Writing the Essay
All ready to write your essay? You have chosen your topic, decided on your thesis statement (the question you are going to answer in the essay), have a list of your main points, and have support for those points. So, let’s get started. The standard essay is five to six paragraphs (even though many literary essays are much longer). Here is a model for a five-paragraph essay. If you want to write a longer essay, you may add more points to back up your thesis statement, or you might write more than one paragraph for each point. THE BASIC STRUCTURE IS THE SAME NO MATTER WHAT THE LENGTH OF THE ESSAY. Just remember: if you are not a well-known author, writing a wordy, complicated essay really isn’t what you should be trying to do.
The Introduction
A. The introductory paragraph should tell the reader what the essay is about. It should have a beginning that makes the reader want to continue reading—an “attention grabber” (something that makes the reader interested in reading more). When the “attention grabber” is only one or two sentences, you will probably have to add more to lead into your thesis statement. There are several ways you might begin your essay.
1. AN ANECDOTE: This is a very short story that illustrates a point and has an obvious connection to the topic of your essay. Remember---it is only to draw the reader’s interest; it is not the main point of the essay.
2. A STATEMENT THAT SHOWS SURPRISE: This can be any fact that has a bearing on your essay. It should illustrate your topic or some point you want to make. This statement must be true! Don’t make something up just to get the reader’s interest. You might need a sentence or two of elaboration about your statement. This statement can be horrifying, or funny, or disgusting, or inspirational, or even profane (be careful here). Professional writers use this kind of opening very well, but it is not used often, and it takes skill to succeed with it.
3. NAME-DROPPING (using the name of a famous person to impress people): Using the name of a celebrity at the beginning of your essay can certainly get the reader’s attention. Most people like to hear what famous people do or say or think. What you write can be about a current celebrity, or some famous person from history. A famous fictional character might even work. Be sure, however, that using the name has some connection to your topic. You can’t begin “Queen Elizabeth often drinks lemonade from a mug”, and then go on to talk about highway safety. Only a very clever, skilled writer can make a statement seem relevant when it really isn’t.
4. STATE YOUR TOPIC: This is used a lot, but it isn’t guaranteed to interest the reader. You simply state what the topic is, then add a few sentences, giving more detail or information to build up to your thesis statement. Beginning your essay this way sounds like the easiest way, but it may also be the most boring way. Unfortunately, many student essays begin this way. Experienced writers use this way to begin also, but they have had more time to perfect the approach. Don’t be afraid to try it, though.
5. WRITE A DIALOGUE: Use a fictional conversation to begin your essay. Keep it short, and keep it pertinent. You will need a couple of sentences of further detail to make the transition (to move smoothly to the next thought) to your thesis statement.
6. USE HISTORICAL REVIEW: Sometimes giving some historical background on the topic is a good way to begin your essay. There are topics that are easier for the reader to get interested in if they have some background knowledge. Keep your comments brief. As with any beginning, it is only there to lead the readers into your thesis statement, and then into the rest of the essay.
Any of these beginnings can add interest to your essay and make the reader want to continue reading more. Try several ways and see which way you think works best for your topic. It might depend on for whom you are writing the essay. The type of person (people) who will be reading your work determines in what tone you write. (For your teacher or a prospective employer, you would be more formal than if you were writing an essay to entertain a group of friends.)
B. The introductory paragraph should have your thesis statement, which tells the reader what question you are answering, or what you are going to prove in the essay. The thesis statement has two parts. The first part states the topic (Fly-Fishing in Brazil), and the second part states the points you want to make (it's an inexpensive, yet challenging way to relax and get exercise at the same time.). Your entire essay will be about these points.
C. The introductory paragraph should connect smoothly (make the transition) into the first paragraph of the body. After you have made your thesis statement, you will want to add some other information, such as important facts, or quotes or details about some term or thought. Be sure that the last sentence of the introduction leads the reader smoothly into the first paragraph of the body.
Now that you know WHAT to do in an introductory paragraph, here is what NOT to do:
Never tell the reader that you don’t know enough about the topic, or that what you say really doesn’t matter. If you don’t know enough about the topic, you can either choose a different topic, or narrow the topic to a manageable size. If you tell your reader you haven’t anything important to say, why should the reader want to read your essay at all??
