Guide to Writing a Basic Essay

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Guide to Writing a Basic Essay
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Format

• Typed
• Double Spaced
• One inch margins
• First sentence in each paragraph is indented
• Font is 12 pt
• Font style is Times New Roman
• Black ink only
• Pages are numbered
• (1st page is on the top right, all remaining
  bottom center)

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Simple Steps to Begin

• 1) Choose a Topic for Your Essay
• (this will be assigned)
• 2) Organize your ideas
• - Diagram/Outline
• 3) Compose a thesis statement

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What is a thesis statement?

• A thesis statement summarizes the point of view
  you will argue or express in your paper
• Think of your thesis as being a road map that
  will tell the reader where you are going with
  your paper

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What makes a good thesis?

• A thesis is specific. It narrows down your topic
  and focuses your research.
• If it is too vague, your reader can get confused
  and wonder what point you are trying to make. By
  the first paragraph, your thesis should be
  obvious.
• Example
• Aerobic exercise is good for you. (POOR)
• Aerobic exercise may be part of a weight loss
  program, but it is also the way to a healthy
  heart. (BETTER)

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What makes a good thesis?

• A thesis is limited. This means that you zero in
  on the parts of your topic that you wish to focus
  on. Otherwise you could go on and on forever (in
  theory).
• Example
• There are many advantages to having professional
  sports teams in Chicago.
• (POOR)
• Having professional sports teams in Chicago has
  political, social and economic advantages.
  (BETTER)

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What makes a good thesis?

• A thesis is supported by strong arguments. Its
  important to discuss the best arguments in favor
  of your thesis in addition to addressing the
  strongest ones that go against it.
• Example You can present your opinion on a
  subject and someone else can say Okay, but what
  about If you can counter their argument, youve
  just strengthened your own. Imagine that you are
  having a debate, it is important to see both
  sides of the argument in order to best defend
  your own.

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What makes a good thesis?

• A thesis takes some sort of stand. You may change
  your mind on a topic you are exploring but in the
  end, you must draw your own conclusions and
  support them by research.
• Your thesis represents where you stand in
  relation to a topic or issue.

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What makes a good thesis?

• A thesis should be arguable. Reasonable people
  should be able to disagree with your thesis. Its
  not interesting of people cant dispute it. It
  needs to be controversial enough so people want
  to continue reading.
• Example
• Sir John A. MacDonald was the first Prime
  Minister of Canada is a fact people may respond
  to by saying, Yeah, so what?

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Example of How to Build a Thesis Statement

• Programs for Drug Addicted Babies
• More attention should be paid to the environment
  drug addicted babies grow up in.
• Experts estimate that half of drug addicted
  babies will grow up in home environments lacking
  rich cognitive and emotional stimulation.

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Example of How to Build a Thesis Statement

• Half of all drug addicted babies are likely to
  grow up in homes lacking good cognitive and
  emotional stimulation and would benefit from
  federal government financed programs to help with
  their care.
• Notice that this statement meets the five
  guidelines reviewed earlier!

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Introductionsome ideas

• The introduction should be designed to attract
  the readers attention and give an idea of the
  essays focus.
• Begin with an attention grabber.
• Option 1 Startling Information
• This information must be true and verifiable,
  and it doesnt need to be totally new to your
  readers. It could simply be a 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.

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Introductionsome ideas
Option 2Anecdote 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. Option 3
Dialogue An appropriate dialogue does not have
to identify speakers, but the reader must
understand the point you are trying to convey.
Use only two or thee exchanges between speakers
to make your point. Follow dialogue with a
sentence or two of elaboration.
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Introductionsome ideas

• Option 4 Summary InformationA 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.
• 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.
• Finish the paragraph with your thesis statement.
  

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Writing the Body Paragraphs

• The topic you have chosen must now be explained,
  described, or argued.
• Each main idea that you wrote down in your
  diagram or outline will become one of the body
  paragraphs. If you had three or four main ideas,
  you will have three or four body paragraphs.

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Each body paragraph will have the same basic
structure.

• Start by writing down one of your main ideas, in
  sentence form.If your main idea is "reduces
  freeway congestion," you might say thisPublic
  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.

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Elaboration

• 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.

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Finishing touches of Body Paragraphs

• Once you have fleshed out each of your body
  paragraphs, one for each main point, you are
  ready to continue.

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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.
• The introduction and conclusion complete the
  paragraphs of your essay.

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Intext Citation

• Format for Citations and Bibliographies is APA
  style

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Add the Finishing Touches

• You have now completed all of the paragraphs of
  your essay. Before you can consider this a
  finished product, however, you must give some
  thought to the formatting of your paper.

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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.

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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?

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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.

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Check your writing.

• 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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Congratulations!

• Once you have checked your work and perfected
  your formatting, your essay is finished.