Writing Essays

1
Writing Essays

• What is it?
• Things to watch for
• Types
• Ways to organize
• Topic sentences
• Thesis Statements

2
What is it?

• From the French word essayer (to try)
• An essai is an attempt.
• An essay is something you write to try to figure
  something out.
• www.paulgraham.com/essay.html

3
Things to watch for

• Capitalize the first word of the sentence
• Use end punctuation
• Use expanded sentences (predicate expanders and
  subject describers)
• Use transitional expressions to combine
  sentences
• Watch subject/verb agreement
• Make sure sentences are complete--not fragments
  or run-ons

4
Types of Writing

• Narrative tells a story
• Descriptive contains imagery presents a clear
  picture
• Expositorypresents facts, gives directions,
  defines terms, etc.
• Persuasive presents information to support or
  prove a point

5
Essays are composed of well organized paragraphs.

• Each paragraph must have a topic sentence,
  details that support the topic, and a conclusion
• Paragraphs must be connected by transitions to
  smoothly move from one to another.

6
Ways to organize paragraphs

• Time order
• Arranged in the order they happen
• Order of importance
• Arranged according to how important they are
• Cause-effect
• Show connections in events
• Listing
• List events

• Geographic order
• Arrange details in a spatial order
• Comparison-Contrast
• Show how things are similar or different
• Classification
• Place details in categories or groups
• Mixed order
• Use more than one way

7
TOPIC SENTENCESfor Paragraphs

• Carefully state and limit topic
• Tell the reader what the paragraph
• will be about
• Focus the readers attention on a single topic

8
New FriendsFinding new friends

• Finding about other cultures
• Learning how others live
• Introducing new friend to old ones
• Helping new friends adjust
• Relying on others
• Topic Sentence
• New friends can often be more fun than old friends

9
An essay must have a thesis statement that
governs the content.
10
Writing Thesis Statements

• What is it?
• One or two sentences that
• express the main idea or attitude that your
  essay will support or prove.
• guide your essay and help to keep you focused on
  the main idea.

11
Thesis example

• The attacks of 9/11 were terrible.
• (unsupported)
• The attacks of 9/11 have created a sense of
  patriotism and fear in Americans.
• (supported-two points)

12
Characteristics of a good thesis statement

• States the general subject
• Is precise
• States the writers clearly defined opinion on
  some subject
• Has one main idea
• Grabs audience attention
• Is clearly located in first or
• second paragraph

13
Putting Your Essay Together

• The beginning introduces the thesis.
• The middle paragraphs support, explain, and
  develop the thesis.
• The ending concludes and restates the thesis.