Tips for Writing an Essay
I. Title:
A. Suggests the topic
B. Captures the interest of the reader
C. Must be centered
D. Capitalize first, last and all key words.
DO NOT capitalize articles or short prepositions (in, at, after,
etc.). DO capitalize longer prepositions (among, beside,
between, etc.)
E. DO NOT underline the title.
F. Skip a line after the title.
G. DO NOT copy the assignment directions or assignment
topic. Only include your title.
II. Introduction:
A. Include a “hook”
Some Examples: (see p. 106 New Directions for more
examples.)
1. Provocative question(s)
2. Relevant quotation
3. Dramatic statement
B. Thesis statement:
1. First part: identifies the topic
2. Second part: expresses the writer’s point of view,
position, or focus.
3. Establishes the tone of your essay (i.e., formal, humorous,
angry or indignant).
4. DO NOT:
1. Announce your intent (examples: “I am going to
explain….”or “In this essay I will…” )
2. Don’t apologize (example: “I am not an expert,
but….”)
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III. Body Paragraphs:
A. Topic sentence: States the topic and controlling idea of a
paragraph.
B. Supporting details: These support the topic through examples,
facts, reasons, anecdotes, quotations.
C. Arrange the details in a logical order (time sequence, order of
importance, or spatial relationship).
D. Concluding sentence: summarizes ideas in a paragraph or
provides a transition to the next paragraph.
E. DO NOT:
1. Don’t include more than one main idea for each paragraph.
2. Don’t include generalizations that are not backed up by
specific detail.
Example 1: Television is bad for children. It does bad things to
them. How is it bad? What specific effects does it have on
children that are “bad”.
Example 2: My sister is beautiful. What about her is beautiful?
What does she look like? How tall is she? What color is her
hair? How does she wear her hair? What are her facial
features?
3. Don’t repeat the same details in different words.
IV. Conclusion:
A. Summarize your main points.
B. Also, include at least one of the following:
1. Make a prediction.
2. Offer a recommendation or suggested course of action.
3. Review other possibilities that can be included in your
conclusion (see p. 110, New Directions).
C. DO NOT:
1. Do not simply restate or repeat your thesis.
2. Do not introduce new ideas.
3. Don’t announce what you have done (i.e. In this essay I have
tried to…)
4. Don’t apologize (i.e. I may not have included every
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argument…)
4. Don’t end in an abrupt manner.
Note: In addition to the above, do the following:
1. Use a consistent voice or narrator point of view. Choose whether you
will write a personal essay using I and we or a more objective essay using
he, she, they, people, etc.) Avoid using the 2nd person you unless you
are writing an instruction process paper, like how to make something.
2. Use a consistent verb tense.
3. When writing about what an author has said in a reading selection,
always use the present tense.
Example: In his essay “American Values and Assumptions” Gardner
makes the point that….
DO NOT USE THE SECOND PERSON (YOU) UNLESS IT IS A
QUOTATION OF WHAT SOMEONE SAID, OR YOUR ARE
WRITING AN EXPOSITORY ESSAY, I.E. AN EXPLANATION OF
HOW TO DO SOMETHING OR DIRECTIONS.
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