Learning Skills
Essay Writing
Basic essay structure
1. Introduction
The introduction to your essay is an important paragraph. It is the first thing the reader sees. A good introduction should
- Orientate the reader to the general topic
- Identify the focus or purpose of the essay
- Outline the scope, that is, the points to be covered, noting any limitations and
- Finish by identifying the thesis.
An introduction is usually one paragraph, although this is not always the case particularly with long essays. Some students define key terms in the introduction. Others signal within the 'scope' that key terms will be defined in the essay. If this is the case, do this at the beginning of the body of the essay. The decision about where to define key terms is probably guided by the length of the discussion. A simple definition may sit well in the introduction. A protracted definition may be distracting and better dealt with in the body of the essay.
Points 1 and 2 are determined by your essay question.
Point 3 will be guided by the question, your research and the thesis.
Point 4 is important. It identifies what you have learnt, your argument or viewpoint. The thesis will drive your essay. More information on the thesis statement follows:
A thesis statement is your line of argument, your viewpoint. You might agree, disagree or perhaps qualify your argument in some way so that it agrees with part of the question.
For example, you might be asked to discuss this statement:
The UAI (Universities Admissions Index) is a reliable predictor of success at university.
Some students may argue that it is. Some may argue that it isn't. Others may argue that it is a useful but not reliable predictor. A critical thinker might challenge the concept of success and argue that the UAI has little to do with success in its broad sense.
In other words there may be a number of thesis statements or viewpoints that relate to a question. What is important is that you support your viewpoint with evidence based on your research. Your thesis is an expression of your learning.
Thesis statements generally grow out of a consideration of many points of view/pieces of research. Thesis statements can develop at any point in the research, planning and writing of your essay. If you decide on your thesis statement before you begin your research, take care that you remain open to the 'many points of view' you will read about. Most students probably develop their thesis statement at the end of their research.
The thesis statement and the topic sentences (opening sentence for each paragraph) provide the framework for your essay. For the writer, the thesis statement:
- serves as a planning tool.
- helps the writer determine the paper's real focus and clarify the relationships between ideas.
- becomes a hook on which the writer can "hang" the sub-theses or the topic sentences that present evidence in support of the argument.
- anticipates questions about the topic and provides the unifying thread between pieces of information.
( Ref: http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/ThesisStatements.html )
Your thesis is a statement, not another question and sits in the introduction.
An introduction containing these features might look like this:
