Writing Essays

Writing Essays It should provide some background information on the specific problem or issue you are addressing, and should clearly outline your answer. Depending on your faculty or school, ‘your answer’ may be referred to as your position, contention, thesis or main argument. Whatever term is used, this is essentially your response to the essay question, which is based on the research you have undertaken. While like an expository essay in its presentation of facts, the goal of the persuasive essay is to convince the reader to accept the writer’s point of view or recommendation. In order to substantiate your argument, you will also need to offer evidence. This could include examples or quotations from authoritative sources. A writer might describe a person, place, object, or even memory of special significance. However, this type of essay is not description for description’s sake. The descriptive essay strives to communicate a deeper meaning through the description. You don’t have to stay in one place and write from beginning to end. Give yourself the freedom to write as if you’re circling around your topic rather than making a single, straightforward argument. Then, when you edit, you can make sure everything lines up correctly. When I used this technique, my professors sometimes mentioned that my papers were very “source” heavy. However, at the same time, they always gave me A’s. The writer must build a case using facts and logic, as well as examples, expert opinion, and sound reasoning. The writer should present all sides of the argument, but must be able to communicate clearly and without equivocation why a certain position is correct. A cousin of the narrative essay, a descriptive essay paints a picture with words. Like the five sentence trick, this technique makes the writing process simpler. Instead of putting the main focus on writing well, it instead forces you toresearchwell, which some students find easier. The purpose of the introduction is to give your reader a clear idea of what your essay will cover. In a previous online tutorial video we introduced you to a real-life assignment question and talked about how to structure the introduction to an essay. Notice the keywords including academic learning and literacy centres and the most effective approach. It’s very important to ensure that you fully analyse and understand the question before you start writing. Ultimately, your conclusion must demonstrate that you have fully answered the question. Please keep in mind the keywords ‘in red’, which we will identify in our sample conclusion in a moment. Always recall the essay question as you write and continually link your body paragraphs to the essay question. In a descriptive essay, the writer should show, not tell, through the use of colorful words and sensory details. The best descriptive essays appeal to the reader’s emotions, with a result that is highly evocative. Essays are a common form of assessment in many tertiary-level disciplines. The ability to construct good essays involves understanding the process and the conventions of essay writing. The more experience you get in writing essays, the more comfortable you will become with this genre. Whenever you do use evidence you should follow the referencing guidelines that have been specified by your tutor or lecturer. The body of your essay will consist of paragraphs which function as building blocks in the construction of your overall paper. The body is where you demonstrate your knowledge and grasp of the material that you have read. It’s also where you develop a discussion or argument. To ensure your writing is cohesive and coherent - use linking words. Try to synthesise your evidence into each body paragraph in order to substantiate your points.