connects the hook to the thesis statement
summarizes the overall claim of the paper
» Opening with a Story (Anecdote)
A good way of catching your reader’s attention is by sharing a story that sets up your paper. Sharing a story gives a paper a more personal feel and helps make your reader comfortable.
This example was borrowed from Jack Gannon’s The Week the World Heard Gallaudet (1989):
Astrid Goodstein, a Gallaudet faculty member, entered the beauty salon for her regular appointment, proudly wearing her DPN button. (“I was married to that button that week!” she later confided.) When Sandy, her regular hairdresser, saw the button, he spoke and gestured, “Never! Never! Never!” Offended, Astrid turned around and headed for the door but stopped short of leaving. She decided to keep her appointment, confessing later that at that moment, her sense of principles had lost out to her vanity. Later she realized that her hairdresser had thought she was pushing for a deaf U.S. President. Hook: a specific example or story that interests the reader and introduces the topic.
Transition: connects the hook to the thesis statement
Thesis: summarizes the overall claim of the paper
» Specific Detail Opening
Giving specific details about your subject appeals to your reader’s curiosity and helps establish a visual picture of what your paper is about.
Hands flying, green eyes flashing, and spittle spraying, Jenny howled at her younger sister Emma. People walked by, gawking at the spectacle as Jenny’s grunts emanated through the mall. Emma sucked at her thumb, trying to appear nonchalant. Jenny’s blond hair stood almost on end. Her hands seemed to fly so fast that her signs could barely be understood. Jenny was angry. Very angry. | a specific example or story that interests the reader and introduces the topic. connects the hook to the thesis statement summarizes the overall claim of the paper |
» Open with a Quotation
Another method of writing an introduction is to open with a quotation. This method makes your introduction more interactive and more appealing to your reader.
“People paid more attention to the way I talked than what I said!” exclaimed the woman from Brooklyn, New York, in the movie American Tongues. This young woman’s home dialect interferes with people taking her seriously because they see her as a New Yorker’s cartoonish stereotype. The effects on this woman indicate the widespread judgment that occurs about nonstandard dialects. People around America judge those with nonstandard dialects because of _____________ and _____________. This type of judgment can even cause some to be ashamed of or try to change their language identity.* | a specific example or story that interests the reader and introduces the topic. connects the hook to the thesis statement summarizes the overall claim of the paper |
» Open with an Interesting Statistic
Statistics that grab the reader help to make an effective introduction.
American Sign Language is the second most preferred foreign language in the United States. 50% of all deaf and hard of hearing people use American Sign Language (ASL).* ASL is beginning to be provided by the Foreign Language Departments of many universities and high schools around the nation. The statistics are not accurate. They were invented as an example. | a specific example or story that interests the reader and introduces the topic. connects the hook to the thesis statement summarizes the overall claim of the paper |
» Question Openings
Possibly the easiest opening is one that presents one or more questions to be answered in the paper. This is effective because questions are usually what the reader has in mind when he or she sees your topic.
Is ASL a language? Can ASL be written? Do you have to be born deaf to understand ASL completely? To answer these questions, one must first understand exactly what ASL is. In this paper, I attempt to explain this as well as answer my own questions. | a specific example or story that interests the reader and introduces the topic. connects the hook to the thesis statement summarizes the overall claim of the paper |
Source : *Writing an Introduction for a More Formal Essay. (2012). Retrieved April 25, 2012, from http://flightline.highline.edu/wswyt/Writing91/handouts/hook_trans_thesis.htm
The conclusion to any paper is the final impression that can be made. It is the last opportunity to get your point across to the reader and leave the reader feeling as if they learned something. Leaving a paper “dangling” without a proper conclusion can seriously devalue what was said in the body itself. Here are a few effective ways to conclude or close your paper. » Summary Closing Many times conclusions are simple re-statements of the thesis. Many times these conclusions are much like their introductions (see Thesis Statement Opening).
Because of a charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln and because of the work of two men, Amos Kendall and Edward Miner Gallaudet, Gallaudet University is what it is today – the place where people from all over the world can find information about deafness and deaf education. Gallaudet and the deaf community truly owe these three men for without them, we might still be “deaf and dumb.” |
» Close with a Logical Conclusion
This is a good closing for argumentative or opinion papers that present two or more sides of an issue. The conclusion drawn as a result of the research is presented here in the final paragraphs.
As one can see from reading the information presented, mainstreaming deaf students isn’t always as effective as educating them in a segregated classroom. Deaf students learn better on a more one-on-one basis like they can find in a school or program specially designed for them. Mainstreaming lacks such a design; deaf students get lost in the mainstream. |
» Real or Rhetorical Question Closings
This method of concluding a paper is one step short of giving a logical conclusion. Rather than handing the conclusion over, you can leave the reader with a question that causes him or her to draw his own conclusions.
