How To Write An Essay

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What is an essay?

A short piece of writing that analyzes a work or is written about a specific topic.

Topic?

You will not always be given a topic so make sure you know or can find plenty of

information about the topic you do choose!

What about slang?

Slang shouldn’t even be used in everyday language so why would it be used in an essay

that will be graded?

Brainstorm!

Your first draft will not be your last!So that means you can make mistakes, have erase marks, scribble on the sides; ALL OF

THAT!

How long is an essay?

Any essay should ALWAYS consist of three items:

• Introduction• Body

• Conclusion

Introduction

The start of your essay.It leads your essay into your topic and also states your

MAIN IDEA.It MAKES people want to read it!

So that means you can’t have a boring one.

Body

At least three supporting facts should form at least three paragraphs with evidence of

each fact that forms the paragraph.

Confused?

Yourenglishlessons.wordpress.com

THREE FACTS SUPPORTING YOUR MAIN IDEA (with evidence for each one)

=THREE PARAGRAPHS (a paragraph for each

fact)=

THE BODY OF YOUR PAPER!

Conclusion

A paragraph that wraps up your whole essay.Finish strong and make sure no NEW

information is included but make sure you’re not JUST restating old information.

Don’t plagiarize!

In other words,DON’T STEAL!

You have to use your own words!

Taking credit for someone else’s work will

only get you an F!

How to avoid plagiarism

When you take a couple words from someone else there is a THREE step process for that:

1. Cite your work.2. CITE YOUR WORK.3. CITE YOUR WORK!

You HAVE to tell where you got it from.

Reference page

Remember when you were citing your work in the BODY?

Well this is where ALL the work you used, read, and got information from all goes.

You should be set to write your essay now!GOOD LUCK!

Cite page

• Johnson, Tom. How to Write An Essay: 10 Easy Steps. The American University In Cairo. N.p. Aug 2004. Feb 2012.

• Vergel, Sara. How to Write a Discursive Essay. Your English Lessons Blog. N.p. Dec 2009. Feb 2012.