Essay Tips

How to Write an Essay

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 20:47:00 +0000

How to Write an Essay. Writing an essay can be fun if you are interested in your essay's topic. In most cases, however, your teacher assigns you topics you barely understand or care about. The problem is before you can even begin your research, you still have to know how to write an essay. And not just any other written essay, but an essay that is effective in informing or persuading your readers, an essay that is short but with substance, and, above all, an essay that makes a valid point. Here are some tips on how to write an essay.

Carefully prepare your introduction. In the first paragraph of your essay, be sure to write the essential elements: who, what, when, where, and how. What is the topic of your essay? Who is involved? When did it happen? Where can it be found? How did it happen?

State your thesis. Your thesis is your main claim in your essay. It is the central idea that controls all the rest of the ideas you write. It should in the form of a declarative sentence or a sentence that declares a proposition, such as "Knowing how to write an essay is easy". You can write you thesis either as the first sentence or as the last sentence of your essay.

Write your body paragraphs. The first body paragraph immediately follows from your introduction. The ideal number of body paragraphs for a short essay is three. Each body paragraph should discuss one of your supporting ideas for your thesis. Avoid discussing the same idea for two or all of your essay's body paragraphs. A basic way to writing body paragraphs is to make a topic sentence as the beginning sentence for each of these paragraphs. For example, your body paragraph may start with the sentence "Knowing how to write an essay is easy because [supporting idea/argument #1]". Your next body paragraph may start with the sentence "Knowing how to write an essay is easy because [supporting idea/argument #2]". And so on. Be sure to limit your discussion within your body paragraph according to what you stated in the corresponding topic sentence.

Write your rebuttals or refutations. Your rebuttals or refutations are your counter-arguments to the possible criticisms against your claims. It is not enough to simply acknowledge and refute criticisms. It is better if you can show their weaknesses and show why these points are unacceptable.

Write your conclusion. Your concluding paragraph is where you summarize your supporting ideas [the ones you discussed in your body paragraphs]. After which, you restate your thesis towards the end of your essay. Avoid introducing new ideas in your essay's conclusion.

Read, edit, rewrite. Read your essay. Edit any errors in grammar. Rewrite inconsistencies in ideas. In short, polish your essay.

If you follow these steps, writing an essay will be a lot easier. If you know how to write an essay, you will get your message across more effectively regardless of whether you are actually interested in your topic.

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How to Write a Thesis Statement

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 22:05:00 +0000

How to Write a Thesis Statement. A good thesis statement is able to capture the essential details of any written article despite being just one sentence. It should be able to answer most of the four "W's" and the "H" whenever applicable: who, what, when, where, and how. If you already know how to write a thesis statement, you should know by now that it also oftentimes comes in the form of "X is Y because Z", where "X" is your main subject, where "Y" describes your main subject, and where "Z" provides the reasons about the description. For example, "Writing a thesis statement is easy because I understand how to write one". Here are a few more tips on how to write a thesis statement.

Think about who or what the subject of your essay will be. Is it about a famous celebrity? Is it about a recent event? Is it about an observed behavior or a trending practice? Your answers to these questions and other similar ones will tell you who or what is the subject of your essay. This will be your "X".

Describe the subject of your essay. Whatever your subject is, provide a brief but concise description of your subject. If your subject is a famous celebrity, provide a succinct description of the person. If it is a recent event or a social trend, do the same. Typical descriptions include but are not limited to: good or bad, moral or immoral, and acceptable or unacceptable. In any case, your description should have some "value". This will be your "Y".

State the reason why your description is valid. Your main reason for describing your subject in the way you have chosen will be your "Z". If, for instance, you say that "Euthanasia is acceptable," state the reason why, as in "Euthanasia is acceptable because it is a dignified way of putting an end to someone's life". The reason that you will give should directly correlate with or should be relevant to your subject and your description. Otherwise, your thesis statement will appear weak and devoid of substance.

Remember that your thesis statement should not be a factual statement but a declarative statement that can be argued. Otherwise, using a factual statement for your thesis statement leaves no room for intellectual discourse since a factual statement is generally accepted and is most likely proven to be true. If you know how to write a thesis sentence, you can be at least sure that you will be able to write a topic that you can argue.

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How to Write Body Paragraphs

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 22:08:00 +0000

How to Write Body Paragraphs. In essays of any kind, body paragraphs are essential. These are where you provide your supporting arguments to your thesis. These are also where you write your refutations or rebuttals against the challenges to your claim. In short, they serve as the very "meat" of your essay. Here are several tips on how to write the body paragraphs of your essay.

Stick to your topic sentence. The first sentence of the paragraph should be the idea that you want to develop within the same paragraph. Use it as a guide in writing your succeeding sentences. Avoid drifting away from your topic sentence as doing so may confuse your readers or, worse, lose the coherence of your essay. Take note of the key words in your topic sentence as these will help you develop the rest of the sentences in the paragraph.

Keep the paragraph within 5 to 7 sentences. Let's face it. Nobody wants to read a very long essay. Thus, keep your paragraphs at just the ideal length. The challenge, then, is to write what only needs to be written. Avoid cluttering your sentences with unnecessary words and phrases. Skip anything that is irrelevant or that doesn't make any clear sense. Always remember that your essay need not be very long just to make a valid point. Write to primarily to express, not to impress, unless you're told to do so.

Maintain transitions between paragraphs. To achieve this, you should end a paragraph using a sentence [a "transition" sentence] that smoothly connects to the first sentence of the next paragraph. In other words, end a paragraph with an idea that logically leads to the idea in the succeeding paragraph. This will make your paragraphs read tight and interconnected which, apparently, saves your essay from reading like a couple of distinct paragraphs simply lumped together.

Have a logical flow of sentences within paragraphs. Since your first sentence is your topic sentence, continue with the next sentence by developing the idea from the first. Do the same pattern for the rest of the sentences until you reach the transition sentence. For example, if your topic sentence is "Blue looks more beautiful than red," the next sentence should develop that idea by saying "Blue has admirable visual characteristics that red does not have". Following that sentence, you may proceed by writing that "Blue has the characteristic of looking relaxing to the eyes". And so on. Having a logical flow of sentences allows your reader to follow your arguments closely and understand better what it is that you are trying to say.

