essay unit meaning

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

11 Unity & Coherence

Preserving unity.

Academic essays need unity, which means that all of the ideas in an essay need to relate to the thesis, and all of the ideas in a paragraph need to relate to the paragraph’s topic. It can be easy to get “off track” and start writing about an idea that is somewhat related to your main idea, but does not directly connect to your main point.

All of the sentences in a paragraph should stay “on track;” that is, they should connect to the topic. One way to preserve unity in a paragraph is to start with a topic sentence that shows the main idea of the paragraph. Then, make sure each sentence in the paragraph relates to that main idea.

If you find a sentence that goes off track, perhaps you need to start a separate paragraph to write more about that different idea. Each paragraph should generally have only one main idea.

As you pre-write and draft an essay, try to pause occasionally. Go back to the assignment prompt and re-read it to make sure you are staying on topic. Use the prompt to guide your essay; make sure you are addressing all of the questions. Do not just re-state the words in the prompt. Instead, respond to the questions with your own ideas, in your own words, and make sure everything connects to the prompt and your thesis.

Activity A ~ Finding Breaks in Unity

Consider the following paragraphs. Is there a topic sentence? If so, do all of the other sentences relate to the topic sentence? Can you find any sentences that don’t relate?

     The planned community of Columbia, Maryland, was designed as a city open to all, regardless of race, level of income, or religion. When Columbia began in 1967, many cities in the U.S. did not allow people of certain races to rent or buy homes. Its developer, James W. Rouse, wanted to build a new city that had fair and open housing options for everyone. HCC has a building named for James W. Rouse. Today, the city’s nearly 100,000 remain diverse, as shown by recent census data. *****

    College can be expensive and difficult. Critical thinking is a very important skill for college students to develop so that they can be successful in their careers. Employers look for graduates who can understand information, analyze data, and solve problems. They also want employees who can think creatively and communicate their ideas clearly. College students need to practice these skills in all of their classes so that they can demonstrate their abilities to potential employers. ***** Bananas are one of Americans’ favorite types of fruit. The Cavendish variety, grown in Central and South America, is the most commonly sold here in the U.S. Recent problems with a fungus called Panama disease (or TR4), however, have led to a shortage of Cavendish bananas. Similar problems occurred a few years ago in parts of Asia and the Middle East. Because the fungus kills the crop and contaminates the soil, scientists are concerned that the popular Cavendish banana could be completely eradicated. Bananas contain many nutrients, including potassium and Vitamin B6. *****

Whether you choose to include a topic sentence or not, all of the sentences in your paragraph need to relate to the one main idea of the paragraph.

Another way to think about unity in a paragraph is to imagine your family tree. Draw a quick sketch of your family tree in your notebook. If you were writing an essay about your family, you might write a paragraph about close family members first. Next, you might branch out into another paragraph to write about more distant relatives. You might even include a paragraph about very close family friends, or pets. Each paragraph would have just one main idea (immediate family, more distant relatives, close family friends), and every sentence in each paragraph would relate to that main idea.

Activity B ~ Preserving Unity in Your Own Writing

Examine a composition that you have written for this class. Do all of your paragraphs have unity? Can you find any sentences that don’t relate to the topic of each paragraph? Exchange papers with a partner to peer review.

Ensuring Coherence

There are several ways to create connections between ideas in your essay. Here are some suggestions:

1. Repeat key words and phrases. This can be a powerful way to make a point. Consider this excerpt from Rev. Martin Luther King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech at the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, in which he uses parallel structure :

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.

2. Use synonyms , as in this example, where King uses both repetition (“Let freedom ring”) and synonyms (for “mountains”):

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania. Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California. But not only that: Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee. Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

3. Use pronouns to refer to antecedents , as King does here; this can be more elegant than just repeating the key words and phrases:

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

4. Use demonstratives ( this, that, these, those ) as adjectives or pronouns, as King does here:

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”…. This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood.  

Questions to Ponder

Pause for a moment here to think about the examples above. Think about audience, purpose, and context of an academic essay. Would you use the techniques for coherence in the same way that Dr. King did in his speech, or would you use the techniques in a different way? Discuss with a small group.

5. Use transitions. Transition words and phrases will help you to make sure your essay has coherence. Also called signal words/phrases or signposts, these help to guide your readers.

Transitions connect your related ideas; they can also show your reader that you are starting a new topic, giving an example, adding information, explaining causes and effects, and so on. Using the correct transition word or phrase in a sentence can make your writing much clearer. Try the activity below to think of possible transitions.

Activity C ~ Transition Words & Phrases

With your partner, brainstorm a list of transition words and phrases for each of the categories below.

Can you think of other transition words and phrases? What other categories do they belong to?

After you have completed these activities with your partner, consult  Transition Words & Phrases ~ Useful Lists for more on compare/contrast, addition, cause/effect, and other transitions to try.

Activity D ~ Ensuring Coherence in Your Own Writing

Examine a composition that you have written for this class for coherence. Find and mark examples of places where you used repetition, synonyms, pronouns or demonstratives to build connections between ideas.

Underline your transition words and phrases. Did you use the strongest signal words? Can you find examples where you need to add a transition? Or, did you use too many transitions? Exchange papers with a partner to peer review.

Consult our chapter on Transitions for more inspiration on achieving coherence and cohesion in your writing. Challenge yourself to use some new transitions in your next composition.

Is this chapter:

…about right, but you would like more examples? –> Read “ Cohesion and Coherence ” from George Mason University’s Writing Center.

…too easy, or you would like more examples? –> Read “ ESL: Coherence and Cohesion ” from the Writing & Communication Center at the University of Washington/Bothell

Note: links open in new tabs.

King, Martin Luther, Jr. “I Have a Dream.” March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. 28 August 1963. Washington, D.C. Speech.

to start to do something different

short piece or sample, for example a direct quote in writing or a few measures of a musical composition

to think about

ENGLISH 087: Academic Advanced Writing Copyright © 2020 by Nancy Hutchison is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

The writer of the academic essay aims to persuade readers of an idea based on evidence. The beginning of the essay is a crucial first step in this process. In order to engage readers and establish your authority, the beginning of your essay has to accomplish certain business. Your beginning should introduce the essay, focus it, and orient readers.