Why, then, are schools for the deaf becoming a dying species? |
» Close with a Speculation or Opinion This is a good style for instances when the writer was unable to come up with an answer or a clear decision about whatever it was he or she was researching. For example:
Through all of my research, all of the people I interviewed, all of the institutions I visited, not one person could give me a clear-cut answer to my question. Can all deaf people be educated in the same manner? I couldn’t find the “right” answer. I hope you, the reader, will have better luck. |
» Close with a Recommendation
A good conclusion is when the writer suggests that the reader do something in the way of support for a cause or a plea for them to take action.
American Sign Language is a fast growing language in America. More and more universities and colleges are offering it as part of their curriculum and some are even requiring it as part of their program. This writer suggests that anyone who has a chance to learn this beautiful language should grab that opportunity. |
202-448-7036
Gallaudet University, chartered in 1864, is a private university for deaf and hard of hearing students.
Copyright © 2024 Gallaudet University. All rights reserved.
800 Florida Avenue NE, Washington, D.C. 20002
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Introductions should:
Introductions should not:
Conclusions should:
Conclusions should not:
Monday 3:00 p.m.
The introduction to any type of writing is important as it sets the tone for the reader and builds their expectations for what is to come. Equally important is the conclusion since it is the last contact a writer has with the reader. Together, they form the bookends that encapsulate the argument made within the paper itself. In this interactive group session, you will learn how to create scholarly introductions and conclusions that will capture your reader’s interest and ensure that they leave knowing your intended points.
Thesis Writing Tips
Some ways to help strengthen your thesis are as follows:
Introductions, Body Paragraphs, and Conclusions for an Expository/Persuasive Essay
Introduction
The introduction is the broad beginning of the paper that answers three important questions:
You should answer these questions by doing the following:
Thesis Checklist
Your thesis is more than a general statement about your main idea. It needs to establish a clear position you will support with balanced proofs (logos, pathos, ethos). Use the checklist below to help you create a thesis.
This section is adapted from Writing with a Thesis: A Rhetoric Reader by David Skwire and Sarah Skwire:
Make sure you avoid the following when creating your thesis:
Make sure you follow these guidelines when creating your thesis:
Quick Checklist:
_____ The thesis/claim follows the guidelines outlined above
_____ The thesis/claim matches the requirements and goals of the assignment
_____ The thesis/claim is clear and easily recognizable
_____ The thesis/claim seems supportable by good reasoning/data, emotional appeal
Body Paragraphs
Summary: This resource outlines the generally accepted structure for introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions in an academic argument paper. Keep in mind that this resource contains guidelines and not strict rules about organization. Your structure needs to be flexible enough to meet the requirements of your purpose and audience.
Body Paragraphs: Moving from General to Specific Information
Your paper should be organized in a manner that moves from general to specific information. Every time you begin a new subject, think of an inverted pyramid - the broadest range of information sits at the top, and as the paragraph or paper progresses, the author becomes more and more focused on the argument ending with specific, detailed evidence supporting a claim. Lastly, the author explains how and why the information she has just provided connects to and supports her thesis (a brief wrap up or warrant).
The four elements of a good paragraph (TTEB)
A good paragraph should contain at least the following four elements: T ransition, T opic sentence, specific E vidence and analysis, and a B rief wrap-up sentence (also known as a warrant) – TTEB!
In order to present a fair and convincing message, you may need to anticipate, research, and outline some of the common positions (arguments) that dispute your thesis. If the situation (purpose) calls for you to do this, you will present and then refute these other positions in the rebuttal section of your essay.
It is important to consider other positions because in most cases, your primary audience will be fence-sitters. Fence-sitters are people who have not decided which side of the argument to support.
People who are on your side of the argument will not need a lot of information to align with your position. People who are completely against your argument - perhaps for ethical or religious reasons - will probably never align with your position no matter how much information you provide. Therefore, the audience you should consider most important are those people who haven't decided which side of the argument they will support - the fence-sitters.
In many cases, these fence-sitters have not decided which side to align with because they see value in both positions. Therefore, to not consider opposing positions to your own in a fair manner may alienate fence-sitters when they see that you are not addressing their concerns or discussion opposing positions at all.
Following the TTEB method outlined in the Body Paragraph section, forecast all the information that will follow in the rebuttal section and then move point by point through the other positions addressing each one as you go. The outline below, adapted from Seyler's Understanding Argument , is an example of a rebuttal section from a thesis essay.
When you rebut or refute an opposing position, use the following three-part organization:
The opponent’s argument – Usually, you should not assume that your reader has read or remembered the argument you are refuting. Thus at the beginning of your paragraph, you need to state, accurately and fairly, the main points of the argument you will refute.
