Writing an essay

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 5

ANGLIA: Writing Class 

Today

Class work

- what is an argumentative essay? 

Individually

- identifying different parts essay

What is an essay? 

An essay...

... is a short, formal piece of writing dealing with a single subject.

... is typically written to pesuade the reader.

... consists out of three parts: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. 

... has a title, but does not have any subtitles.

... contains a thesis statement and topic sentences stating the main arguments. 

Your essay will have to be 500 words. 

Argumentative essay

You will have to write an argumentative essay. 

Meaning:

• You will have to discuss your point of view about a certain matter. 
• You will give arguments that support your opinion. 
• You will try to persuade your readers of your viewpoint. 

Argumentative essay

Example assignments: 

- Has the rise of the internet had a  positive or negative impact on education? 

- What is the greatest challenge facing young people today?

Argumentative essay

Three parts: 

1. Introduction

2. Body

3. Conclusion 

Argumentative essay - introduction

The introduction serves to capture the reader’s interest, provide background information, present your thesis statement. 

Introduction example

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

hook

The first sentence acts as a “hook” to draw the reader’s attention. In this case, it does so by making a strong claim about the importance of the essay’s subject.

Background

The following sentences set the context for the debate this essay weighs in on.

Thesis

These sentences make up the thesis statement. This is the central argument of the essay—the claim(s) that the rest of the essay will work to back up with evidence and analysis.

Argumentative essay - body

The body of an argumentative essay is where you develop your arguments in detail. Here you’ll present evidence, analysis, and reasoning to convince the reader that your thesis statement is true.

Each paragraph covers its own topic, introduced with a topic sentence. Each of these topics must contribute to your overall argument; don’t include irrelevant information.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia. An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing”. Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says”. Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

Topic sentence

This topic sentence tells us what the paragraph will be about: teachers’ perceptions of their students’ use of Wikipedia as a source.

Evidence and further information

Final sentence

The final sentence provides a concise statement of the point the author has made in this paragraph, and may also gesture towards what will be discussed next.

Argumentative essay - conclusion

The conclusion summarizes and reflects on the arguments made in the body.

No new arguments or evidence appear here. 

Conclusion example

The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education; occasional pitfalls aside, its value is evident in numerous applications. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. As the popularity of distance learning shows, students value the flexibility and accessibility offered by digital education, and educators should fully embrace these advantages. The internet’s dangers, real and imaginary, have been documented exhaustively by skeptics, but the internet is here to stay; it is time to focus seriously on its potential for good.

Summary

The first sentences serve as a concise summary or synthesis of the arguments made in the body, reminding the reader of your overall argument.

Significance

This sentence highlights the importance of the topic by linking it with a contemporary trend in education. The conclusion is a good place to emphasize the relevance of the argument you have made.

Strong closing statement

The final sentence usually tries to capture the importance or originality of the argument in a strong, memorable statement.

Argumentative essay

• Introduction: the paragraph that introduces the topic 
• Thesis statement: the sentence that indicates the point of view of the essay
• Body: the paragraphs discussing arguments and/or examples
• Topic sentences: the sentences that state the arguments supporting the thesis statement
• Conclusion: the final paragraph that summarizes the main points

Argumentative essay

In the upcoming weeks we are going to discuss every part of essay writing seperately:

- writing a thesis statement

- writing an introduction

- writing topic sentences

- writing body paragraphs

- writing conclusions 

What to do? 

Read the two essays from the handout

• Indicate the different parts of the essay: introduction, body, conclusion
• Underline or mark the thesis statement 
• Underline or mark the topic sentences
• Underline or mark linking words 

Today

- Explanation writing test

- What is an essay?

- What is an argumentative essay? 

- Recognizing the different parts of an essay

Introduction

Thesis statement

Body

Topic sentence

Conclusion

a beginning section which states the purpose and goals of the following writing

a sentence or two that summarizes the main point that an essay

the part of an essay that explains and develops the main idea

helps organize the paragraph by summarizing the information in the paragraph

the last paragraph of your essay summarizing its thesis and arguments

Next class

Writing a thesis statement.