ENGLISH ESSAY

Here are some revision tips for writing the Final essay.

Read the topic carefully

The topic will unveil its secrets to you only if you read it more than once. It will tell you what to write about, but most importantly, it will also tell you what NOT to write about.  It will tell you the the scope and the limitation of the topic.

Not a story!

The essay will not ask you to tell a story, even if the topic involves telling a story.

If the topic is about a story, just mention it in the introduction. Examples, a story from your life about a specific situation, or the story of a film, or a show, or a book. The topic will not ask you to spend the whole essay writing the story.

Just summarize the story in the introduction and proceed to discuss it (in answer to the topic) in the rest of the paragraphs.

The Introduction:

Do not philosophize or generalize

If the introduction starts with word(s) such as : People, some people, all people, often, always, etc.... You may want to cross that sentence out because it takes your introduction on the wrong path .

Examples: Many people like horror films. Others may like romantic films. I like.....

Sentences like these add nothing to the essay. You may safely cross them out.

The Introduction: Hit the nail on the head

Start immediately with the topic. If the topic is about a film, a show, a book, a person, a place, an issue, etc...,  etc... Start immediately with the name of  the topic and proceed from there.  This will save the reader's time and your effort and will help maintain the focus of the essay on the main idea.

The Introduction: Define.

Avoid a sense of mystery and suspense,  which are perfect for creative writing. Academic writing is clear and well defined. So, define the person, the situation, the show, the river, the place, the issue, that the essay will discuss in the introduction.

The Introduction: Avoid announcing what you or the essay will do.

Academic language does not accept announcing what the essay or the paragraph will do.

Examples: In this essay, I am going to discuss the reasons for.... and then the effects that ... has on children and adults. Then I will proceed to discuss some preventive measures.

Or This essay will discuss/explain/argue/compare, etc...

This may be acceptable in a speech, but not in written academic language.

Change this sentence to:

There are many reasons for... . In addition, .... has many effects on children and adults. But some measures can be taken to prevent it.

The Introduction: Answer the question

Write the introduction as a direct answer to the topic. If the topic asks about a situation, define the situation. If the topic asks about a person explain how you came to know this person. If the topic is about a problem you faced, explain where and how you faced this problem (do not start discussing the problem without first introducing how you faced it).

Thesis Statement: A clear opinion

The thesis statement is a clear opinion about a situation, an issue, a person, etc... The thesis statement cannot be something like: this is good for some and not good for some. Such an essay is about the advantages and disadvantages. Your thesis statement has to express what you believe, even if you do not believe it.

For example, in an essay on abortion, the thesis statement cannot be: abortion is good in some situations.

This is not argument. This is advantages and disadvantages.

Even if you have reservations, for the sake of the essay, you will express one side only.

Thesis Statement: Not a question

Never end the introduction with a question. The thesis statement is just that! A statement! It is never a question.

Thesis Statement: Not what people think

Do not state what 'many people think.' State your opinion.

Thesis statement: Not an announcement of what you or the paper will do.

Never write a thesis statement such as: This paper will..., or: In this paper I will.... This is good for speeches, but not for writing academic papers. Academic writing does not announcing the topic.

Learning Object Info: Revision Tips: Introduction and Thesis Statement   Type: HTML   Submitted By: Noha Kabaji  

Think of the best way to organize your essay.

As a rule of thumb remember the following elements:

1. Avoid chronological order, because, before you realize it, the essay will turn into a story.

2. Use revers emphatic order, which is the order of importance, starting with the least important and building up to the most important one.

3. Starting with the least important and proceeding to the most important will always make the reader remember the most important point.

Use transition words and expressions between paragraphs

Begin each paragraph with words such as: in addition, fortunately, unfortunately, one important... another important... not only... but also.....

Those words are like traffic signs. They direct the reader throughout the essay.

Never announce what the paragraph will discuss

Announcing the topic can take many forms. Here are some examples:

Addiction. Pollution.etc.. (one word, instead of a topic sentence)

First, let's discuss addiction.

This paragraph will discuss addiction.

Those topic sentences are not acceptable. The topic sentence has a set formula: transition word, topic, statement about the topic.

Language No No's

Never use the word 'you' except in quotations, and those should be between quotation marks.

Never use spoken language, such as ok, when it comes to, well (at the beginning of a sentence), let's, .....

Do not ask questions

Avoid asking questions. A paragraph that starts with question reads like FAQ. State a topic sentence that is clear and that is a statement, not a question. And avoid asking questions in the essay.

Later on, when you become more experienced, you may use questions. (after you graduate from this class).

Do not address the reader

Verbs whose subject is 'you' are not allowed in academic writing because the word 'you' is not allowed. So do not use expressions such as

Imagine - make no mistake -  think - take care of your children - etc...

Make sure you know the difference between

Their - there

its - it's

where - were

are - our

to - too

effects - affects

sit - set

lie - lie - lay

hole - hall - whole

accept - except

then - than

weather - whether

Avoid redundancy

Often times (often means times)

To enjoy the enjoyment :-)

in order to be able to (either in order to OR to be able to)

About the Title

Capitalize the first letter in the words of the title 1. Always capitalize the first and the last word. 2. Capitalize all nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and subordinate conjunctions ("as", "because", "although"). 3. Lowercase all articles, coordinate conjunctions ("and", "or", "nor"), and prepositions regardless of length, when they are other than the first or last word. (Note: Some writers capitalize prepositions of five characters or more ("after", "among", "between") 4. Lowercase the "to" in an infinitive