Your position – Next, make clear the nature of your disagreement with the argument or position you are refuting. Your position might assert, for example, that a writer has not proved his assertion because he has provided evidence that is outdated, or that the argument is filled with fallacies.
Your refutation – The specifics of your counterargument will depend upon the nature of your disagreement. If you challenge the writer’s evidence, then you must present the more recent evidence. If you challenge assumptions, then you must explain why they do not hold up. If your position is that the piece is filled with fallacies, then you must present and explain each fallacy.
Conclusions
Conclusions wrap up what you have been discussing in your paper. After moving from general to specific information in the introduction and body paragraphs, your conclusion should begin pulling back into more general information that restates the main points of your argument. Conclusions may also call for action or overview future possible research. The following outline may help you conclude your paper:
In a general way,
Remember that once you accomplish these tasks, unless otherwise directed by your instructor, you are finished. Done. Complete. Don't try to bring in new points or end with a whiz bang(!) conclusion or try to solve world hunger in the final sentence of your conclusion. Simplicity is best for a clear, convincing message.
The preacher's maxim is one of the most effective formulas to follow for argument papers:
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An essay is a structured piece of writing that presents an argument, tells a story, or explores a topic in depth. In academic writing , the term academic essay is frequently used. This denotes a carefully crafted piece of writing that adheres to certain standards and conventions, aiming to contribute to existing discourse or to provide a fresh perspective. With this article, we will help you understand the basics of how to write an essay, so you can receive good grades on your next work.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
Before you start on how to write an essay, you should read the essay question or topic carefully. Know what’s being asked of you. In the next step, you gather information and ideas about the topic. Use books, articles, or other reputable sources. Afterward, outline your main points and decide on a thesis (your main argument or stance) and supporting arguments.
An essay is typically made up of three parts :
After you finish writing your essay, review your writing by paying attention to errors, clarity, and flow. Make sure your arguments are logical and well-presented. Check format, and citations (if any), and ensure it adheres to any guidelines given.
How to write an essay refers to the systematic process of creating a structured written piece that presents and supports a specific idea or argument. This process typically involves selecting a topic, conducting research, planning and organizing one’s thoughts, drafting the content, and revising for clarity and coherence. The final product, an essay, is often a combination of an introduction that presents the main idea (thesis), body paragraphs that provide evidence or examples supporting the thesis, and a conclusion that summarizes and reinforces the main points.
If you are eager to learn how to write an essay, keep these five types in mind:
Note: It is important to know what type of academic essay you have to write for your assignment. The type helps you to decide on a topic to write about as well as how to structure your essay outline.
When you are given a typical five-paragraph expository essay , you would simply spend most of your time writing in high school. However, if you are at university, a college-level argumentative essay is bound to be a more complex piece of writing. It demands extensive independent research from varied sources, has stricter guidelines, and often requires deeper critical thinking compared to the more straightforward or surface-level student papers in high school. Depending on where you are in your academic journey, there is a vast difference when it comes to how to write an essay.
The process of how to write an essay can be broadly distilled into three main points or stages: Pre-writing and planning, drafting, and revising and editing.
For the planning, you should:
During the drafting, you:
In the last step, you revise and edit your text. For this, you:
Below you find the steps on how to write an entire essay.
How to write an essay introduction is not difficult if you know what you should do. You have to lead into the topic and essay question, attract the reader’s attention, and give them a good idea of the focus of the essay. Use attention grabbers, also called hooks , like startling information, an anecdote, a dialogue, a strong statement, or a summary of the topic in general. Add a few more sentences to link the hook to your thesis statement, also called the topic sentence, that marks the end of the essay introduction .
From a child’s first taste of honey to the blooms in our gardens, honeybees touch our lives in unseen, myriad ways. These tiny workers, buzzing from flower to flower, play a crucial role in pollination, ensuring the reproduction of many of our favorite plants. However, the mysterious decline in honeybee populations poses a significant threat to our ecosystem. This essay will explore the significance of honeybees in our ecosystem, delve into the potential reasons behind their alarming decline, and propose solutions to address this growing crisis.
Each of the main ideas in your outline will become one paragraph. Each of those paragraphs follows the same basic structure. First, you have to write down your main ideas. Then you add your supporting points as well as an elaboration (description, explanation, etc.) for each point. Lastly, round it up with a closing sentence. Make sure to use connections between sentences with the help of transition words , so the change in topic does not come abruptly.
Honeybees are not merely producers of honey; they are pivotal players in the world’s food chain. According to a report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), over 75% of the world’s food crops rely to some extent on animal pollination, with honeybees being among the most effective pollinators. This means that fruits such as apples, nuts like almonds, and even the coffee beans that make our morning brew, owe their existence in large part to the tireless work of these bees. The evidence underscores the gravity of the situation: a world with a declining bee population is one that risks significant disruption in its food supply chain. Such a decline doesn’t only spell trouble for the plants directly dependent on bees, but also for the animals and humans that consume those plants, creating a cascading effect on the larger ecosystem.
