Structure of an Essay When you write an essay for a particular course, your instructor will more than likely

give you some guidelines. For example, he/she will give you a page count or a word count and will indicate whether or not they expect research to be included in the paper. However, your instructor will never give you a paragraph count. Many students assume that essays must be five paragraphs, and this is simply not the case. Some effective essays might contain only four paragraphs while others contain ten. No matter how many paragraphs they contain, all essays should contain certain elements. These elements include the following:
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Introduction Thesis Body Paragraphs Conclusion

Introduction The introduction acquaints the reader with the topic. Its purpose is to get the readers' attention and make them want to read the essay. For this reason, you should try to make your introduction interesting, engaging, and original. You can do this through one of the following:
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Give a startling example or statistic Tell a story Use a relevant quotation Ask a pointed question

Bear in mind too that just because the introduction appears at the beginning of the essay, it does not mean you have to write the introduction first. On the contrary, very often the wittiest, most engaging introduction is written after the author has completed the body of the essay. Thesis Ideas The introduction should also allow readers to get their bearings. After having read the introduction, the readers should know what the topic is and the point that you will make about the topic. As a writer, you indicate the point you will make about your topic in a thesis. The thesis can be either stated or implied. In either form, it should clearly and specifically convey your point, and it should do so early on in the essay. Note that the thesis you begin with and the one you end with may not be the same. As you go through the drafting process, you should be getting a clearer sense of what you are trying to say, and this should be reflected in your thesis. To find your thesis, ask yourself these questions:
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What point am I attempting to make in this essay? Has this point been clearly indicated to my audience in my essay?

Common Assumptions about Introductions and Thesis Ideas

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Introductions should be only one paragraph Thesis statements must appear as the last sentence of the first paragraph Thesis statements should be only one sentence long.

All of the Above Are False!

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While an introduction may certainly be a single paragraph, it may also be two or three paragraphs long. Just as there is no paragraph requirement for an entire essay, neither is there a paragraph requirement for specific elements of the essay. Rather, paragraph counts are specific to the nature and scope of an individual essay. Though the thesis does not have to occur at the end of paragraph one, it should occur early on in the essay before you begin to develop the body paragraphs. Again, though a good thesis can be only one sentence long, very often, a two or three sentence thesis is clearer, more specific, and thus more effective.

Body Paragraphs The purpose of a body paragraph is to develop and prove the thesis. Each body paragraph should make just one point that clearly develops and supports the thesis. In the same way that you have a thesis to indicate the point of the essay, you should have a topic sentence for each body paragraph. The topic sentence states the point of the paragraph, and all of the other sentences should support, develop, and explain that point. To develop body paragraphs, do the following:
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Provide details and explanation Give vivid examples Cite statistics where appropriate Include research as necessary Be descriptive

A Note on Body Paragraphs and Transitions Each body paragraph should be unified independently. That is, it should make sense by itself and be able to stand alone. However, it is just one piece of the essay, and it is up to you, as the author, to connect the body paragraphs together and relate them to the thesis. You do this by referencing key words or ideas from the thesis and using transitional words and phrases. Conclusion The purpose of the conclusion is to bring the essay to a satisfying close. You should avoid bringing up a new point in your conclusion and you should avoid lengthy and excessive

summary. The most successful conclusions are thoughtful and reflective. After having presented your topic and proven your thesis, you want to be able to make an overarching statement based on that information. If you struggle with concluding your work, reread the essay and ask yourself the following questions:

