4 Steps to Writing an Essay
1) Decide on a topic
2) Decide on a purpose: inform, convince, entertain
3) Decide on a method to accomplish your purpose:
4) Decide on a structure:
Basic structure:
Introductory paragraph
Supporting paragraphs-----------------paragraph order will vary depending on type of method chosen
Closing paragraph
Methods to Accomplish Purpose
Comparison and Contrast
Method A: Compare/Contrast Entire Subject At One Time
Paragraph 1) introduction
Paragraph 2) subject 1
feature A
feature B
feature C
Paragraph 3) subject 2
feature A
feature B
feature C
Paragraph 4) conclusion
Method B: Compare/Contrast Feature-By-Feature
Paragraph 1) introduction
Paragraph 2) feature A
subject 1
subject 2
Paragraph 3) feature B
subject 1
subject 2
Paragraph 4) feature C
subject 1
subject 2
Paragraph 5) conclusion
Cause and Effect Essay: (Move from most obvious to least obvious)
Paragraph 1) introduction
Paragraph 2) define problem
Paragraph 3) cause
---- order of (3) and (4) may vary, depending on type of essay
Paragraph 4) effect
Paragraph 5) recommendations
Persuasive
Method A:
1) introduction
2) argument # 1, and examples/illustrations
3) counter argument # 1
4) argument # 2, and examples/illustrations
5) counter argument # 2
6) argument # 3, and examples/illustrations
7) conclusion
In Method A, the argument # 3 should be
irrefutable, and should allow for no counter argument.
Persuasive Method B.
1) introduction
2) argument # 1, and examples/illustrations
3) argument # 2, and examples/illustrations
4) argument # 3, and examples/illustrations
5) conclusion
Evaluation:
1) introduction -- what is being evaluated
2) criterion 1 evidence / counter evidence
3) criterion 2 evidence / counter evidence
4) criterion 3 evidence / counter evidence
5) conclusion(s)
Narrative
Story line should flow, usually in a chronological order
1) introduction
2) event # 1
3) event # 3
4) event # 4
5) climax/conclusion
All essays should answer the question "so what?"
1. Tell why the story, etc., is valuable to you as a person.
2. Tell why the story, etc., is valuable to our society.
3. Tell what we can learn from this.
4. What does it reveal about the character(s), etc.?
5. What does it reveal about the writer's attitude toward her/his subject?
6. How has the story, etc., changed your feelings toward a particular subject?