You have to summarize your main points as well as give a final perspective on the topic. Help your reader to draw a logical conclusion from what they just read. Repack your thesis statement in your conclusion so that the reader can remember the individual steps taken to come to this conclusion. Moreover, you should answer questions like: What are the implications of your topic sentence being true? What comes next? What questions remained unanswered?
The waning number of honeybees in our environment is not just a matter of ecological concern, but a looming crisis that touches every facet of our lives. As we’ve explored, these industrious insects are instrumental in the pollination of a vast majority of our food crops, a process vital to our global food supply chain. The evidence from reputable sources, such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, affirms the profound role honeybees play in sustaining our diets and of countless species. But beyond the tangible effects on food, the decline of honeybees serves as a potent reminder of the intricate, interconnected web of life and our role within it. If such a small creature can have such a vast impact on our world, it behooves us to take their decline as a clarion call. The broader implication is clear: preserving and nurturing our environment is not just an ethical duty; it’s a matter of survival, urging us to act with purpose.
Come up with an intriguing title that arouses the reader’s interest. Furthermore, take your time to do the formatting of your paper. You also might want to put the paragraphs in a different order. Check the instructions again because you might have to include other information (name, date, etc.). Handing in a well-formatted academic essay makes a good impression on your instructor.
When it comes to how to write an essay, revision is the key to success. You have to analyze your writing to figure out if it makes logical sense and if there is a natural flow that makes it easy to read. Is every main idea supported by enough evidence, did you make clear how ideas are linked? Run a spelling and grammar checker to be on the safe side. Moreover, ask a friend to read your academic essay to give you feedback. Occasionally, you cannot see the mistakes when it comes to your writing. Having another opinion on your paper helps you with your revisions.
Each paragraph should have an introductory, topic-based sentence as well as a concluding sentence that draws a link to the topic and critically summarizes your argument.
Follow with sentences that provide evidence or examples to back up the topic sentence. This can include data, quotations, anecdotes, or explanations. Delve deeper into the significance of the supporting details in relation to your main argument. Explain how the evidence supports the topic sentence and contributes to the overall thesis of the essay.
Furthermore, you should pay attention to coherence, consistency, flow, variety, and relevance.
In the following, you will find samples of how to write an essay. Here, you can read several essay types , whether to help you get started or if you’re simply unsure how to distinguish them.
Below, you will find a list of the dos and don’ts of how to write an essay.
The typical essay structure is easier to understand than the structure of a dissertation or thesis. There are many types of essays, but the structure remains mostly unchanged. You start with the introduction, then the body paragraphs, and finally, the conclusion.
To start your essay, you first need an appropriate research paper topic . Ensure that your topic fits within the guidelines set by your institution, and it’s not too broad or narrow. Then, formulate your thesis statement and begin outlining a plan for your academic essay. Once you’re finished, you can start on how to write an essay.
A good essay introduction will begin with an opening statement that grabs the reader’s attention and draws them in. Then, you give a bit of background information and lay out the structure for the reader. The thesis statement should be placed towards the end of the introduction, as it provides one to two sentences of a summary of your essay and the main idea.
The five steps on how to write an essay are the following.
A good essay is clear, coherent, well-organized, presents strong arguments supported by relevant evidence, and is written with a consistent style and proper grammar. Furthermore, it starts with a bold statement and ends with an impactful conclusion.
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Introductions: getting readers to bite.
The first sentence of every essay, poem, or novel is perhaps the most important because a reader will immediately use the first sentence to develop impressions and make assumptions about a writer’s style, voice, and purpose. Thoughtful writers begin every piece of writing with a unique lure (or hook) that will attract the attention of readers and entice them to “bite” (read an essay or listen to an idea). Startling examples, surprising statistics, and sophisticated questions are a few effective strategies for opening sentences of academic essays. Quotations can be useful if they are relevant to the topic and will be referenced elsewhere in the essay. Generic statements like “Throughout history,” and other clichés like “according to the dictionary” should be avoided for most essays unless you are using them to make a specific point for a specific audience and purpose.
Beginning with your first sentence, the goal of an introduction is to guide readers toward your thesis. You can effectively guide readers from your opening sentence to your working thesis summarizing your topic, identifying important authors or sources you will be analyzing or referencing, and sharing the question at issue that your thesis seeks to answer.
A thesis is a focused sentence that provides your reader with your interpretation of a topic or text and the primary reasoning or evidence that supports your position. Context is information about your topic that you want to make sure your audience knows upfront so they can understand the argument you are trying to make in your thesis. Consider the audience and purpose of your writing task and whether you are writing to a general, specialized, or very specific set of readers. Developing context forms a connection between the creative flourish of your opening lines and the clarity and concision of your thesis.
