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    Essay Structure

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    sanjana Jha

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Essay Structure

    Uploaded by

    sanjana Jha
    2 views1 page

    Original Title

    Essay+Structure

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    2 views1 page

    Essay Structure

    Uploaded by

    sanjana Jha

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    of 1

    Essay Structure

    Introduction: The purpose of the introduction is to orient your reader and create
    interest in the paper. In a short paper, the introduction is usually one paragraph,
    and your precise subject should be apparent from the very beginning. In a longer
    paper, it may take two or three paragraphs to introduce your exact subject, though
    all the information should be relevant to your thesis. Don’t be too general in your
    introduction; make specific and meaningful statements.

    Thesis: Your thesis is a brief overview of the central concepts of your paper. It
    may be written in one sentence, or it may take two or more sentences, depending
    on the length and complexity of the paper. The thesis is usually stated at the
    beginning of your paper, at the end of the introduction, and it is then developed
    throughout the body of the essay. In each paragraph, you should be advancing the
    ideas in your thesis and showing your reader how information you are presenting
    refers back to your central concepts.

    Body paragraphs: Each body paragraph should develop your thesis a bit further.
    To do this effectively, you need to “look back” to your original statement. Try to
    pick up the key words in your thesis as you’re moving forward in your paragraphs
    and show how these words gain new meaning with the additional information you’re
    presenting. Also “look ahead” to the coming paragraphs; remember that you have
    a destination for your reader, and make sure that goal influences what you’re
    saying. Develop your paragraphs with specific details and examples. In general,
    write paragraphs of about 5-8 sentences, and make sure all the information about a
    certain aspect of your topic is grouped together in one part of the essay. Aim for 2
    to 3 paragraphs per page. (Note: do not try to write a “5 paragraph essay,” as this
    will not be suitable for the length of most university assignments).

    Topic sentences: The first sentence of each body paragraph will usually give a
    clear idea of the overall content of that paragraph and will show how it supports the
    thesis. This is called the topic sentence. Not every paragraph begins this way, but
    in most academic papers, authors advance their arguments strongly in the first
    sentence or two of each paragraph. This technique provides a helpful “signpost” to
    the reader. A paragraph may also build up to its topic sentence at the end. Each
    paragraph should function as a unified whole with a particular point to make; each
    is a carefully shaped piece of the larger design of the paper. Don’t try to cover too
    much in one paragraph—if a new topic appears, see where it fits into another
    paragraph or develop it in a new paragraph.

    Conclusion: Most essays have one paragraph of conclusion, though a longer essay
    may have more than one. The main purpose of the conclusion is to “look back”
    over the essay, though not at every point. Focus on the key issues you want your
    readers to remember best and present them in a lively and interesting way. Don’t
    repeat points you’ve already made in exactly the same language. Try to step back
    and place your ideas in a slightly broader context at the end.

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