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Writing an Essay

Writing an Essay. English Skills, Chapter 18 by John Langan. What is an essay?. An essay is simply a paper of several paragraphs, rather than one paragraph, that supports a single point.

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Writing an Essay

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  1. Writing an Essay English Skills, Chapter 18 by John Langan

  2. What is an essay? • An essay is simply a paper of several paragraphs, rather than one paragraph, that supports a single point. • An essay is described in the dictionary as a short analytical, descriptive, or interpretive piece of literary or journalistic prose dealing with a particular topic, especially from a personal and unsystematic viewpoint. • In an essay your subject should be treated more fully than they would be in a single paragraph paper.

  3. Three parts of an Essay • Introduction – introduces the topic/ subject/ or event to be discussed in the essay. • Body – the body of the essay presents the supporting evidence in various paragraphs. Each paragraph supports the essay thesis in an organized manner through paragraph development. • Conclusion – the concluding paragraph brings all these ideas throughout the essay together in a logical way.

  4. The Introductory Paragraph • Purpose of an introduction • Attract the reader’s interest by using one of the suggested methods of introduction. • Present a thesis statement. This clear direct statement of the central idea will develop in your paper and control all the information that is in the essay. • Indicates a plan of development. Give a brief preview of the major points that will support your thesis statement.

  5. Common Methods of Introduction • Broad statement • General to narrow • Contrast • starting with an opposite • Relevance • stating the importance of the topic • Anecdote • Incident or story • Questions • Ask a question that provokes thought about the subject or topic • Quotation • A quote by a famous person often gets an audiences attention. • A quote can also open a topic on a controversial subject or a something that is universally agreed upon.

  6. Supporting Paragraphs • Each supporting paragraph should begin with a topic sentence that states the point to be detailed in that paragraph. • Supporting paragraphs provides a focus for each supporting paragraph. The thesis statement provides a focus for the entire essay.

  7. Developing Paragraphs How do you develop paragraphs with interesting details?? • By using “Patterns of Development” What are patterns of development? • Patterns of development within an essay include giving examples, detailing a process of doing or making something, analyzing causes and effects, comparing and contrasting, and/ or defining a term or concept.

  8. Various Patterns of Development • Various patterns of development add important details to your essay because they help you explore and analyze your topic in a variety of ways. • Patterns of developing your paragraphs like description, narration, and summary allows you to explain what you want to say by creating images, telling a story, and giving the reader the main ideas you want them to understand.

  9. Transitional Sentences • How do I use transition words and signal phrases? • Use transition words and signal phrases to organize and connect the specific evidence from paragraph to paragraph. • All the details in your paper must cohere, or stick together, when they do your read is able to move smoothly from one bit of supporting information to the next. • Addition transitions: first of all; second; for one thing; last of all • Time transitions: when; later; after; then • Illustration transition: once • Change-of-direction transition: however; but • Conclusion transition: as a result; finally; in the end. • Transitions and other connective devices (pages 90-98)

  10. Important considerations for paragraph development… • What subject/ topic interests? • Write on a subject that interest you or that you enjoy. • What do you know about this subject? • Do your research, so you know your subject well. Even if it is something you think you know a lot about, look closely at the topic in order to uncover important details that makes this topic unique and interesting to you. • What is the assignment? Have you read the directions of the assignment more than once?

  11. Conclusion • What is the purpose of a concluding paragraph? • The concluding paragraph often summarizes the essay by briefly restating the thesis and, at times, the main supporting points.

  12. Methods of concluding your essay • Summary • Final thoughts • Questions that may provoke further study or thinking for you reader and yourself for another time. • Predictions and recommendations

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