Essays can feel overwhelming because they have many moving parts. A strong essay usually needs a clear main idea, organized paragraphs, useful evidence, explanation, transitions, and careful revision.

This page gathers posts and resources related to essay writing.

Topics may include:

Understanding the assignment
Creating a thesis statement
Building body paragraphs
Using evidence
Explaining quotes
Writing introductions and conclusions
Improving transitions
Revising rough drafts
Avoiding common essay mistakes
Preparing for peer review

A helpful essay question to keep in mind is:

Am I only including information, or am I explaining why that information matters?

Strong essays do not just drop in facts or quotes. They guide the reader through the writer’s thinking.

Reminder: Make sure to bookmark this page for easy reference!

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Punch up your Proofreading Power:

https://guides.frederick.edu/ld.php?content_id=55943032

Revise and edit checklist:

https://guides.frederick.edu/ld.php?content_id=6444430

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How to use databases:

What makes a good research question?

Narrow Focus
Answer is not obvious
You can actually research it (there is evidence out there for you to find)
Question is clear and has a single focus

Focusing Your Topic

The best way to focus your topic is to ask questions about it. Consider the five W's when trying to figure out what you want to research:

Who? Limit your topic to a specific person or group.

What? Limit your topic to a particular aspect of the topic or discipline.

Where? Limit your topic to a particular place or region.

When? Limit your topic to a particular period of time.

Why? Ask why the topic is important.

Remember you can limit your topic in more than one way. For example limit it to a "who" and a "what" or a "when" and a "where".

Mix and match the five Ws until you've created a good research question.

Craft Keywords from a Research Question

Create a table or list to brainstorm your keywords.
Place the main concepts of your research question horizontally in the first row.
Add synonyms and like ideas vertically under each original concept.
Try to come up with at least two or three synonyms for each concept.
Try different combinations of keywords when searching the databases.
Draw a chart like the one below or use the handout below to create your search terms.

Keyword graphic organizer: https://guides.frederick.edu/ld.php?content_id=84125127

Keyword outline organizer: https://guides.frederick.edu/ld.php?content_id=84125227

Databases automatically place:

AND

Between each of the keywords you type into the search box.

This will only find articles that include ALL your keywords.

Crafting an Essay

Introductions

Introductions may appear at the beginning of a paper, but they are not necessarily written first. At such an early stage of the writing process, you may not know exactly how you will present your argument, so writing the introduction after you write the paper might make it better reflect your essay.

Think of the introduction as an inverted pyramid: begin broad and move to a more focused point or “thesis statement.”

First you want an “attention-grabber.”

There are a variety of techniques that can make it seem more original, but here are a few to consider:

a vivid and maybe unexpected anecdote/story
a provocative quote closely related to your argument
a thought-provoking question, maybe posed to be answered after reading
an example of the phenomenon being addressed
a surprising statistic

Next, give any background information relevant to the specific purpose of the essay.

From this attention grabbing opener, you would need to move to the next part of the introduction, in which you offer some relevant background on the specific purpose of the essay. This section helps the reader see why you are focusing on this topic and makes the transition to the main point of your paper. For this reason, this is sometimes called the "transitional" part of the introduction.

Then, you need to bridge the gap between your attention-grabber and your thesis with some transitional discussion. In this part of your introduction, you narrow your focus of the topic and explain why the attention-grabber is relevant to the specific area you will be discussing. You should introduce your specific topic and provide any necessary background information that the reader would need in order to understand the problem that you are presenting in the paper. You can also define any key terms the reader might not know.

For example:

"Michelle's story is not isolated. Each year XX (number) of lives are lost due to drunk-driving accidents."

You could follow this with a short discussion of how serious the problem is and why the reader should care about this problem. This effectively moves the reader from the story about Michelle to your topic, which might be the need for stricter penalties for drinking and driving.

Finally, conclude with a strong thesis.

A strong thesis does 3 things:

states your topic,
your view on the topic, and
a “road map” or outline of how you are going to develop the topic.

In the drunk driving scenario, your thesis would be the point you are trying to make about drunk driving. You might be arguing for better enforcement of existing laws, enactment of stricter penalties, or funding for education about drinking and driving. Whatever the case, your thesis would clearly state the main point your paper is trying to make.

Example: "Drunk driving laws need to include stricter penalties for those convicted of drinking under the influence of alcohol."

Your essay would then go on to support this thesis with the reasons why stricter penalties are needed.

Some additional thoughts:

Don’t be afraid to write a tentative, placeholder introduction or working thesis and come back to it later.

Think of your introduction as the beginning of a speech. Your audience needs to know what to be ready for!

Hooks for introductions: https://guides.frederick.edu/ld.php?content_id=68452820

Thesis statements: https://guides.frederick.edu/ld.php?content_id=8770155

Five paragraph essay: https://guides.frederick.edu/ld.php?content_id=59587227

Building body paragraphs

A healthy body paragraph includes a topic sentence, evidence, analysis, and a concluding statement.

Incorporating quotes into a body paragraph follows the same process as a healthy workout routine.

Example:

(Topic sentence) The Industrial Revolution brought about significant societal changes, including the rise of the working class. (Quote introduction) As historian Eric Hobson notes, “The Industrial Revolution, therefore, created a new class – the industrial working class. This class was largely composed of unskilled or semi-skilled laborers who worked in factories and mines” (22). (Quote analysis) This shift in the nature of labor was a defining characteristic of the Industrial Revolution and a key factor in the emergence of a distinct working class. Hobson emphasizes that this class was composed primarily of unskilled or semi-skilled laborers, a significant departure from the pre-industrial era, where skilled artisans and independent craftsmen were more common.

More here: https://guides.frederick.edu/ld.php?content_id=79438993

Developing Conclusions

A conclusion is your chance to tell your reader about the importance of what they have read. Rather than just restating your main points, a conclusion should make your reader glad they read your work. It is your last chance to leave them with an idea that will stick with them after the essay ends.

More here: https://guides.frederick.edu/ld.php?content_id=68452799