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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
This is the important opening paragraph and provides a summary of what is to come. It is not an opportunity to talk
generally about the topic or your thoughts on the text or its ideas. You must give explicit details of the topic of each
paragraph alongside your point of view on the question itself.
Make sure you provide the text and author dealt with in the essay; indicate the topic; indicate your stance; outline
your main points. Do not use examples or expand any points.
May be written last of all as you can refer to the topics of each paragraph in the body of your essay.
Should introduce exactly what you are going to say in the essay.
Restate the essay question with your viewpoint, in the first sentence.
e.g., Literature is a valuable method of communicating important and relevant ideas.
Provide sentences that refer to the main ideas in the topic paragraphs, in the body of the essay. Each point appears
in the same order as in the essay.
Do not use quotes in the introduction.
The final sentence closes the introduction off with a link to your points and the question.
Point
Expand the point
Explore with evidence
Conclusion
Or
What is your point
Why do you think it
So what does it have to do with the question
The first paragraph of the essay should discuss the first point in the introduction and so on.
Keep the order of your points as in your introduction.
CONCLUSION
The conclusion is similar to an introduction as it refers back to your ideas and includes a summary your analysis. It
brings the essay to a convincing ending.
Refer back to the main idea of the introduction; it is a summing up of everything you have discussed.
Think about:
What was the most important point?
What do you think about the question?
It sums up your argument but is not too repetitive.
Do not use sentence starters such as: In conclusion or This essay discussed
Avoid new ideas in a conclusion.
Restate the introductory thesis/paragraph with originality. Do not simply copy the introduction.
Summarise your argument with strong commitment to your viewpoint.
This paragraph should leave your reader with no doubt as to your position or logic.
Be powerful as this is the last thought that you are leaving with the reader.
Make sure the conclusion relates to the essay question.
EDITING
Once you have completed your essay go back over it and make sure it all makes sense.
Check you have enough detail and explanation. Each paragraph should have at least six to ten well-formed
sentences and some actual examples to back up what you are saying with the use of quotations.
Make sure you have sustained you argument and that each paragraph only deals with one central idea
Never retell the plot (story) assume the reader knows the text.
Use third person at all times. Never refer to yourself or to the essay itself e.g. In this essay I Just let your
statements have their own authority.
When you use spell check make sure you read the choices it gives you so you do not choose a strange word
COMPLETED
ESSAY
QUESTION
Linking sentences
Essay structure
Question answered?
Expand
CHECK WORK
WRITING
Texts
Underline key
words:
PLANNING
ESSAY WRITING
OF
THE PROCESS
Internet
INFORMATION
Carefully read
Planning/Writing/Checking
Gathering Information
Build Up
Add more
Group Ideas
Make notes
List references
ACCESS RESOURCES
STRUCTURE
Opening sentence of the introduction
addresses the question and gives a clear
viewpoint on it.
Each of the following sentences raises
ONE point which will form the basis of
each paragraphs discussions in the body
of the essay. One or more sentences per
point. They are underlined here.
The final sentence re-states the issue and
your viewpoint in a new way.
P.E.E.C. Paragraphs
The first paragraph discusses the first
point from your introduction, and so on.
They MUST appear in the same order as
they are listed in the introduction.
REMEMBER:
DONT WAFFLE, JUST SAY IT!
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INSTRUCTIONS
INTRODUCTION: Is highly structured. This
is the first thing your audience reads so it
should be clear and easy to read.
It sets the tone for the essay makes the
reader want to read on, It tells the reader
what YOU think.
It should contain everything you are going
to say like a table of contents.
You should work on using creative, but
not flowery, expression which draws out
the ideas and your viewpoint.
An introduction: has no discussion of
evidence and contains no quotes.
It focuses entirely on the question and
your viewpoint
Uses third person, no use of questions or
chatty, colloquial tone
P.E.E.C PARAGRAPHS
Try to find new ways of saying things do
not simply copy the expressions from the
introduction.
Each paragraph discusses ONE point only
Eliminate irrelevant content save new
points for a new paragraph.
