Lecture Essay writing & presentation skills - Lecture 5: Essay writing skills

The main contents of the chapter consist of the following: What is paragraph? examples of paragraph writing what is essay? what makes a good essay? dos and don''ts, how to write an essay? essay format.

Essay Writing

Skills

Lecture 5

Topic Highlights

• What is Paragraph?

• Examples of Paragraph writing

• What is Essay?

• What makes a good essay?

• Dos and Don'ts

• How to Write an Essay?

• Essay Format 3

What is a paragraph?

• It is a group of sentences that

introduces, presents and develops one main idea about the topic.

• It can be divided into three major

parts

– Topic Sentence (Beginning)

– Supporting Details (Middle)

– Closing Sentence(End)

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•   Normally the first sentence of the

paragraph

• Conveys the overall point of view

of the paragraph

• Helps the writer focus on the

idea written about

• Helps the reader know about what

the paragraph is all about6

a) The Topic Sentence

• Sentences used to support the

main idea stated in the topic

sentence

• Provide information about the main

idea through examples

• Provide clear evidence that what

the topic sentence says is trustworthy

• Strong convincing points on

which the topic sentence can rely upon

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b) The Supporting Details

•   Reflection of the main idea pronounced in the

topic sentence

• Sums up what the topic sentence and the

supporting details talk about

• Closing sentence reminds the readers of what

they have to value

• It is compulsory for the completion of the

paragraph unity

• Indicates the end of a paragraph

• Prepares the reader for a smooth transition

to the next paragraph if there is one

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c) The Concluding Sentence

Example: 1 TOPIC SENTENCE

SUPPORTING DETAILS

CLOSING SENTENCE

There are three reasons why Canada is one

of the best countries in the world First, Canada has an excellent health care system All Canadians have access to medical services at a reasonable price Second, Canada has a high standard of education Students are taught by well- trained teachers and are encouraged to continue studying at university Finally, Canada's cities are clean and efficiently managed Canadian cities have many parks and lots of space for people to live As a result, Canada is a desirable place to live 9

Example: 2 TOPIC SENTENCE

SUPPORTING DETAILS

CLOSING SENTENCE

I don't like tests Every time I take a test, I feel nervous When I study for a test, I don't know if I will be able to get a good grade Often I worry about taking a test and can't sleep Sometimes I daydream or draw pictures in class After the test is over, I worry about my grade When my teacher gives the test back to me with a grade, I still can't relax because I know I will have another test soon Tests give me a lot of stress, that is why I don't like tests.10

Example: 3 TOPIC SENTENCE

SUPPORTING DETAILS

CLOSING SENTENCE

Cats are good pets You don't have to take a cat for a walk every day like a dog You do not have to wash cats because they know how to clean themselves If you want to go on vacation, you can leave some food and water for your cat and it will be okay A cat can sleep on your bed and keep you warm at night I think these things make cats good pets. 11

Paragraph Writing Exercise

Q Write an excellent paragraph on the following topic on a separate sheet of paper

Topic: Friendship

1 Make sure your paragraph has a topic sentence.

2 Make sure you provide at least 3 sentences that support

your main idea

3 Make sure you have a closing sentence

4 Check that all your sentences focus on the main idea.

★ Circle your topic sentence Number your

supporting details Underline the conclusion.12

Essay Writing

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What is an Essay?

15

verb “exigere”, which means to:

– Examine

– Test

– Drive out

given this definition?

What makes a good essay?

• Good structure:

– clear introduction

– well crafted middle

– clear and appropriate conclusion

What makes a good essay?

• Well written:

– grammatical;

– correct spelling and punctuation;

– good sentence structure

– paragraphing and use of linking words and phrases

– Fully referenced using Harvard system

Assessing your Work Against

an Example Essay

the structure and organisation Identify

strengths and weaknesses.

• Is there a clear introduction to guide the reader?

• Are key concepts clearly communicated?

• Does the writing progress/have a sense of direction?

• Is there a clear and appropriate conclusion?

DOS & DONTS

DOS

• Prepare well in advance

• Write a first draft, leave and come back to it later

• Keep your focus on the question

• Edit carefully for sense, spelling, grammar and punctuation

DONTS

• Write all you know about a topic

• Leave till the last minute

How to write an

Essay?

how to write an essay?

• An essay can have many purposes, but the basic

structure is the same no matter what

• E.g You may be writing an essay to argue for a

particular point of view or to explain the steps necessary

to complete a task.

• If you follow a few simple steps, you will find that the

essay almost writes itself You will be responsible only for supplying ideas, which are the important part of the

essay anyway.

