Structure Paragraphs in an Essay
Essays are one of the most substantial pieces of writing that you will need to do through your life and one of the most difficult. Structuring paragraphs are one of the most significant parts in the essay which creates the whole writing. It may seem very hard but with this guide, you'll learn how to structure them in no time!
Contents
Steps
Essay Template and Sample Essay
Doc:Essay Template
Introduction
These steps are using the book ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.
- Always start the essay off by introducing the text or else the reader doesn't know what you're talking about. You can also add in the question (shown in the next step) and add in which thing that thing came from.
- Form your response to your essay, in the form of an answer to a question, at first. When you have an essay, it should usually come in with a question or you have to make up your own. The first sentence of the introduction should be rephrasing the question. So, for example, if the question was: How does Puck dominate the mood of the play; for your first sentence, write: Puck is a main-protagonist in the play who dominates the mood of the play by etc.
- Introduce the step as shown in step 1. It is significant that you introduce the text, author, the date, and what the text is about etc. It is also important that you spell everything correctly including the dates it was written in etc. If you write ‘William Shakespear’ wrote the play instead of ‘William Shakespeare’, you might get deducted with marks because if you can’t spell anything, which means you didn't even have a thorough understanding of the text.
- Talk about the text roughly. It is absolutely not a good idea to talk about the text thoroughly or else the reader would either know too much of it so the reader won’t continue reading or it might be too boring. Always tell everything that needs to be told. You don’t have to add in every single thing such as the characters, instead, use the whole ‘group’ word but it is best when there are a few characters.
Paragraph Structure Using S.E.A.L.
These steps are using the book ‘The Giver’.
- Always start with a topic sentence in the body paragraph. It indicates to the reader which argument you will be using in that paragraph to develop your thesis statement. You write what you are talking about and link back to the question. For example: ‘In ‘Sameness’ there was no such thing as ‘fun’ or wonderful experiences. This also made Jonas wanting to leave the community’. The two sentences before were referring to the question: ‘Discuss why Jonas wanted to leave the Community’. See how you write the question again and the topic sentence?
- A topic sentence doesn’t have to be just one sentence. Try not to pass over three sentences.
- It is best to write about three ‘body’ paragraphs for beginners.
- Discuss or explain the topic in more detail. This means that you write ‘why’ or ‘how’ it happened etc. You tell the readers in depth (depending on time limit) why did this or that happen. You give evidence as to why you said it by explaining the situations. For example: ‘His strongest feeling was for color. He was so enthusiastic about color that he even asked his friend Asher to see whether or not Asher could see it’ – wonderful experience was color. That gives a recap on what you just said in the topic sentence. It is usually good to only write two paragraphs relating to the topic sentence depending on the time limit. So, for example, you write about the wonderful memories the Give gave him and color.
- Give some ‘real’ evidence from the text to support your paragraph that you just wrote. You discuss and analyze what you have just said. This can be proved by simply using a quote or a scene from the text. It’s best if you don’t use the word ‘quote’. This gives the reader an understanding of how the things you written were ‘real’ because you supported it. It is best to provide two quotes or scene in each paragraph, three or four if you have a high level. You might even have to memorize them.
- For example: ‘Snowflakes. They fall, down from the sky, and they’re very beautiful’. The sentence before explains how he wants the weather to change in ‘Sameness’ and how much he loves snowflakes.
- Conclude your paragraph - you write a sentence which links back to what you have argued about in the original question. Just like what you did in the introduction and the topic sentence. You should usually start with the word ‘therefore’ but not ‘hence’ as ‘hence’ usually only refers to one object or thing. So you tell the reader ’that’s why’ something happened.
- For example: ‘Therefore, color, fun, wonderful experience, weather etc. are a necessary part of life in Jonas’ opinion. All these factors contribute to making him wanting to leave the community’.
Paragraph Structure Using Other Methods
- Use the ‘T.S.S.S’ method. This is where you write the topic sentence, the supporting sentence, another supporting sentence with evidence and then another supporting sentence. Finish it off linking back to the question.
- Use the ‘I.M.A’ method. Start off with the topic sentence which Introduces concepts and other necessary information. Then you provide more specific information. Finnish it off by making an argument based on the info you have presented to the reader. Then conclude it.
- Use the ‘T.E.F.A.E.C’ method. You begin with a topic sentence which is the statement of the main idea of the paragraph. Then add in the explanation of supporting evidence. Then further evidence is needed. Next, write the application of ideas to a scenario or through the use of an example. Then you evaluate what you said and conclude it that brings the paragraph to a close.
Conclusion
- Conclude your essay. You summarise everything you write in three sentences or so. You should always link back to the question and ensure that there is no new information.
- You shouldn't start it off with ‘In Conclusion’ as the reader should be able to tell what you write that you’re completing your essay.
- Make your closing sentence in your essay last in your readers mind. Your last sentence in the conclusion should be the most memorable. Make it sound developed and decent. You explain what happens if that or thing was not there or anything you want.
- It is sometimes not good to tell your feelings or opinion unless it is the type that you have to write about.
Tips
- Make your paragraphs interesting so people are keen to read it.
- Never ever use colloquial language.
- Always remember to edit your essay!
- Always make your paragraphs in a flow.
- If you rush and you haven’t finished your last body paragraph, leave some space for it and finish of your conclusion first!
Warnings
- Avoid plagiarism. Parenthetically reference or footnote all borrowed quotes, facts and ideas that are not your own even if you are rewording them. Most faculty can quickly spot plagiarized content and can verify it with a 5-second Google-search or through plagiarism-detection software such as Turnitin. You can even be charged with plagiarism for reusing material that you've already written as you are expected to create new content every time. Plagiarism is a serious offense in the academic world; students have been expelled from colleges and universities for plagiarism, it is very risky.
