I.

ESSAY ELEMENTS

A. Introduction
An essay begins with a brief introduction, which prepares the audience to read the
essay. An effective introduction should:
Catch the readers attention, which can be done, for example, by using a direct
announcement, a quotation, a question, a definition, an unusual comparison, or a
controversial position;
ntroduce the topic of the essay, !in other words, inform the reader of and provide a
context for the topic being discussed";
ntroduce the main idea !otherwise #nown as the thesis or claim" of the essay;
ntroduce the purpose of the essay !will it inform, argue, persuade, describe, narrate,
classify, etc.$".
1. The thesis statement
%he thesis statement is that sentence or two in your text that contains the focus of
your essay and tells your reader what the essay is going to be about. Although it is
certainly possible to write a good essay without a thesis statement !many narrative
essays, for example, contain only an implied thesis statement", the lac# of a thesis
statement may well be a symptom of an essay beset by a lac# of focus. &any writers
thin# of a thesis statement as an umbrella: everything that you carry along in your
essay has to fit under this umbrella, and if you try to ta#e on pac#ages that don't fit,
you will either have to get a bigger umbrella or something's going to get wet.
%he thesis statement should remain flexible until the paper is actually finished. t
ought to be one of the last things that we fuss with in the rewriting process. f we
discover new information in the process of writing our paper that ought to be
included in the thesis statement, then we'll have to rewrite our thesis statement. (n
the other hand, if we discover that our paper has done adequate wor# but the thesis
statement appears to include things that we haven't actually addressed, then we need
to limit that thesis statement. f the thesis statement is something that we needed
prior approval for, changing it might require the permission of the instructor or
thesis committee, but it is better to see# such permission than to write a paper that
tries to do too much or that claims to do less than it actually accomplishes.
%he thesis statement usually appears near the beginning of a paper. t can be the first
sentence of an essay, but that often feels li#e a simplistic, unexciting beginning. t
more frequently appears at or near the end of the first paragraph or two.
B. Body
An essay includes body paragraphs, which develop the main idea !thesis or claim" of
the essay. An effective body paragraph should:
)xplain, illustrate, discuss, or provide evidence to support the main idea !thesis
or claim" of the essay;
*iscuss only one aspect of the main idea !whenever you move on to a new
supporting point, start a new body paragraph";
+or# together with the other body paragraphs to support your essays main
idea;
+or# together with the other body paragraphs to create a clear, cohesive paper
!clarity and coherence can be achieved through the use of transitions".
C. Conclusion
An essay ends with a brief conclusion, which brings the essay to a logical end. An
effective conclusion should:
,rovide closure for the reader by reviewing main points !ma#e sure that this
review is brief - after all, these points have already been fully developed in the
body paragraphs", lin#ing the main idea of the essay to a larger issue, predicting
an outcome related to the main idea, giving an opinion, or using a quotation that
helps sum up an essential aspect of your main point;
.emind readers of the primary focus of the essay, which can be done by
restating the main idea in different words;
Avoid introducing new ideas
Avoid apologies
II. TYPES O PA!A"!AP#S
Paragraphs can contain many different #inds of information. A paragraph could
contain a series of brief examples or a single long illustration of a general point of view.
t might describe a place, character, or process; narrate a series of events; compare or
contrast two or more things; classify items into categories; or describe cause and effects.
The types of paragraphs are:
Illustrative paragraphs: to illustrate is to explain a general statement by means
of one or more specific examples. llustration ma#es what we say more vivid
and more exact. *etailed and well/chosen examples give power to writing.
Descriptive paragraphs: 0i#e the word says, you describe. 1se your senses to
describe the people and places you are writing about. +hat do you see, hear,
smell taste and feel. %he more detail you can add the better your descriptive
writing becomes. Create a picture for readers through description so they can
step into your story and be a part of it. %his type of writing is frequently used
and may be found in boo#s as well as maga2ines and newspaper articles.
Narrative paragraphs: %his is the #ind of writing where you get to tell a story.
