Analytical Essay Planning

[Pages:3]Analytical Essay Planning:

A. Initial Planning:

When writing an essay, it is very important to ask yourself from the outset what the views (concepts) and ideas are that support (underpin) the question.

The first place to begin planning an essay is to identify the important (key) words in the question and, then, to reword the question in your own words so that you know exactly what is being asked of you.

B. Thesis Statement:

Now, you must carefully think about how your essay will address (engage) with the question. To do this, you must consider what your thesis or proposition will be. A thesis (or proposition as it is sometimes called) is the most important part of the essay. The word "thesis" comes from the Greek root word tithenai, which means "to put, to place, to propose, to set down".

The thesis should: - be one sentence long - come at the end of the introduction - answer the question specifically - never seek to answer itself - put forward one idea that the essay will argue

C. Introduction:

It is important to remember that the introduction's purpose is to introduce the thesis statement.

This means that it needs to:

1. Capture interest by introducing the main idea of the essay and/or the text 2. State the name and author of the text 3. Provide a brief plot outline or explanation of the text 4. Link the text and main idea to the question 5. Offer a thesis

The introduction moves from general to specific in tone ? represented by the upside down pyramid.

In the pyramid, each colour represents, in order, a different part of the introduction, which is outlined above in points 1-5.

While the thesis is ONE sentence and ONE sentence ONLY, each of the other points may be multiple sentences long.

Think carefully about how each section below fits smoothly with the sections either side of it ? transition words are useful but don't overdo them.

A precise introduction is the goal ? don't waffle

You can write a few dot points or full sentences in each section of the pyramid.

The idea is to really think about how your introduction flows smoothly and logically to a specific thesis statement, the last part of the pyramid.

D. The Body:

Now that you have written the thesis statement and the introduction, you should have a sense of what it is that your essay needs to prove.

Each paragraph in the body of the essay will need to offer ONE proven argument in defense of the thesis. A rough guide is to have three body paragraphs for a 1000 word essay.

Years 7 ? 8 1. Topic sentence 2. Explanation 3. Evidence 4. Link

Years 9 - 10 1. Topic sentence 2. Explanation 3. Evidence 4. Analysis and Link 5. Conclusion

1. Topic sentence (the first sentence of a paragraph) is to state a controlling idea for the paragraph. 2. Explain the topic sentence in relation to a specific example from the text. 3. Provide proof (evidence/quote) from the text to support the explanation. This model is the one that you

have previous learned as PEE or TEE. 4. Link the evidence and back to the topic sentence (Years 7 ? 8). Analysis (Exploration) and link the

example and the explanation to the question (Years 9 ? 12). 5. Conclude by linking the whole argument to the thesis.

Write three topic sentences, one for each body paragraph.

A good way to do this is by writing the thesis and then the three topic sentences below it to see how they connect and flow.

Ask yourself whether each topic sentence offers one new argument or discussion point that defends or advances the thesis.

Years 7 - 8 E. Link to the topic sentence:

This section of the paragraph is perhaps the most misunderstood part of an essay, with many students using this time to make links between their ideas and the next paragraph. Do NOT do this; it is awkward, time consuming and often very confusing. It creates disruption of ideas, and limits consistency.

Rather, the sentences after the evidence are used to link the ideas gained to the topic sentence of the paragraph. That is, the link is to be made with the topic sentence of that paragraph, not the next paragraph!

Years 9 - 10 E. Analysis (Elaboration) + Link and Conclusion:

This section of the paragraph is perhaps the most misunderstood part of an essay, with many students using this time to make links between their ideas and the next paragraph. Do NOT do this; it is awkward, time consuming and often very confusing. It creates disruption of ideas, and limits consistency.

Rather, the sentences after the evidence are used to do the leg work of analysis, pulling the evidence apart, discussing it, identifying conventions and discussing their effects and linking the ideas gained to the topic sentence of the paragraph. That is, the link is to be made with the topic sentence of that paragraph, not the next paragraph!

So, the concluding part of the body paragraph (which may also be more than one sentence) functions to bring the one argument to a close. In this sense, it links with the thesis. You might ask, then, how does the analysis (investigation), example, evidence, explanation and topic all respond to, add evidence for, provide proof of the thesis?

F. Conclusion: This is often the hardest part of the essay to write and many students use it as an opportunity to simply sum up the essay by repeating (regurgitating) the main point of each paragraph. This is not the purpose of a conclusion. The conclusion should be of the same length as the introduction. The conclusion explores ideas and arguments and is very important. The concluding paragraph may seek to encourage the reader to look

beyond the discussion contained in the essay. Never use the phrase "In conclusion" or "In summary".

Findings: What did the essay prove, disprove or discover about the thesis?

Elaborate and link to the question

Link to a broader context: social, cultural or world context, the context of the reader.

Offer a closing idea to compel the reader to read further

Conclusions, like introductions, may take many forms, including the following:

1. Providing a context. This may build on (extend) the thesis and argument by suggesting their wider consequences (implications) 2. Evaluating the essay. This may be a defence of the writer's approach to the thesis as reflected in the argument 3. Suggesting alternative approaches. There may be other ways of arguing either for or against the proposition which might be worth exploring 4. Considering the future. While the essay defends a particular position in the essay, for various reasons other positions might be possible in different situations (contexts) or in the future. 5. Apply the findings of the essay to a broader social or cultural context.

The conclusion moves from specific to general, the first sentence offering the findings of the arguments, rounding it off to `hammer home' what understanding (about the thesis) the essay has formed. Difficult to plan, a useful process is to write out in one sentence the overall idea, topic or findings of the essay's discussions (deliberations). Do that in the space provided, editing it until you are able to capture precisely what this is:

ESSAY STRUCTURE: INTRODUCTION: 1. Capture interest by introducing the main idea of the essay and/or the text. 2. State the name and author of the text. 3. Provide a brief plot outline or explanation of the text. 4. Link the text and main idea to the question. BODY PARAGRAPHS: 1. Topic sentence 2. Explanation 3. Evidence 4. Link Expected of Years 9 ? 12 Only 4. Analysis and Link 5. Conclusion

CONCLUSION: 1. Findings: What did the essay prove, disprove or discover about the thesis? 2. Elaborate and link to the question 3. Link to a broader context: social, cultural or world context, the context of the reader.

4. Offer a closing idea to compel the reader to read further

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