These are just some of the tips on how to write the body paragraphs of your essay. Always remember: to stick to your topic sentence, to keep the paragraph between 5 to 7 sentences, to maintain transitions between paragraphs, and to have a logical flow of sentences within paragraphs. Follow these tips on how to write the body paragraphs of your essay and you'll certainly send your message clearly and effectively.

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How to Write a Rebuttal

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:30:00 +0000

How to Write a Rebuttal Essay. Papers usually have rebuttals. In writing an essay, you usually do not simply lay down your arguments. You also have to address the criticisms against your thesis. A statement that seeks to counter opposing claims against your arguments is called a rebuttal. A rebuttal generally attempts to weaken the counter-arguments by showing that they are unacceptable, insignificant, or even absurd. Here are some tips on how to write a rebuttal in your essay.

By use of appeal to reason. A typical way of refuting an opposition to your argument is by showing the fallacies committed by the opposition. Logical fallacies are statements that are false by virtue of the principle of "non sequitur" or, literally, "it does not follow". For example, you may want to say that "just because X is true does not necessarily follow that Y is also true". A more concrete example is the statement "just because the ground is wet does not mean that it rained".

By use of appeal to emotion. This method is typically used when you want to get the feelings of your reader to side with your argument. More commonly, it is done by getting the sympathy of your reader. A classic example is the use of pathos.

By use of analogies or metaphors. An analogy is like a way of comparing two entirely different things. On the other hand, a metaphor is an expression that refers to something that it does not literally denote so as to suggest a similarity. In your rebuttal, you may compare the opposing to claim to something else in order to show why it is unacceptable or absurd. For example, if your thesis is that "euthanasia should be made legal" and if the opposing claim is that "many people actually believe that euthanasia is immoral, thus euthanasia should not be legalized", you may provide an analogy by stating that "many people also believe that the atom is the smallest particle in the universe, but certainly we know this to be absurd because beliefs are not objective facts, and beliefs have no place in an objective analysis".

These are just some of the ways in writing a rebuttal in your essay. You should remember that the aim of a rebuttal is to overcome the challenges against your claim. It is important to anticipate what possible objections can be raised so that you will be prepared to write your rebuttal statements.

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How to Write a Narrative Essay

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 20:36:00 +0000

How to Write a Narrative Essay. Writing a narrative essay is like telling a story. The essay should be written like a typical story-telling type of article where the writer expresses his ideas in his own words. Here are several tips for writing a narrative essay.

Be sure to narrate. In other words, don't simply write down random thoughts. Instead, develop the flow of your thoughts by arranging them in a certain order. Jot down the sequence of events regarding your chosen topic. Let this be your guide in writing your narrative essay. An example is to begin with a brief background of why an event is celebrated or observed, followed by a narration of how and why it is observed in present times, and concluded by what you think the event will be in the future. That is, will it still be observed? Or will it undergo dramatic changes?

Begin your narrative essay with an interesting quote relevant to the story such as a metaphor or a passage from a poem or another story. This method will help you catch the attention of your reader upon reading the first few lines of your narrative essay. Avoid using lengthy quotes as doing so may fail to capture your reader's attention. The shorter but more compelling your introductory quote is, the better.

Each body paragraph of your narrative essay should only focus on one part of the sequence of events. Limit your discussion in every paragraph on one idea. Think of every paragraph as a box where you put only things of the same kind, another box for other things of the same kind, and so on. This will not only show the sequence of the thoughts you are narrating but will also show proper organization of ideas.

Remember that writing a narrative essay requires that you write from your point of view. That is, write as to how you see or understand your topic. Interpret your topic from your personal perspective. Refrain from using other people's perspective unless there is a need. The key is to focus your narrative essay from your own mindset.

How to write a narrative essay essentially requires your understanding of your topic. Writing a narrative essay usually begins with a brief background of your topic and ends with a conclusion that looks forward instead of backward.

You may also want to read how to write an essay.

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How to Start an Essay

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 10:58:00 +0000

How to Start an Essay. Writing the first sentence for your essay can be hard. Imagine having to start an essay without having anything in mind -- definitely, you won't be able to write the first paragraph. The secret, therefore, on how to start an essay is knowing what to write beforehand. If your topic is clear in your mind, writing the rest of the essay will be a breeze. Here are some tips on how to start an essay.

Write your topic as the first sentence for your first paragraph. For example, if your essay is about the benefits of legalizing same-sex marriage, start your essay with it. This is the traditional method, similar to the Toulmin method.

You can start your essay by writing down clear facts shared by many, or by both sides of the opposition. Put the necessary details. However, try to avoid revealing your opinion at this early stage. It is enough that the facts have been laid down. This approach of starting an essay is similar to the Rogerian argument method.

Another way is to begin your essay with a quote from a popular poem, a famous movie, or an iconic individual. You can also start with an idiom. This approach is said to be effective in terms of drawing the reader's attention right at the start of the essay. It immediately raises the reader's expectations. Be careful, however. Sustaining the reader's interest throughout the essay is another matter altogether.

Having resolved the problem of starting an essay, finishing the rest of it is another challenge. You may also want to read about how to write an essay, how to write a thesis statement, or how to write body paragraphs.

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History of the Essay

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:03:00 +0000

History of the Essay. Tracing the definitive history of the essay is not an easy task. But for the purposes of this article, the context in which the history of the essay is treated is essay as a literary form. The word "essay" is derived from the French word essayer which, in turn, is culled from exagium or, more accurately, exagere -- a Latin word which means "to weigh" or "to sift". It is often held that Michel de Montaigne is the father of the essay as it was he who arguably introduced the style of using a very personal voice in writing. That was in 16th century -- about 400 years back from today. Before and during Montaigne's lifetime, literary works and almost every published writing are governed by very formal approaches. The conversational approach was an alien concept to writing during those days. It is in Essais, a two-volume book published in 1580-1588, where Montaigne first used the word and applied that approach in a published work. It was, in the context of the history of the essay, a pioneering feat.

