UG V MODULE II

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.

These simple steps will guide you through the essay writing process:

 Decide on your topic.

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.

 Prepare an outline or diagram of 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.

 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?

 Write the body.

o Write the main points.

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 o Write the subpoints.
o Elaborate on the subpoints.

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.

Next, write down each of your supporting points for that main idea,
but leave four or five lines in between each point.

In the space under each point, write down some elaboration for that
point.
Elaboration can be further description or explanation or discussion.

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.

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.

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:

o 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

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 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.
o 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.
o 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.
o 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.

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.

 Write the 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

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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.

 Add the finishing touches.

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 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.
 Have you run a spell checker or a grammar checker?
These aids cannot catch every error, but they might catch errors
that you have missed.

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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.

When you write a narrative essay, you are telling a story. Narrative
essays are told from a defined point of view, often the author's, so there
is feeling as well as specific and often sensory details provided to get the
reader involved in the elements and sequence of the story. The verbs are
vivid and precise. The narrative essay makes a point and that point is
often defined in the opening sentence, but can also be found as the last
sentence in the opening paragraph.

Since a narrative relies on personal experiences, it often is in the form of

a story. When the writer uses this technique, he or she must be sure to
include all the conventions of storytelling: plot, character, setting,
climax, and ending. It is usually filled with details that are carefully
selected to explain, support, or embellish the story. All of the details
relate to the main point the writer is attempting to make.