Types of Essays
Admission Essay Essays are used to learn more about your reasons for applying to the course, university or company and your ability to benefit from and contribute to it. Your answers will let you state your case more fully than other sections of the application, and provide the evaluator with better insight about you and how you differ from the other applicants. In marginal cases, the essays are used to decide whether an applicant will be selected. The purpose of the admissions essay is to convey a sense of your unique character to the admissions committee. The essay also demonstrates your writing skills as well as your ability to organize your thoughts coherently. Argumentative Essay The function of an argumentative essay is to show that your assertion (opinion, theory, hypothesis) about some phenomenon or phenomena is correct or more truthful than others'. The art of argumentation is not an easy skill to acquire. Many people might think that if one simply has an opinion, one can argue it successfully, and these folks are always surprised when others don't agree with them because their logic seems so correct. Argumentative writing is the act of forming reasons, making inductions, drawing conclusions, and applying them to the case in discussion; the operation of inferring propositions, not known or admitted as true, from facts or principles known, admitted, or proved to be true. It clearly explains the process of your reasoning from the known or assumed to the unknown. Without doing this you do not have an argument, you have only an assertion, an essay that is just your unsubstantiated opinion. Cause and Effect Essay Cause and effect essays are concerned with why things happen (causes) and what happens as a result (effects). Cause and effect is a common method of organizing and discussing ideas. Classification In a classification essay, a writer organizes, or sorts, things into categories. Comparison Essay To write a comparison or contrast essay that is easy to follow, first decide what the similarities or differences are by writing lists on scrap paper. Which are more significant, the similarities or the differences? Plan to discuss the less significant first, followed by the more significant. It is much easier to discuss ONLY the similarities or ONLY the differences, but you can also do both. Then for organizing your essay, choose one of the plans described below whichever best fits your list. Finally, and this is important, what main point (thesis) might you make in the essay about the two people/things being compared? Do not begin writing until you have a point that the similarities or differences you want to use help to prove. Your point should help shape the rest of what you say: For example, if you see that one of your similarities or differences is unrelated to the point, throw it out and think of one that is related. Or revise your point. Be sure this main point is clearly and prominently expressed somewhere in the essay. Critical Essay The word "critical" has positive as well as negative meanings. You can write a critical essay that agrees entirely with the reading. The word "critical" describes your attitude when you read the article. This attitude is best described as "detached evaluation," meaning that you weigh the coherence of the reading, the completeness of its data, and so on, before you accept or reject it. Essay

Deductive

Essay

Deductive essays are an important factor in evaluating the knowledge level of students in many courses. Deductive reasoning is based on the concept that given as set of circumstances or clues (premises), one can draw a reasonable assumption as to the state of the situation. More simply, a person can solve a puzzle or identify a person if given enough information. Definition Essay A definition essay is writing that explains what a term means. Some terms have definite, concrete meanings, such as glass, book, or tree. Terms such as honesty, honor, or love are abstract and depend more on a person's point of view. Exploratory Essay The concept of an exploratory essay is that you start without an end in mind. You don't necessarily know how you feel about a subject or what you want to say about the subject, you allow the research and your own direction to determine the outcome. This is writing to learn rather than writing to prove what you know. The exploratory essay builds on the inquiry essay by having you look at and contribute to a range of arguments rather than just one at a time. Whereas the inquiry essay introduced you to a debate by looking at one argument a time, the exploratory essay asks you to widen your vision to the whole conversation. Expository Essay The purpose of an expository essay is to present, completely and fairly, other people's views or to report about an event or a situation. Expository writing, or exposition, presents a subject in detail, apart from criticism, argument, or development; i.e., the writer elucidates a subject by analyzing it. Such writing is discourse designed to convey information or explain what is difficult to understand. Exposition usually proceeds by the orderly analysis of parts and the use of familiar illustrations or analogies. Informal Essay The informal essay is written mainly for enjoyment. This is not to say that it cannot be informative or persuasive; however, it is less a formal statement than a relaxed expression of opinion, observation, humor or pleasure. A good informal essay has a relaxed style but retains a strong structure, though that structure may be less rigid than in a formal paper. Narrative Essay As a mode of expository writing, the narrative approach, more than any other, offers writers a chance to think and write about themselves. We all have experiences lodged in our memories, which are worthy of sharing with readers. Yet sometimes they are so fused with other memories that a lot of the time spent in writing narrative is in the prewriting stage. Personal Essay The overall application package will represent who "you" are to people whom you will most likely not know personally. The written expression of your qualities as an applicant will often be a very important way for committee members to get to know why you are an acceptable candidate for their program. Thus, it is essential to take great care in preparing this part of your application. Because graduate schools make important selection decisions that are partly based on what you say in this essay, the writing of it can be an intimidating prospect. Persuasive Essay Persuasive writing, also known as the argument essay, utilizes logic and reason to show that one idea is more legitimate than another idea. It attempts to persuade a reader to adopt a certain point of view or to take a particular action. The argument must always use sound reasoning and solid evidence by stating facts, giving logical reasons, using examples, and quoting experts. Research Essay Take care in selecting your thesis. This is really a type of persuasive essay, but you don't want to be stuck either just repeating someone else's opinion, or citing all the same sources. Try to come up with an original thesis or take an aspect of someone's thesis and develop it. You can also take a thesis and "transplant" it into different circumstances. For example, use tools of modern economics to argue about the role of medieval guilds in the development of early European

settlements. Or take a study done on children in France and try to show it is/isn't applicable to elderly Florida residents. An original thesis is the best start you can make to get a high grade in a research essay. Scholarship Essay Scholarship essays vary dramatically in subject. However, most of them require a recounting of personal experience. These tips will be more helpful for writing personal essays, like for the National Merit Scholarship, than for writing academic essays.