While the history of the essay as a literary form may be conceived as starting off with Bacon, it did not take long enough for it to grow. In Essaying the Essay (1970), Burges Johnson maintains that the distinguished Sir Francis Bacon "borrowed this word essay from Montaigne, turn[ed] it into English and use[d] it as a title for some short prose experiments of his own" (p. 52), such as his Essays: Or Counsels, Civil and Moral (1597). It only took two decades at most for Montaigne's Essais to be followed by another seminal work. More importantly, it was Bacon who made the essay "a definite form" which was soon seized by many other writers who saw it as a "release from a traditional formality" (p. 52). From then on, the essay has become one of the -- if not the -- widely used literary form.

It can be maintained that the history of the essay has been significantly shaped by the social circumstances prevailing at the time. Alan Sinfield and Lindsay Smith are apt to point out in Textual Practice (1998) that the history of the essay "has its origins in the cultural revolution of the Renaissance" (p. 49). The Renaissance was a pivotal moment in human history because it was the time when the arts were driven by the desire to focus more on the human self and less on religious matters, the latter being the long-standing influence of the dark or medieval ages. Not surprisingly, literature also became a part of the Renaissance movement. Thus, the history of the essay finds its origins in the core Renaissance ideal of "rebirth" -- the rebirth of the human self.

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Research Paper Topics

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 08:15:00 +0000

Research paper topics. Determining the topic is the first stage in writing a research paper. There are many topics for a research paper to choose from. An important thing to consider is to narrow down your choices. Also, you should select the research paper topic which you are comfortable with, or which you are interested. In fact, you may even use recent controversial issues as your topic since there are many sources which you can find for them. Here are several suggested research paper topics:

The effects of status updates in Facebook on married couples
The limits of personal information privacy for online social network users
The evolution of the mobile phone over the past twenty years
Assessing the child-rearing capabilities of same-sex couples who wish to adopt a child
Assessing the arguments against same-sex marriage

Here are more research paper topics:

Determining the differences between same-sex "union" and "marriage"
When is self-restraint in the mass media necessary to protect personal rights?
Has the government focused too much on international rather than domestic threats of terrorism?
The clash between the freedom of religion and the police power of the State

There are many other research paper topics to choose from. Care should be taken in carefully limiting the scope of your topic so that it will neither be too broad nor too specific. A good topic for a research paper is not only interesting but also fit for your intended purpose.

You may also want to read about the parts of a research paper, or how to summarize a research paper.

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Format of an Essay

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 01:05:00 +0000

Format of an Essay. All good essays always follow a certain "form". An essay's format is like the blueprint for a building or the skeleton of the human body. The format of an essay directs the flow of your ideas. It also guides the discussion of your topic in a logical sequence. As a rule of thumb, the format of an essay is divided into three parts: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. However, there's more to an essay format than those three parts. Let's have a closer look at the format of an essay.

The Introduction
All essay formats must have a paragraph where the topic of the essay is first and briefly stated. The topic is typically written as a general claim or, in other words, as a thesis statement. A summary of the supporting points for the thesis statement may also be included in the introduction. Note that the format of an essay does not necessarily require that the paper should immediately begin with the thesis statement. In fact, other essays can be started with a relevant quote taken from another book or essay. In essence, the introduction is where the writer states what the essay is about and how, if any, the writer will prove his thesis or claim. For a more detailed explanation of the essay's introduction, click here.

The Body
In the format of an essay, body paragraphs explain what has been said in the introduction. There can be as many body paragraphs as there are supporting points that the writer may have. Ideally, one paragraph is devoted for every supporting idea. Since there can be three or more paragraphs in the body of the essay, the smooth transition from one paragraph to another is important. Otherwise, it defeats the purpose of following the format of an essay, which is to ensure a logical sequence of the discussion. For a more detailed explanation of the essay's body paragraphs, click here.

The Conclusion
The conclusion is the final section in the format of an essay. It "wraps up" everything that has been written in the body paragraphs. Usually, the essay's conclusion does not simply close the discussion or restate the general claim. It may also offer an alternative solution, a striking question, or a proposal for further discussion. For a more detailed explanation of the essay's conclusion, click here.

The format of an essay helps writers clearly and logically discuss their ideas. Without the proper essay format, your paper will most likely get a low mark.

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Outline for Essay

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 23:58:00 +0000

Outline for Essay. Writing an essay outline can be hard. In truth, creating the outline for your essay can be done easily and in a few minutes. There are several tips and tricks that you can follow in making the most suitable draft outline for your essay. Be sure that you already have the topic for your paper before you write an essay outline.

An essay outline has four basic parts: the introduction, the body, the conclusion, and the list of citations. These parts will form the four key sections of your outline. Begin every part with the corresponding roman numeral. For the introduction, use the roman number "I". For the body, use "II" and, for the conclusion, use "III". Finally, end with "IV" for your conclusion.

The body section [the one denominated by "III"] of your essay outline may consist of several subheadings. Use capital letters for your subheadings, such as A, B, C, and so on. Remember that these subheadings are actually the supporting points or arguments for the particular heading in the body.

In the essay outline, it is also likely that you will have sub-subheadings for your subheadings [the one denominated by "A, B, C" and so on]. Thus, for subheading "A", you may have several supporting ideas, arguments or examples. Use numbers for each supporting idea, argument, or example.

In sum, the structure of your essay outline will look like this:

The main reason why writing the outline for your essay is important is that it organizes your thoughts. An essay outline gives you a bird's eye view of how your paper will look like and provides you with a guide for a smooth transition of paragraphs. Moreover, an outline helps you plan the overall length of your essay, especially if you are limited to writing just a few pages. The essay outline is a must.

You may also want to read about Rogerian argument outline or how to write a thesis statement.

