What is the basic structure of an essay?
The basic structure of an essay is illustrated in the following outline:
I. Introduction
1.) hook sentence (The hook sentence should only provide enough information to grab readers or ignite their curiosity. I have often seen students beginning an argumentative essay, for example, with a rhetorical question, such as, "Why learn to write?")
2.) one or more lead-in sentences (The lead-in sentence or sentences should smoothly build onto the hook sentence and elaborate on what is introduced in that sentence. Depending on the type of essay that you're writing, the lead-in sentences can provide background information, briefly explain the relevance of the topic, include statistics, summarize facts, or provide a short anecdote. Regardless of the information in this portion of your essay, the content should lead into the thesis statement. Here's an example of a lead-in sentence: There are few situations in one's life in which writing wouldn't be useful.)
3.) thesis statement (The thesis statement is the sentence that governs the essay and that shows readers how you're going to break down the body paragraphs. The ideal place to put the thesis statement is at the end of the introduction. Here's an example of a thesis statement:
College students should learn to write essays effectively because it can help them to organize their thoughts, think critically, and become more aware of their surroundings.
By looking at this sentence, readers know that one body paragraph will explain how effective essay writing can help college students to organize their thoughts. The second body paragraph will focus on how it can help students to think critically, and the third one will address how writing strong essays can make students more conscious of the world around them.)
II. Body Paragraph #1
1.) topic sentence (The topic sentence is the sentence, ideally the first one, that rules all of the other sentences in the body paragraph, and it should tell readers, in a nutshell, what will be discussed in the paragraph. The supporting sentences that come after the topic sentence should supply evidence and explanations of that evidence. The supporting sentences shouldn't go outside of the bounds of what is identified in the topic sentence. Here's an example of a topic sentence: Essay composition can strengthen college students' organized thinking or sense of logic.)
2.) supporting sentence #1 (Each supporting sentence should provide evidence to support the topic sentence. Here's an example of a supporting sentence: Each paragraph in an essay, for example, serves one idea or a set of related ideas, enabling students to see the links between ideas and to practice the linking process in other situations that require organized thinking, such as presentations, speeches, resumés, interviews, research proposals, reports, and group projects.).
3.) supporting sentence #2 (This sentence should build upon the last one as an elaboration or example that carries the idea further. Think of each successive supporting sentence as an opportunity to sharpen your focus and add spice to your argument.)
III. Body Paragraph #2
1.) topic sentence (Again, the topic sentence should steer the body paragraph in the right direction, meaning that it should deal with one part of the thesis statement, which, in this case, is the portion that relates to critical thinking. Here's an example of a topic sentence treating the second point in the thesis statement: For college students, another benefit gained from writing essays is the ability to critically think by probing under the surface rather than just skimming the surface.)
2.) supporting sentence #1 (example of a supporting sentence: Essay writing demands focus, which, in essence, is the organized gathering of details that conditions the writer to see more than the message--to be patient and attempt to understand why and how the message is presented.)
3.) supporting sentence #2 (should further the observation included in supporting sentence #1)
IV. Body Paragraph #3
1.) topic sentence (should address the third claim made in the thesis statement, which is that writing essays makes college students more conscious of their surroundings)
2.) supporting sentence #1 (should provide evidence to support the topic sentence)
3.) supporting sentence #2 (should add meat to body paragraph #3's skeleton and thicken the observation made in supporting sentence #1)
V. Conclusion
The conclusion is the last impression that you'll leave your readers with, so you don't want it to be weak. It should re-state the thesis statement in different words, reiterate the main points made in your body paragraphs, and end with a final forward-looking thought that stimulates further interest in the topic.