Introduce the Essay.  The beginning lets your readers know what the essay is about, the  topic . The essay's topic does not exist in a vacuum, however; part of letting readers know what your essay is about means establishing the essay's  context , the frame within which you will approach your topic. For instance, in an essay about the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of speech, the context may be a particular legal theory about the speech right; it may be historical information concerning the writing of the amendment; it may be a contemporary dispute over flag burning; or it may be a question raised by the text itself. The point here is that, in establishing the essay's context, you are also limiting your topic. That is, you are framing an approach to your topic that necessarily eliminates other approaches. Thus, when you determine your context, you simultaneously narrow your topic and take a big step toward focusing your essay. Here's an example.

The paragraph goes on. But as you can see, Chopin's novel (the topic) is introduced in the context of the critical and moral controversy its publication engendered.

Focus the Essay.  Beyond introducing your topic, your beginning must also let readers know what the central issue is. What question or problem will you be thinking about? You can pose a question that will lead to your idea (in which case, your idea will be the answer to your question), or you can make a thesis statement. Or you can do both: you can ask a question and immediately suggest the answer that your essay will argue. Here's an example from an essay about Memorial Hall.

The fullness of your idea will not emerge until your conclusion, but your beginning must clearly indicate the direction your idea will take, must set your essay on that road. And whether you focus your essay by posing a question, stating a thesis, or combining these approaches, by the end of your beginning, readers should know what you're writing about, and  why —and why they might want to read on.

Orient Readers.  Orienting readers, locating them in your discussion, means providing information and explanations wherever necessary for your readers' understanding. Orienting is important throughout your essay, but it is crucial in the beginning. Readers who don't have the information they need to follow your discussion will get lost and quit reading. (Your teachers, of course, will trudge on.) Supplying the necessary information to orient your readers may be as simple as answering the journalist's questions of who, what, where, when, how, and why. It may mean providing a brief overview of events or a summary of the text you'll be analyzing. If the source text is brief, such as the First Amendment, you might just quote it. If the text is well known, your summary, for most audiences, won't need to be more than an identifying phrase or two:

Often, however, you will want to summarize your source more fully so that readers can follow your analysis of it.

Questions of Length and Order.  How long should the beginning be? The length should be proportionate to the length and complexity of the whole essay. For instance, if you're writing a five-page essay analyzing a single text, your beginning should be brief, no more than one or two paragraphs. On the other hand, it may take a couple of pages to set up a ten-page essay.

Does the business of the beginning have to be addressed in a particular order? No, but the order should be logical. Usually, for instance, the question or statement that focuses the essay comes at the end of the beginning, where it serves as the jumping-off point for the middle, or main body, of the essay. Topic and context are often intertwined, but the context may be established before the particular topic is introduced. In other words, the order in which you accomplish the business of the beginning is flexible and should be determined by your purpose.

Opening Strategies.  There is still the further question of how to start. What makes a good opening? You can start with specific facts and information, a keynote quotation, a question, an anecdote, or an image. But whatever sort of opening you choose, it should be directly related to your focus. A snappy quotation that doesn't help establish the context for your essay or that later plays no part in your thinking will only mislead readers and blur your focus. Be as direct and specific as you can be. This means you should avoid two types of openings:

• The history-of-the-world (or long-distance) opening, which aims to establish a context for the essay by getting a long running start: "Ever since the dawn of civilized life, societies have struggled to reconcile the need for change with the need for order." What are we talking about here, political revolution or a new brand of soft drink? Get to it.
• The funnel opening (a variation on the same theme), which starts with something broad and general and "funnels" its way down to a specific topic. If your essay is an argument about state-mandated prayer in public schools, don't start by generalizing about religion; start with the specific topic at hand.

Remember.  After working your way through the whole draft, testing your thinking against the evidence, perhaps changing direction or modifying the idea you started with, go back to your beginning and make sure it still provides a clear focus for the essay. Then clarify and sharpen your focus as needed. Clear, direct beginnings rarely present themselves ready-made; they must be written, and rewritten, into the sort of sharp-eyed clarity that engages readers and establishes your authority.

Copyright 1999, Patricia Kain, for the Writing Center at Harvard University

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Expository Essays

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

What is an expository essay?

The expository essay is a genre of essay that requires the student to investigate an idea, evaluate evidence, expound on the idea, and set forth an argument concerning that idea in a clear and concise manner. This can be accomplished through comparison and contrast, definition, example, the analysis of cause and effect, etc.

Please note : This genre is commonly assigned as a tool for classroom evaluation and is often found in various exam formats.

The structure of the expository essay is held together by the following.

• A clear, concise, and defined thesis statement that occurs in the first paragraph of the essay.

It is essential that this thesis statement be appropriately narrowed to follow the guidelines set forth in the assignment. If the student does not master this portion of the essay, it will be quite difficult to compose an effective or persuasive essay.

• Clear and logical transitions between the introduction, body, and conclusion.

Transitions are the mortar that holds the foundation of the essay together. Without logical progression of thought, the reader is unable to follow the essay’s argument, and the structure will collapse.

• Body paragraphs that include evidential support.

Each paragraph should be limited to the exposition of one general idea. This will allow for clarity and direction throughout the essay. What is more, such conciseness creates an ease of readability for one’s audience. It is important to note that each paragraph in the body of the essay must have some logical connection to the thesis statement in the opening paragraph.

• Evidential support (whether factual, logical, statistical, or anecdotal).

Often times, students are required to write expository essays with little or no preparation; therefore, such essays do not typically allow for a great deal of statistical or factual evidence.

• A bit of creativity!

Though creativity and artfulness are not always associated with essay writing, it is an art form nonetheless. Try not to get stuck on the formulaic nature of expository writing at the expense of writing something interesting. Remember, though you may not be crafting the next great novel, you are attempting to leave a lasting impression on the people evaluating your essay.

