Writing Strong Paragraphs, Introductions and Conclusions



Essay Tips Package – Mrs. Simon - HistoryThings to Remember When Writing an EssayNO CONTRACTIONS – don’t, can’t etcAvoid using words over and over – especially in the same sentence. This is what your thesaurus is for.Keep your plural and single nouns consistentWatch your tenses! Make sure your entire essay is written in the same tense (past/present). If you are writing a history essay, it should be PAST TENSE. History happened already, we cannot talk about it as if it is occurring right now.Avoid passivity. (eg “I think” or “could be” or “maybe” etc) Be forceful with your words. You are trying to convince your reader of your thesis. If you do not believe your thesis, why should your reader?Avoid using quotations to introduce/conclude your paragraphs. This generally leads to a weak argument. It is important to come up with powerful introductory and concluding sentences on your own.DON’T SAY “I” – “I think…” – I know you think that way or else you would not be writing it! Write in 3rd person.Avoid “My paper” or “This paper will discuss…” once again, I know this paper will discuss that issue or else you would not be writing it.Make sure you are using “affect” and “effect” properly!When using numbers, write out numbers one to one hundred. Anything above that you may use numbers (eg 1945)When referring to events such as World War One or World War Two, avoid WWI and WWII. Please write them out as indicated.Use proper citations!Format your works cited properly!Edit your rough drafts!KEEP ALL OF YOUR ROUGH NOTES AND DRAFT COPIES UNTIL YOUR PAPER IS BACK TO YOU AND GRADED!Ten Essay TipsBy Robert PearcePublished in History Review Issue 35 December 1999 a good essay involves the sort of verbal craftsmanship which can only come from long periods of hard practice. There is no short-cut to success and no foolproof formula to follow. Hence what follow are tips not commandments. Nevertheless they are worth thinking about.Answer the question, the whole question and nothing but the question. You can only score marks if you are being relevant, so take your time, before plunging into the writing, to think clearly about the meaning of the essay title and to make an essay plan. Many teachers advise students to look for the 'key words and phrases' in a title – but it is as well to remember that every word serves some function and therefore is important.Be direct and explicit: don't leave it for the marker to puzzle out the relevance of what you are writing. That means giving a relevant argument: if you're not arguing a case, you're not answering the question.The first paragraph is vital if you are to avoid the two commonest pitfalls, being irrelevant and writing a narrative. Try to do three things: a) analyse the question, defining its meaning and establishing its parameters; b) sub-divide the question into smaller areas (on each of which you will subsequently have a paragraph); and c) outline an argument or, perhaps, several alternative interpretations. By all means have a dramatic first sentence – to shock the reader from the stupor that prolonged marking invariably induces – but do not merely 'set the scene' or begin to 'tell a story'. There's no time for this.The final paragraph is also vital. Do not bring in fresh factual material, and do not address the 'next' topic (for instance, what Hitler did after 1933 once you've answered the question by explaining why he came to power). Instead, return to the actual wording of the question and answer it as directly and succinctly as possible – and make sure it's consistent with what you've written earlier. It may seem perverse, but it's worth experimenting by writing the conclusion to an essay first: then you'll know exactly where you are heading.In the middle paragraphs, deal with one relevant issue per paragraph. Each middle paragraph should have an argument (or interpretation or generalisation) supported by evidence. You must always give both. Try to give the argument in the first sentence(s) and then to 'prove' it with the best possible selection of details. (Philip Larkin once wrote that modern novels consist of a beginning, a muddle and an end. So do many student essays, so beware of the pitfalls.)Give real facts and evidence, not just historians' opinions. Quote the evidence the historians quote, not the historians themselves (unless, that is, they have expressed themselves with real flair or unless you find it necessary to discuss their particular interpretations). Remember that history is the reconstruction of the past on the basis of the surviving evidence: it is not a just a collection of opinions. Also, give the evidence in the essay proper: don't hide it away in footnotes or appendices in a foolhardy attempt to make your essay seem 'academic'.The correct balance is vital. Give most space to the most important issues – importance being assessed in relation to the question set. Remember that it is all too easy to spend a disproportionate