Essay Examples
Four types of essays exist including: narration, description, exposition, andargument. Each type has a unique purpose: some tell a story, some are descriptive and others prevent viewpoints. One of the best ways to better understand each type of essay is to review examples.
Types of Essays
Narrative

Narration is telling a story from a certain viewpoint, and there is usually a reason for the telling. All narrative essays will have characters, setting, climax, and most importantly, a plot. The plot is the focus of the story and is usually revealed chronologically, but there are sometimes flash forwards and flash backs. In writing a narrative essay, remember to: Ads by Google One Man's Story - Life was good but then it started falling apart. Then dad died. www.thoughts-about-god.com Looking for Color Story? - Find Color Story on Facebook. Sign Up Free Now! www.Facebook.com Duke Young Writers' Camp - A Writer's Retreat! Enroll todaywww.learnmore.duke.edu/youth/ Include sensory and emotional details, so the reader will experience the story, not just read about it Have the story support the point you are making, and make reference to that point in the first sentence. Write in the first or third person
Descriptive

Descriptive essays have text which describes traits and characteristics of people, objects, events, feelings, etc in intricate detail. Whatever is being described will be thoroughly examined. For example, if you were describing roses, you would explain:

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Where they come from Guide to Writing a Basic Essay An essay can have many purposes, but the basic structure is the same no matter what. You may be writing an essay to argue for a particular point of view or to explain the steps necessary to complete a task. Either way, your essay will have the same basic format. If you follow a few simple steps, you will find that the essay almost writes itself. You will be responsible only for supplying ideas, which are the important part of the essay anyway. Don't let the thought of putting pen to paper daunt you. Get started! These simple steps will guide you through the essay writing process: Decide on your topic. Prepare an outline or diagram of your ideas. Write your thesis statement. Write the body. Write the main points. Write the subpoints. Elaborate on the subpoints. Write the introduction. Write the conclusion. Add the finishing touches. Choose a Topic for Your Essay Topic Has Been Assigned You may have no choice as to your topic. If this is the case, you still may not be ready to jump to the next step. Think about the type of paper you are expected to produce. Should it be a general overview, or a specific analysis of the topic? If it should be an overview, then you are probably ready to move to the next step. If it should be a specific analysis, make sure your topic is fairly specific. If it is too general, you must choose a narrower subtopic to discuss. For example, the topic "KENYA" is a general one. If your objective is to write an overview, this topic is suitable. If your objective is to write a specific analysis, this topic is too general. You must narrow it to something like "Politics

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in Kenya" or "Kenya's Culture." Once you have determined that your topic will be suitable, you can move on.2 Basic Guide to Essay Writing Created by Kathy Livingston (lklivingston@mindspring.com). All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without the permission of the author. Topic Has Not Been Assigned If you have not been assigned a topic, then the whole world lies before you. Sometimes that seems to make the task of starting even more intimidating. Actually, this means that you are free to choose a topic of interest to you, which will often make your essay a stronger one. Define Your Purpose The first thing you must do is think about the purpose of the essay you must write. Is your purpose to persuade people to believe as you do, to explain to people how to complete a particular task, to educate people about some person, place, thing or idea, or something else entirely? Whatever topic you choose must fit that purpose. Brainstorm Subjects of Interest Once you have determined the purpose of your essay, write down some subjects that interest you. No matter what the purpose of your essay is, an endless number of topics will be suitable. If you have trouble thinking of subjects, start by looking around you. Is there anything in your surroundings that interests you? Think about your life. What occupies most of your time? That might make for a good topic. Don't evaluate the subjects yet; just write down anything that springs to mind. Evaluate Each Potential Topic If you can think of at least a few topics that would be appropriate, you must simply consider each one individually. Think about how you feel about that topic. If you must educate, be sure it is a subject about which you are particularly well-informed. If you must persuade, be sure it is a subject about which you are at least moderately

