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Versi
: G1222, Writing IV
: 2006
: v 1.0 rev 1
Module 3
Sentences in Essay
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What’s inside
1.
2.
3.
4.
What should be considered in writing an essay.
How to create sentences in an essay
What is a gender-biased/sexist words
Do’s and don’ts in composing sentences in an
essay
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Sentences in an essay
1. INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH
Consider what a reader needs to know in order to
understand what you are writing about. Are there
details of time and place that are important?
•
Attention-getter
To capture the reader's attention, so they will want to
continue reading. (some of the most effective devices
are a quote from a famous person that relates to your
topic, a compelling description or scene, startling
statistics, or a question). Anything that will interest a
reader and involve them in the topic is good.
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Sentences in an essay
Sufficient background information; appropriate
context
For example, if your essay is a biographical study of your favorite writer, you
probably want to include the writer's name; what country (and even what
state/province and city) they are from; what period they were/are writing in;
and how many books, stories, or poems they've written, all in the
introduction. If there is a lot of background material, it can be a good idea to
put it in a separate paragraph, with only the very basic information in the
introduction itself.
• Focused subject
Abstract terms refer to ideas or concepts; they have no physical referents
such as love, success, freedom, good, moral, democracy, and any -ism
(chauvinism, Communism, feminism, racism, sexism).
Concrete terms refer to objects or events that are available to the
senses. spoon, table, velvet eye patch, nose ring, sinus mask, green,
hot, walking. Because these terms refer to objects or events we can
see or hear or feel or taste or smell, their meanings are pretty stable.
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Sentences in an essay
Clear, explicit thesis statement
It is a one or two sentence summary of a papers' purpose or point, and
which usually exists as the last sentence in the introduction.
A thesis statement should be very clear as it announces your topic and
your point, and limited in scope, so that writing your essay is a
managed task.
A good thesis statement will usually include
the following four attributes:
1. take on a subject upon which reasonable people could disagree
2. deal with a subject that can be adequately treated given the
nature of the assignment
3. express one main idea
4. assert your conclusions about a subject
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Sentences in an essay
EACH BODY PARAGRAPH
• Topic sentence
A topic sentence states the main point of a paragraph: it serves as a
mini-thesis for the paragraph. You might think of it as a signpost for
your readers—or a headline—something that alerts them to the
most important, interpretive points in your essay.
Topic sentences usually appear at the very beginning of paragraphs.
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Sentences in an essay
COHERENCE (MAKING SENTENCES AND
PARAGRAPHS STICK TOGETHER)
- Clue words (or glue words)-"however," "in
addition"
- Parallel sentence structure for coordinate ideas
- Clear use of pronouns
- Topic sentence a part of thesis statement
- Transition devices at beginning of paragraph
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Sentences in an essay
SUFFICIENT SUPPORT TO PROVE THE TOPIC
SENTENCE
Ask These Questions
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Do I have enough evidence to support this paragraph's idea?
Do I have too much evidence? (In other words, will the reader be lost in a
morass of details, unable to see the argument as a whole?)
Does this evidence clearly support the assertion I am making in this
paragraph, or am I stretching it?
If I am stretching it, what can I do to persuade the reader that this stretch is
worth making?
Am I repeating myself in this paragraph?
Have I defined all of the paragraph's important terms?
Can I say, in a nutshell, what the purpose of this paragraph is?
Has the topic sentence in the paragraph fulfilled that purpose?
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Sentences in an essay
• UNITY
- Every sentence directly or indirectly supporting the topic sentence
• ORDER
- Statement in some logical order
- Body paragraphs in some logical order
• CONCRETE SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT
- Specific statements of fact
- Detailed reasons
- Concrete examples
- Quotations from authorities (with citations)
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Sentences in an essay
CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH
- Brief statement of summary
- Reference to statements) in introduction
- Application of thesis to the future, to
other people to something broader than
the
- examples in the essay
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Biased language
Gender-Specific Pronouns
“A student planning to graduate this spring should see his
advisor at once.”
Sexist Terminology
"I need to see a doctor."
"She's busy right now."
"No, I said a doctor."
A college is a corner of men's hearts where hope has
not died. Here the prison house has not closed; here no
battle is yet quite lost. Here, we assert, endow, and
defend as final reality the best of our dream as men.
Here lies our sense of community.
Howard Lowry
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Avoid
Use Instead
Avoid
Use Instead
actress
actor
male nurse
nurse
anchorman
anchor
man (meaning any
human being)
person, people
managers and their
wives
managers and their
spouses
mankind
humanity, people
poetess
poet
all forms of
alumnus/a
alumni/ae
alum/grad
alums/grads
businessman
businessperson
policeman
police officer
chairman
chairperson, chair
salesman
sales
representative,
coed
student
stewardess
flight attendant
forefathers
ancestors
waiter/waitress
server
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10 tips of writing sentences
in an essay
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Use active verbs
Keep your sentence length under control
Use simple words
Avoid jargon
Avoid abstract terms
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10 tips of writing sentences
in an essay
6. Keep abbreviations under control
7. Use topic sentences
8. Link your ideas and paragraphs
9. Use examples to explain difficult points
10. Use quotations in your writing
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