amount of time/space on the first issue you deal with, so that others have to be dealt with hurriedly. For this reason, it is probably best not to leave your most important ideas to the end of an essay, especially in an exam, when you may run out of time.If you are required to do so, give references to your quotations, and don't forget the all-important page number. Never try to pass off other people's work as your own: plagiarism, even of phrases, is generally easily spotted and heavily penalised.For term-time essays, presentation is important. If you word-process, use double-spacing and a decent sized font; if using a pen, try to make your handwriting legible. Spread you work out, in order to leave room for comments, and number the pages. Check spelling and grammar, and strive - and strive again - for clarity of expression. If you fail to express yourself clearly you will inevitably penalise yourself. In exams, your work will be all the better for the trouble you've taken in essays beforehand. Good habits are almost as easy to acquire as bad, so work hard to express yourself well and don't be satisfied with your second-best.Write several versions of your essay. Kipling used to write a short story and then put it away for a minimum of two years: when he went back to it, he was able to spot imperfections very easily and make improvements. You can't follow his example, but you should be able to spread your work out over several weeks. You'll only get the best out of yourself if you give yourself time to do so. So revise your work, strike out that irrelevant passage, rewrite that ambiguous sentence, reorder the material to better advantage. If you're easily pleased, it's virtually certain that your examiners will not be.Writing Strong Paragraphs, Introductions and Conclusions?What is an Essay?Essays are the most commonly assigned form of writing at University and are central to the academic process. Through essays, scholars communicate with one another; in them, professors and students present data to one another and explain new ways of thinking about ideas or events.Professors assign essays to you because they want to give you the opportunity to think, in a deep and prolonged manner, about a topic. They want you to examine a historical question, create a unique and interesting answer to that question, and use sound historical evidence to prove that answer.While they can take many forms and range in length from one page to thirty or more pages, academic essays share a set of central characteristics. Most significantly, all essays are made up of two basic elements—an argument and evidence—and they generally all follow a similar writing structure.?Arguments and EvidenceFirst, let us consider what we mean by the idea that essays are made up of arguments and evidence.ArgumentsThe arguments within the essay are your interpretations of a given topic or answer to a question. Take, for example, an essay assessing the impact of Prime Minister Diefenbaker’s reaction to the Cuban Missile Crisis; your argument would be YOUR assessment of what that impact was. For example: Prime Minister Diefenbaker’s indecisiveness during the Cuban Missile Crisis not only damaged his chances of re-election but also hurt Canada’s image abroad. Your arguments are summarized in a clear thesis statement that is presented at the beginning of the essay. For more information on how to write a strong thesis statement, please see the module entitled Constructing an Argument.EvidenceThe evidence in an essay is the information and examples that you use to prove to the reader that your argument is convincing. Evidence can take the form of historical events, figures, concepts, images, or historical documents or literature that are relevant to the argument that you are making. The evidence is generally presented in the body of your essay. In presenting it, you need not only to give the example, paraphrase, or quotation, but also explain how it illustrates the arguments that you are making.? ?The Structure of an EssayWhether they are two pages in length or fifteen, most essays follow a similar structure.IntroductionEssays always begin with a clear introduction. The introduction sets up the historical question, presents a clear thesis to the reader, and establishes the scope of the essay--the time period, places, and subjects discussed in the essay. In a short paper, the introduction is one paragraph in length. In a longer paper (over ten pages), it could be two or three paragraphs in length. Introductions will be covered in more detail later in this module. Body ParagraphsFollowing the introduction, the essay contains body paragraphs. These paragraphs systematically, and in a logical order, develop and prove each argument. In the body paragraphs, you present and explain the evidence that supports your thesis. There is no set number of body paragraphs for an essay (you are NO LONGER writing only five-paragraph essays). Use as many paragraphs as you need to develop the arguments