• A conclusion that does not simply restate the thesis, but readdresses it in light of the evidence provided.

It is at this point of the essay that students will inevitably begin to struggle. This is the portion of the essay that will leave the most immediate impression on the mind of the reader. Therefore, it must be effective and logical. Do not introduce any new information into the conclusion; rather, synthesize and come to a conclusion concerning the information presented in the body of the essay.

A complete argument

Perhaps it is helpful to think of an essay in terms of a conversation or debate with a classmate. If I were to discuss the cause of the Great Depression and its current effect on those who lived through the tumultuous time, there would be a beginning, middle, and end to the conversation. In fact, if I were to end the exposition in the middle of my second point, questions would arise concerning the current effects on those who lived through the Depression. Therefore, the expository essay must be complete, and logically so, leaving no doubt as to its intent or argument.

The five-paragraph Essay

A common method for writing an expository essay is the five-paragraph approach. This is, however, by no means the only formula for writing such essays. If it sounds straightforward, that is because it is; in fact, the method consists of:

• an introductory paragraph
• three evidentiary body paragraphs
• a conclusion

Informative Essay — Purpose, Structure, and Examples

What is informative writing.

Informative writing educates the reader about a certain topic. An informative essay may explain new information, describe a process, or clarify a concept. The provided information is objective, meaning the writing focuses on presentation of fact and should not contain personal opinion or bias.

Informative writing includes description, process, cause and effect, comparison, and problems and possible solutions:

Describes a person, place, thing, or event using descriptive language that appeals to readers’ senses

Explains the process to do something or how something was created

Discusses the relationship between two things, determining how one ( cause ) leads to the other ( effect ); the effect needs to be based on fact and not an assumption

Identifies the similarities and differences between two things; does not indicate that one is better than the other

Details a problem and presents various possible solutions ; the writer does not suggest one solution is more effective than the others

Purpose of informative writing

The purpose of an informative essay depends upon the writer’s motivation, but may be to share new information, describe a process, clarify a concept, explain why or how, or detail a topic’s intricacies.

Informative essays may introduce readers to new information .

Summarizing a scientific/technological study

Outlining the various aspects of a religion

Providing information on a historical period

Describe a process or give step-by-step details of a procedure.

How to write an informational essay

How to construct an argument

How to apply for a job

Clarify a concept and offer details about complex ideas.

Explain why or how something works the way that it does.

Describe how the stock market impacts the economy

Illustrate why there are high and low tides

Detail how the heart functions

Offer information on the smaller aspects or intricacies of a larger topic.

Identify the importance of the individual bones in the body

Outlining the Dust Bowl in the context of the Great Depression

Explaining how bees impact the environment

How to write an informative essay

Regardless of the type of information, the informative essay structure typically consists of an introduction, body, and conclusion.

Introduction

Background information

Explanation of evidence

Restated thesis

Review of main ideas

Closing statement

Informative essay introduction

When composing the introductory paragraph(s) of an informative paper, include a hook, introduce the topic, provide background information, and develop a good thesis statement.

If the hook or introduction creates interest in the first paragraph, it will draw the readers’ attention and make them more receptive to the essay writer's ideas. Some of the most common techniques to accomplish this include the following:

Emphasize the topic’s importance by explaining the current interest in the topic or by indicating that the subject is influential.

Use pertinent statistics to give the paper an air of authority.

A surprising statement can be shocking; sometimes it is disgusting; sometimes it is joyful; sometimes it is surprising because of who said it.

An interesting incident or anecdote can act as a teaser to lure the reader into the remainder of the essay. Be sure that the device is appropriate for the informative essay topic and focus on what is to follow.

Directly introduce the topic of the essay.

Provide the reader with the background information necessary to understand the topic. Don’t repeat this information in the body of the essay; it should help the reader understand what follows.

Identify the overall purpose of the essay with the thesis (purpose statement). Writers can also include their support directly in the thesis, which outlines the structure of the essay for the reader.

Informative essay body paragraphs

Each body paragraph should contain a topic sentence, evidence, explanation of evidence, and a transition sentence.

A good topic sentence should identify what information the reader should expect in the paragraph and how it connects to the main purpose identified in the thesis.

Provide evidence that details the main point of the paragraph. This includes paraphrasing, summarizing, and directly quoting facts, statistics, and statements.

Explain how the evidence connects to the main purpose of the essay.

Place transitions at the end of each body paragraph, except the last. There is no need to transition from the last support to the conclusion. A transition should accomplish three goals:

Tell the reader where you were (current support)

Tell the reader where you are going (next support)

Relate the paper’s purpose

Informative essay conclusion

Incorporate a rephrased thesis, summary, and closing statement into the conclusion of an informative essay.

Rephrase the purpose of the essay. Do not just repeat the purpose statement from the thesis.

Summarize the main idea found in each body paragraph by rephrasing each topic sentence.

End with a clincher or closing statement that helps readers answer the question “so what?” What should the reader take away from the information provided in the essay? Why should they care about the topic?

Informative essay example

The following example illustrates a good informative essay format:

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

10.7 Comparison and Contrast

Learning objectives.

• Determine the purpose and structure of comparison and contrast in writing.
• Explain organizational methods used when comparing and contrasting.
• Understand how to write a compare-and-contrast essay.

The Purpose of Comparison and Contrast in Writing

Comparison in writing discusses elements that are similar, while contrast in writing discusses elements that are different. A compare-and-contrast essay , then, analyzes two subjects by comparing them, contrasting them, or both.

The key to a good compare-and-contrast essay is to choose two or more subjects that connect in a meaningful way. The purpose of conducting the comparison or contrast is not to state the obvious but rather to illuminate subtle differences or unexpected similarities. For example, if you wanted to focus on contrasting two subjects you would not pick apples and oranges; rather, you might choose to compare and contrast two types of oranges or two types of apples to highlight subtle differences. For example, Red Delicious apples are sweet, while Granny Smiths are tart and acidic. Drawing distinctions between elements in a similar category will increase the audience’s understanding of that category, which is the purpose of the compare-and-contrast essay.

Similarly, to focus on comparison, choose two subjects that seem at first to be unrelated. For a comparison essay, you likely would not choose two apples or two oranges because they share so many of the same properties already. Rather, you might try to compare how apples and oranges are quite similar. The more divergent the two subjects initially seem, the more interesting a comparison essay will be.

Writing at Work

Comparing and contrasting is also an evaluative tool. In order to make accurate evaluations about a given topic, you must first know the critical points of similarity and difference. Comparing and contrasting is a primary tool for many workplace assessments. You have likely compared and contrasted yourself to other colleagues. Employee advancements, pay raises, hiring, and firing are typically conducted using comparison and contrast. Comparison and contrast could be used to evaluate companies, departments, or individuals.

Brainstorm an essay that leans toward contrast. Choose one of the following three categories. Pick two examples from each. Then come up with one similarity and three differences between the examples.

• Romantic comedies
• Internet search engines
• Cell phones

Brainstorm an essay that leans toward comparison. Choose one of the following three items. Then come up with one difference and three similarities.

• Department stores and discount retail stores
• Fast food chains and fine dining restaurants
• Dogs and cats

The Structure of a Comparison and Contrast Essay

The compare-and-contrast essay starts with a thesis that clearly states the two subjects that are to be compared, contrasted, or both and the reason for doing so. The thesis could lean more toward comparing, contrasting, or both. Remember, the point of comparing and contrasting is to provide useful knowledge to the reader. Take the following thesis as an example that leans more toward contrasting.

Thesis statement: Organic vegetables may cost more than those that are conventionally grown, but when put to the test, they are definitely worth every extra penny.

Here the thesis sets up the two subjects to be compared and contrasted (organic versus conventional vegetables), and it makes a claim about the results that might prove useful to the reader.

You may organize compare-and-contrast essays in one of the following two ways:

• According to the subjects themselves, discussing one then the other
• According to individual points, discussing each subject in relation to each point

See Figure 10.1 “Comparison and Contrast Diagram” , which diagrams the ways to organize our organic versus conventional vegetables thesis.

Figure 10.1 Comparison and Contrast Diagram

The organizational structure you choose depends on the nature of the topic, your purpose, and your audience.

Given that compare-and-contrast essays analyze the relationship between two subjects, it is helpful to have some phrases on hand that will cue the reader to such analysis. See Table 10.3 “Phrases of Comparison and Contrast” for examples.

Table 10.3 Phrases of Comparison and Contrast

Create an outline for each of the items you chose in Note 10.72 “Exercise 1” and Note 10.73 “Exercise 2” . Use the point-by-point organizing strategy for one of them, and use the subject organizing strategy for the other.

Writing a Comparison and Contrast Essay

First choose whether you want to compare seemingly disparate subjects, contrast seemingly similar subjects, or compare and contrast subjects. Once you have decided on a topic, introduce it with an engaging opening paragraph. Your thesis should come at the end of the introduction, and it should establish the subjects you will compare, contrast, or both as well as state what can be learned from doing so.

The body of the essay can be organized in one of two ways: by subject or by individual points. The organizing strategy that you choose will depend on, as always, your audience and your purpose. You may also consider your particular approach to the subjects as well as the nature of the subjects themselves; some subjects might better lend themselves to one structure or the other. Make sure to use comparison and contrast phrases to cue the reader to the ways in which you are analyzing the relationship between the subjects.

After you finish analyzing the subjects, write a conclusion that summarizes the main points of the essay and reinforces your thesis. See Chapter 15 “Readings: Examples of Essays” to read a sample compare-and-contrast essay.

Many business presentations are conducted using comparison and contrast. The organizing strategies—by subject or individual points—could also be used for organizing a presentation. Keep this in mind as a way of organizing your content the next time you or a colleague have to present something at work.

Choose one of the outlines you created in Note 10.75 “Exercise 3” , and write a full compare-and-contrast essay. Be sure to include an engaging introduction, a clear thesis, well-defined and detailed paragraphs, and a fitting conclusion that ties everything together.

Key Takeaways

• A compare-and-contrast essay analyzes two subjects by either comparing them, contrasting them, or both.
• The purpose of writing a comparison or contrast essay is not to state the obvious but rather to illuminate subtle differences or unexpected similarities between two subjects.
• The thesis should clearly state the subjects that are to be compared, contrasted, or both, and it should state what is to be learned from doing so.

There are two main organizing strategies for compare-and-contrast essays.

• Organize by the subjects themselves, one then the other.
• Organize by individual points, in which you discuss each subject in relation to each point.
• Use phrases of comparison or phrases of contrast to signal to readers how exactly the two subjects are being analyzed.

Writing for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

In order to continue enjoying our site, we ask that you confirm your identity as a human. Thank you very much for your cooperation.

From the Forums: On IEW and the Essay

• High School

Our online forums are a welcoming space where you can ask questions, share support, and feel encouraged. A community of people who share a common goal—teaching writing—the forums are supported by not only the community of members but also by a team of experienced IEW support staff.

Recently we received a question in the forums about essay writing: Does IEW address how to write all different types of essays? The answer is a resounding yes! The most important things to keep in mind when you are determining how to write a particular essay are structure and style. If you know the various structural models and are able to incorporate stylistic techniques, you can do any kind of writing. Don’t overthink the genres. Think structure. Once you are able to determine the appropriate structural model to use, you will be able to turn your attention to gathering your research (if applicable) and organizing your outlines to create an essay that is well constructed and stylishly written.

To learn some of the ways different essay types fit within IEW’s units, check out Jill Pike’s response from the forums.

All essays follow the same basic model; it is the content that determines what kind of essay is being written. IEW presents a basic essay model that can be adjusted to write an essay on any prompt. Unit 7, Inventive Writing, teaches how to compose essays that do not require research; Unit 8 teaches how to construct research essays and those that require an opinion.

Below is a short list of essay types showing how a student would tackle each one.

Cause and Effect Essay (Units 7 or 8) A cause and effect essay explains how things affect and depend on each other. An effect might have one or many causes. Unit 7 requires no outside sources. It is a useful unit to refer to when a student is writing an essay that responds to a prompt or a descriptive essay about the student’s personal experience. In contrast, Unit 8 utilizes outside resources to support the student’s opinion and is very useful for constructing essays that require research.

Classification Essay (Unit 8) This essay breaks a general subject into classes (categories or groups). The subject can be a thing or an idea. The introduction gives background information and defines the subject. The body paragraphs’ topics go from general to specific. The conclusion returns to general.

Comparison-Contrast Essay (Units 7 or 8) This essay covers two aspects of a subject: how things are alike and how they are different. There are two formulas that are best for writing one:

• Compare the two (or more) items by topic in each paragraph.
• Compare with back-to-back paragraphs per topic.

Definition Essay (Unit 8) This essay explores the meaning of a word, term, or concept. It would include its dictionary definition and the connotations of the word. The topics could provide examples of how the word is used and the various meanings and nuances involved.

Descriptive Essay (Unit 7) This essay paints a picture with words. The topics often appeal to the senses (sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell) or emotions.

Illustration Essay (Units 7 or 8) This essay provides illustrations of the subject, that is, examples of the subject in practice or real life. For example, an illustration essay can provide specific examples of irony or stereotyping. The conclusion would not analyze the illustrations. It would just sum up how one could determine if another example fits the subject.

Literary Analysis (Unit 8) This essay analyzes the components of fiction. It makes the thesis clear in the introduction. Body paragraph topics develop and prove the thesis idea and are supported by examples from the literature, along with explanations of how the examples prove the topics. The conclusion sums up the main thing we learn from this analysis and might show its relevance to us today.

Narrative Essay (Unit 7) A narrative essay tells a story that can be fictional or real-life. To make it an essay, a story would be sandwiched between an introduction (giving some background on the story) and a conclusion (explaining what was learned or what was interesting about the story). The story may be told using the Story Sequence Chart or by depicting a sequence of scenes, similar to Unit 5.

Persuasive Essay (Units 7 or 8) The persuasive essay attempts to persuade the reader to adopt the writer’s position. The IEW persuasive model follows a specific pattern that is truly persuasive. It makes the question clear in the introduction. The topics then slant from promoting the con to promoting the pro. The conclusion states the author’s position and supports his argument.

Process Analysis Essay (Units 7 or 8) The topics of this essay are the steps of a process from beginning to end. The introduction gives the background on the process, and the conclusion explains what you will have when the process is complete.

Do you have questions about IEW? Do you want to share your excitement about the progress one of your students is making in writing? Or are you looking for some general support as you navigate teaching writing to your students? Join our forums ! They’re a great little corner of the Internet for all things IEW. We’ll see you there!

Structure and Style® is a registered trademark of the Institute for Excellence in Writing, L.L.C.

Pasco-Hernando State College

• Unity and Coherence in Essays
• The Writing Process
• Paragraphs and Essays
• Proving the Thesis/Critical Thinking
• Appropriate Language

Test Yourself

• Essay Organization Quiz
• Sample Essay - Fairies
• Sample Essay - Modern Technology

Related Pages

• Proving the Thesis

Unity is the idea that all parts of the writing work to achieve the same goal: proving the thesis. Just as the content of a paragraph should focus on a topic sentence, the content of an essay must focus on the thesis.  The introduction paragraph introduces the thesis, the body paragraphs each have a proof point (topic sentence) with content that proves the thesis, and the concluding paragraph sums up the proof and restates the thesis. Extraneous information in any part of the essay that is not related to the thesis is distracting and takes away from the strength of proving the thesis.

An essay must have coherence. The sentences must flow smoothly and logically from one to the next as they support the purpose of each paragraph in proving the thesis.

Just as the last sentence in a paragraph must connect back to the topic sentence of the paragraph, the last paragraph of the essay should connect back to the thesis by reviewing the proof and restating the thesis.

Example of Essay with Problems of Unity and Coherence

Here is an example of a brief essay that includes a paragraph that does not support the thesis “Many people are changing their diets to be healthier.”

     People are concerned about pesticides, steroids, and antibiotics in the food they eat.  Many now shop for organic foods since they don’t have the pesticides used in conventionally grown food.  Meat from chicken and cows that are not given steroids or antibiotics are gaining popularity even though they are much more expensive. More and more, people are eliminating pesticides, steroids, and antibiotics from their diets.     Eating healthier also is beneficial to the environment since there are less pesticides poisoning the earth. Pesticides getting into the waterways is creating a problem with drinking water.  Historically, safe drinking water has been a problem. It is believed the Ancient Egyptians drank beer since the water was not safe to drink.  Brewing beer killed the harmful organisms and bacteria in the water from the Nile. There is a growing concern about eating genetically modified foods, and people are opting for non-GMO diets.  Some people say there are more allergic reactions and other health problems resulting from these foods.  Others are concerned because there are no long-term studies that clearly show no adverse health effects such as cancers or other illnesses. Avoiding GMO food is another way people are eating healthier food.

See how just one paragraph can take away from the effectiveness of the essay in showing how people are changing to healthier food since unity and coherence are affected. There is no longer unity among all the paragraphs. The thought pattern is disjointed and the essay loses its coherence.

Transitions and Logical Flow of Ideas

Transitions are words, groups of words, or sentences that connect one sentence to another or one paragraph to another.

They promote a logical flow from one idea to the next and overall unity and coherence.

While transitions are not needed in every sentence or at the end of every paragraph, they are missed when they are omitted since the flow of thoughts becomes disjointed or even confusing.

There are different types of transitions:

• Time – before, after, during, in the meantime, nowadays
• Space – over, around, under
• Examples – for instance, one example is
• Comparison – on the other hand, the opposing view
• Consequence – as a result, subsequently

These are just a few examples.  The idea is to paint a clear, logical connection between sentences and between paragraphs.

• Printer-friendly version

• Walden University
• Faculty Portal

Writing a Paper: Comparing & Contrasting

A compare and contrast paper discusses the similarities and differences between two or more topics. The paper should contain an introduction with a thesis statement, a body where the comparisons and contrasts are discussed, and a conclusion.

Address Both Similarities and Differences

Because this is a compare and contrast paper, both the similarities and differences should be discussed. This will require analysis on your part, as some topics will appear to be quite similar, and you will have to work to find the differing elements.

Make Sure You Have a Clear Thesis Statement

Just like any other essay, a compare and contrast essay needs a thesis statement. The thesis statement should not only tell your reader what you will do, but it should also address the purpose and importance of comparing and contrasting the material.

Use Clear Transitions

Transitions are important in compare and contrast essays, where you will be moving frequently between different topics or perspectives.

• Examples of transitions and phrases for comparisons: as well, similar to, consistent with, likewise, too
• Examples of transitions and phrases for contrasts: on the other hand, however, although, differs, conversely, rather than.

For more information, check out our transitions page.

Structure Your Paper

Consider how you will present the information. You could present all of the similarities first and then present all of the differences. Or you could go point by point and show the similarity and difference of one point, then the similarity and difference for another point, and so on.

Include Analysis

It is tempting to just provide summary for this type of paper, but analysis will show the importance of the comparisons and contrasts. For instance, if you are comparing two articles on the topic of the nursing shortage, help us understand what this will achieve. Did you find consensus between the articles that will support a certain action step for people in the field? Did you find discrepancies between the two that point to the need for further investigation?

Make Analogous Comparisons

When drawing comparisons or making contrasts, be sure you are dealing with similar aspects of each item. To use an old cliché, are you comparing apples to apples?

• Example of poor comparisons: Kubista studied the effects of a later start time on high school students, but Cook used a mixed methods approach. (This example does not compare similar items. It is not a clear contrast because the sentence does not discuss the same element of the articles. It is like comparing apples to oranges.)
• Example of analogous comparisons: Cook used a mixed methods approach, whereas Kubista used only quantitative methods. (Here, methods are clearly being compared, allowing the reader to understand the distinction.

Related Webinar

Didn't find what you need? Email us at [email protected] .

• Previous Page: Developing Arguments
• Next Page: Avoiding Logical Fallacies
• Office of Student Disability Services

Walden Resources

Departments.

• Academic Residencies
• Academic Skills
• Career Planning and Development
• Customer Care Team
• Field Experience
• Military Services
• Student Success Advising
• Writing Skills

Centers and Offices

• Center for Social Change
• Office of Academic Support and Instructional Services
• Office of Degree Acceleration
• Office of Research and Doctoral Services
• Office of Student Affairs

Student Resources

• Doctoral Writing Assessment
• Form & Style Review
• Quick Answers
• ScholarWorks
• SKIL Courses and Workshops
• Walden Bookstore
• Walden Catalog & Student Handbook
• Student Safety/Title IX
• Legal & Consumer Information
• Website Terms and Conditions
• Cookie Policy
• Accessibility
• Accreditation
• State Authorization
• Net Price Calculator
• Contact Walden

Walden University is a member of Adtalem Global Education, Inc. www.adtalem.com Walden University is certified to operate by SCHEV © 2024 Walden University LLC. All rights reserved.

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Part Two Paragraph Writing Skills and Essay Introduction

Unit 4 Enumerative Paragraphs

Learning Objectives

• To understand what an enumerative paragraph focuses on
• To learn to write topic sentences, supporting sentences with details, conclusion, and transitions in enumerative paragraphs through multiple examples
• To apply the writing process to plan and write enumerative paragraphs

Read Paragraph “Public Laundromats in the U.S.A.” and do the activities that follow.

Public Laundromats in the U.S.A.

          When I moved to Chicago, I was shocked because I had to use a public laundromat. Most people living in the apartments do not have their own washer and dryer, but I think this situation creates some problems for them. The transportation of dirty linen and clothes is the first problem. People need to collect everything and go down to the apartment basement where the machines are. Sometimes, they have to drive to the nearest laundromat if all washing machines are occupied by their neighbors. They may wait even half a day for a free washer or dryer. The second problem is having the exact change. Each washing costs $2.75 to $3.50. People need to frequently collect quarters or change money in the bank. The problems do not end here. The biggest problem of using public laundromats is hygiene. No one knows what kind of things people have washed in the same machines: underwear, linen, cloth diapers, even shoes. One day, while waiting for an available washer, I decided to take out a neighbor’s laundry from the washing machine because the laundry had been there for a long time. When I did this, I felt sorry and angry. I found different things which could not be washed together because it was not hygienic to do so. Of course, for eight months in America, I had to use the public laundromat more than a few times because I did not have another choice. Imagine my happiness and relief [1] when I finally bought my own first washing machine!

By E. Yugay (student), ESL Writing III, Harper College. U sed with permission.

1. Color code the paragraph:

Title – pink         Topic sentence – red       Supporting sentences – green

Supporting details – blue       Transitions – yellow         Concluding sentence(s) – red

2. Discuss:

• Have you had similar experiences or witnessed similar situations as described in this paragraph?
• Does the writer focus on telling a story, arguing for a controversial [2] issue, or listing points to explain an idea?
• What types of supporting ideas and details are used to explain the main idea?
• Does the paragraph have unity?
• What information is included in the conclusion?
• Is the paragraph complete?
• Is the title centered on the topic line? Is the first sentence indented?
• What do you like about this paragraph?
• How would you improve the paragraph?
• If you could ask the writer a question, what would you ask?

II. Focus of Enumerative Paragraphs

To enumerate is to list or to count. It focuses on explaining some points to support a main idea. You have actually studied many enumerative paragraphs in Unit 2 and Unit 3, in addition to Paragraph “Public Laundromats in the U.S.A.” above.

• Unit 2 The Benefits of NSNT for Me
• Unit 3 Missing My Childhood Days
• Unit 3 Difficulties in English Writing
• Unit 3 My Special Place
• Unit 3 Good Roommates
• Unit 3 The Best Exercise
• Unit 3 Unleashed Dogs
• Unit 3 Three Benefits of Online Classes for College Students

Review those paragraphs for ideas, organization, language use, and format. In this unit, you are going to learn from more examples and to write your own enumerative paragraphs. Here are some more topics typical [3] of enumerative paragraphs:

• Communication barriers [4] among family members
• Characteristics of a good boss
• Benefits of owning a dog
• Reasons for coming to the U.S.

Advice to new international students

III. Topic Sentence in Enumerative Paragraphs

For detailed explanations and examples of topic sentences, open Unit 3 here.

The same topic can produce many different topic sentences if the controlling idea is changed. Of course, the paragraph will be different as a result. This shows that you have the flexibility to decide on your focus based on your interests.  Write from your heart!

Study the following topic sentences and discuss how writers focus on different areas of the same topic. You will notice that some topic sentences are more formal/academic in nature and some are more personal.

Exercise 1. Try different controlling ideas and write at least two different topic sentences with each of the following topics.

Example :   

Topic sentence 1:  New international students will adapt to a new environment better if they prepare themselves well before leaving their native country.

Topic sentence 2:  Finding a caring host family, working closely with professors and counsellors, and joining student clubs are the best ways for new international students to succeed.

• Ways to improve grades in this writing class
• Advantages of technology for elderly people
• Disadvantages of technology for young children
• The best kitchen appliance for you
• Your least favorite store

IV. Supporting Ideas in Enumerative Paragraphs

For detailed explanations and examples of supporting sentences, open Unit 3 here.

The Joy of Having My Three Children

      It is a blessing that I have three children, aged 15, 11, and 6. First, they are not lonely anymore. When I had two children, they complained to me many times. My son wanted a younger brother, and my daughter wanted a baby sister. They also fought for toys. After my third child was born, their life changed a lot. Most times, they played with her and even taught her how to use chopsticks. Now all three children are very happy together. As a result, I am delighted.  However, with three children, I feel really old sometimes, but they make me feel young. Each of my children has many activities, and I am very involved in their lives. Last month, when my second child participated in a cross-country competition [9] organized by the school district, I ran next to her and cheered her on.  I felt young and energetic as if I were 16 years old again. The part I love the most is that they help me become a better person. Each child has a different personality. Sometimes, I cannot understand why they act in a certain way, but I find out that they are trying to imitate [10] my husband and me. “Children are mirrors of their parents”. This saying is so true. I can see my own problem through them because their action reflects my behavior. Now I am more careful when they are around.  I do not yell, I do not judge other people, and I always say “Thank you”. I want to set a good example for them.  Even though I am often physically tired, I love them because love makes miracles happen. My children are the joy of my life.

By D. Kim (student), ESL Writing III, Harper College. U sed with permission.

Exercise 2. Use two of the topic sentences you have developed from Exercise 1  to make a paragraph outline for each. Check to see that the ideas support the topic sentence.

Exercise 3. Use Paragraph “The Joy of Having My Three Children” as an example. Add relevant information to make Paragraph “Ways to Reduce Stress” more interesting.

Ways to Reduce Stress

          Modern life creates a lot of anxieties in people, but there are different ways to control stress. Physical exercises are a common solution. ( Add some details here about how physical exercises help reduce stress.)  Another idea is talking to a friend or family member. Someone says that sharing feelings and experiences with others is like releasing at least half the burdens. (Add some more details here about how talking helps reduce stress.) Besides working out and sharing, doing some chores will help relieve stress for some people. Many people do not like housework, but they do not know that household work may bring a sense of calm and normalcy. (Add some more details here about how doing chores helps reduce stress.) Stress has become an integral part of modern life. Isn’t it time for each person to find a way to handle it?

V. Conclusion in Enumerative Paragraphs

For detailed explanations and examples of concluding sentences, open Unit 3 here.

•  Public Laundromats in the U.S.A.:

Of course, for eight months in America, I had to use the public laundromat more than a few times because I did not have another choice. Imagine my happiness and relief when I finally bought my own first washing machine!

• The Joy of Having My Three Children:

Even though I am often physically tired, I love them because love makes miracles happen. My children are the joy of my life.

Exercise 4. Read the following paragraph. Fill in the missing information as instructed.

Transportation in the Suburbs

      (Start the paragraph with a topic sentence here.) To begin with, the buses run very infrequently [11] . Some buses come once an hour, even during the rush hours. If people miss the bus, they will have to wait for an hour for the next one.  In that case, they will be late for their work or school. Additionally, it is not healthy to wait for a long time in winter. Winters can be very harsh, with heavy snow and biting winds. People can easily catch cold. The worst part is that the buses do not cover all the areas. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ (Add some details here about what inconveniences this situation may cause. )   (Add a conclusion here to complete the paragraph.)

VI. More Enumerative Paragraph Examples

Read each of the paragraph examples below and do the following activities:

Title – pink       Topic sentence – red     Supporting sentences – green

Supporting details – blue       Transitions – yellow     Concluding sentence(s) – red

• Does the writer focus on telling a story, arguing for a controversial issue, or listing points to explain an idea?
• How do you improve the paragraph?
• If the writer were here, what question would you ask him/her about the paragraph?

Click for each paragraph:

Exercise 5. Read the following paragraph. Is there a topic sentence? If not, add one. Is the paragraph unified? If not, cross out the irrelevant information.  Can you add more interesting supporting details?

