HOW DO YOU STRUCTURE YOUR ESSAY?
A guide for students
This guide is aimed at those students who are looking to improve their essay writing abilities by understanding what a good essay structure looks like. Writing essays is an important aspect of academic performance at every level. It is the way academics communicate with one another. There are two primary ways that academics organise their work and the way they communicate the information they have got to share: 1. official and 2 casual. Writing essays is not only an academic chore for students. Professors and instructors also typically compose essays at an academic level. They require their students to adhere to the same expectations.
Planning is key
A lot of students make mistakes when writing essays. They do not plan properly (or do not devote enough time or thought to the procedure) or do not understand the requirements for essay writing. It is vital to create an efficient and proper essay structure. To get the most value out of their thoughts, students frequently get poor grades for failing to structure their essays correctly. Do you organise your academic writing? How do you organise your essay?
What is an essay?
First, let us clarify the meaning of an essay. What exactly is it? Essays are basically arguments. This does not refer to an argument between two individuals who are furious. We are talking about an argument in a formal sense. An idea or claim that is supported by logic and/or empirical proof.
Example: Asking for a raise in pay
The following scenario can be imagined: I believe that it is the right time to approach your boss to raise your salary. Imagine going into the offices of your boss and making a request for an increase. Your mind creates an unspoken rhetorical pattern almost immediately. There are numerous ways to request a pay increase. The most effective approach is founded on logic and reason. The first step is to declare that you have the right to an increase. You think you deserve it and you will tell your boss and back it up with all the hard work you have done. You will also be able to show evidence that you are worthy of a raise. You might be a hard worker who is always on time, respects your colleagues and has been offered a job elsewhere. The list can go on. You could end your discussion by giving an overview of why you should give yourself more money.
Using the same approach in an essay
This is the essence of an essay. An essay is composed of three parts: an introduction, a body and a conclusion. This guide will help you to improve your essay structure. It will teach you how to clearly introduce and conclude your argument and lay out your paragraphs in a coherent manner. The correct structure can make your essay writing much more effective in a matter of minutes.
WHERE IS THE ESSAY STARTED?
Every sentence and paragraph in an essay are crucial. Introductions are even more critical. You want your introduction to be perfect, just like when you go out with a new date. It is essential to be at your best and make an excellent first impression. It should be obvious, but teachers and lecturers begin to grade your essay as soon as they begin reading it. They will evaluate your essay, possibly not with regard to a grade but definitely by grading it as good or bad, engaging or boring, or even effective or inadequate. Many will be aware of where your essay sits in the assessment before they even begin to write the introduction. Only the most discerning markers will hesitate to give their verdict at the end. You must be strong in your introduction.
Outlines your goals
Make sure you have an introduction that clearly outlines the goals of the article and, if necessary, refers back to the subject. Describe your essay's goal and quickly go through its main themes. You have the chance to quickly summarise your case for the mark in order to show that you have carefully considered the subject and are logical. You must also explain the debate and say why this area is worthy of discussion. But, do not try to go into great depth in your introduction on all of your main topics. Each will be discussed in a paragraph that follows. If the issue is a "either or" or "how far do we agree" inquiry, you can quickly summarise both sides of an argument to prepare for the essay's debate. Your introduction is a miniature of the entire essay. The topic of your essay and how you intend to support or refute it must be known to everyone, with the exception of the marker.
Consider the following:
This assignment has been assigned to you: Gothic fiction's main purpose is to defy social and moral codes. Discuss.
A solid introduction ought to look something like this:
“A lot of stories of Gothic fiction are certainly characterized by the breaking of moral and social codes as the main theme of essay. This may be the case, as evidenced by their focus on female sexuality, their transgression of the line separating life and death, and their stunning portrayals of morally corrupt religious leaders. In addition to its preoccupation with mythology, its representation of artificial humanity, and its sarcastic societal criticism, it is crucial to analyse other fundamental elements of the genre, which may be equally significant. This paper will investigate these contradictory intentions in a number of Gothic literature in order to discover the genre's fundamental purpose.”