)veryone loves to hear story, especially about themselves, which would be a
,ersonal 3arrative. A story will use literary elements li#e characters, a setting, a
plot and a theme. 4rom novels to screenplays to plays, they are all narratives
because they tell a story.
Compare and Contrast %his type of writing allows the writer to point out
similarities and differences about topics, sub5ects or ob5ects. Compare means to
identify how your topics are ali#e or similar. 6ou state what they have in
common. (n the other hand, contrast means to identify what is different about
your topic. +hen contrasting, you state what ma#es the topic, sub5ect or ob5ect
unique or one of a #ind. n writing to compare and contrast, you include both the
similarities and the differences into the one piece of writing so the reader can
grasp the big picture. n this type of writing, you might be as#ed to compare and
contrast two animals you find in Africa.
Classifying paragraphs: to classify is to gather into categories, types, or #inds
according to a single basis of division. Classification is especially helpful in
organi2ing large groups of ideas or things into smaller, recogni2able divisions
that can be given distinct names or titles.
Persuasive 7as a friend ever tried to get you to change your mind about
something$ %hen, that person was trying to persuade you. f you wrote out your
conversation, that would have been ,ersuasive writing8 +ith ,ersuasive
writing, a writer tries to change your mind or your point of view. 1sing facts
and opinions, the writer tries to get you to see things his9her way. ,olitics
overflows with writing and speeches by people trying to persuade others to their
way of thin#ing. :ometimes, in newspapers and maga2ines, you see ,ersuasive
writing in articles called editorials.
III. O$TLINES
An outline is a plan for the paper that will help you organi2e and structure your
ideas in a way that effectively communicates them to your reader and supports your
thesis statement. 6ou'll want to wor# on an outline after you've completed some of the
other exercises, since having an idea of what you'll say in the paper will ma#e it much
easier to write. An outline can be very informal; you might simply 5ot down your thesis
statement, what the introduction will discuss, what you'll say in the body of the paper,
and what you want to include in the conclusion.
4or most formal writing, you need a plan which shows you where you are
headed and you expect to get there.
a" 0ist your specific ideas
As soon as you have chosen or limited your sub5ect and have decided upon your
purpose, ma#e a list of your ideas. +rite them down rapidly as they come to you,
without worrying too much at this time about their value or their place in your
composition !essay". 0ater, when you are organi2ing, you can omit those that you
decide not to use. %he important thing is to see what material you have to wor# with.
b" ;roup related ideas under headings
After you have made a list of your ideas, you are ready to group them so that your plan
will gradually develop into a few larger divisions. 7ow you group them will depend
upon the sub5ect. :ome topics, especially those dealing with a process, are easily
arranged in a chronological order. 4or all sub5ects, however, you should group your
ideas according to the phase of the sub5ect they deal with.
c" Arrange your ideas in order
6our next 5ob is to arrange your ideas in the order in which you will discuss them in
your composition !essay" some sub5ects will require a certain order. 4or example, if
your composition !essay" gives instructions on how to assemble the parts of a model
airplane, you will need to follow a chronological order. f, on the other hand, you are
writing about your reasons for 5oining the scouts, you may arrange your ideas with the
most important coming last. f the ideas themselves do not determine the order in which
they should come, you must decide yourself upon the clearest and most interesting
arrangement.
,0A333; A3 (1%03)
6our next step is to write down your plan in orderly fashion. %his will enable you to see
exactly how your composition !essay" should grow. %he easiest and best way to do this
is by means of an outline. %he first step in ma#ing an outline is to arrange your ideas in
an definite order. <esides indicating the order of ideas, an outline often shows the
relative importance of the ideas.
%he outline consists of main headings with subheadings under them. 4or most of the
composition you write, a topic outline is satisfactory. A topic outline is one in which the
various items are topics, not complete sentences.
.emember that an outline is a wor#ing plan, the first step in writing a composition. *o
not try to be literary or too crowd into many details here. %he language of the outline
should be simple and clear. 1se as few words as possible for each topic to ma#e your
meaning clear and to show the organi2ation of your ideas.