A thesis provides your reader a controlling idea and main point of focus as they read through the body paragraphs and conclusion of an essay. What makes a thesis focused?
Dog lovers, get your counterarguments ready. The three examples below provide a basic example of how to develop a focused thesis:
The example sentence is a claim but not a thesis because it provides no reasoning or evidence to support the claim. Opinions like “I think everyone should take the bus to work twice a week” only become thesis statements when they are supported with reasoning or evidence. Without reasoning or evidence, a person reading this example thesis would have very little sense of how the writer will defend this claim or why the writer thinks that cats are smarter than dogs
The second example sentence is off to a better start than the first example because it makes a claim and also provides reasoning and evidence to support the claim. However, there are too many reasons to develop in a relatively short essay and some of the evidence may be difficult to research or defend. Developing a working thesis, even at the preliminary stages of a writing project, can provide you with purpose and a place to start as you begin to outline and draft your essays.
The third example may not be perfect but presents a position on the topic and narrows the focus of the topic sufficiently to continue the writing process. In this case, there will certainly be dog-lovers ready to provide counterarguments and alternative perspectives.
Power words like because , although , therefore , since , despite , rather than , more than , less than , along with , and considering that are all examples of transitional and metacognitive word and phrases that can be used to create specificity and complexity in a thesis. Try using different kinds of power words as you draft your thesis statement to help you connect your claim with your primary reason or evidence for making the claim. While there is no singular method or formula for writing the perfect thesis for every paper, developing a solid working thesis for an academic essay can help you be more efficient while researching, outlining, drafting, and revising. A great thesis will crystalize your idea for you reader and help them remember the most important thing you want them to take away from your essays.
Conclusions merit consideration right alongside introductions because the two types of paragraphs (or sections of longer essays) perform similar functions. Conclusions and introductions both summarize, contextualize, condense, and synthesize the main ideas you hope to convey to your readers. Conclusions discuss the implications of the thesis, defend the organization of the essay, and leave the reader with something to mull over without distracting them with new information about the topic. Writers often reach the final paragraph and feel tired or stressed as the clock ticks away toward a deadline. Having composed your introduction and body paragraphs to demonstrate your thesis, what is left to say but “That’s all folks! Thanks for reading!” Writing effective conclusions that do not simply restate but demonstrate the significance and implications of your thesis statement can help you to leave a lasting impact on any audience. Here are some tips for ensuring that lasting impact is positive.
Writing as Inquiry Copyright © 2021 by Kara Clevinger and Stephen Rust is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
How do I write an introduction? How do I write the body of an essay? How do I write a conclusion? How do I use all of these to write an amazing essay that will get me an A-plus? Check out our tips below to learn how you can improve your papers and essay grades in easy ways.
The introduction has a couple purposes.
1. Get the reader interested in your paper
2. Tell the reader what you are writing about
3. The introduction may explain why the topic is relevant or why you have written the paper (without saying 'I wrote this because...'. Never use "I" in an essay.
Getting the reader interested in your essay is VERY important! This is the difference between an essay that gets a B and an essay that gets an A. The introduction to your essay gets people excited and interested in the topic, and to that, you must talk about the topic as thought it is exciting. If you are bored by your topic and you show it, your reader will be bored. This may not sound important, but it is.
In a newspaper article, the writer wants you to be interested enough to read the article, so they start off with something exciting and maybe show a little bit of mystery. That is what you want to do in your intro.
Some ways to get your reader interested are:
1. Start with a quote that is related to your topic
2. Start with a short story or anecdote that is related to your topic. If it is a book, you can start by describing in a few sentences a poignant scene of the book and then relating it to what you will be writing about. A memorable scene or one with suspense, or intrigue works well - but use only a few sentences to describe it.
3. If your essay is about a book or poem, pull one of the important phrases to use as a quote to get you started
After that, you have to state why you included the quote. For instance, if you are writing about Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn, you could choose a quote from the book or you could choose a quote about something related to the book. It works well is the quote is slightly ironic or has a double meaning or talks about some great truth that relates to life as a whole and relates to the book. You can explain briefly why this is important, and get people interested in your topic because they understand why the topic applies to life. See the introduction sample below for an example of how to do this.
Title: The evolving role of friendship in Huckleberry Finn
"This communicating of a man's self to his friend works two contrary effects; for it redoubleth joys, and cutteth griefs in half." (Gets the reader's attention)
If Huckleberry Finn, Jim and Tom Sawyer heard this quote by Francis Bacon, they would have all agreed with the sentiment, and yet each in his own way. (This sets up a bit of mystery - the reader wonders what you mean by such a statement.) Each character in Mark Twain's novel, "Huckleberry Finn", has a markedly different approach to friendship. This multi-faceted and changeable definition of friendship is one reason Twain's story has fascinated readers for more than one hundred years.