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Thesis Statement Examples

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 21:06:00 +0000

Thesis Statement Examples. A thesis statement expresses the main point or argument of an essay. Examples of a thesis statement are typically in the format "A is B because C", such as "Racism [A] is immoral [B] because it is against human equality [C]". There are many other thesis statement examples in writing essays especially persuasive ones. A brief but catchy thesis statement easily attracts the attention of readers as it immediately tells them what you will be arguing in your essay. Below is a list of several thesis statement examples with brief explanations.

Thesis Statement Example 1

Wrong: "Electric cars are better vehicles because they have benefits." [This is a wrong formulation of a thesis statement because it does not compare electric cars to another type of vehicle in terms of benefits.]
Correct: "Electric cars provide a viable alternative to gasoline-fueled cars because the benefits outweigh the costs."

Thesis Statement Example 2

Wrong: "Smoking should be prohibited." [This thesis statement is too vague or ambiguous apart from being too short. It does not really argue for or against any specific point.]
Correct: "There should be an absolute ban against smoking in public because secondhand smoke endangers the health of non-smokers."

Thesis Statement Example 3

Wrong: "I will argue in this essay that same-sex couples can marry because it is their right." [This thesis statement is unclear. It is not really disputed that same-sex couples can marry because they really can, only that they can marry a person of the opposite sex. Note the correct way of writing the thesis statement in the next sentence.]
Correct: "This paper argues that same-sex marriage should be allowed because homosexual couples are also citizens with fundamental rights like heterosexual spouses."

An effective thesis statement is straight to the point. It avoids unnecessary and vague words that do not really relate to the essay's topic. In the thesis statement examples provided, observe how they adhere to the "A is B because C" formula. While there are other ways to write a thesis statement, the formula allows you to write one that fully expresses an argument while getting rid of words and phrases that have little to do with your topic.

You may also want to read how to write a thesis statement.

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How to Write a Classification Essay

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:28:00 +0000

How to Write a Classification Essay. A classification essay can be best described by the word "classify". In other words, the classification essay is supposed to group certain subjects or ideas for a given topic. The kinds of groupings may vary depending on the context but should remain relevant to the essay topic. You can have as few or as many classifications in your essay as possible, provided that they do not exceed or fail to meet what is required. The following are tips and examples in writing a classification essay.

The most important tip to remember is that a classification essay should have categories. These categories should evenly breakdown your general topic. For example, if your essay topic is "parts of a desktop computer", you should categorize your topic into "software" and "hardware".

Your categories can have one or several sub-categories. These minor components should further specify the classification you are trying to make. Using the previous example topic, you may further classify "hardware" as "input", "processing", and "output".

While you may have several classifications and sub-classifications [and perhaps even extend to even smaller and more specific classifications], remember that you should not make more or less classifications that what is actually needed. Otherwise, your classification essay will not be clear and will only confuse your reader. Avoid too many and too few classifications; go for what is enough.

It is equally important in your classification essay to determine precisely what type of groupings you will use. In certain topics, you may be asked to classify according to "effects", "causes", "kinds", and many others. What is specifically asked should serve as your primary guide for choosing the type of classification you will make. Avoid using very broad classifications that may include others which are not supposed to be included in your essay.

You may want to start writing the draft for your classification essay by making a "list". This list should include the main words that you will write about. Using the previous example topic "parts of a desktop computer", you may want to list down keywords such as keyboard, mouse, computer screen, hard drive, printer, speakers, and others.

Writing a classification essay basically requires the skill to make groupings that are relevant to the essay topic. The purpose of classifying can be compared to segregating a clutter of things into whether bedroom stuff, kitchen utensils, or garage equipment so that you can group them properly.

You may also want to read about how to write a narrative essay, or how to write an essay.

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How to Write Cause/Effect Essay

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 09:12:00 +0000

How to Write a Cause and Effect Essay. Cause and effect essays explain an event by showing why the event happened [the cause] and what the results are of the event [the effects]. A cause and effect essay is an effective writing tool in explaining and discussing topics to readers who need information. Here are some tips on how to write a cause and effect essay.

Identify the problem or event. Start by knowing exactly the topic of your cause and effect essay. Ask yourself, "what is it that I want to write about?" Or, "what exactly is the problem or event that I want to discuss?" These are the fundamental questions that you need to resolve before starting your cause and effect essay. You may arrive at a long list, but cut down your possible topics by choosing the most specific. Concentrate on just one topic.

Determine why the problem or event happened. In other words, clarify the cause. To know the cause, ask yourself, "why is there a problem?" Or, "what could be the reasons behind this event?" An effective method is to think if the event will still exist even after you remove the possible causes. If the event changes or ceases to exist after removing a possible cause, then the "cause" you identified is not truly a cause of the event. It may be something else not relevant to your cause and effect essay. Here's a simplified formula: event - cause = no event. Thus, the cause is a cause of the particular event.

List down the effects of the problem or event. To do this, you need to ask yourself: "what happened after the event?". Do not simply include all the things that happened after the event because not all of them may necessarily be part of the effects. Rather, carefully choose the most relevant. How? Simple. If you remove the event and the effects continue to exist, then those "effects" are not really effects of the event. If they cease to exist, then they truly are part of the effects of the event. Here's a simplified formula: effect - event = no effect. Thus, the effect is indeed an effect of the particular event.

Synthesize the causes and the effects. It is not enough to simply write down the causes and effects. Otherwise, they will merely look like separate observations that have no relationship. To synthesize your causes and effects, use this formula: Causes -> Event -> Effects. Consider this basic example: "Due to the heavy rainstorm [cause], the streets flooded [event] which prompted local shops to close early [effect]."

Conclude your cause and effect essay. Do not limit your conclusion with a restatement of the causes and the effects of the event, or a synthesis. You may also try to suggest an alternative explanation or a brief commentary. Say whether you believe that the causes and the effects have a relationship with event, and provide a brief explanation why you say so.

