Essay Structure

Essay Structure

1. firstly

   • The Parts of an Essay
     • introducing the argument
     • raising counterarguments
     • concluding
     • analyzing data

2. secondly

   • basic questions
     • What?
       • so as to
         • What evidence shows that the phenomenon described by your thesis is true?
     • Why?
       • in addition to
         • Why does your interpretation of a phenomenon matter to anyone beside you?
     • How?
       • futhermore
         • A reader will also want to know whether the claims of the thesis are true in all cases

3. thirdly

   • Mapping an Essay
     • to start with
       • State your thesis in a sentence or two: Indicate, in other words, what a reader might learn by exploring the claim with you
     • after that
       • Begin your next sentence like this: "To be convinced by my claim, the firts thing a reader needs to know is...
     • finally
       • Begin each of the following sentences like this: "The next thing my reader needs to know is...

4. lastly

   • Signs of Trouble
     • because
       • Walk-through essays follow the sructure of their sources rather than esablishing their own
       • Such essays generally have a descriptive thesis rather than an argumentative one.