1. For the body of your essay, use your thesis statement to create three parts.
2. The first part is the point of your thesis statement. The second part is your second point and the third point is your third section.
3. Within each section, you will use sub-points to prove your big point. This isn't as hard as it sounds.
4. Start each section with a mini-thesis statement that tells the reader what that section is going to be about.
One reason Martin Luther King Jr was a great leader is that he motivated others to take action. (State the paragraph by telling people what they will read about) . He inspired common people to get involved (sub-point 1) , he inspired leaders to listen to him (sub-point 2) and he was an effective communicator whose speeches and sermons influenced people's opinions (sub-point 3) .
In the following paragraphs just give some examples that prove those points. For example, you can say that he inspired common people to get involved because many people marched in the streets with Dr. King. Or you can point out that he was covered by the media which meant many people heard what he said. You can also say that people read his writings, which inspired them to get involved.
1. Re-state your thesis statement and your three points that went with it.
2. Add some new idea at the end, some kind of 'kicker' that gives the essay something special. Again, this is VERY important and the difference between a B and an A paper.
3. The special bit at the end could be something that says why the topic is relevant to people today, something ironic, something poetic, or could even point out something obvious that is related to your topic. It could also call the listener into action by telling them what they can do about the topic or how it applies to the reader's own life. It could also ask a question or make the reader think about what could happen in the future with the topic.
In conclusion, changes in women's fashion trends have matched how the average woman's life has changed over the past century and half approximately. Those changes could be seen in the way that fashion fit with lifestyle changes for women from 1850-1900, from 1900-1950 and from 1950 to the present. (Thesis statement and restate your points - summarize what the reader just read about)
The question now is how fashion will change over the next 50 years to reflect the changing lifestyles of women. Will the fashion continue to keep pace with our fast-paced, ever-changing, global world? (Ask the reader some question to make them wonder) / The answer should be self-evident: as we change, so we will change the clothes we wear and the appearance we try to show to the world. It has been true throughout time, and will continue into the next century. (This reinforces the point you've just made in the essay and gives the reader the idea that the essay is now finished) .
More information : We hope this page was helpful and provided you with some information about how to write the introduction, body and conclusion of an essay . Check out our main page for more articles here Can U Write .
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Created specifically for Ms. Bielecki's ENC courses, this page provides a brief introduction to the parts of an academic essay . (Click the tabs above for help with other aspects of writing, including process, audience, purpose, style, tone, rhetorical modes, research, citation, and grammar.) Scroll down to find supplemental resources on thesis statements, introductions, support (body paragraphs), transitions, and conclusions. Also, find links to online writing labs (OWLs) and embedded videos, as well as information on how to get HCC's free tutoring in person or online.
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How to organize ideas in the body of an essay:
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Introduction.
The purpose of this LibGuide is to provide guidelines for preparing and submitting your honors thesis through the Centennial Honors College at Western Illinois University . This document is intended to be used in conjunction with the guidelines provided by your academic department. The length and scope of honors theses vary by discipline, but they share some common characteristics:
An honors thesis is your original research , not a summary of research that has been already published. AI use in an honors thesis is discouraged. However, any usage of an AI tool must be explicitly approved by your thesis advisor, and you must publish the entire input and response used in an appendix (as screenshots). The entire thesis must comply with the University's Academic Integrity Policy .
An honors thesis is a culmination of your undergraduate study at WIU. It goes beyond any project or paper done for a course, but it may expand upon a term paper written for a course.
An honors thesis has an audience that is wider than that of an assignment written for a class. In writing an honors thesis, you are contributing to the body of knowledge in your discipline.
An honors thesis is a substantial written manuscript of at least 20 double-spaced pages, but the length often is considerably longer. In some disciplines, the length might be shorter. If your thesis is shorter than 20 pages, you should obtain explicit approval by the chair of your department/school. The appropriate length often mirrors the length of a typical journal article in the discipline.
An honors thesis demonstrates substantial knowledge of a topic, as evidenced by a range of authoritative and appropriate sources in the works cited/references list.
An honors thesis showcases your very best academic work.
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Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.
An argumentative essay expresses an extended argument for a particular thesis statement . The author takes a clearly defined stance on their subject and builds up an evidence-based case for it.
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When do you write an argumentative essay, approaches to argumentative essays, introducing your argument, the body: developing your argument, concluding your argument, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about argumentative essays.
You might be assigned an argumentative essay as a writing exercise in high school or in a composition class. The prompt will often ask you to argue for one of two positions, and may include terms like “argue” or “argument.” It will frequently take the form of a question.
The prompt may also be more open-ended in terms of the possible arguments you could make.
