Making every word count…

1. Making every word count… How to write persuasive, informative, and intelligent arguments in a well organized essay.

2. What is an essay? • An essay is a written argument, strongly supported by facts and information from text, scholarly research, and intellectual interpretation. • An essay is not a discussion, although it does incorporate many presented arguments and counterarguments. • When writing an essay, the focus of your work should be on questions such as why and how, showing how they relate to each other in support of your argument.

3. The Purpose • Take a second to think about why you are writing an essay. It is to make a point based on supported evidence, is it not? • The purpose of an essay, above all else, is to be a persuasive tool in scholastic dialect. • If your essay does not make an argument, or a relative point which could not be gained from a common cursory view of the subject, then it is not an essay at all.

4. A Simple Format • Writing a good essay is easy, when you know what it is supposed to look like. • Thesis (Possible Intro) • Body 1-3 (Up to 5) • Counter • Counter-Counter • Conclusion (Thesis again)

5. THINK before you WRITE!

6. Outline/Brainstorm • You wouldn’t drive a car without knowing how to turn the key over first, would you? • You can’t simply jump in. Like all great things, an argument takes time to assemble, or it won’t stand long. • Try things like charts, lines of thought, and graphs drawn on paper, analyzing and organizing thoughts that seem to be relevant. • Stream of consciousness model…(My preferred model)

7. Stream of Consciousness Thesis: Argument Pt Conclusion: Does it represent thesis? Supporting body: Three pts of argument Victory! Supporting body 2: Three pts of argument Presenting Opposition Supporting body 3: Three pts of argument

8. Thesis • This is YOUR argument! If you have a point to make, its made in the thesis. • A thesis is either the first and presiding statement of the essay, or it follows a short introduction • A thesis is the conclusion you reach after going through all arguments, but it is at the beginning of the essay. • If your thesis is not concrete, then your paper cannot be. • Start with Although, but do not be

9. Let me introduce… • The most frequent error of essay writers is creating a long, drawn out introduction that distracts from the argument. • Don’t make the reader search for what you are saying. • If you need an intro, make it short and sweet.

10. Supporting Evidence: Body • Your thesis is a fine point, yet it is constructed from arguments which support it. • Body paragraphs allow you to present those arguments, while still supporting the general thesis you have come up with. • The body paragraphs, of which you may have as many as you’d like, no less than three, tie everything together. • They are the thread that keeps your shoes tied, so that you don’t trip up on your own points.

11. Supporting Evidence: Body Continued… • Don’t waste your words • Make an argument • Explain argument with detail from evidence and research • Show how that argument relates to the thesis/main frame REPEAT AT LEAST 3 TIMES per Paragraph!

12. The Other Side Not That SIDE!

13. Opposing Arguments: The Other Side. • Your thesis is only as strong as you make it. You cannot make a strong argument without first understanding what arguments are being made against your claim. • Opposing arguments have to be presented in your essay in order to show that your claim holds validity. • Make sure that you cover all arguments, ensuring that no one can simply toss your work to the side, presenting a point that you thought was too simple to dismiss. • Include everything! Even the commomsensical

14. Bring in the reinforcements.

15. Arming yourself… • You have made a general, yet specific claim. • You have given evidence and supported it. • However, the last thing you did was present the arguments of your competitors. To show that you have made you claim, despite opposition and other arguments, you must assess the arguments you have brought up on the other side. • Be plain and to the point. While conceding to a point is sometimes necessary, it should not directly affect the thesis you are basing your paper on.

16. Don’t listen to poets! Two roads diverged in a wood, and I —I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

17. Staying on Point, the path most traveled. • Take the Road that’s been walked by many persuasive scholars before you. Originality is the argument, not the form. • While it is true that you need to focus on persuading away from other points, you do not want to stray away from your main focus. Your argument is what matters, do not dwell on someone else’s.

18. Wordiness can kill… Your reader must be engaged in the text. When you abuse the language you are using, you lose Attention that might have been needed to understand the framework you have presented. Word choice is a key factor. When you describe something that you truly love, do you not use very appropriate and descriptive words? Yet, in a way, conceal that which may distract from the actual beauty of what it is? Your writing should be that beauty which is conveyed through precision and elegance.

19. Make your argument first… • By making your argument in your thesis, you are providing a basis for critique of all other arguments you will be making in the essay. • Do not wait until the end to give your final punch! Do not save the best for last. Your best is first, a knockout sure to be backed by your supporting evidence.

20. Then disprove all else…unless valid. • Do not present an argument you cannot defend against. • While it is a good tool to show that you understand opposing arguments, you do not want to disprove your own thesis within the essay. • If this seems likely, then perhps it is time to return to the drawing board.

21. Engagement! Would you read it? • When you edit your paper, it should keep you intrigued and thinking. • No one wants to read a paper without provocative/intelligent remarks which inspire thoughts and arguments. • When reading your paper, read it aloud and listen to how it sounds. Ask yourself. Would I read it?

22. Undergraduate Admissions • Undergraduate Admissions essays are typically very personal. They commonly ask you to refer to a personal experience, or obstacle, that defines you. Some examples are: • Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their applcationwould be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. • Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn? • Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

23. Graduate Essay • A graduate essay is your chance to tell an admissions board why you are in the field of study you chose, and how you plan/are significant to that field. • While future goals may be something to present, they want to know why you need their school, their teachers, and their resources for the area you have chosen. • A graduate essay serves the purpose of presenting yourself, as you would in a formal interview, while catching the eye of the person reading through experience and knowledge.

24. Progressive Improvement The only way to improve your essay writing is to keep writing. One step at a time, and you’ll be running soon enough.

25. The End