%6,): (4 (1%03):

C(..)C% (1%03) 4(.&

. &ain topic
A. mportant subtopic
<. mportant subtopic
=. *etail
a. :ub/detail
b. :ub/detail
!="
!>"
!a"
!b"
>. *etail
a. :ub/detail
b. :ub/detail
!="
!>"
. &ain topic
A. mportant subtopic
<. mportant subtopic
=. *etail
a. :ub/detail
b. :ub/detail
>. *etail
a. :ub/detail
b. :ub/detail
%a#e into account:
=. %itle the outline?write the title of your paper at the top of your page
>. 4ollow the sample outline format for numbering and lettering. &ain ideas are
chief points. 0abel them , , , etc. )ach main topic must include at least two
subtopics.
@. :ubtopics for each main topic are labeled A, <, C, etc.
A. *etails for subtopics are labeled =, >, @, etc.
B. :ub/details or examples for details are labeled a, b, c, etc.
C. 1se a period after each division letter or number. *o not place periods after
topics or subtopics not stated in the form of a sentence.
D. <egun the main topics, subtopics, and details with a capital letter.
E. &aintain a parallel structure throughout the outline; if you start with phrases do
not switch to sentences.
F. ndent as shown in the example. 6ou should be able to draw a line through all
the periods after .oman numerals, another through all the periods after capital
letters, etc.
%(,C (1%03)
%%0): <ig <rothers ,ropaganda
%7)::: <ig <rother disseminates the most dangerous #ind of propaganda
. %he propagandi2ed (ceanians
A. %heir loss of individuality
<. %heir reverence for <ig <rother
C. %heir use of doublethin#
. %he bureaucratic propaganda machine
A. ts housing/symbolic
<. ts parts/interrelated
. %he falsification of history
A. ,urpose of changes
<. &ethods of GrectificationH
=. 1se of memory hole
>. 1se of clerical teams
C(3C01:(3: &uch of <ig <rothers propaganda is updated, but 3ineteen )ighty/
4our is still widely read as a warning.
:)3%)3C) (1%03)
%%0): <ig <rothers ,ropaganda
3%.(*1C%(3: in 3ineteen )ighty/4our, (rwell !a propagandist" satiri2es
totalitarian propaganda as he presents his vision of life?in reverse.
%7)::: <ig <rother disseminates the most dangerous #ind of propaganda
. %he (ceanians are propaganda targets.
A. %hey act li#e a stupid herd.
<. %hey revere a mythical leader.
C. %hey accept the hierarchy in a GclasslessH society.
. <ig <rothers bureaucracy serves as a propaganda machine.
A. ts very housing is a symbol.
<. ts parts are interrelated
. %he state falsifies history.
A. %he purpose is to control the past and ma#e it fit the present.
<. %he method is efficient
=. +inston uses the memory hole.
>. Cler#s GrectifyH old propaganda
C(3C01:(3: &uch of <ig <rothers propaganda is updated, but 3ineteen )ighty/
4our is still widely read as a warning.
,A.A;.A,7 (1%03)
%%0): <ig <rothers ,ropaganda
3%.(*1C%(3: in 3ineteen )ighty/4our, (rwell !a propagandist" satiri2es
totalitarian propaganda as he presents his vision of life?in reverse.
%7)::: <ig <rother disseminates the most dangerous #ind of propaganda.
. %he (ceanians are propaganda targets. %hey act li#e a stupid herd, and they
revere a mythical leader. %hey even accept the hierarchy in a GclasslessH society.
. <ig <rothers bureaucracy serves as a propaganda machine. ts housing is a
symbol and its parts are interrelated.
. %he state falsifies history. %he purpose is to control the past and ma#e it fit
the present. +instons use of memory hole and the cler#s rectifying old
propaganda are evidence of this efficient, systematic, frightening attac# on
the past.
C(3C01:(3: &uch of <ig <rothers propaganda is updated, but 3ineteen
)ighty/4our is still widely read as a warning.