Political Essay

E S S A Y S T R U C T U R E The specific outline for an essay will change depending on the topic, genre, and audience, but general guidelines are useful, especially as you shape your raw notes into a crafted argument. An essay is a holistic work, so it will not contain extraneous or unnecessary materials. You should make sure every sentence and paragraph counts and contributes to your purpose – if the relationship between an idea and your thesis is unclear, either cut the material or make the relationship clear. Introduction:

1. You must introduce the purpose and topic of your essay. 2. You should have a clear thesis. Typically, this is one sentence that states your purpose and intent,

though it may be longer for some essays. Be as specific and direct as possible. While it is not graceful, “This essay does X, Y, and Z using R and S” is clear.

3. Do not rely on broad generalizations! While you might need to establish context for your introduction, cut all materials that do not directly relate to your purpose.

4. For shorter essays, you can introduce the specific points your essay discusses. 5. By the end of your introduction, your reader should know your purpose, how you will pursue your

topic, and the general materials you will use or consider. Body:

1. Begin by sketching the order of the points you need to make (this may change). It may be useful to lay out quotations and references to critical materials while sketching – if you are responding to other texts, this may clarify the sequence that your own argument will take.

2. While writing the body of your paper, be willing to change paragraph order. Each topic (which may cover more than one paragraph) should appear in the order that best supports your argument.

3. Only summarize in order to establish the background for your audience. Your paper is an argument and not a list.

4. Be sure to establish the relationship between paragraphs very clearly. If you cannot use “therefore” or “furthermore” to clearly demonstrate the development from one paragraph to the next, you have likely skipped a step or are moving into a topic that does not relate directly to your paper.

5. Ensure that every paragraph relates clearly (not just implicitly) to the thesis. Conclusion:

1. You must summarize the purpose and topic of your essay, followed by a general sense of its significance or context (ie: restatement of your thesis followed by a conclusion).

2. Again, do not generalize. Be specific! If it does not relate to your thesis, cut it. 3. Your conclusion should make sense of the preceding materials and give your reader a summary of

what your paper has done, as well as offer a direct statement of the conclusion that your evidence leads you to.