A BASIC GUIDE TO
THE
PROCESS OF
ESSAY WRITING
"IT IS GOOD TO HAVE AN END TO JOURNEY
TOWARDS; BUT IT IS THE JOURNEY THAT
MATTERS IN THE END." -URSULA LEGUIN
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In other words, focus on the journey and not the
destination. When applied to essay-writing, the
above quote means that the most important part
of writing an essay is the process itself, and the
final product is the result of that process. The
planning of your essay should be at least 70% of
the work, and writing your final draft should be
the easiest part. The following is your basic how
to write an essay guide. It will give you the bare
bones for the steps needed in academic writing.
THESE SIMPLE STEPS WILL GUIDE YOU
THROUGH THE ESSAY WRITING PROCESS:
Brainstorm different ideas for your essay
 Decide on your topic
 Prepare a diagram or concept map of your ideas
 Decide on your thesis statement
 Create an outline
 Write the body paragraphs
 Write the introduction
 Write the conclusion
 Fine tune- peer and self editing
 Cite references
 Print up final copy with title page
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**Your final mark on the essay will be inclusive of
the PROCESS. You must therefore submit:
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Evidence of Brainstorming
Diagram/Concept Map
Outline
Rough Copy
Peer/Self Editing Rubric
Final Copy (approx. 300-350 words)
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There are four main categories that you must
consider when writing an essay:
Ideas
 Organization
 Mechanics
 Style
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***The above components are how you will be
evaluated on your essay. ***
IDEAS
The ideas are the heart of the essay and the
content of the piece.
 They are the arguments that the writer is trying
to put forth to his/her reader in a convincing way.
 In a good essay, arguments are always supported
by evidence and examples.
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ORGANIZATION
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Includes numerous concrete aspects of the essay such
as:
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an obvious introduction,
three body paragraphs,
a conclusion,
the use of transitions within and between paragraphs,
indentations on paragraphs
Organization is also inclusive of the way the essay is
physically presented.
It should be pleasing to the eye, neatly arranged with
a title page and page numbers.
In a research essay, there should also be a
“References” page to list any sources cited throughout
the essay.
MECHANICS
Proper mechanics in an essay are essential, as
they help to convey the writer’s argument with
clarity and concision.
 Grammar, spelling, capitalization, punctuation,
and sentence structure are the bare bones of an
essay and the building blocks of language.
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STYLE
Involves the usage of elevated diction and
vocabulary to enhance the voice that should be
coming through the essay.
 The writer’s voice is conveyed through word
choice and the use of rich, colourful, precise
language that should enlighten the reader.
 The author should be clearly aware of his/her
AUDIENCE (in most cases, your teacher)
through the use of his/her language.
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PROCESS
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Part 1: Decide on your Topic
In most cases your teachers will assign a selection of
topics to choose from, but every now and then you
will have the freedom to choose your own topic with
the permission of your teacher.
 Either way, you need to make sure that you are
choosing a topic you are comfortable with.
 When presented with a few options, consider each
one and decide which one you feel you know the most
about.
 Brainstorm a list of different ideas that you could
discuss in your essay
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PROCESS
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Part 2: Prepare a Diagram of your Ideas
Once you have decided on your topic, you need to see
what you really know.
 One of the best ways to do this is to make a graphic
organizer such as a mind map.
 A standard essay will have three main points, so a
mind map can help you to narrow down what points
you really would like to focus on.
 The diagram should also help you to select a
THESIS.
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PROCESS
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Part 3: Decide on your Thesis Statement
The thesis statement is a sentence that explains to the
reader the specific topic or argument of your essay.
 Your thesis is the MAIN IDEA that runs throughout the
essay.
 One easy way to write a thesis statement is the following:
Finish the sentence “In this essay I will prove that…..”
Then you just need to get rid of the “In this essay I will
prove that” part.
E.G: IN THIS ESSAY I WILL PROVE THAT poor eating
habits, unhealthy lifestyles and overall physical health are a
result of junk foods such as chips and fries that should not be
sold on school property.
 By omitting the first part of the sentence, your thesis is a
stronger and more persuasive statement. By reading this
statement, the reader then knows that your essay will be
arguing reasons for why junk food should not be sold on
school property.
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PROCESS
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Part 4: Create your Outline
From your diagram or mind map, you should be able
to select the three main points you are going to
discuss in your essay.
