Thursday, September 3, 2009

Essay Writing Guide: How to write different types of essays


Essay Writing Guide: How to write different types of essays

Before anything else, you must organize your ideas. An outline is a moderately, organized format that can help you gather your thoughts and facts about the topic. Begin your outline by listing main ideas you have about the topic, or the main points you wish to make. If trying to persuade, write down your best arguments. If you are explaining a process, write down the steps that should be followed. Be sure to leave enough space below each idea so that you can write down facts or information that supports the main idea. When you have completed the outline, you have the basic structure of your essay and are ready to move on to the next step.

Now that you have decided what information you plan to present in your essay, you are ready to write your thesis statement. A thesis statement tells the reader what the essay will be about and what point you, the author, will be making. Once you have completed your thesis statement, you can work on the body of the essay.

The topic you have chosen must now be explained, described, or argued. Each main idea that you wrote in your outline will become one of the essay's paragraphs. Next write down supporting ideas for each main idea. At this point, you should elaborate on your supporting ideas. Elaboration can be further description, explanation, or discussion. Now your essay only lacks two paragraphs: an introduction paragraph and a conclusion paragraph. The paragraphs will give the reader a point of entry to and a point of exit from your essay. Your introduction should attract both the reader's attention and give an idea of what the essay is about. The conclusion brings closure to the reader, summing up your points or providing a final perspective on your topic.

The last step is formatting and fine tuning your essay. At this time, you should check for grammatical and spelling errors. It is also recommended having a friend or family member read the essay, so that they can critique it. Be sure to fine tune the essay before you turn it in. Look at your paragraphs. Which one is the strongest? You might want to start with the strongest paragraph, end with the second strongest, and put the weakest in the middle. Whatever order you decide on, be sure it makes sense. If your paper is describing a process, you will probably need to stick to the order in which the steps must be completed.

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