What to do
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Understand the Topic
Research
Note Taking
Organizing Notes
Organizer
Write the Essay
Finishing Touches
 Once you get the assignment, make sure you go over it
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carefully and fully understand what it is you are to do
and how you will be marked.
Also check to see if you are banned from using certain
resources or must use certain resources.
Ask your teacher about any questions you have
BEFORE you start so you do not have to redo work.
Choose your topic
Your essay should be focused enough to be interesting
and informative but not so focused that you can not
find sources for it.
 Now that you have your topic settled you need to find some
sources of information.
 You might used some of the following:
 Books – information will be reliable but may be out of date
 Journals – very detailed information, may be hard to find in
high school
 Newspapers – recent information, may lack details
 Encyclopaedias – recent information, easy to read, will lack
details – good to use to get to know your topic NOT as a
primary source – check to see if you can use Wikipedia
 Web pages – potential very good information but also risk
getting biased or even completely false information
 Once you have a source that is both relevant and reliable it
is time to take notes:
1. Record the source information. This will vary depending
on the source but is the information you will need to do
an entry for a Reference Page
2. Write your notes, you should have several types:
 Direct quotations
 Stats or other tables copied completely and accurately
 Summarized information
3. Keep in mind that there is no such thing as to many
notes! However if you do not have enough notes it is very
hard to write an essay. So if in doubt write it down!
 Once you have all the notes you think you need then it
is time to organize.
 Consider the various subtopics that your essay will
have – introduction, background, arguments for both
sides, conclusion, etc.
 Read over your notes and using several different
coloured highlighters (or a letter system if you prefer)
place your notes into the various subtopics by colour
 Now it is time to start planning your essay, some
teachers might call this power notes, or a concept web.
What ever it is called it is more detailed then an
outline, think of it as a point form version of your
essay.
 This step can be done in a number of different ways –
only one of which will be discussed here. Talk to your
teacher about other ways of doing an organizer.
 It is suggested but not required that you type all of this
on a computer.
 As you move through all of these parts always consider the reader
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and what this will look like to them when they read it.
Start by putting down your subtopics in a logical order
Next consider what categories of information will go in this topic
and in what order
Now it is time to add your notes. This will be easy as you have
already decided where they are going.
Do NOT worry about order yet, particularly if you are typing this.
Do make sure to include either the source of the notes or something
that will lead you back to the source. I suggest numbering each
source you use and then just putting that number at the end of each
note from that source.
 Now that all of your notes are in the proper subtopics put
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them in the order that you will use them
Next add your thesis statement and if appropriate sub
thesis statements
Then look over your essay does any section of it seem to be
lacking in information? If so go back and research some
more
Finally read over what you have and ask your self, does this
make sense? Is there a good flow to this information?
If something in your organizer does not seem to fit then
feel free to cut it out.
Title – Cats vs. Dogs
Which is the Superior Pet?
Introduction
 Attention grabber
 Thesis Statement
Background
 Define topic and any relevant terms or issues
 Definition 1
 Definition 2
 Where do things currently stand?
 Fact 1
 Fact 2
 Fact 3
Pro Cat
 Sub thesis statement
 Major argument 1
 Fact 1
 Fact 2
 Fact 3
 Major argument 2
 Repeat above
 Major argument 3
 Repeat above
Pro Dog
 Repeat above
Analysis
 Strengths of side you oppose
 Weaknesses of side you favour
 Weaknesses of side you oppose
 Strengths of side you favour
Conclusion
 Restating thesis
 Opinion on topic
 Support for opinion 1
 Support for opinion 2
 Support for opinion 3
 With your research and organizer done the majority of
the hard work is now over. All that is left is turning
your organizer into a properly formatted and well
written essay.
 The majority of your time in this step is going to be
spent in your segues and your analysis.
 Keep in mind that HOW you say something is often at
least as important as WHAT you say. You can have the
best ideas ever but if you write them like you were in
grade 3 no one will take you seriously.
 This is an essay spelling
and grammar are VITAL
make sure to check this
over carefully do NOT
just trust your word
processer.
 The following excerpt
by Mark Eckman and
Jerrold H. Zar should
hopefully make this
point clear
I have a spelling checker,
It came with my PC.
It plane lee marks four my revue
Miss steaks aye can knot sea.
Eye ran this poem threw it,
Your sure reel glad two no.
Its vary polished in it's weigh.
My checker tolled me sew.