In cause and effect essays, do not to confuse the cause with the effect and vice versa. The most fatal error a writer can do in writing a cause and effect essay is to mistake one for the other. It is not enough to simply know how to write cause and effect essays. What's more important is to understand the underlying relationships between the cause and the effect of a certain event or problem.

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How to Write an Illustration Essay

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 09:01:00 +0000

How to Write an Illustration Essay. An illustration essay is used to describe a topic through the use of examples. In simple terms, illustration essays describe by "illustrating" or portraying a topic through the use of literary imagery. Adjectives play an important role in writing an illustration essay. Find out how to write an illustration essay by reading these easy tips.

Like any essay, introduce your topic in your first paragraph. Usually, an illustration essay requires you to describe a certain topic through the use of illustrations through words. Thus, your introductory paragraph should include your main descriptions for your topic. As much as possible, try to use "keywords" in describing your topic.

Use each keyword that you wrote in your introduction as the main focus of each of your body paragraphs. This will help you keep your paragraphs coherent and will thus help you avoid discussing irrelevant ideas. If, for example, you are discussing the idea that "gun ban laws are unfair," show why such laws are unfair by way of describing why they are so.

Pay attention to your descriptions. Avoid being too vague or too general. In other words, be very specific in describing your topic. The reason why you are asked to illustrate a certain topic is for you to shed light on some of its uncertainties. Adding vague or overly general descriptions will not help you obtain your purpose.

Use comparisons that are familiar to your readers. Compare your topic to another topic which is of particular interest and is of common understanding. This will help you to easily send the message to your readers without having to discuss too far.

You may also want to read more about how to write a persuasive essay, or how to write an expository essay.

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How to Write a Persuasive Essay

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 08:50:00 +0000

How to Write a Persuasive Essay. To write a persuasive essay is basically to write arguments that will prove your claim. Writing a persuasive essay requires the ability to win your readers to your side. To do so, you should be able to write your strongest arguments and to identify the weaknesses of the points raised against your claim. A persuasive essay can be compared to an advertisement. TV commercials show why a product is better than anything else out in the market. Similarly, persuasive essays show why a certain claim or position is better than all the rest. Here are some tips on how to write a persuasive essay.

Before writing your persuasive essay, consider these three important elements: position, audience, and main opposing view. First, identify your position on your topic. For example, if your topic is death penalty, ask yourself "am I for death penalty or against it?". Next, identify your audience. Again, ask yourself, "are they on my side or are they against my position?" Another relevant question is "who is my audience" or "who are my readers?". This will help you write your persuasive essay in a way that strategically adopts to the sentiments of your audience so that you will be able to convince them more easily. Finally, you have to identify the main opposing view against your claim. Anticipating the chief objection against your argument in your persuasive essay can help you prepare your rebuttal. With these things in mind, you are now ready to write a persuasive essay.

Begin your persuasive essay with an intriguing fact or a startling data. Of course, this depends on your general claim. If, for instance, the topic of your persuasive essay is "death penalty should be adopted," start by saying that "heinous crimes have increased by 70% over the last 2 years". The purpose is to capture the attention of your readers right at the start. Without getting their attention, it will be difficult to persuade them. The challenge, therefore, is to maintain their attention throughout the persuasive essay.

List down your reasons for your claim. In a persuasive essay, each "reason" is actually a supporting argument or premise to your position. Write each reason as a declarative sentence, such as "Death penalty should be adopted because it is a crime deterrent". Use each of these declarative sentences as your topic sentence or the first sentence in your body paragraphs. Follow each topic sentence with minor supporting arguments or evidence. This method helps structure your persuasive essay efficiently and maintains the smooth flow of your key points.

Provide evidence such as statistics, quotations and examples. Doing so gives credibility to your arguments in your persuasive essay. However, keep in mind that your evidence should be relevant to your argument. Also, don't forget to use credible sources of information such as peer-reviewed journals and books. Remember to properly cite your sources in your persuasive essay.

Respond to the main opposing view. Show why your position is better or why the opposing view is unacceptable. There are several ways of rebutting criticisms against your arguments. A discussion of rebuttals can be found here.

Conclude with a bang! In other words, do not simply restate your position in your conclusion. Rather, end your persuasive essay in an unconventional manner. You can do this by giving an illustration of what may happen if your audience will reject your main argument. Consider citing a particular scene in a movie, a famous novel, or an actual event, whether historical or current, that shows exactly what might happen if your audience finds your position too difficult to accept. This way, your persuasive essay will leave its marks on your readers' minds. Who knows? They might rethink their objections even after they have already read your persuasive essay.

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How to Write an Expository Essay

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 12:32:00 +0000

How to Write an Expository Essay. An expository essay provides an explanation or information of something through the use of factual data. Facts can be further explained by using clear and concise ideas. Towards the end of the expository essay, the writer should be able to gradually build an argument out of the facts provided. This can be achieved by using cause and effect analysis, comparison and contrast, as well as by giving definitions or further examples of the central topic. Here are the steps in writing an expository essay.

Step 1. Identify the main topic.
Easy enough, but if you have the liberty to choose your topic, try not to choose those that are too general or which have been written about countless of times. Select a narrow topic that is interesting but has plenty of information at the same time.

Step 2. Gather facts and other information relevant to the topic.
Select facts and information that are from credible sources such as peer-reviewed journals, books, and newspapers. Your facts may consist of statistical data, research findings, chronicles of previous events and other historical facts and figures published in books and journals.

Step 3. Write your clear and concise thesis statement in your expository essay's first or introductory paragraph.
You may write your thesis statement as either the first or the last sentence of your essay. If you choose to put it in your first sentence, make sure that the succeeding sentences will tell more about your first sentence. In doing so, provide brief supporting ideas. On the other hand, if you choose to put in your last sentence, make sure that the sentences preceding it logically follow from one another until your last sentence.

Step 4. Distribute your facts in your body paragraphs. Group your facts according to their commonalities.
Each body paragraph should tackle one key idea. Support each of your ideas in every body paragraph with relevant facts and figures. Avoid repeating facts in different paragraphs as it will make your essay look as though it was not carefully planned. Place facts whenever needed.