within your thesis.ConclusionThe essay ends with a clear conclusion. The conclusion brings together the points made in the essay and draws out their larger significance. In a short paper, the conclusion is one paragraph in length. In a longer paper (over ten pages), it could be two or three paragraphs in length. Conclusions will be covered in more detail later in this module. The Building Blocks of Essays: ParagraphsWhether you are writing the introduction or the body of your essay, you will always be writing paragraphs. Indeed, the paragraph is the most basic building block of the essay. It is essential, then, for you to familiarize yourself with how a good, clear paragraph is constructed. What is a good paragraph?A good paragraph is a group of sentences that is unified around ONE central point. This point is expressed clearly in a topic sentence. This point is then developed in the paragraph through details, examples, and explanations. A good paragraph is like a mini-essay; it begins with a clear topic sentence and develops the point in that sentence through examples and discussion. ?Guidelines for Writing Good ParagraphsMake sure that you and your reader are clear on the ONE main point that the paragraph is trying to make. In general, paragraphs in an essay should be about 150-200 words. Avoid overly long paragraphs as they usually cover more than one main point and leave your reader confused. Don’t be afraid to start a new paragraph! Avoid one or two sentence paragraphs. Transitions are words or phrases that connect ideas and/or show the relationship between them. Use transitions to connect the sentences within your paragraphs. Examples of transitional words and phrases include: ? Nevertheless ? However ? Therefore ? In addition ? As a result ? Equally important You can also use transitional statements at the beginning and/or end of paragraphs to connect the paragraph to the paragraphs before or after as well as to your thesis ?IntroductionsOf all the different paragraphs, many people consider introductions the most difficult to write. This is because the introduction must grab the reader’s attention and provide an absolutely clear, but sufficiently concise explanation of the paper’s main point. In a shorter paper, the introduction will only be one paragraph. In a longer paper, it could be lengthier and involve multiple paragraphs.Structure of the IntroductionGrab the reader’s attention and introduce the historical question the paper will?explore. Clearly explain the scope of the essay - the time period, places, and subjects discussed in the essay.Give basic background if needed and explain the historical setting. State thesis and give an overview of main points or categories of evidence. You?can also use your introduction to introduce your main primary sources, if used, historiography, or theoretical framework. ?Good Ideas for the IntroductionBegin with a quotation and show its relevance Or, begin with a story, example, or anecdote Or, begin with a paradox or apparent contradiction Or, emphasize the difference between your evidence or interpretation and the arguments of other scholars Always provide background information and establish the historical setting if necessary Always clearly state your thesis and provide a road map to your reader of what is to come ?What to Avoid in the IntroductionUsing dictionary definitions Echoing the instructor’s question exactly Using inflated declaration or a cliché (Throughout human history; The more things change, the more they stay the same) Apologizing for the deficiencies in the paper Quoting extensively – the words and ideas should be your own Including gratuitous personal preambles (such as long digressions about your personal feelings about a topic). ?ConclusionsLike the introduction, the conclusion can be a challenging paragraph to write. This is because the conclusion must review the main points without being repetitive or boring.Structure of the ConclusionSum up and review your main points. Re-examine your thesis in light of everything that you have proven Point toward the larger significance of your ideas. If your readers now believe everything in your thesis, what do they now know and why is it important? In other words, so what? Good Ideas for ConclusionsIf your essay began with a question, include the answer in your conclusion Use a short, significant quotation or anecdote that summarizes the main intent of the essay If your essay pointed out a problem, suggest solutions Widen the perspective of what you have discussed; in light of your thesis, what does your reader now know about a given time period? What to Avoid in the ConclusionThe phrase, “In conclusion, I have shown that…” Recopying your topic sentences or introduction exactly Putting in minor details or afterthoughts Using inflated declarations or cliché Apologizing for what you failed to do in the essay Going off in an entirely new or unrelated direction ................
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