ESSAY WRITINGTIPS AND TRICKS

BUILDING INTRODUCTIONS

1. Most introductions begin with a general statement that leads the reader into the topic, showing how the specific topic relates to bigger issues or to the discipline field.

2. This is followed by your thesis statement, which is your concise response to the essay question

3. Finally, an outline of the arguments to be presented in the essay. WHAT WILL YOUR THREE BODY PARAGRAPHS BE ABOUT??

WHAT IS A THESIS STATEMENT?

A thesis statement:

• tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.

• is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.

• directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.

• makes a claim that others might dispute.

• is usually a single sentence somewhere in your first paragraph that presents your argument to the reader.

HOW DO I GET A THESIS?

• A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process.

• Formulating a thesis is NOT the first thing done after reading an essay assignment.

• Before developing an argument, collect and organise evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts, and think about the significance of these relationships.

• This will lead to a ‘working thesis’, a basic or main idea, an argument that can be supported with evidence but may need adjustment along the way.

PRACTISE QUESTION

‘I guess humans like to watch a little destruction. Sandcastles, houses of cards, that’s where they begin. Their great skill is their capacity to escalate.’ (p.118) The novel describes Rudy Steiner: ‘In years to come he would be a giver of bread, not a stealer – proof again of the contradictory human being. So much good, so much evil. Just add water.’ (p.178) Is the capacity for violence a nasty streak in all of us?

EXAMPLE ONE

Violence is something that most people will witness, be victim to, or commit in their lifetime. Violence is something that most people never knew they were capable of until that one moment that makes them snap. The characters in ‘The Book Thief’ clearly prove that a capacity for violence is truly a nasty streak that sits within all of us, and when and only when it surfaces do we truly realise that its there.

Q) Can this introduction be improved? Is it missing anything?

EXAMPLE TWO

All humans are capable of violence; it is a part of our nature that we cannot escape. The context of ‘The Book Thief’ is ideal for revealing the full range of human potential, whether it be great kindness or extreme violence. Liesel, the main character and focus of the book, demonstrates this through her time in the Mayor’s house. Rosa Hubermann shows her emotional range in her adoption of Liesel and, in some ways, Max. Lastly, Max himself, despite his gentle character, demonstrates his love of violence in his dreams. These characters demonstrate their capacity for violence through moral ambiguity and their ability to change.

Q) Can this introduction be improved? Is it missing anything?

BODY PARAGRAPHS

1. Guess What? Topic Sentence which states what this paragraph will be about.

2. Prove it! Evidence and Analysis which supports the claim you have made in the topic sentence.

3. So What? What relevance does this paragraph have with the main argument of the essay? This is a concluding sentence which links the point you are making in this particular paragraph back to the thesis statement.

EXAMPLE

Liesel Meminger is able to be violent, despite her nature. She is a smart, lovable girl with a big heart, but a capacity to do harm. She demonstrates a dark part of human nature when a bad situation pushes her to hurt others. For example, At school, during the failed recital of ‘The Gravedigger’s Handbook’ Liesel demonstrates courage when she tries to read before the class – a very good attribute for a young girl to have. However, after being pushed, she demonstrates her short temper when she violently retaliates against the boys that bullied her (Zusak, 2005, p.83). Another example of Liesel’s ability to be violent can be seen at the mayor’s house when her family looses their last form of income. Liesel states “You give me this saumensch of a book and think it’ll make everything good when I go tell mama that we’ve just lost our last one?” (Zusak, 2005, p.283) Liesel is very angry at this point and is on the brink of violence. In these two instances, Liesel, a kind and caring girl, demonstrates her own capacity for hurting others.

THE CONCLUSION:

• is where you bring together your main points.

• can be similar (but not the same) to the introduction.

• is where you briefly mention the evidence you have mentioned.

• NOTE: Do NOT introduce new material in your conclusion; it is only for reflecting.

EXAMPLE

All humans are capable of violence. Whether it be a young girl like Liesel, a calm woman like the one Rosa became, or a kind, persecuted Jew, all people are capable of violence. As Max demonstrates with his dream fighting, violence is subconsciously wired into people. They cannot escape it and they are subject to it, regardless of personality types. In these ways, Liesel, Rosa and Max demonstrate mankinds ability for violence.

MISCELLANEOUS

• Don’t use personal pronouns in an essay

• Ensure that you use sophisticated vocabulary (good, bad, showed, etc are NOT sophisticated)

• Ensure you use academic referencing (Google Scholar, JSTOR, AUSLit)

• Each paragraph should have AT LEAST one quote and ALL quotes must be analysed.

• Don’t be vague! Each word in an essay must be used to effect. You must be confident in the argument you are presenting otherwise your audience wont be convinced.

• Make sure your sentences are clear and concise

• Don’t use hypotheticals or clichés