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passionate. Of course, the most important factor in choosing a topic is the number of ideas you have about that topic. Even if none of the subjects you thought of seem particularly appealing, try just choosing one to work with. It may turn out to be a better topic than you at first thought. Before you are ready to move on in the essay-writing process, look one more time at the topic you have selected. Think about the type of paper you are expected to produce. Should it be a general overview, or a specific analysis of the topic? If it should be an overview, then you are probably ready to move to the next step. If it should be a specific analysis, make sure your topic is fairly specific. If it is too general, you must choose a narrower subtopic to discuss. For example, the topic "KENYA" is a general one. If your objective is to write an overview, this topic is suitable. If your objective is to write a specific analysis, this topic is too general. You must narrow it to something like "Politics in Kenya" or "Kenya's Culture." Once you have determined that your topic will be suitable, you can move on. Organize Your Ideas The purpose of an outline or diagram is to put your ideas about the topic on paper, in a moderately organized format. The structure you create here may still change before the essay is complete, so don't agonize over this. Decide whether you prefer the cut-and-dried structure of an outline or a more flowing structure. If you start one or the other and decide it isn't working for you, you can always switch later.3 Basic Guide to Essay Writing Created by Kathy Livingston (lklivingston@mindspring.com). All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without the permission of the author. Diagram 1. Begin your diagram with a circle or a horizontal line or whatever shape you prefer in the middle of the page. 2. Inside the shape or on the line, write your topic.

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3. From your center shape or line, draw three or four lines out into the page. Be sure to spread them out. 4. At the end of each of these lines, draw another circle or horizontal line or whatever you drew in the center of the page. 5. In each shape or on each line, write the main ideas that you have about your topic, or the main points that you want to make. If you are trying to persuade, you want to write your best arguments. If you are trying to explain a process, you want to write the steps that should be followed. You will probably need to group these into categories. If you have trouble grouping the steps into categories, try using Beginning, Middle, and End. If you are trying to inform, you want to write the major categories into which your information can be divided. 6. From each of your main ideas, draw three or four lines out into the page. 7. At the end of each of these lines, draw another circle or horizontal line or whatever you drew in the center of the page. 8. In each shape or on each line, write the facts or information that support that main idea. When you have finished, you have the basic structure for your essay and are ready to continue. Outline 1. Begin your outline by writing your topic at the top of the page. 2. Next, write the Roman numerals I, II, and III, spread apart down the left side of the page. 3. Next to each Roman numeral, write the main ideas that you have about your topic, or the main points that you want to make. If you are trying to persuade, you want to write your best arguments. If you are trying to explain a process, you want to write the steps that should be followed.

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You will probably need to group these into categories. If you have trouble grouping the steps into categories, try using Beginning, Middle, and End. If you are trying to inform, you want to write the major categories into which your information can be divided. 4. Under each Roman numeral, write A, B, and C down the left side of the page. 5. Next to each letter, write the facts or information that support that main idea.4 Basic Guide to Essay Writing Created by Kathy Livingston (lklivingston@mindspring.com). All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without the permission of the author. When you have finished, you have the basic structure for your essay and are ready to continue. Compose a Thesis Statement Now that you have decided, at least tentatively, what information you plan to present in your essay, you are ready to write your thesis statement. The thesis statement tells the reader what the essay will be about, and what point you, the author, will be making. You know what the essay will be about. That was your topic. Now you must look at your outline or diagram and decide what point you will be making. What do the main ideas and supporting ideas that you listed say about your topic? Your thesis statement will have two parts. The first part states the topic. Kenya's Culture Building a Model Train Set Public Transportation The second part states the point of the essay. has a rich and varied history takes time and patience can solve some of our city's most persistent and pressing problems Once you have formulated a thesis statement that fits this pattern and with which you are comfortable, you are ready

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to continue. Write the Body Paragraphs In the body of the essay, all the preparation up to this point comes to fruition. The topic you have chosen must now be explained, described, or argued. Each main idea that you wrote down in your diagram or outline will become one of the body paragraphs. If you had three or four main ideas, you will have three or four body paragraphs. Each body paragraph will have the same basic structure. 1. Start by writing down one of your main ideas, in sentence form. If your main idea is "reduces freeway congestion," you might say this: Public transportation reduces freeway congestion. 2. Next, write down each of your supporting points for that main idea, but leave four or five lines in between each point. 3. In the space under each point, write down some elaboration for that point. Elaboration can be further description or explanation or discussion.5 Basic Guide to Essay Writing Created by Kathy Livingston (lklivingston@mindspring.com). All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without the permission of the author. Supporting Point Commuters appreciate the cost savings of taking public transportation rather than driving. Elaboration Less driving time means less maintenance expense, such as oil changes. Of course, less driving time means savings on gasoline as well. In many cases, these savings amount to more than the cost of riding public transportation. 4. If you wish, include a summary sentence for each paragraph. This is not generally needed, however, and such sentences have a tendency to sound stilted, so be cautious about using them. Once you have fleshed out each of your body paragraphs, one for each main point, you are ready to continue. Write the Introduction and Conclusion

