Expository Paragraphs

Expository Paragraphs If you introduction is multiple paragraphs long you have more flexibility where you place the thesis. Essays are a common form of assessment in many tertiary-level disciplines. You can create them first to help you stay on track when writing your essay. When you are first assigned the topic, go ahead and really explore the possible options for your thesis. The more questions you ask before you start writing, the more information you will have to use in the essay. 'Some - those who work less consciously - may have a very sketchy plan. A topic sentence is the first sentence in a paragraph, and it summarizes the rest of the paragraph. This could include examples or quotations from authoritative sources. Writing Essays takes you through the whole essay writing process â€" from preparing and planning to completion. Writing essays is structured progressively and I recommend that you use it in this way. However, you will see from the sidebar that the guide is divided into a number of main sections. First and foremost, you must fully understand what you're being asked and in how much depth you're required to answer the question. Michael says that one of the biggest problems students face when it comes to essays is squarely addressing the topic. 'Many successful essay writers plan consciously and deliberately, and commit to extensive notes, lists or mind maps,' he says. Always recall the essay question as you write and continually link your body paragraphs to the essay question. To ensure your writing is cohesive and coherent - use linking words. Try to synthesise your evidence into each body paragraph in order to substantiate your points. Whenever you do use evidence you should follow the referencing guidelines that have been specified by your tutor or lecturer. The body of your essay will consist of paragraphs which function as building blocks in the construction of your overall paper. The body is where you demonstrate your knowledge and grasp of the material that you have read. It’s also where you develop a discussion or argument. In order to substantiate your argument, you will also need to offer evidence. Essentially, a conclusion consists of three main objectives. Firstly, it must summarise the arguments or information that has been presented in the body of the paper. The purpose of the conclusion is to consolidate or integrate the various issues or researched data that have been covered in the core of your paper. Then, it must restate the key points that have been presented â€" and reiterate the thesis statement. More importantly, your plan will ensure that you actually answer the question. Everything you write must be related to the question, and without a plan it is all too easy to lose focus and write irrelevant nonsense. This will be immediately obvious to anyone reading the essay and gain you a few marks. Read the question several times to make sure you understand what it is asking. Click on any one of these and you will see that it’s divided into shorter sections or subsections. So you can either read it straight through from start to finish or you can go straight to the area that’s most relevant to you. The thesis is a succinct statement of your overall argument. In a previous online tutorial video we introduced you to a real-life assignment question and talked about how to structure the introduction to an essay. Notice the keywords including academic learning and literacy centres and the most effective approach. It’s very important to ensure that you fully analyse and understand the question before you start writing. Ultimately, your conclusion must demonstrate that you have fully answered the question. Please keep in mind the keywords ‘in red’, which we will identify in our sample conclusion in a moment.