Step 5. Provide logical and smooth transition sentences between paragraphs.
The way in which you make a transition from one body paragraph to another should be logical. Otherwise, the whole structure of your expository essay will collapse.

Step 6. Conclude your essay.
Assess the topic in light of the evidence you provided. Your expository essay's conclusion is your last chance to establish the argument that you have derived from the key facts you discussed.

Tip: in writing an Expository Essay, avoid using the first-person pronoun ("I"). Rather, use second-person pronouns.

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How to Write Essay Conclusion

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 01:08:00 +0000

How to Write an Essay Conclusion. Basically, writing a conclusion for your essay is like summarizing the main points you discussed in the body paragraphs. In your conclusion, you also restate your thesis or main claim. It is where you resolve the issue by reiterating your main contention. Another way of concluding your essay is by offering an alternative solution to the problem. Of these three, the conventional approach in writing a conclusion is summarizing your claims in a few sentences, or consolidating your ideas into a single sentence.

There are several steps that you can follow in writing a conclusion. One is to write down what each of your body paragraph argues or states into separate sentences, and ordering these sentences into a logical sequence leading to your thesis. Below is an example of a conclusion that follows this method:

Euthanasia always involves the dilemma of choosing between life or death [summary of first body paragraph]. To choose death over life is to choose to extinguish all possibility of hope for recovery and the right to life [summary of second body paragraph]. Extinguishing all possibility of hope for another human being and his inherent right to life is cruel and inhumane [summary of third body paragraph]. What is cruel and inhumane has no place in a moral society [summary of fourth body paragraph]. Euthanasia should have no place in any society that subscribes to moral norms and standards [thesis or main idea].

Another step of writing a conclusion is to offer an alternative solution to the problem you discussed. This method best applies to essays where certain problems are tackled and where solutions are most needed. For example, if you are writing about the problem of teenage alcoholism, you may conclude by offering a way to overcome this habit. For instance:

Teenage alcoholism should not make parents feel hopeless. Instead of simply accepting the condition of their child, parents should first engage their child in a close conversation [proposed solution]. That way, parents can identify the reasons why their child is addicted to alcohol and provide the help that their child needs in order to keep them away from their bad habit.

Finally, in writing your essay's conclusion, you may simply restate your thesis. In doing so, you need not to introduce new ideas since the conclusion part is where you provide your final or closing statements. You may, however, end with a question or a challenge to your readers so that they will have to continue to rethink your arguments even after reading your essay.

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How to Write Essay Introduction

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 01:07:00 +0000

How to Write an Essay Introduction. In writing the introduction of your essay, keep in mind that the introduction paragraph is where you are supposed to first present your topic. It is where you "introduce" to your readers what it is that you are going to write about. State the most basic and most relevant information about your topic, especially the answers to the "who, what, when, where, how" types of questions. Do not immediately jump to a thorough discussion of your supporting arguments. That should be done in the body paragraphs. Towards the end of your introductory paragraph, provide your thesis or main argument for or against the topic. Your thesis will be the controlling idea for the rest of your body paragraphs.

Knowing how to write the essay introduction requires knowing the things that you want to discuss beforehand. This will allow you to outline the key ideas that you want to include in your introductory paragraph. For example, if your essay is about gun control in New York, some of your key ideas may include but are not limited to:

There is a correlation between gun ownership and crimes in suburban New York.
Handguns are easily acquired even without the required federal or state license.
Firearms in the wrong hands is a threat to society.

Given the ideas above and your topic, you may then write your essay's introduction as follows:

Guns are weapons that can take life in an instant. In suburban New York, records indicate a correlation between gun ownership and crimes. Since handguns can easily be acquired even without the necessary permits from either the federal or state government, these firearms can place the society under constant threat when they fall into the wrong hands. It is imperative to have effective gun control laws in New York as a matter of necessity.

Apparently, the example provided for the essay's introduction essentially gathers the salient points which are to be further elaborated in the succeeding body paragraphs. In general, introductory paragraphs should be written in such a way that they easily capture the attention of the reader and leave them wanting to read the rest of the article. Knowing how to write the essay's introduction, therefore, requires knowing how to attract the attention of the reader without forgetting that it is also where you first introduce your topic. A good introduction can spell the difference between an essay that is able to lure the readers to read more or an essay that lacks the power to invite the readers to read through the rest of the article.

In some cases, an essay's introduction may also be a line from a poem or a song, a quote from an authority or a famous individual, or a paragraph taken from a famous literary work. It may also be in the form of a one-liner question. Although these are not the conventional ways of writing the essay's introductory paragraph, they nevertheless add flair or appeal to your essay, especially when your readers could only care less about your essay's topic.

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How to Write Reflection Essay

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 01:06:00 +0000

How to Write a Reflection Essay. Basically, writing a reflection essay is a good exercise to sharpen your critical thinking skills. You have to understand what it is that you have to reflect on before proceeding with the essay, otherwise you will only lose track of your ideas or, worse, you will not be able to write anything that will make sense. Keep in mind that a reflection essay is more like a journal where you jot down your thoughts or how you feel about a certain topic. Your topic may be a film, a book, an event, or just about anything.

Before starting with your reflection essay, ask yourself a couple of questions, such as: how do I feel about this topic? How does it affect me, if it does at all? If it doesn't affect me, why? Notice that the questions are all personal. That is because a reflection essay asks you to express your insights. Knowing the answers to these personal questions can help you begin your reflection essay. Do not limit yourself to these three questions. Explore more that asks you to state your opinion. Leave out the facts first. Concentrate on your insights.

After having the answers to the personal questions stated above, list your answers. Thereafter, summarize them into a single sentence. This will be your main controlling idea or central thesis which will guide you throughout the rest of your reflection essay. With your thesis statement, identify the arguments or ideas that will support it. You may expand or write more about each supporting idea in a paragraph. Each of these paragraphs will then be the body of your essay. Try to include factual statements in these body paragraphs, such as what you have observed, so that your claims are well supported. Sufficient reference to facts is a good way of giving substance to your reflections.