Never use phrases like: "I’m not certain.", "Someone else would know more.", "My opinion doesn’t really count, of course." and other put-downs of yourself. Who wants to read a whiney essay?
Never make a definite announcement about what you are trying to do in your essay. I don’t mean that you can’t state your topic, but do not state it like this: "I am going to tell you about _____." "In this essay I will ________." "My purpose here is to _________." Your reader is smart enough to figure out what you are writing about if your thesis statement is correctly written.
Never use a definition exactly as it’s written in a dictionary, thesaurus, or encyclopedia. Definitions can be useful, of course, but it might be better to put them in your own words and at an appropriate place in the body of the essay, not in the introductory paragraph.
Never waste the reader’s time. If your introductory paragraph is too long or feels slow-moving, re-write it. Don’t just go on and on. Get to the point. You might want to write one paragraph just to get started, and then go back and re-write it. There are very few writers who can instantly write a good essay without editing and changing things. The introductory paragraph sets the tone and direction of your whole piece. You want it to be exactly right.
The Body
2. The topic sentence for this paragraph is one of the points you mention in your introduction. This sentence can be the second or the third, but don’t wait until you are almost done with the paragraph to state it! In the first body paragraph, you should use your strongest point. In the second paragraph, your second strongest, and so on.
3. Develop your points with details, examples, anecdotes, facts. Write whatever you feel will help enlighten or convince the reader. You have to support the points you’re making with details if you want the reader to believe you.
Example: (You would want to write more than one or two sentences for each bit of supporting detail you give.)
Fly-fishermen find this sport much cheaper than deep-sea sport fishing. (This is the point you wish to make)
Equipment for fly-fishing is 70% less costly than that for the deep-sea fisherman. (Give some actual costs here, maybe listing the different types of equipment needed for each sport.)
The cost of chartering a boat for deep-sea fishing is out of reach for most people. (Costs)
Since many types of fish caught in deep-sea fishing are caught as trophies (not for food), the cost of preparing and shipping these fish home is expensive. In fly-fishing, you often eat your catch the same day. (Elaboration and supporting detail)
4. The last sentence of the paragraph should make a smooth transition to the next paragraph. It should also indicate that you have made your final point.
Each supporting (body) paragraph should have 1) a topic sentence, 2) details that support the topic sentence, and 3) a final sentence that leads the reader to the next paragraph.
You may have wondered what is meant by leading the reader into the next paragraph, or by a last sentence going smoothly into the first sentence of another paragraph. There are special words that help you do this. They are called transitional words. You use them at the start and the finish of your paragraphs to make the essay (or any written report or thesis) easier to read and follow. Here are some examples:
If you want to show additional ideas, use: in addition to, related to, also, furthermore.
If you want to show cause and effect, use: thus, as a result of, on the other hand, therefore.
If you want to list several points, use: first, second, third, etc.
If you want to list a contrasting point, use: even though, nevertheless, on the other hand, however.
The Conclusion
Congratulations! You have gotten all the hard work done and can now wrap it all together with your conclusion. Conclusions don’t have to follow as rigid a structure as the rest of the essay, but you must include these things:
1. Summarize the points you made in the body of the essay. Don’t write them the same way as you did in the introduction. Do not add any new information or points in the conclusion, but it is fine to word your main points a bit differently to keep your essay interesting.
2. Repeat your topic (thesis statement) but do not write it exactly as you’d written it in the introduction.
3. Show that the essay is finished. Give your opinion, end with an anecdote that illustrates your main idea, or use a pertinent quote to conclude the piece. Some writers add a "clincher" as the last sentence. This is a sentence or interjection that just ends the essay on a humorous, interesting, surprising, or maybe inspirational note. In essays that are written to convince, the clincher can be a "call to action."
Examples of clinchers:
For an essay on fly-fishing: See you at the trout stream!
For an essay on today’s cartoon shows for children: Mother Goose would be surprised!
For an essay encouraging people to vote: We get the kind of government we deserve. OR See you at the polls!
For an essay on computer chatting: Back fence gossip has gone international!
You are now ready for the final step in writing an essay: After the Writing