Don't let the thought of putting pen to paper

daunt you Get started!

Essay Format

These simple steps will guide you through the essay writing process:

• Decide on your topic.

• Prepare an outline or diagram of your ideas.

• Write your thesis statement.

• Write the body.

• Write the main points.

• Write the subpoints.

• Elaborate on the subpoints.

• Write the introduction.

• Write the conclusion.

• Add the finishing touches.

Choosing a Topic

You may have no choice as to your topic If this is the case, you still may not be ready to jump to the next step Think about the type of paper you

are expected to produce Should it be a general overview, or a specific

analysis of the topic? If it should be an overview, then you are probably

ready to move to the next step If it should be a specific analysis, make sure your topic is fairly specific If it is too general, you must choose a

narrower subtopic to discuss.

For example, the topic "KENYA" is a general one If your objective is to

write an overview, this topic is suitable If your objective is to write a

specific analysis, this topic is too general You must narrow it to something

like "Politics in Kenya" or "Kenya's Culture”

Once you have determined that your topic will be suitable, you can move on.

Organizing Your Ideas

Writing Your Outline

• Begin your outline by writing your topic at the top of the

• If you are trying to persuade, you want to write

your best arguments.

• If you are trying to explain a process, you want to

write the steps that should be followed

• If you are trying to inform, you want to write the

major categories into which your information can be divided.

• Under each Roman numeral, write A, B, and C down

the left side of the page.

• Next to each letter, write the facts or information that

support that main idea.

• When you have finished, you have the basic structure for your essay and are ready to continue.

Composing a Thesis

Statement

• The thesis statement tells the reader what the

essay will be about, and what point you, the

author, will be making

– You know what the essay will be about

– That was your topic

– Now you must look at your outline or diagram and

decide what point you will be making

– What do the main ideas and supporting ideas that you listed say about your topic?

Writing the Body Paragraphs

• The topic you have chosen must now be:

– explained

– described, or

– argued

• Each main idea that you wrote down in your

diagram or outline will become one of the body paragraphs

• If you had three or four main ideas, you will have three or four body paragraphs

– Each body paragraph will have the same basic structure of writing a paragraph

Write the Introduction and

Conclusion

Your essay lacks only two paragraphs

now: the introduction and the conclusion These paragraphs will give the reader a point of entry to and a point of exit from your essay.

Don't stop just yet! One more step remains before your essay is truly

finished.

• The conclusion brings closure to the reader, summing up your points or providing a final perspective on your topic All the conclusion needs is three or four strong sentences which do not need to follow any set formula Simply review the main points (being careful not to restate them exactly) or briefly describe your feelings about the topic Even an anecdote can end your essay in a useful way The introduction and conclusion complete the paragraphs of your essay

Add the Finishing Touches

paragraphs of your essay

product, however, you must give some thought to the formatting of your paper.

– Check the order of your paragraphs

– Check the instructions for the assignment

– Check your writing

Once you have checked your work

and perfected your formatting,

your essay is finished.

Congratulations!

Formal Writing Rules

• Do not use the first or second person (I, my, we, us)

• Do not use contractions (can’t, won’t, doesn’t)

• Do not use metaphors or figures of speech

• Avoid saying “The essay will discuss ” or “In my opinion ”

• Avoid using “a lot” If you do use it, take care not to repeat it often.

• Avoid redundancy and repetition

• Be specific Do not be vague Do not use words such as “things” or “many

examples”

• Always follow MLA format

• Font Style: Use size 12 pt font, Times New Roman, and standard 1” margins

• EDIT, EDIT, EDIT!

• Save your rough work.

• When writing about literature, always write in the present tense.

• I.e “The Hamlet is a novel of Shakespeare” not “The Hamlet was a novel

of Shakespeare”

• Essays should be submitted with one staple in the top left hand corner Do not put them in folders

MLA Format

• No separate title page In the top left corner of the first page of

your essay, write:

after the title page

way:

toes” (Wyndham 6).

MLA Continued

Second quote from the same source, no need for the author’s name

toes” (6)

quoted from in your essay

The format for the Works Cited:

last name and the page number are still included in the top right corner.)

according to the author’s last name

• Last name, First name Title of Book City published: Publisher, Year.

• Paragraph is a group of sentences that

introduces, presents and develops one main idea about the topic

• Examples of Paragraph writing

• An essay is an organized collection of

your thoughts on a particular topic

• What makes a good essay?

• Dos and Don'ts

• How to Write an Essay?

• Essay Format

Summary

• www.worldofteaching.com

References