STEPS OF WRITING AN ESSAY
When you are
writing an essay, the first step is to choose a topic and determine what
direction or point of view you will take. Your essay may try to persuade the
reader to share your view on the topic, it may try to explain to the reader how
to complete a particular task, or it may try to inform or educate the reader on
a particular topic.
Every good essay will follow the following
outline:
1. Outline of your
topic
2. Introduction
3. Thesis
4. Body (Usually 3-6
Paragraphs)
5. Conclusion
OUTLINE
To create your
outline, list the topic you have chosen as item 1. Under item 1, list three to
six main ideas about your topic, list these as A, B, C, and so on. You will use
your outline to construct your essay's paragraphs. Your outline may look similar
to this one:
1. Topic Idea
A. This idea about topic
B. This
fact about topic
C. This information about
topic
Introduction/Thesis
The first paragraph
consists of the introduction and a thesis statement. The introduction should
attract the reader's attention and give the reader an idea of the essay's focus.
You may begin with an attention grabber such as intriguing information,
captivating dialogue or a startling fact.
Start with a few sentences,
explaining your topic in general terms and lead into your thesis statement. Each
sentence of your opening statement should become a bit more specific, until you
reach your thesis.
The thesis statement tells the reader what the essay
will be about, and what points you will be making in your essay. In your thesis,
you should state the topic of the essay and state the point of the essay or the
main ideas on your topic that you determined in your
outline.
BODY PARAGRAGHS
The body paragraphs will
describe and explain your essay topic. Each of the main ideas that you listed in
your outline will become a paragraph in your essay. If you had three main ideas,
you will have three body paragraphs.
Start by writing down one of your
main ideas, in sentence form. In three to five sentences, explain your views or
the facts surrounding this main idea. Go on to the next main idea, which will
form paragraph 2, and follow the same steps until each main idea has been turned
into a paragraph.
Conclusion
The conclusion
brings closure to the reader. Three or four sentences are all that is needed to
write a conclusion. You may use your conclusion to sum up the points of your
essay, to provide a final perspective on your topic or to simply review the main
points.