Do not summarise the plot assume the
reader knows the text you are discussing.
Always use THIRD PERSON
DO NOT refer to yourself, others or the
essay itself e.g. In this essay I will
discuss
Never use QUESTIONS
Use a variety of sentence types and
sophisticated language and expression.
An essay is a complex argument,
explanation or debate on an issue and
should be written with care and attention
to expression.
Text titles should be in italics.
Try to be original in your exploration of
the topic do not just churn out clichd
ideas and phrases.
Make sure you in text reference all quotes
with (Name date, p ) or (Name date, cf
p); remember that you can slightly
change the grammar of quotes if you
need to so long as you use [..] square
brackets around the changes you have
made.
Quotes should be kept short and to the
point make sure they contain the idea
you are discussing. Long quotes, if entirely
necessary, should be written on a
separate line and tabbed in. Quotes ARE
NOT part of the final word count
CONSTRUCTING INTRODUCTIONS
Often students find that the first sentence is the hardest to write, so here are some examples for you. Once
you have got the hang of essay writing use your own words, not these. These examples are just a little helper.
Keep in mind that there are many different words to use instead of text
CONTENTION
THIRD
FOURTH
FINAL SENTENCE
As a consequence...
Therefore...
This results in...
This leads the audience/reader to the conclusion...
*In comparison
*Despite
*Furthermore
*However
*In addition
*In support
*Meanwhile
*Moreover
*Nevertheless
*Thus
*Whereas
*Yet
*Conversely
*Finally
The(character) says
An example of this is
One of the most important moments in the text is when (a character says or does). This shows us that
CONCLUSION
On the whole...
The reader of this text is left with the overwhelming suggestion of...
While the events in this text seem at times...the authors message is one of...
10
Language Feature
Vocabulary
Commonly Used
Subject specific language
Words that convey precise
meaning
Avoid Using
Avoid general, imprecise,
unnecessary vocabulary or
slang.
11
PLANNING
Choose your question and write it here Decide if the question has more than one section within it. Identify all the
separate sections within the question. Write down exactly what you think the question is asking in your own words.
Jot down all the ideas you can think of that relate to the question. Choose a position do you agree or disagree
with the question and why
Create and itemise three or four main points that you think you will address. Identify and write down evidence for
each one. Remember to record the page numbers (if necessary) so you can find the reference again when you are
writing your essay. Dont forget to reference everything you quote or refer to in the body of your essay. Use the
table on the next page.
12
POINT
EVIDENCE
1..
....
....
....
.
2.......
.
....
....
.
3..
....
....
.
.
4..
.
.
.
.
5.
...
......
...
13
Drafting: Never refer to yourself or to the essay itself eg In this essay Just let your statements have their own authority.
Your essay should have a minimum of FIVE paragraphs Introduction, three PEEC paragraphs, conclusion
Structure
In this box give your main idea and write your evidence to
support the idea for the paragraph remember page numbers
Begin the first draft of the paragraph using the evidence as the major focus to support what you are saying
Paragraph Two.
This is a discussion of the
second point you mention
in your introduction
In this box give your main idea and write your evidence to
support the idea for the paragraph remember page numbers
Begin the first draft of the paragraph using the evidence as the major focus to support what you are saying
In this box give your main idea and write your evidence to
support the idea for the paragraph remember page numbers
Begin the first draft of the paragraph using the evidence as the major focus to support what you are saying
In this box give your main idea and write your evidence
to support the idea for the paragraph remember page
numbers
Begin the first draft of the paragraph using the evidence as the major focus to support what you
are saying
The conclusion is a little like an introduction although it sums up the ideas. Do not put quotes or new ideas in it.
Student ID number:
LITERARY ESSAY
Understanding of the Text
How well have you understood the
thought and feeling expressed in the
text?
Unit:
Grade/Score:
Little Evidence
Some Evidence
Demonstrated
Established
Advanced
text
Response to the
Question/Topic
Presentation
and/or irrelevant
unsubstantiated generalizations
limited acknowledgement of
sources