ESSAY WRITING
Tips and Tricks
Title
 When you are finished writing your essay you
should give it a 2 part title.
1) Something catchy
2) A specific explanation
Nature or Nurture?
An analysis of the themes of good and evil in
William Golding’s Lord of the Flies
Introduction: Topic
 General (hook)
 Specific (thesis)
 Subtopics (blueprint)
 (don’t forget to include the Title and
Author’s Name in your introduction)
The Hook: Motivating the reader
 First sentence of your essay.




An interesting fact or statistic
A personal anecdote
A question
A quotation
Thesis
 SHOULD
 Be an assertion not just a
fact. (CLAIM + REASON
so should include
because, or due to)
 Pass judgment.
 Pass the ‘so what’ test.
 Be specific and express
ONE idea.
 Reappear within every
body paragraph. (Like a
chorus!)
 SHOULD NOT
 Include the word ‘I’.
 Include vague verbs:
seems, appears, think,
believe.
 Include abstract attributes:
good, bad, important.
 Include abstract qualifiers:
maybe, perhaps.
Thesis – How to . . .
 If topic is assigned as a question:
 Answer the question! Be sure to use the same
vocabulary.
 If topic is assigned generally or is not
assigned:
 Brainstorm / Freewrite
 Narrow down a main idea
 Pass judgment on that idea
Blueprint
 The blueprint should consist of one or
two sentences outlining the major points
to come.
 If possible, attempt to justify the order of
your points from the beginning.
 Avoid terms such as: in this essay, the
following paragraphs, etc. Don’t draw
attention to yourself!
Transitions: Flow between ideas
 Transitions are words which define the
connections between your ideas.




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Sequence: firstly, secondly, finally
Comparison: however, in contrast,on the other hand
Demonstration: for example, for instance
Addition: also, furthermore, in addition
Consequence: therefore, hence
SECs: Flow within ideas
 Statement (what is your exact point)
 Example (demonstrate your point)
 Commentary (explain how your example
proves your point)
Quotations (1)
 Short quotations (less than 4 lines) are
integrated directly into the text and are
only separated by quotation marks.
 We are left to wonder whether or not the
boys knew they were killing a human. After
all, the narrator claims to have heard the
beast “crying out against the abominable
noise” (168).
Quotations (2)
 For longer quotations (longer than 4 lines),
separate them from the text by indenting and
single spacing the quotation. No quotation
marks are needed.
 Roger’s degeneration is noted by the repetition of
the original stonethrowing incident when he

took up a small stone and flung it between the
twins, aiming to miss. They started and Sam only
just kept his footing. Some source of power began
to pulse in Roger’s body (194).
Conclusion: Most important TIP
 Say what you are going to say.
 Say it.
 Say what you said.
Tips and Hints
 Did you separate all
contractions?
 Did you find synonyms for all
taboo words? (book, good, bad,
thing)
 Did you write in the present
tense?