This document outlines the five stages of writing an academic essay: 1) Prewriting which includes brainstorming and outlining ideas, 2) Organizing ideas with a thesis statement and topic sentences, 3) Writing the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion, 4) Editing for structure, content, grammar, and mechanics, and 5) Rewriting and making final edits. Each stage is described in more detail with examples of how to develop a thesis statement, topic sentences, and structure body paragraphs to support the thesis.

1. Paragraph Structure
Sequence / Process
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Created by: RZP
Topic: Paragraph Structure - Process OER
Audience: English language learners
Date: March 2020 Images: courtesy of ClipArt
Prewriting
-Brainstorming
-Graphic Representation
-Concept Map
-Visualization
Writing
-Topic Sentence
-Introduction
-Body
-Conclusion
1

2. Prewriting
2
Brainstorming
Outline
Introduction
Thesis statement
Body
Paragraph 1:
Topic sentence
Paragraph 2:
Topic sentence
Paragraph 3:
Topic sentence
Conclusion
2
Introduction - Thesis statement
Conclusion - Restate thesis
Graphic organizer
Stage 1
•Prewriting
•Questions, visuals, words, information, research
Stage 2
•Organizing
•Draft: thesis statement, topic sentence, graphic representation
Stage 3
•Writing
•Final: thesis statement, topic sentence, graphic representation
Stage 4
•Editing
•Self/Peer-editing: sentence and paragraph structure, content
Stage 5
•Rewriting
•Final edits: grammar, mechanics, organization, clarity
Source: Adapted from Susan Verner’s: http://busyteacher.org/11878-help-learners- writing-13-strategies.html

3. Organizing
3
Thesis Statement / Topic Sentence
o Writing an essay includes many stages as outlined below.
o There are many stages for students to consider when they
write an essay.
o Students writing an academic essay need to consider five
stages.
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4. Writing
4
Introduction
Writing an academic essay may initially seem to be a daunting
task for many students. Based on comments by students over the
years, brainstorming ideas and organizing thoughts appear to be an
insurmountable endeavour at first. As the students identify a more
manageable approach to learning, they begin to apply strategies
that align with their personality characteristics, status quo on a
personal level and academic level, and task at hand. Moreover, they
begin to rely on online educational resources such as their
instructor, peers, and course content to help guide them through
the steps required in paragraph and essay writing. As outlined
below, there are many stages for students to consider when they
write an essay. Note to students: vocabulary used in Module II / Webex session
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5. Writing
5
Body
Paragraph 1 – first stage
The first stage in paragraph or essay writing for English as a second language (ESL) learners is
the organization of thoughts and ideas about a topic.
Paragraph 2 – second stage
Another stage that seems to be helpful for ESL students is the self-realization of learning
preferences and modalities as they identify learning strategies to guide their thought process.
Paragraph 3 – third stage
An important stage in paragraph or essay writing is the identification of resources that will not
only facilitate the thought process but also stimulate the generation of ideas.
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6. Writing
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Conclusion
It is evident that when students engage in the process of paragraph and
essay writing, they experience emotions of both elation and frustration as
they undergo the various stages. Writing is a reflective process, and as such, it
requires time and effort on the part of the students. Consequently, the
process of writing requires moments of introspection to enable students to
brainstorm ideas, to realize their own strategies and approaches to learning,
and to identify pertinent resources related to the task at hand. When students
experience learning episodes that provide them with enough time and space
to think, organize, and research, they may find the process of paragraph and
essay writing less overwhelming.
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7Images: courtesy of ClipArt
Created by: RZP
Topic: Paragraph Structure - Process OER
Audience: English language learners
Date: March 2020
Paragraph Structure
Sequence / Process