WRITING ESSAYS

PARAGRAPHS

Paragraph (¶) – a short block of text set off by indentation or space, with all sentences connected in some
way into a single topic.
A paragraph is also a device to help readers follow the writer's line of thought.
Today most writers strive towards shorter paragraphs.

Focus your paragraphs

Avoid starting with one idea and then going into a different direction (confusing for readers). Sentences in a
paragraph should be closely related to one another.

Organise your paragraphs

Well-organised paragraphs usually follow a pattern of a well-organised paper in miniature.

Make your paragraphs coherent

Writing that flows is coherent. You must make all the separate parts fit together as a whole.
Signal relationships with transitional terms.

Consider paragraph length - ideal length depends on what sort of paragraphs you are writing.

Link across paragraphs

Transitions at the beginnings and ends of paragraphs guide readers. They explain why a paragraph follows
from the previous one. They offer writers the opportunity to highlight the turns in their thinking.

Write effective beginning and ending paragraphs

Beginning and ending paragraphs are an opportunity to make a good impression, and they are extremely
important.

PROCESS OF WRITING AN ESSAY

Who is likely to read what I write?

Why should they be interested in reading what I have to say?
What am I trying to accomplish?
How do I anticipate that readers will be influenced by what I write?
Will they know something they didn't know before?
Will they think about something familiar in a different way?
Will they consider taking some action based on what I have written?

Establish your goal

Look carefully at your assignment. Do you have to:
Analyze Describe
Compare and contrast Evaluate
Define Propose
Explore your topic
1) Ask questions 3) Brainstorming
2) Freewriting 4) Idea map

Write a working thesis

After you have decided on the topic, you have to narrow your focus to a specific topic.
Turn your topic into a thesis statement.
Your thesis states your main idea. The thesis announces your topic and indicates what points you want to
make about that topic.
Types of theses: reflective thesis, informative thesis, persuasive thesis

Evaluate your working thesis

-Is it specific / manageable / interesting to your intended readers?

Compose a draft
Successful writers don't write a finished piece in one sitting without having to go back and change
everything.

Rewriting
Don't start with the small stuff at the beginning (e.g. wrong word, misplaced comma).
Read your draft aloud.

Editing
1. Check the connections between sentences
2. Check your sentences (if they are hard to read or didn't sound right)
3. Eliminate wordiness (long expressions that can easily be shortened, unnecessary repetition)
4. Use active verbs (instead of 'there is')
5. Use specific and inclusive language

Proofreading
1. Know what your spelling checker can and cannot do
2. Check for grammar and mechanics