After you have finished writing the body paragraphs of your reflection essay, return to your personal questions. This time, however, ask yourself as if you are trying to confirm what you have written: is this how I truly feel about this topic? Is this how it did affect me, if it did at all? If it didn't affect me, why? This is a matter of reaffirming your honesty in writing your reflection essay. You should only provide your truthful reflections, otherwise writing down the things that are far from what you truly felt defeats the very purpose of reflecting on the topic. Also, write down how and why you arrived at your insights. Be consistent and avoid one idea in one paragraph clashing with another idea in another paragraph.

In your reflection essay's conclusion, briefly restate your main insight or thesis. You may end with a question, asking how others might have thought about the same topic. You may also end with a challenge to your readers, such as asking them to reflect on the same topic and ask the same questions. At any rate, what is most important to remember is that a reflection essay is generally a personal assessment of a topic that may or may not affect you and others.

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How to Cite Source or Reference

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:33:00 +0000

How to Cite Sources or References. In writing an essay or a paper in general, how do you cite? Citing a source can be done in two ways: (1) through in-text citation, or (2) through a works cited list, references page, or a bibliography. The citation style will vary depending on the prescribed referencing method. Some of the commonly used citation styles include APA 5th, MLA, and Chicago/Turabian. Knowing how to cite your sources of information does not only give credibility to your arguments and your paper in general. More importantly, it prevents you from becoming guilty of plagiarism. The proper citing of sources is academically appropriate and ethical, since the lack of proper attribution amounts to stealing somebody else's ideas.

In terms of in-text citation, you cite your source by putting the parenthetical citation at the end of your direct or indirect quote. A direct quote is a text that is copied as is from your source or reference. It is indicated by the quotation marks (“ ”). On the other hand, an indirect quote is a text that is a paraphrase of an idea taken from your source or reference. To cite both of them, you need to write the parenthetical citation precisely after the borrowed text. For example:

[APA 5th] Research shows that “there is no direct correlation between gun ownership and the propensity to commit a felony involving firearms” (Austin, 2003, p. 77).

[MLA] While students may learn from constant reading, it is argued that “students may learn more if their parents assist their children during their reading sessions” (Smith, p. 109).

In terms of works cited list, reference page, or a bibliography, you cite your source or reference by providing the required information. This will vary depending on which citation or referencing style you will use. It will also depend on the type of source that you will use, such as a book, a journal article, a website, and a film just to name a few.

In APA 5th, what is required is a reference page. MLA format requires a works cited page while Chicago/Turabian requires a bibliography. Each format has its own set of guidelines in citing a source according to its type. Common sources include journals, books, and newspaper articles.

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How to Write Compare and Contrast Essays

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 09:29:00 +0000

How to Write Compare and Contrast Essays. Writing a good essay that asks you to compare and contrast depends on your understanding of the things that you should "compare" or "contrast". Writing an essay that asks you to compare means identifying and assessing the degree or extent of the similarities between two things. On the other hand, an essay that asks you to contrast wants you to distinguish by describing the differences between two or more topics or objects. Thus, to compare is to say that X is almost similar to Y in terms of attributes A and B, while to contrast is to say that X is different to Y in terms of attributes A and B.

Writing a comparison essay requires showing how two things are alike. In showing the similarities between two things, it is important to identify the characteristics that both things share. For example, in an essay that asks you to compare a football player from a basketball player, you may want to emphasize that both are athletes, both undergo intense trainings, and both play specific roles in the team. After showing the similarities, you may also decide to stress the degree of their similarities. Following the same example, you may include in your comparison essay that both basketball and football players may either be assigned to offensive or defensive positions depending on their skills.

Writing a contrast essay requires showing how two things are different. To show how two things are different, you may emphasize one trait of the first object which the second object lacks. You may also try to write down several observable physical differences between the two objects. For example, in an essay that asks you to contrast a newspaper from a television news program, you can try to state that the news reports in a newspaper can be viewed countless of times whenever one desires to do so while news reports in television news programs can only be viewed again depending on the availability of a later replay. Thus, they differ in terms of availability of and access to news reports.

In writing an essay that asks you to compare and contrast, you should therefore show both similarities and differences. You may choose to highlight first the similarities before proceeding with emphasizing the differences. Or you may prefer things the other way around. Regardless of which method you select, what matters most is that you should avoid confusing one with the other. To compare is to show what elements are common, or what attributes are shared. To contrast is to show what one lacks while the other possesses, or what differences are present. This is the essence of writing compare and contrast essays.

You may also want to read how to write a five-paragraph essay.

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Quotes versus Paraphrase

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 13:17:00 +0000

Quotes Versus Paraphrase. What are the differences between a quote and a paraphrase? To begin with, a quote—or, more precisely, a direct quote—is a phrase , sentence, or an entire paragraph that is an original or exact reproduction or copy of the original text. It begins and ends with quotation (“ ”) marks, signifying that the quoted line is borrowed from another source. On the other hand, a paraphrase is an interpretation or restatement of an idea taken from another text. Note, however, that both direct quotes and paraphrases require proper attribution, which means that the sources from which they were taken should be properly cited. Whether it is a quote or a paraphrase, in-text citation is required as a rule.

Basically, the difference a quote and a paraphrase is on how the borrowed text is reproduced in another essay. If the borrowed text is reproduced or written as they appear from the original source, the reproduced text is then called a direct quote which is marked by quotations (“ ”). If, on the other hand, the borrowed text is rewritten differently or the same idea is written through the use of approximately similar terms or words, the reproduced text is then called a paraphrase. Thus, to quote essentially means to copy as is without changing anything. To paraphrase, therefore, means to rewrite or reword the original text.

If you intend to quote a passage from, say, a book or a journal article, put your chosen passage in quotation marks and cite the source right after the quoted passage. For example, if the original text says Globalization has widened the disparity between the rich and the poor, quote it in your essay by writing down “Globalization has widened the disparity between the rich and the poor” (Bakersfield, p. 34). Note the quotation marks and the citation after the quoted line.

