Introductions
Body Paragraphs
Conclusions
Before engaging in the writing of the first draft you should have various materials to help you out, namely your outline and your thesis statement. With the outline and thesis ready, you will have an organized and logical idea of the essay. You should also, by this stage, be aware of the sources that you intend to use to support your claims.
You are now ready with all your material to begin to write. Remember that your writing can be rough and you can go back and forth as many times as you wish to polish your work. Refer to your outline every now and then to be sure that you are not going off topic.
If you are having trouble with a specific paragraph you can skip and move to the next idea. Afterwards you can go back and work on certain ideas that are more complicated.
For more information on specific paragraphs refer to the sections on introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions.
Remember that the first draft is the base from which your work will develop. The effort you put into the first draft saves time and effort on second drafts. Do not procrastinate; do not put off writing your first draft and always allow yourself enough time to produce quality work. If you cram the writing of your draft into one session, not only will you be stressed and tired, but you will not have an opportunity to look back at your work before you turn it in. And even the most professional writers find something to correct when they have a second look.
For more information, visit:
Drafting the Essay (from University of Washington, Bothell, Writing Center)
Introductions
An introduction should introduce the topic, catch the readers’ attention and answer the question: So what? In your introduction begin to gradually narrow down the topic and focus, by introducing the specific elements pertaining to your essay, such as articles that will be analyzed, debates or issues which will be dealt with. Here you are introducing all the relevant issues that the essay will touch upon. Finally, the introduction can end with a thesis statement, which explains the issue and shows the side or argument that the essay will follow.
An introduction does not:
- list everything that is in your essay.
- present specific details of the argument, issue which will be discussed in the essay.
- give a full report on all of the history of a particular issue.
- discuss a topic other than that developed in the essay.
An introduction does:
- define your purpose.
- focus your topic.
- catch your audience’s interest.
- establish a common understanding.
- introduce the context or rhetorical situation by answering: What you are writing about, Why you are writing, and Who you are writing to.
Hints for writing introductions
- The introduction should tell your readers where you’re going and how you’ll get there.
- Start with a general idea and use the introduction as a free writing exercise to get into the body of the essay.
- Or, start with the thesis in mind and go straight to the body of the essay; write the introduction last to fit the rest of the essay.
- Either way, go back and revise the introduction after you have finished the essay to make sure the style and the promises it makes follow through your essay.
For more information, visit:
How to Begin to Write: Organization, Introductions, Conclusions (from Roane State Community College OWL)
Introductions and Conclusions and Sample Introductions (from Cleveland State University Writing Center)
Introductions, Structure of an Introduction, and Introduction Length (from the University of Victoria Writer's Guide)
How to Write Introductions (from Taft College OWL)
Body Paragraphs
Each paragraph composes one element of your thesis which should be clearly stated in your topic sentence and which should be in the form of an argument. The rest of the paragraph then supports your argument through the use of sources, analysis and reasoning. Thus, you will state your point, develop it, refer to relevant examples, analyze them, and then conclude your point. Remember that paragraphs are the meat of the essay, without them your thesis is meaningless and your research question remains unanswered.
A paragraph is considered good if it is unified, coherent and well developed.
Unity: Deals with the development of one single idea and no other within a paragraph. Make sure you are not going off topic or rambling on. Make sure every sentence is relevant in proving your claim, or explaining your specific point.
Coherence: Deals with the connections between the various points that you are trying to make. Lead the readers into your ideas, and don’t think that they should infer on their own. Spell out what you mean clearly and logically, and don’t think that it is obvious; it’s only obvious to you.
Techniques that you can use to stress your idea include:
- Repeating key words.
- Establishing some logical order, such as cause to effect, or general to particular.
- Using transitional words.
To check the coherence and organization of your paragraphs, write down your topic sentences one after the other, and make sure their order and logic makes sense, and follows the thesis statement.
Development: Deals with fulfilling what you promise in your topic sentence. Since you are attempting to prove a point, give relevant and sufficient examples, and be sure to analyze these examples.
For more information, visit:
Paragraphing Tutorial (from Natascha Gast, American University in Cairo)
Conclusions
A conclusion should stress the importance of the thesis statement, give the essay a sense of completeness, and leave a final impression on the reader. For this reason summarizing your essay is not the way to conclude.
Here are some suggestions to concluding ideas:
Answer the question "So What?" Show your readers why your paper was important. Show them that your paper was meaningful and useful. Show the importance of the thesis to the “big picture”.
Synthesize, don't summarize. Don't simply repeat the things that were in your paper. They have read it. Show them how the points you made, and the support and examples you used were not random, but fit together.
Redirect your readers. Give your reader something to think about, perhaps a way to use your paper in the "real" world. If your introduction went from general to specific, make your conclusion go from specific to general. Think globally.
Create a new meaning. You don't have to give new information to create a new meaning. By demonstrating how your ideas work together, you can create a new picture. Often the sum of the paper is worth more than its parts.
Echo the introduction. Echoing your introduction can be a good strategy if it is meant to bring the reader full-circle. If you begin by describing a scenario, you can end with the same scenario as proof that your essay was helpful in creating new understanding.
Do NOT cast doubt on the thesis
Do NOT discuss more supporting ideas.
Remember the conclusion is often what a reader remembers best. Your conclusion should be the best part of your essay.
For more information, visit:
Strategies for Writing a Conclusion (from Literacy Education Online)
Essay Conclusions (from the University of Victoria Writer's Guide)
How to Begin to Write: Organization, Introductions, Conclusions (from Roane State Community College OWL)
Introductions and Conclusions and Sample Conclusions (from Cleveland State University Writing Center)
Adapted from Natascha Gast, AUC Faculty, Spring 2004