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 in the form of a declarative sentence.

What Is a Thesis Statement?

Its the most important element of the essay.
Its the brain, the central nervous system of

the essay.
There are different kinds of thesis

statements, but well 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 ones 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 develops one sub-idea of the

thesis.

The Conclusion Paragraph

The primary job of the conclusion is to let

the reader know that youre finished 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
Topic Sentence

ESSAY
Introductory with

thesis statement
Developing Sentences Conclusion Sentence Main Body s

Conclusion