Essay Writing

Toolkit

Essay Planner

An excellent essay planner is available at:
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/r esources/interactives/essaymap/

Alternative Plans:

A range of ways to plan essays:
-Write a summary of your main argument. This is
particularly helpful for clarifying and refining ideas.
-Write the first sentence of each paragraph. These should
answer the question and form a coherent whole.
– Write the conclusion first. Then, work out what you will
need to include in order to reach it.
– Bullet point your introduction, main body, and
conclusion.
– Create a spider diagram with the essay question at the
centre.
-Draw out sub-questions from the title. Order the series of
questions you create and answer each in turn.
-Create a table. Put your key points across the top. Evidence
for and evidence against goes along the side (for example – http://www.activehistory.co.uk/Miscellaneous/free_stuff/essay_planner/index.
htm)

Command Words:

Evaluate
Explain
Describe

Command words are those words which
indicate to a student what they ought to do
in their essay.
Here are some examples:
Compare
Contrast
Describe
Define
Discuss
Evaluate
Explain
Illustrate
Justify
Outline
Students who know the functions of such
words are in a better position to answer the
question.

Paragraphs

Paragraphs ought to have a clear focus. If the writer has a new point to make they
should start a new paragraph. A long, unwieldy paragraph will most likely lack clarity.
Remind students that an essay is a piece of communication. Good communication is
clear and precise.
Here are three examples of paragraph structures students can use in their essays:
PEE
Point (make a point)
Explain (explain that point)
Evidence (provide evidence to support the point)
PEEL
As above with the addition of:
Link (connect the paragraph to that which will follow)
PESEL
Point (make a point)
Explain (explain that point)
Support (support the point using evidence, reasoning or examples)
Evaluate (evaluate the point)
Link (connect the paragraph to that which will follow)

Orwell

George Orwell wrote a wonderful essay railing
against poor, imprecise and dishonest use of the
English language. It is well worth reading and well
worth passing on to your students.
The essay contains six simple rules any writer can
use to improve the accuracy and clarity of their
work.
The essay is available at:
http://www.resort.com/~prime8/Orwell/patee.html
http://wikilivres.info/wiki/Politics_and_the_English_Language
http://www.netcharles.com/orwell/essays/politics-and-theenglish-language.htm
http://orwell.ru/library/essays/politics/english/e_polit
http://mla.stanford.edu/Politics_&_English_language.pdf

Russell

Bertrand Russell was best known as a
philosopher, logician and social critic. He wrote
clearly and with great lucidity.
Much of his work is available online:
http://users.drew.edu/~jlenz/brtexts.html

Purpose?

Intention?

An essay without a clear purpose is liable to become
unfocussed. Coherence may be lost and, if it is, logic
will most likely disappear as well. Here are some activities to help ensure students retain a clear purpose:
i) Provide students with a range of essay titles.
Ask them to come up with a single sentence
for each that encapsulates what their answer
would be about.
ii) Set an essay for the class. Insist that the first
sentence of each paragraph must answer the
question. Once the essays are complete, ask
students to read their first sentences to one
another.

Structure

Students think differently. Certain questions invite
certain types of response. Here are a range of
essay structures for students to use:

1) Introduction -> Arguments For -> Arguments Against -> Conclusion
2) Introduction -> 1st Argument For -> 1st Argument Against -> 2nd Argument For -> 2nd
Argument Against -> Conclusion
3) Introduction -> Main Body -> Conclusion
4) Introduction -> First Key Theme -> Second Key Theme -> Third Key Theme -> Conclusion
5) Introduction -> First Point -> Critique of First Point -> Second Point -> Critique of Second
Point -> Conclusion

Introductions

Introductions should be clear and precise. They should
indicate what the essay is about. They should answer the
question. At times it may be appropriate to analyse
certain words in the question and reformulate accordingly.
An introduction should make it clear to the reader what to
expect. It should be brief, saying only what is necessary
and no more.
Activities
i) Give students a range of essay titles. Ask them to
write introductions for each one.
ii) Once students have written an introduction, ask
them to rewrite it using fewer words but with the
same meaning.
iii) Put students in groups. Everyone has a piece of
paper. Give an essay title. Everyone writes the first
sentence of the introduction. Papers are then passed
on and everyone writes the second line. Continue
until the introductions are complete. Review and
discuss.

Conclusions

Conclusions should summarise what has gone before.
They should never contain new material. That is,
anything which has not been dealt with in the
preceding text.
A good conclusion draws together the threads which
the writer has woven to form a tight, coherent whole.
An average essay can be raised by a strong conclusion;
a good essay can be felled by a bad one.
Activities
i) Give students a range of essay titles and ask
them to write conclusions for each. When done,
students work in pairs to compare and contrast.
ii) Give students an essay title. Ask them to write
their conclusion and then go back and write the
essay.
iii) Students are given an essay title. They must
write 3-5 different conclusions which could fit
with the title. Next, they compare these with a
partner before planning out the detail which
would precede a couple of the conclusions.