At university, the vast majority of essays or papers you write will involve some form of argumentation. For example, both rhetorical analysis and literary analysis essays involve making arguments about texts.
In this context, you won’t necessarily be told to write an argumentative essay—but making an evidence-based argument is an essential goal of most academic writing, and this should be your default approach unless you’re told otherwise.
At a university level, all the prompts below imply an argumentative essay as the appropriate response.
Your research should lead you to develop a specific position on the topic. The essay then argues for that position and aims to convince the reader by presenting your evidence, evaluation and analysis.
An argumentative essay should be objective in its approach; your arguments should rely on logic and evidence, not on exaggeration or appeals to emotion.
There are many possible approaches to argumentative essays, but there are two common models that can help you start outlining your arguments: The Toulmin model and the Rogerian model.
The Toulmin model consists of four steps, which may be repeated as many times as necessary for the argument:
The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays. You don’t have to use these specific terms (grounds, warrants, rebuttals), but establishing a clear connection between your claims and the evidence supporting them is crucial in an argumentative essay.
Say you’re making an argument about the effectiveness of workplace anti-discrimination measures. You might:
The Rogerian model also consists of four steps you might repeat throughout your essay:
This model builds up a clear picture of both sides of an argument and seeks a compromise. It is particularly useful when people tend to disagree strongly on the issue discussed, allowing you to approach opposing arguments in good faith.
Say you want to argue that the internet has had a positive impact on education. You might:
You don’t necessarily have to pick one of these models—you may even use elements of both in different parts of your essay—but it’s worth considering them if you struggle to structure your arguments.
Regardless of which approach you take, your essay should always be structured using an introduction , a body , and a conclusion .
Like other academic essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction . The introduction serves to capture the reader’s interest, provide background information, present your thesis statement , and (in longer essays) to summarize the structure of the body.
Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.
The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.
The body of an argumentative essay is where you develop your arguments in detail. Here you’ll present evidence, analysis, and reasoning to convince the reader that your thesis statement is true.
In the standard five-paragraph format for short essays, the body takes up three of your five paragraphs. In longer essays, it will be more paragraphs, and might be divided into sections with headings.
Each paragraph covers its own topic, introduced with a topic sentence . Each of these topics must contribute to your overall argument; don’t include irrelevant information.
This example paragraph takes a Rogerian approach: It first acknowledges the merits of the opposing position and then highlights problems with that position.
Hover over different parts of the example to see how a body paragraph is constructed.
A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.
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An argumentative essay ends with a conclusion that summarizes and reflects on the arguments made in the body.
No new arguments or evidence appear here, but in longer essays you may discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your argument and suggest topics for future research. In all conclusions, you should stress the relevance and importance of your argument.
Hover over the following example to see the typical elements of a conclusion.
The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education; occasional pitfalls aside, its value is evident in numerous applications. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. As the popularity of distance learning shows, students value the flexibility and accessibility offered by digital education, and educators should fully embrace these advantages. The internet’s dangers, real and imaginary, have been documented exhaustively by skeptics, but the internet is here to stay; it is time to focus seriously on its potential for good.
If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!
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An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.
An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.
At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).
Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.
The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .
The majority of the essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Unless otherwise specified, you can assume that the goal of any essay you’re asked to write is argumentative: To convince the reader of your position using evidence and reasoning.
In composition classes you might be given assignments that specifically test your ability to write an argumentative essay. Look out for prompts including instructions like “argue,” “assess,” or “discuss” to see if this is the goal.
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
Caulfield, J. (2023, July 23). How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips. Scribbr. Retrieved August 7, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/argumentative-essay/
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IMAGES
COMMENTS
Part I: The Introduction. An introduction is usually the first paragraph of your academic essay. If you're writing a long essay, you might need 2 or 3 paragraphs to introduce your topic to your reader. A good introduction does 2 things: Gets the reader's attention. You can get a reader's attention by telling a story, providing a statistic ...
The basic structure of an essay always consists of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. But for many students, the most difficult part of structuring an essay is deciding how to organize information within the body. This article provides useful templates and tips to help you outline your essay, make decisions about your structure, and ...
Step 1: Hook your reader. Step 2: Give background information. Step 3: Present your thesis statement. Step 4: Map your essay's structure. Step 5: Check and revise. More examples of essay introductions. Other interesting articles. Frequently asked questions about the essay introduction.
Your introduction contains your thesis statement. Body: The paragraphs in between your introduction and conclusion. The body of your paper supports the main point of your paper. Topic Sentence: The sentence at the beginning of each body paragraph. It explains the main point that paragraph is going to make. Conclusion: The last paragraph of your ...
This article provides an effective technique for writing a conclusion adapted from Erika Eby's The College Student's Guide to Writing a Good Research Paper: 101 Easy Tips & Tricks to Make Your Work Stand Out.. While the thesis introduction starts out with broad statements about the topic, and then narrows it down to the thesis statement, a thesis conclusion does the same in the opposite order.
