraneous details

Transition Words

For examples: For example, for instance, to illustrate

For organization or chronological order: The six steps are…, next, finally first, secondly, third

For additional points: Furthermore, in addition, also, moreover

For opposing ideas: On the other hand, in contrast, although, however

For similar ideas: Likewise, similarly, in comparison

Transition Words

For exceptions: However, nevertheless, but, yet, still

For emphasis: Above all, finally, more importantly

For understanding: In other words, in essence, briefly

For summarizing: In conclusion, to sum up, for these reasons, ultimately

Conclusion of an Essay

Purpose: To leave the reader with a positive impression, a sense of completeness, and the inclination to think about the topic

Usually a short, single paragraph (but may be comprised of more paragraphs depending on length and scope of essay)

Should follow logically from the body of the essay

The Closing: Writing the Conclusion

Make reference to the opening Restate the thesis statement (if applicable) in different

words/sentence structure Reveal the significance—answer “so what?” Summarize the points made in your introduction and

body Make a bold statement or use a quotation to reinforce

your point or stance Make predictions—present a theory or idea for future

consideration (but one for which there is not enough room in the scope of this particular essay)

Make recommendations

 

The Revision and Editing Process

The process of reviewing and rewriting to make your ideas more logical, understandable, and interesting to your readers

Involves crossing out some material, adding other information, and rearranging material

Two main aspects of the Revision Process Revision through reading Revision through collaboration

Revising and Editing through Reading

A way of finding out what other readers think about your essay

May become aware of problems that you have not noticed

Can get suggestions for improving organization, clarity of ideas; including grammar, punctuation, spelling and usage

As you read to revise: Keep in mind your purpose for writing Remember your specific audience Read carefully and multiple times – with each rereading

you will probably find ways to improve your essay