Expository essays uses arguments to investigate and explain a topic. Persuasive essays try to convince the readers to believe or accept your specific point of view Narrative essays tell about a real-life personal experience. Descriptive essays are used to communicate deeper meaning through the use of descriptive words and sensory details.
Look through books or use search engines online to look at the broad topic before narrowing your ideas down into something more concise.
For example, the statement “Elephants are used to perform in circuses” does not offer an arguable point. Instead, you may try something like “Elephants should not be kept in the circus since they are mistreated. ” This allows you to find supporting arguments or for others to argue against it. Keep in mind that some essay writing will not require an argument, such as a narrative essay. Instead, you might focus on a pivotal point in the story as your main claim.
For example, the statement “Elephants are used to perform in circuses” does not offer an arguable point. Instead, you may try something like “Elephants should not be kept in the circus since they are mistreated. ” This allows you to find supporting arguments or for others to argue against it. Keep in mind that some essay writing will not require an argument, such as a narrative essay. Instead, you might focus on a pivotal point in the story as your main claim.
Talk to your school’s librarian for direction on specific books or databases you could use to find your information. Many schools offer access to online databases like EBSCO or JSTOR where you can find reliable information. Wikipedia is a great starting place for your research, but it can be edited by anyone in the world. Instead, look at the article’s references to find the sites where the information really came from. Use Google Scholar if you want to find peer-reviewed scholarly articles for your sources. Make sure to consider the author’s credibility when reviewing sources. If a source does not include the author’s name, then it might not be a good option.
Outlines will vary in size or length depending on how long your essay needs to be. Longer essays will have more body paragraphs to support your arguments.
Make sure your quotes or information are accurate and not an exaggeration of the truth, or else readers will question your validity throughout the rest of your essay.
For example, “Because global warming is causing the polar ice caps to melt, we need to eliminate our reliance on fossil fuels within the next 5 years. ” Or, “Since flavored tobacco appeals mainly to children and teens, it should be illegal for tobacco manufacturers to sell these products. ” The thesis is usually the last or second to last sentence in your introduction.
Use the main topics of your body paragraphs as an idea of what to include in your mini-outline.
Think of your topic sentences as mini-theses so your paragraphs only argue a specific point.
Many high school essays are written in MLA or APA style. Ask your teacher what format they want you to follow if it’s not specified.
Unless you’re writing a personal essay, avoid the use of “I” statements since this could make your essay look less professional.
For example, if your body paragraphs discuss similar points in a different way, you can use phrases like “in the same way,” “similarly,” and “just as” to start other body paragraphs. If you are posing different points, try phrases like “in spite of,” “in contrast,” or “however” to transition.
For example, if your thesis was, “The cell phone is the most important invention in the past 30 years,” then you may restate the thesis in your conclusion like, “Due to the ability to communicate anywhere in the world and access information easily, the cell phone is a pivotal invention in human history. ” If you’re only writing a 1-page paper, restating your main ideas isn’t necessary.
For example, if you write an essay discussing the themes of a book, think about how the themes are affecting people’s lives today.
Try to pick the same type of closing sentence as you used as your attention getter.
Including a Works Cited page shows that the information you provided isn’t all your own and allows the reader to visit the sources to see the raw information for themselves. Avoid using online citation machines since they may be outdated.
Have a peer or parent read through your essay to see if they understand what point you’re trying to make.
For example, if your essay discusses the history of an event, make sure your sentences flow in a chronological way in the order the events happened.
If you cut parts out of your essay, make sure to reread it to see if it affects the flow of how it reads.
