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1. Essay Writing Lessons
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2. Essay Writing Lessons
 Essay Structure
 Essay Outline
 Moving from Topic to Essay
 Organizing the Essay Body
 Essay Format
 Hints & Tips
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3. Essay Structure
The framework of your writing
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4. Essay
Structure

5. Structure
 Introductory Paragraph
- introduce & ease reader into topic
- move from general sentences to specific ones
- end with your thesis statement
Eg: life – literature – book – topic – thesis
life – history – people – topic – book - thesis

6. Structure
 Thesis
- An arguable statement, making clear the
position the author takes on a topic
- Depends upon your purpose & audience
(Topic = what the text is “about;” the subject
addressed by a text
Eg: greed, love, hope, jealousy, etc.)

7. Structure
 Body Paragraphs
- where you prove your thesis
 Body Paragraph Structure:
1. Point (topic sentence: proves thesis)
2. Proofs (as many as are practical)
3. Comment (relates proofs to thesis)

8. Structure
 Concluding Paragraph
- re-state your thesis
- move from specific sentences to
general ones
- ease reader away from essay, and
back to real life again (theme
statement)

9. Structure
 The Rebuttal Paragraph
- Acknowledge points of opposing
argument
- Minimize the validity of these points
* Insert after your introductory paragraph!

10. Essay Outline
-What’s required
-Marks for summative

11. Essay Outline
 Thesis (2)
 List of rebuttal points (3)
 For each body paragraph: (3X4)
- Full topic sentence
- Proofs in point form
- Full comment sentence
 Thesis restatement in different words (1)
 Theme statement (2)

12. Moving from Topic to Essay
…in 8 easy steps!

13. Moving from Topic to Essay
1. Read & understand topic
2. Dissect & brainstorm topic
3. Pick argument & brainstorm thesis
4. Form & test thesis
5. Brainstorm & organize support
6. List rebuttals
7. Write, Revise, Edit
8. Proofread & print good copy

14. Organizing the Essay Body
Principles & Development Methods

15. Organizing the Essay Body
 Organizing principle?
- chronology - cause & effect
- process - logic
 Development method?
- define - classify
- analyze - describe
- compare - exemplify

16. Essay Format
MLA Style Presentation

17. Hints & Tips
Advice for top marks

18. Hints & Tips
 Do not write in 1st person (avoid “I”)
 Do not start a body / concluding paragraph
with a quotation
 Move from your weakest point to your
strongest
 Do not use contractions
 Do not use colloquial language
 Use the present tense
 Refer to author by last name
 Develop a creative title that relates to thesis

19. Essay
Writing
Ask questions at any time!
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