 Now it is time to go into greater detail and begin to
think of some more specific points and examples you
can use to support your thesis.
 Your essay structure is similar to that of a
hamburger: the body of the essay is like the meat,
and the introduction and conclusion are the two
pieces of bread/bun:
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PROCESS
Introduction: Attention Grabber, three main points to be argued in essay, thesis
statement.
***The introduction tells the reader what your essay is about.
Body Paragraph 1: Point 1 from intro
(Topic Sentence)- Explanation,
examples, concluding statement,
***The body
transitions.
paragraphs
explain and
argue the
points outlined
in your
introduction
Body Paragraph 2: Point 2 from intro
(Topic Sentence)- Explanation,
examples, concluding statements,
transitions.
Body Paragraph 3: Point 3 from
intro (Topic Sentence)Explanation, examples, concluding
statements, transitions.
Conclusion: Restate the thesis in a different way from intro, restate three main
points, and write your final thought.
***The conclusion tells the reader again what you just told them.
PROCESS
Notice how the essay moves from the GENERAL
to the SPECIFIC.
 The introduction begins with a very general
explanation of what the essay will be about.
 The body paragraphs give the information with
specific examples, and the conclusion restates
what the essay was about with a specific re-cap of
what was said.
 Your paragraphs should also follow the same
pattern of moving from the general to the
specific.
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PROCESS
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Part 5: Write your Body Paragraphs
You have already done the hard part.
 You have already mapped out your topics and
identified where each of those topics are going.
 All you have to do is write a rough draft of your body
paragraphs.
 Each paragraph should be between 5 and 7
sentences.
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PROCESS
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Part 6: Write the Introduction
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Writing the introduction should always be done after you
write the body paragraphs.
Sometimes your ideas will change as you write the body of the
essay, so you avoid making more work for yourself by doing it
this way.
The first sentence of your introduction should tell the reader
what your general topic is.
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A hook or attention grabber that pertains to your topic is a good way to
ease the reader into your essay.
If your essay is discussing a novel, be sure to identify the title and
author.
The next few sentences should give the reader the necessary
information they will need to understand the essay.
 Then, each body paragraph gets one sentence introducing the
topic. Each paragraph gets its own sentence, not one sentence
for all three topics.
 The final sentence is then your thesis statement.
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PROCESS
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Example
In many schools across Canada, junk food is being
sold at an alarming rate. Children and adolescents are
constantly eating food that has an adverse effect on their
health. Childhood obesity in Canada is steadily increasing,
and junk food that is readily available contributes to this
problem. Furthermore, unhealthy eating hinders learning
and causes behavioural issues in children and adolescents.
Finally, students may have health problems later in life as a
direct result of eating these foods. Therefore, school divisions
across Canada should ban all junk food from their schools and
enforce a healthier menu for today’s youth.
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If written properly, an introduction could be given to
anyone and that person could write the remainder of the
essay.
PROCESS
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Part 7: Write the Conclusion
The last part of writing the essay is the conclusion.
Remember, the conclusion is a recap of what the
essay is about. The conclusion tells the reader “here
is what I just told you.”
 The conclusion begins by restating your thesis in a
FRESH, new way. Therefore, do not restate your
thesis word for word from your introduction.
 Next, for each of your body paragraphs, rewrite the
CONCLUDING SENTENCES with a little bit of your
explanation.
 Finally, end your essay with a final thought.
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Be careful- this is not the time to introduce new ideas.
Instead, you want to leave your reader with something to
think about that is related to your topic.
SOME RULES TO CONSIDER
NEVER refer to yourself in a formal essay (i.e. do not use “I”- “I think,
I feel, my belief is” etc). The reader understands that you are the
“expert” on the topic, and by eliminating references to the first
person, your argument becomes a stronger statement.
I.E.- “I think that childhood obesity is on the rise in Canada and schools
are partly to blame.”
Could be easily changed to
“Childhood obesity is on the rise in Canada and schools are partly to
blame.”
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Avoid using the words THIS, THAT, THESE, or THOSE if they do not
refer to anything.
Never talk about the physical essay, such as “The first paragraph will
be about…”
Never begin any of your sentences with “Because” or“And”.
Do NOT use slang such as “like” or MSN type writing such as “LOL”.
You are writing a formal essay and your audience is your teacher.
Therefore, you must get into the habit of using language in a more
formal manner.