🌱Littleroot

Essay Structure

15 Sept 20244 min read

go back

Essay Structure

  1. Introduction
  2. Body paragraphs (at least 3)
  3. Conclusion

What you need to know

  • Structure
  • Language
  • Interpretations
  • Representations
  • Context
  • Ideas
  • Genre
  • Values, attitudes, beliefs
  • Perspective
  • Discourse
  • Ideology
  • Post-colonialism

I have some practise questions, but I forgot to upload them

Introduction

 - Opening comments: (hook + introduce topic, text title, author)  - Outline/build up to main points  - Thesis  - Concluding statement

Thesis

What makes a good thesis

  • WHAT + HOW (ideas + techniques/conventions)
  • Use key terms from the questions
  • Be as specific as possible
  • Address all parts of the question
  • Clear and precise
  • Insightful and/or sound ideas showing understanding of the text and of the key concepts of the question
  •  Engagement/Addresses the question / Focused Reading
  • ­Uses EACH key word and term
  • ­If question has ‘you’, then use I/my
  • Uses Course Terms
  • Offer a  SPECIFIC what (course concept) and how (convention and/or language)
  • Clear expression - draft several versions to achieve this

is represented/constructed as through the use of

  • The thesis has the potential to make or break hour essay

Body Paragraphs

  • How will you group or divide up your ideas? 
  • Ideas
  • Values and attitudes
  • Characters
  • Other?

Crafting effective topic sentences

  • Link clearly and directly to THESIS – USE KEY TERMS  - WHAT & HOW  - Be specific as you can without overcomplicating the sentence.  - Show links to previous paragraphs (use transition words eg Similarly, In addition, However, Therefore, In contrast, Just as …)

Paragraph Structure

  • Teachers may use different terminology but the structure and expectations are the same.

Structure 1

  • Topic Sentence (TS) with both WHAT and HOW
  • Development sentences
    • ­Develop and support your TS to lead into your Evidence—NO NAKED QUOTATIONS
  • Evidence—your short quotations from the text
  • Explanation—step into word, phrase level, connotations, connections of your quotations
  • Extrapolation—step further into or step out of to the course concepts

You need to make AT LEAST two comments on each quotation/piece of evidence. The bulk of your paragraph is explanation and extrapolation (stepping in and stepping out)

Structure 2: TPEEPEE

  • yes the name sound stupid, imagine if Michael Jackson needed to go to the bathroom, T’PEEPEE
  •  Topic Sentence (as above and should of course link clearly to your thesis)
  • Developing Sentence(s) if necessary – further developing the main idea in the TS
  • Point 1 – 1st point supporting the idea in your TS
  • Evidence (as above) for this point 1
  • Explanation (as above) stepping into this evidence & how it supports your point
  • Point 2 – another point supporting your TS – may build on Point 1
  • Evidence for Point 2
  • Explanation
  • Extrapolation – step out to wider significance – link back to thesis

Variations of these are also acceptable, but the structural elements must all be there and should work together to build a cohesive argument.

Checking your paragraph structure

  • Do you clearly and fully address the question?
  • Does your topic sentence give WHAT and HOW (ideas + techniques) & link clearly to your thesis?
  • Do you make points that support this?
  • Do you give evidence from the text to prove these points?
  • Do you explain and explore the ideas and language in these examples and possibly link back to wider concepts?
  • Do you link back to your thesis, and to other paragraphs?

Conclusion

  • Restate thesis
  • Summarise main points
  • Final statements – extrapolate, step out to wider context, link to Course concepts

Thesis Drafting and Essay Planning

  •  Using the course concepts and syllabus, begin drafting a thesis statement.
  • Consider which of the course concepts you feel most comfortable in addressing.
  • Then:
  • ­Begin planning and drafting topic sentences – what points will your essay be addressing?
  • Find evidence to support your ideas – try explaining your evidence using the paragraph structure from before
  • Complete an essay draft

Outside of class feedback on planning/draft work will not be given the day before an assessment

Graph View

Backlinks

Recent Notes