On the other hand, if you intend to paraphrase a certain line from a book chapter or a paragraph in an essay, rewrite or reword the passage as you see fit but still retaining the essence of or the main point or idea of the passage. Then, place a citation after the paraphrase. For example, if the original text says Globalization has widened the disparity between the rich and the poor, you may rewrite the passage in this way: The rich are getting richer while the poor are getting poorer because of globalization (Bakersfield, p. 34).

As to which between a quote and a paraphrase is better, the answer relatively depends on your preference. There are no rules stating when to use a paraphrase or a direct quote, unless your teacher or your course dictates you to choose either one or both of them. A bit of information that may be of good use: you may paraphrase a direct quote from another text, and you may quote a paraphrase from another source.

You may want to read how to paraphrase, some paraphrasing samples, how to paraphrase a poem, what is paraphrasing, or how to paraphrase a direct quote.

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How to Quote in MLA

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 23:33:00 +0000

How to Quote in MLA. In using the MLA format, quoting requires two important things: the surname of the author of the source and the page number. Put these two items inside parentheses. For example, (Clark, p. 54). Place the parentheses after the quoted passage. For example,

According to one literary scholar, "the literary genius of Hemingway cannot be easily understood without an understanding of where he is coming from" (Clark, p. 54).

That is the general rule. However, there are several exceptions. If, for instance, the full name of the author is already introduced in the sentence where the same quote appears, there is no need to include the author's surname in the parentheses. Also, include the page number of the source in parentheses at the end of the quote. For example:

According to Herbert Clark, "the literary genius of Hemingway cannot be easily understood without an understanding of where he is coming from" (Clark, p. 54).

Another exception is when the source of your quoted passage does not have an author. In this case, place the title of the source in place of the author's surname. For example:

In fact, "Hemingway has proven that literary artistry does not have to come from happy experiences in life" (The Writings of Hemingway, p. 86).

If the title of the source is already mentioned in the same sentence where the quoted passage is placed, place the page number in parentheses at the end of the quote. For example:

According to The Writings of Hemingway, "Hemingway has proven that literary artistry does not have to come from happy experiences in life" (p. 86).

A few important reminders. Always put the in-text citation in parentheses before the period and after the quotation marks or after the name of the author or the title of the source. Now that you know the basic principles on how to quote in MLA, you may also want to read how to quote in APA, or how to quote in an essay, or how to quote, or know more about direct quotes.

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How to Quote in APA

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 23:33:00 +0000

How to Quote in APA. In using the APA format, quoting requires three important things: the surname of the author of the source, the year the source was published, and the page number. Put these three items inside parentheses. For example, (Stevens, 2005, p. 35). Place the parentheses after the quoted passage. For example,

In fact, "two out of every ten smokers suffer from lung cancer" (Stevens, 2005, p. 35).

That is the general rule. However, there are several exceptions. If, for instance, the full name of the author is already introduced in the sentence where the same quote appears, there is no need to include the author's surname in the parentheses. Also, include the year of publication of the source in parentheses after the author's name and the page number of the source in parentheses at the end of the quote. For example:

According to John Stevens (2005), "two out of every ten smokers suffer from lung cancer" (p. 35).

Another exception is when the source of your quoted passage does not have an author. In this case, place the title of the source in place of the author's surname. For example:

In fact, "five children experience extreme malnutrition in communities under severe poverty" (World Health Statistics, 2006, p. 99).

If the title of the source is already mentioned in the same sentence where the quoted passage is placed, place the year of publication of the source beside it in parentheses and place the page number in parentheses at the end of the quote. For example:

According to the report from World Health Statistics (2006), "five children experience extreme malnutrition in communities under severe poverty" (p. 99).

A few important reminders. Always put the in-text citation in parentheses before the period and after the quotation marks or after the name of the author or the title of the source. Now that you know the basic principles on how to quote in APA, you may also want to read how to quote in MLA, or how to quote in an essay, or how to quote, or know more about direct quotes.

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How to Use Logos

noreply@blogger.com (SPLICE) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:58:00 +0000

How to Use Logos. At its most basic, logos as a mode of persuasion means making an argument based on reason. Persuasive arguments using logos may make use of any or a combination of the following: statistical data, generally known facts, and scientific or mathematical evidence. Information from these may be incorporated in deductive or inductive arguments so that readers will be more likely persuaded to agree with the writer's position or thesis.

An important thing to remember in using logos in persuasive arguments is that they serve to reinforce a claim. Thus, do not just throw in statistical data randomly in your persuasive paper. Put them where they are needed. If you are making a claim, such as the idea that globalization has widened the disparity between the rich and the poor, make sure to provide statistical data that shows exactly why that is the case. Backing-up your claim is crucial. Otherwise, your contention will be no more than an opinion that lacks substance.

Of more importance is knowing what fact or data to use. This is perhaps the very core of logos as one of the "appeals" in rhetorical arguments. Carefully choose from a set of data or facts which is the most relevant to your topic. If you are trying to state in your sentence or paragraph that globalization has made the rich richer and the poor poorer, do not put in information which shows that globalization has contributed to the growth of outsourcing companies in third-world countries. In other words, do not provide reasons which stray from your main point. As much as possible, go direct to the point. This will make the flow of your arguments tight, thereby leaving little to no room for objections.

Since the use of logos in your rhetorical argument gives authority to what you are actually saying, it gives your readers the impression that you understand your contention too well that objecting to what you are saying is contrary to reason. However, remember that the key to effectively persuading your readers by using logos is using facts or information sparingly but correctly. Do not crowd your arguments with statistics unless you are addressing very technical people who understand numbers. Moreover, do not put facts and data just for the sake of having facts and data in your arguments. It makes sense to say that persuasive arguments using logos stand a better chance at convincing readers if the reasons are placed at the right place and at the right time.

You may also want to read about how to use Pathos, or how to use Ethos, or what a Rhetorical argument is.

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