A checker is a bless sing,
It freeze yew lodes of thyme.
It helps me right awl stiles two reed,
And aides me when eye rime.
Each frays come posed up on my screen
Eye trussed too bee a joule.
The checker pours o'er every word
To cheque sum spelling rule.
 This is a formal essay, that means you should be using
proper FORMAL English! Do NOT use:
 Slang
 Text or Web speak
 Contractions (ex. Don’t for do not, it’s for it is)
 Use with caution abbreviations and make sure that you
use the full form the first time you abbreviate.
Example: The Office of the Treaty Commissioner
(OTC) says that ...
 When using people’s names use either their full name
or their last name do NOT use just their first name.
 Do NOT use first person (I, we, etc.) outside of your
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conclusion!
Do NOT use big words or complicated sentences to
impress the reader. This just tends to confuse you and
cause problems. Good rule of thumb if you can not
define the word do not use it!
Having said that do NOT dumb down your language.
Make every attempt to make your every point in your
essay clear and to the point.
Whatever you do, do NOT be like Calvin!
 Do NOT just go right into your essay you need to get
the reader’s attention – you do not want them thinking
“Do I have to read this?”
 You could get there attention by:
 Telling a brief but interesting story related to the topic
 Giving an interesting quote related to the topic
 Using some interesting statistics related to the topic
 Ask some thought provoking question(s) related to the
topic
 What ever you do, do NOT be cheesy or try to kiss up
to the reader
 Next you need to work your way from what ever you
used to get the reader’s attention to your thesis
statement. This will take some time and require one
or more transition sentences.
 At the end of your paragraph will be your thesis
sentence(s) – it might be more than one but try to
avoid it and do not be more than two.
 This is where you will clearly and concisely tell the reader
what your essay is about.
 Make sure that you are specific, one of the most common
mistakes people make is to be to vague.
 Avoid at all costs statements like:
 This essay will ...
 I will be talking about ...
 An example might be: An analysis of the college
admission process reveals two principal problems
facing counselors: accepting students with high test
scores or students with strong extracurricular
backgrounds.
 This section of your essay contains 4 major parts:
Background – what is your issue and where do things
currently stand
2. Pro Side – what the people in favour of the issue have
to say
3. Con Side – what the people opposed to the issue have
to say
4. Analysis – what are the strengths and weakness of
both sides arguments
1.
 When looking at each side you must:
 Remain impartial – the reader should not know your
feelings until the end
 Cover both sides equally well
 Clearly state what the major arguments for both sides
are and explain them
 This is obviously the major portion of your essay and
contains all of your relevant facts.
 It is vital that the paragraphs in your essay be tied
together, otherwise your essay will lack flow and be
hard to read and understand.
 To achieve this the last sentence and first sentence in
every paragraph should be transition or segue
sentences tying the paragraphs together.
 It is also here that you will analyze the arguments of
the two sides of your issue.
 You should not be bringing new information into this
paragraph(s) but instead looking at the strengths and
weaknesses of the arguments.
 Some things that you might want to consider when
analyzing both sides:
 Is the information accurate given what I know?
 Do both sides arguments make sense?
 Is it legal?
 Will the public support it?
 Does it treat people fairly?
 How would I feel if this logic applied to me?
 What would society be like if everyone acted like this?
 Would this logic work if applied to a similar situation?
 This is a research essay, that means you looked up
information that other people collected.
 You MUST give them credit for their work otherwise it
is plagiarism and you get ZERO.
 If you are not sure how to do an in text citation after
this section please ask your teacher or go to one of the
following sites:
 Son of Citation Machine – this will format an in text
citation for you for basic situations
 Owl at Purdue – this site will not only tell you how to
format the citation for any situation but tell you when to
put an in text citation
 Use in-text citations whenever you:
 Use a direct quotation.
 Use statistics or a specific date.
 Restate, summarize, or paraphrase an idea, theory, or
opinion given by another author.
 Incorporate facts that are not common knowledge. A
general rule of thumb is, if you can find the fact in at
least three sources, it is common knowledge.
• If you are in doubt than use an in-text citation
 In general terms the in text citation goes at the end of
the sentence(s) that come from a particular source.
 You may however put an in text citation at the end of a
paragraph if ALL of the information came from the
same source.
 You may NOT use one in text citation for several
paragraphs even if their information comes from the
same source.
 You MUST place an in text citation at the end of every
direct quotation used.
