An Overview of a Well-Structured Essay Created by: Darren Chiang-Schultheiss English Department Fullerton College www.wiredprof.com

Before We Get Started...

 Guiding Principles: – Structure – Organization – Communication

(¶) Paragraphs Have a Structure:  3 Main Parts Topic sentence – Must contain a subject and a claim (angle or opinion about the subject of the essay) – Central or controlling idea of the ¶ – Focuses the paragraph on a single main idea – Limits what you can talk about in the ¶  Supporting sentences – Should develop the topic sentence with: • Details • • Examples Specifics  Concluding sentence – Should bring a sense of closure to the ¶

Essays Have a Structure: 3 Main Parts  Introductory paragraph  Multiple main body paragraphs  Conclusion paragraph

The Introductory Paragraph  The introductory paragraph should accomplish three tasks: – Hook the reader; – Establish the subject of the essay; – State the thesis sentence.

in the form of a declarative

What Is a

Thesis Statement

?

 It’s the most important element of the essay.

 It’s the brain, the central nervous system of the essay.

 There are different kinds of thesis statements, but we’ll deal with the declarative thesis first.

The Declarative Thesis Statement  Makes a claim or assertion about that subject  2 forms of a declarative thesis: – Generalized: Traveling can broaden one's outlook.

– Mapped: Traveling can broaden one’s outlook on acceptable public behavior, on non-verbal communication, on personal space, and on differences in personal hygiene.

Multiple Main Body Paragraphs  The job of the main body is to: • • • Support Prove Explain the thesis statement that was in the introductory ¶ .

 Each ¶ in the main body should be in charge of breaking the thesis statement down into smaller, more manageable parts .

 Therefore each ¶ thesis.

develops one sub-idea of the

The Conclusion Paragraph  The primary job of the conclusion ¶ the reader know that you’re finished is to let writing.

 Bring the essay full circle to where you started the essay.

Summary endings Vs. conclusions  Summaries regurgitate information  Conclusions:  bring closure to the essay;  make final statements;  leave the reader with a powerful thought;  put the subject matter into a larger context;  call the reader to action

Paragraph and Essay Structures Are Similar PARAGRAPH ESSAY  Topic Sentence  Introductory ¶ with thesis statement  Developing Sentences  Main Body ¶s  Conclusion Sentence  Conclusion ¶