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Your essay lacks only two paragraphs now: the introduction and the conclusion. These paragraphs will give the reader a point of entry to and a point of exit from your essay. Introduction The introduction should be designed to attract the reader's attention and give her an idea of the essay's focus. 1. Begin with an attention grabber. The attention grabber you use is up to you, but here are some ideas: Startling information This information must be true and verifiable, and it doesn't need to be totally new to your readers. It could simply be a pertinent fact that explicitly illustrates the point you wish to make. If you use a piece of startling information, follow it with a sentence or two of elaboration. Anecdote An anecdote is a story that illustrates a point. Be sure your anecdote is short, to the point, and relevant to your topic. This can be a very effective opener for your essay, but use it carefully. Dialogue An appropriate dialogue does not have to identify the speakers, but the reader must understand the point you are trying to convey. Use only two or three exchanges between speakers to make your point. Follow dialogue with a sentence or two of elaboration. Summary Information A few sentences explaining your topic in general terms can lead the reader gently to your thesis. Each sentence should become gradually more specific, until you reach your thesis. 2. If the attention grabber was only a sentence or two, add one or two more sentences that will lead the reader from your opening to your thesis statement. 3. Finish the paragraph with your thesis statement.6

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Basic Guide to Essay Writing Created by Kathy Livingston (lklivingston@mindspring.com). All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without the permission of the author. Conclusion The conclusion brings closure to the reader, summing up your points or providing a final perspective on your topic. All the conclusion needs is three or four strong sentences which do not need to follow any set formula. Simply review the main points (being careful not to restate them exactly) or briefly describe your feelings about the topic. Even an anecdote can end your essay in a useful way. The introduction and conclusion complete the paragraphs of your essay. Don't stop just yet! One more step remains before your essay is truly finished. Add the Finishing Touches You have now completed all of the paragraphs of your essay. Before you can consider this a finished product, however, you must give some thought to the formatting of your paper. Check the order of your paragraphs. Look at your paragraphs. Which one is the strongest? You might want to start with the strongest paragraph, end with the second strongest, and put the weakest in the middle. Whatever order you decide on, be sure it makes sense. If your paper is describing a process, you will probably need to stick to the order in which the steps must be completed. Check the instructions for the assignment. When you prepare a final draft, you must be sure to follow all of the instructions you have been given. Are your margins correct? Have you titled it as directed? What other information (name, date, etc.) must you include? Did you double-space your lines? Check your writing. Nothing can substitute for revision of your work. By reviewing what you have done, you can improve weak points

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that otherwise would be missed. Read and reread your paper. Does it make logical sense? Leave it for a few hours and then read it again. Does it still make logical sense? Do the sentences flow smoothly from one another? If not, try to add some words and phrases to help connect them. Transition words, such as "therefore" or "however," sometimes help. Also, you might refer in one sentence to a thought in the previous sentence. This is especially useful when you move from one paragraph to another. What they look like What colors they are How they grow and smell When you write a descriptive essay, you want to involve the readers senses and emotions. For example, you could say, I got sleepy or describe it like this, "As I was waiting for Santa, my eyelids began to get heavy, the lights on the tree began to blur with the green branches, and my head started to drop." The second sentence gives vivid details to make the reader feel like he is there.
Exposition

Expository essays can compare, explore and discuss problems, or tell a story. An exposition essay gives information about various topics to the reader. It:
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Informs Describes Explains In writing an exposition, the text needs to: Be concise and easy to understand Give different views on a subject or report on a situation or event Explain something that may be difficult to understand as you write your essay. Remember that your purpose is to explain.
Argumentative

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In an argumentative essay the writer is trying to convince the reader by demonstrating the truth or falsity of a topic. The writers position will be backed up with certain kinds of evidence, like statistics or opinions of experts.