2. What is an essay?
“An essay is a piece of writing that methodically analyses and
evaluates a topic or issue. Fundamentally, an essay is designed to get
your academic opinion on a particular matter.”
There are
3maintypesofessays
For and against essays
Opinion essays
Essays suggesting solutions to
problems
3. AN ESSAY SHOULD
express an argument
proving something
with the aim of
Including a thesis or
hypothesis
have the accurate
organization
present your
argument clearly
and persuasively
In
order
to
4. When writing an essay you should bare in
mind the 3 stages
Pre- writing
stage
Planning &
organization
Reading and
researching
Writing
stage
Writing
strategies
Using
sources
Revision
stage
Editing and
polishing
5. Pre-writing
stage
Has to do with
everything the
writer does before
beginning to draft
the paper.
Planning and
organizing the
essay
The first step to
follow should be
focusing on
6. Organizing an essay
The writer should have clearly decided upon:
• the type of the essay
and
• if it belongs to a specific genre
The structure of the essay
should be determined by the
development of your argument
7. The next step to follow is to
produce an essay outline
It serves the
purpose of
keeping your
thoughts and
ideas
organizedPlanning helps you to:
produce a logical and orderly
argument
spot repetition
notice whether you have left
anything out
concentrate on writing issues such
as grammar, word choice, and clarity
8. Reading and researching
Critical reading
to make
judgements on
how a text is
argued
Determine the
thesis of the text
Pay attention
to the context
Examine de
evidence
Highlight
argument
Take notes
When researching you
should bare in mind
the:
CurrencyAuthority
affiliation
Audience
level
Content reliability
/ accuracy
Skim and scan
10. Thesis
statement
contains the focus of
your essay.
tells the reader what
the essay is going to
be about.
It states what needs to be
explained and supported
by further discussion
It indicates the
methodology of your
argument
It shows awareness of
difficulties and
disagreements
11. Topic
sentence
States the main idea
of each paragraph.
lets you know what
the paragraph
contains.
It usually works best at
the beginning of a
paragraph The reader
knows what to
expect
In the body
paragraph you
should develop
the topic sentence
12. Sufficient
support
Support the topic ideas
by developing the
paragraphs with
evidence from credible
sources.
Researched info
Statistics
Observations
Descriptions
Definitions
Case studies
Interviews
13. Coherence
All the paragraphs should
relate to the one before it
All the sentences should
relate to the one before it
This could be done by the use of
Transactional
words or
phrases
Use different linkers and
connectors to express
-Contrast
-Reason and cause
-Purpose
-Consequence
-Addition
-Exemplification
14. Unity
Make sure
all sentences relate to the
topic sentence
all paragraphs relate to the
thesis
Bare in mind
the length of
your
paragraph
Long paragraphs can make
prose dense and unpleasant
to read
Short paragraphs make
academic writing seem
disjoined and skimpy
15. Using
sources
Whenever you use a source, it
is important to identify it in
your essay.
Avoid plagiarism
Demonstrate knowledge of
the field of study
Help the readers consult
the material you have
found
16. Introduction
Should identify
your topic
Provide
essential
context
Indicate your
focus in the
essay
Conclusion
Provide a sense
of closure to the
essay
Add a stimulus
to further
thought
Place your
concepts in a
wider context
Another key
factor is
knowing how
to write
interesting
and effective
introductions
and
conclusions.
17. Strategies for capturing
your readers' attention
1. Quote an expert
2. Mention a
misperception that your
thesis will argue against.
3. Give background
information
4. Give a reason for
choosing the topic
Introduction Conclusion
Strategies for writing
more than a summary
1. Recommend a specific
course of action
2. Use a quotation or an
expert opinion
3. Use a fact or visual
image to emphasize the
ultimate point of your
paper
4. Set your discussion into
a different context
18. Revision
stage
Revising is one of
the most important
steps in writing an
essay
Check whether you
have fulfilled the
intention of the
assignment.
Look at the overall
organization.
Polish and edit your
style
19. CHECK
the essay
fits the
thesis
each
paragraph
has a topic
sentence
smooth
transitions
between
paragraphs
spelling,
punctuation,
grammar
for
sufficient
support
logical
order
introduction
and
conclusion