Go back and read the first paragraph. Is it clear what the essay's topic is? What exactly is the point? What is the purpose of the essay? Consider how long that is without reading the full paragraph. A marker would immediately know if they saw an introduction shorter than this and, without reading a word, come to the conclusion that it was not well-introduced. This does not mean you should just fill out the paragraph. However, expecting at least some information in the introduction is normal. An introduction to a longer essay does not have to be limited to one paragraph.
YOUR ESSAY'S BODY
The body is the main portion of an essay. The body is the longest portion of an essay. A brief essay should include no less than three paragraphs, whereas a lengthier essay may have more. Each paragraph should address a distinct point regarding the issue. Each reason you think you are entitled to a raise should have its paragraph. The paragraph that follows is an explanation of that claim.
Like in an essay, paragraphs should have a structure. To explain the structure of your argument to the examiner, write a new paragraph for each important concept in your essay. Every paragraph should begin with a signpost phrase that outlines the major theme of the section.
It is sometimes beneficial to include the essay title within the signpost phrase to remind the examiner of the significance of your topic. This will make essay writing a lot more pleasurable since you will be able to remind yourself of what you concentrate on at each step.
Here is an example of a signpost sentence: Gothic fiction is notable for depicting the female heroine.
The paragraph could contain additional sentences that expand on your point and provide relevant examples. Any sentences in this paragraph that are not closely linked to the signpost sentence should be avoided. You are writing an essay in which you split the concepts into sections.
In the pay increase example, would you mention your punctuality and dependability? Would you then start chatting about your colleague's timeliness, the client who are pleased by your service, and ultimately, about your own punctuality? No two paragraphs dealing are ever subject to the same rule.
The conclusion
The conclusion is the final paragraph of an essay. For shorter essays, the conclusion is usually a single paragraph. It can, however, be expanded to two or more pages for more in-depth talks. A well-structured essay concludes with a conclusion. The purpose of a conclusion is to summarise your arguments and, if necessary, to make a final decision about the issues being discussed. Sometimes, the conclusion is used to connect the essay to bigger issues or areas that need more study.
It is crucial not to add any new ideas during the conclusion. This is just an opportunity to review what you have already written about. It is a good idea to reference the title at the end of your essay to demonstrate to the reader that you've fully addressed the issue at hand. Remember to keep in mind your arguments by focusing your attention on every important point. An essay's conclusion can be exemplified as follows:
“As a whole, it is apparent that the plots, characters, and settings of Gothic fiction are intended to question societal norms and morals in some way. However, a large number of supernatural elements and the constant use of social injustice and hypocrisy in Gothic fiction could suggest that its main goal was to criticise and change society.”
HOW DO I START?
You should now be able to comprehend the structure of a general essay, but you may not know what to do to structure the essay. Each one is different. Some people are capable of working out their ideas in their heads or creating plans, beginning with the introduction and then ending by completing them.
Do an outline
One way to simplify your life is to, in the first instance, draught your essay's outline. Writing down a plan that lets you establish a structure that details the topics the essay will include will help you save time over the long term. We highly suggest that you take this step!
Start with the body
If you are contemplating the structure of your essay, we recommend beginning with the body paragraphs and working outwards. Because each body paragraph conveys the major concept, the body paragraphs should flow smoothly if you have a firm grasp on the core topic. Next, the introduction and conclusion should be written.
Essay Writing Tutoring
If you are struggling with your essay or simply curious, you could also consider our Essay Writing Tuition Service, which we offer. We will teach you how to create an elaborate essay plan for you that is a map of your essay that outlines the most important elements in advance. This, in turn, simplifies the writing process. One more thing to consider Remember that quality essays are not written. They are composed and then modified. Before submitting your initial draught to the instructor, make sure to check it and suggest how to improve it.