An introduction serves the following purposes: Establishes your voice and tone, or your attitude, toward the subject. Introduces the general topic of the essay. States the thesis that will be supported in the body paragraphs. First impressions are crucial and can leave lasting effects in your reader's mind, which is why the introduction is so ...
To help guide your reader, end your introduction with an outline of the structure of the thesis or dissertation to follow. Share a brief summary of each chapter, clearly showing how each contributes to your central aims. However, be careful to keep this overview concise: 1-2 sentences should be enough. Note.
An introduction is usually the first paragraph of your academic essay. If you're writing a long essay, you might need 2 or 3 paragraphs to introduce your topic to your reader. A good introduction does 2 things: Gets the reader's attention. You can get a reader's attention by telling a story, providing a statistic, pointing out something ...
The thesis introduction, usually chapter 1, is one of the most important chapters of a thesis. It sets the scene. It previews key arguments and findings. And it helps the reader to understand the structure of the thesis. In short, a lot is riding on this first chapter. With the following tips, you can write
The thesis acts as a roadmap for the entire essay. The point you are trying to prove is stated in the thesis, and generally falls at the end of the introductory paragraph. In the body paragraphs you delve deeper into the points made in your intro paragraph. Following the last body paragraph, you will provide a conclusion paragraph. In your ...
Leaving a paper "dangling" without a proper conclusion can seriously devalue what was said in the body itself. Here are a few effective ways to conclude or close your paper. » Summary Closing Many times conclusions are simple re-statements of the thesis. Many times these conclusions are much like their introductions (see Thesis Statement ...
The paragraphs that make up any essay fall into three categories: introduction, body, and conclusion. See details on what should be included in these parts of an academic essay below and/or within our Basic Essay Structure Infographic . Introduction. is the first paragraph of an academic paper.
Step 2: Summarize and reflect on your research. Step 3: Make future recommendations. Step 4: Emphasize your contributions to your field. Step 5: Wrap up your thesis or dissertation. Full conclusion example. Conclusion checklist. Other interesting articles. Frequently asked questions about conclusion sections.
Conclusions: Conclusions need to wrap up all of the main ideas talked about in the essay and show how all of the main points relate back to the thesis to help prove the claim that the thesis suggests.(The main points are the "so what" clause, and in the conclusion, writers need to sum up how the "so what" clause relates to the claim.) Make sure to stick with the main ideas and do not ...
Conclusions wrap up what you have been discussing in your paper. After moving from general to specific information in the introduction and body paragraphs, your conclusion should begin pulling back into more general information that restates the main points of your argument. Conclusions may also call for action or overview future possible research.
Use books, articles, or other reputable sources. Afterward, outline your main points and decide on a thesis (your main argument or stance) and supporting arguments. An essay is typically made up of three parts: Introduction. Body. Conclusion. After you finish writing your essay, review your writing by paying attention to errors, clarity, and flow.
Conclusions merit consideration right alongside introductions because the two types of paragraphs (or sections of longer essays) perform similar functions. Conclusions and introductions both summarize, contextualize, condense, and synthesize the main ideas you hope to convey to your readers. Conclusions discuss the implications of the thesis ...
Step 1: Return to your thesis. To begin your conclusion, signal that the essay is coming to an end by returning to your overall argument. Don't just repeat your thesis statement —instead, try to rephrase your argument in a way that shows how it has been developed since the introduction. Example: Returning to the thesis.
1. For the body of your essay, use your thesis statement to create three parts. 2. The first part is the point of your thesis statement. The second part is your second point and the third point is your third section. 3. Within each section, you will use sub-points to prove your big point. This isn't as hard as it sounds.
The Parts of an Essay: Thesis Statement, Introduction, Body Paragraphs (Support), Topic Sentences, Transitions, and Conclusion. Created specifically for Ms. Bielecki's ENC courses, this page provides a brief introduction to the parts of an academic essay. (Click the tabs above for help with other aspects of writing, including process, audience ...
Argumentative paper: Restate your thesis and arguments. In an argumentative paper, you will have presented a thesis statement in your introduction, expressing the overall claim your paper argues for. In the conclusion, you should restate the thesis and show how it has been developed through the body of the paper.
An honors thesis has an audience that is wider than that of an assignment written for a class. In writing an honors thesis, you are contributing to the body of knowledge in your discipline. An honors thesis is a substantial written manuscript of at least 20 double-spaced pages, but the length often is considerably longer.
The body: Developing your argument. The body of an argumentative essay is where you develop your arguments in detail. Here you'll present evidence, analysis, and reasoning to convince the reader that your thesis statement is true. In the standard five-paragraph format for short essays, the body takes up three of your five paragraphs.