 Short Quotations:
 If you are directly quoting from a work, you will need to
include the author, year of publication, and the page
number for the reference (preceded by "p."). Page number
is NOT required for electronic sources.
 According to Jones (1998), "Students often had difficulty
using APA style, especially when it was their first time" (p.
199).
 Jones (1998) found "students often had difficulty using APA
style" (p. 199); what implications does this have for
teachers?
 She stated, "Students often had difficulty using APA style"
(Jones, 1998, p. 199), but she did not offer an explanation as
to why.
 Long Quotations – 40+ words
 Start the quotation on a new line, indented 1/2 inch from
the left margin, i.e., in the same place you would begin a
new paragraph. Type the entire quotation on the new
margin, and indent the first line of any subsequent
paragraph within the quotation 1/2 inch from the new
margin. Maintain double-spacing throughout.
 Jones's (1998) study found the following:
Students often had difficulty using APA style,
especially when it was their first time citing
sources. This difficulty could be attributed to the
fact that many students failed to purchase a style
manual or to ask their teacher for help. (p. 199)
 Paraphrasing, Statistics, or Specific Dates
 If you are paraphrasing an idea from another work, you
only have to make reference to the author and year of
publication in your in-text reference, but APA
guidelines encourage you to also provide the page
number (although it is not required.)
 According to Jones (1998), APA style is a difficult
citation format for first-time learners.
 APA style is a difficult citation format for firsttime learners (Jones, 1998, p. 199).
 This is your opportunity to finally say what you believe
about this topic.
 Given everything that you have now learned about
both sides of your issue what do you believe and more
importantly WHY.
 You need to be thorough, convincing and fit with the
analysis you have just done.
 This needs to be much more than just a summary of
the issue. It is YOUR interpretation of the issue after
looking at both sides and examining MANY sources.
 You will list any books / sources that you cited in your
essay
 You will list any books / sources that were significant
in your research but not cited
 You will NOT list books / sources just to flesh out your
reference page
 This will be done in APA style
 It is recommended but not required that you use the
web resource Son of Citation Machine at
http://citationmachine.net/ to help you create your
reference page
 Click on APA Style
 Choose from the sources that are listed on the left
 Fill in the blanks and click submit
 Copy and paste to your reference page
 If you are not using Son of Citation Machine then it is
strongly recommended you use Owl at Purdue APA
style guide to assist you
 The title is References centered at the top of the page
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but done in normal font with no bolding or
underlining
Your entries must be in alphabetical order
Entries should be double spaced
Entries should be done in a hanging indent style –
much like this bullet
Entries should NOT be bulleted OR numbered
Entries should NOT be divided into groups based on
type or any other way
 A title page will contain the following:
 Title of your essay – centred and in top 1/3 of paper done
in normal font with no bolding or underlining
 The following is centered under the title (in normal font
and size):
 Your name
 Teacher’s name
 Class
 Due date
 Running header – a shortened version of your title and
the page number. The running header will be done all
in capitals. Also on the title page only it will include the
phrase Running head:
Remember that your paper should have the following:
 Title repeated on the first page of the actual paper,
centered but not bolded or underlined
 Level 1 headings for each of the sections EXCEPT for the
introduction – centered, bolded and in all upper case
 Level 2 headings for each of your major arguments in both
the pro and con – bolded and key words capitalized
While it is allowed by APA do NOT include the following:
 Author’s notes on the title page
 An abstract of the paper
 Level 3 headings
Formatting your paper, it should be:
 Typed
 Double Spaced
 1” margins all around OR 1” margin top and bottom
and 1.25” on left and right sides
 Times New Roman or similar font
 Size 12 font
 Black ink on white paper
 Now that you are done your first draft you need to get
it ready to hand in.
 Read the essay over yourself – feel free to repeat this
step
 Have a friend or family member read over your essay –
feel free to repeat this step also. Make sure that if you
are asking a teacher to proof read your essay you allow
several days. Do NOT ask them to proof read it the
day before it is due!
 Just before you print out your good copy read over the
essay one last time
 The following web pages may be able to help you if you run into
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problems and can not ask your teacher.
How to Write an Essay
http://kimberlychapman.com/essay/essay.html
Basic Steps in the Research Process
http://www.crlsresearchguide.org/00_basic_steps.asp
Purdue OWL http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
Evaluating Web Pages
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluat
e.html
Son of Citation Machine http://citationmachine.net/
Research Sites
http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate
/adviceengine.html
Now go forth and write.