Winter Fun at Home

          Winters in some areas of America are very cold. Many people have to stay indoors. The first interesting thing they can do is make home a fun zone. For example, they can set up a simple but comfortable home theatre with just a TV and a couch. A bag of popcorn and a cup of hot chocolate can add to a feeling of warmth and relaxation no matter how heavily it is snowing outside. A home theater like this is also fun in other seasons, so they can enjoy it year round. Second, they can make household chores into a competition, with prizes. For instance, they have a cleaning game every week. The older child will vacuum the carpet, the younger child will dust the furniture, and the parents will mow the lawn. They can rotate being the judge and deciding on the prizes. Children are usually happier to do housework when it is fun. Lastly, they can continue with physical activities at home. Gyms can be expensive, and people have to drive there. If they have a treadmill or stationary bike at home, that will be great. However, it is still fine without them. On the Internet, there are many training videos with no equipment needed, so everyone can choose what he or she likes to do including aerobics and tai chi. Winters can be long, but they do not have to be boring.

VII. Transitions in Enumerative Paragraphs

For detailed explanations and examples of transitions, open Unit 3 here.

You already know very well how to use transitions like “first, second, next, in addition, finally”. They are very useful expressions but not the only ones. Take a look at a variety of transitions used in the paragraphs in this unit. Notice the punctuation as well.

Exercise 6. The following paragraph is adapted from one in Unit 3. The transition before each supporting sentence is missing. Add an appropriate transition. The three supporting sentences are underlined, and you can combine each supporting idea with a transition. Try at least two transitions for each blank. Be careful with punctuation.  The first one is an example.

__________(transition) The balcony has a beautiful lake view.

First, the balcony has a beautiful lake view.

 The first reason I like the balcony is that it has a lake view.

      My Special Place

          Most people have their own special place in the house, and mine is my balcony. It is a wooden structure about 2 meters wide and 8 meters long. __________(transition) The balcony has a beautiful lake view. The balcony faces a small lake, and sometimes I see ducks swimming there. In the evening, the fountain in the middle of the lake lights up with soft music in the background. I always feel serene and mysterious with the night sky enveloping around me. __________ (transition) The balcony is a place where I rest after a day of hard study. No one bothers me there, and the noise from the house feels far away. My three young children often play in the living room, but they make an effort to play quietly when they see me in the balcony. They know it is “mommy time”. __________ (transition) It is a place where I reflect on my life. There are 2 pots of geranium flowers and 2 pots of cacti, a perfect harmony of pink and green, round and thorny, soft and spiky – just like life itself, I think about my life experiences while admiring the plants. I love my balcony!

VIII. Unit Review Practice: Writing Assignments

Now you are ready to write your own enumerative paragraph! As you have learned in Unit 2 The Writing Process ( Open Unit 2 here ) , the best way to plan a paragraph is to follow the proper steps.

Enumerative P aragraph Writing Assignments

You will be writing two at-home enumerative paragraphs. The second one will start after the first one is complete. For both assignments, follow the instructions below.

Purpose : To show your understanding of planning and writing an enumerative paragraph. Use the writing process to help you.

Topic :   Choose from the list below.

Brainstorm and Outline : Brainstorm for ideas. Then organize the ideas by using one the outline templates below. Your outline is due on _________. Bring it to class.

Paragraph : Your paragraph should have a title, a topic sentence, three supporting ideas with details, and a conclusion. Use proper transitions to connect ideas.

Format : Type your paragraph, double spaced, font size 12, with 1-inch margins on four sides of the page. Type your name, class, and date on the upper right-hand corner of the page. The first line of your paragraph should be indented. Save your paragraph in a Word file.

Self Checklist : When you finish writing, use the Self Checklist below. Put a checkmark beside each item if you think you did a good job in that area.  Otherwise, improve your paragraph until you can check off the item. Save your work again.

Submission : Submit your paragraph on the Blackboard.  Go to your Blackboard course site and follow the instructions there.  Due by __________.

Choose one of the following topics.  If you wish to write about a topic of your own, discuss with your professor first.

• What is the most significant change you have experienced in your life since you turned sixteen? Explain three reasons why it is so important. (not three changes)
• What are three advantages (or disadvantages) of Internet dating?
• What are three advantages (or disadvantages) of social media?
• What are the three reasons some people hold prejudices against some other people?
• What are the three difficulties ESL students (or you) have in reading?
• What are three good qualities of _____(a leader)? (Name a specific leader)
• What are the three words to describe your personality?
• What is an American custom you like very much? Explain three reasons why you like it. (Just one custom, not three)
• What is an American custom you do not like? Explain three reasons why you do not like it. (Just one custom, not three)
• What is one custom that you are the most proud of from your native country? What are the three reasons? (Just one custom, not three)

Enumerative Paragraph Outline Template #1

Enumerative Paragraph Outline Template #2

Enumerative Paragraph Self Checklist

Note:  #7 – #10 may include more specific aspects of grammar depending on how many editing units you have already studied.

  NSNT Practice

Go to The NSNT Free Writing Approach and Additional Weekly Prompts for Writing in Appendix A. ( Open Appendix A here. ) Choose two topics to write a paragraph each. You may start with the NSNT approach and then revise and edit the paragraphs using the Self Checklist above. You are encouraged to share your writing with your partner and help each other improve.

Vocabulary Review

The words here have appeared in this unit.  The best way to learn them is to guess the meaning of each word from the context.  Then hover your computer mouse over the number beside each word to check its meaning and part of speech. These words are also listed in the footnote area at the end of each unit.

Here, you can use the flashcards below to review these words.

• An enumerative paragraph focuses on explaining a few points (reasons, ways, approaches, aspects, etc.) to support a main idea.
• An enumerative paragraph should have a title, a topic sentence, 2-4 supporting ideas with details, a conclusion, and transitions.
• Following the writing process (pre-writing, writing, and post-writing) can ensure a well – organized and well – supported paragraph.

Media Attributions

• washing machines and dryers in a laundromat © Photo by Marshall Williams on Unsplash
• a red pencil writing the word “stress” © Photo by Pedro Figueras from Pexels
• a man waiting at a bus stop © Photo by MART PRODUCTION from Pexels
• athletic shoes, weights, jumping rope © Photo by Alexandra Tran on Unsplash
• a balcony with a table, two chairs, and some plants © Photo by Nguyen Dang Hoang Nhu on Unsplash
• hamburger paragraph © Chris Dobson is licensed under a CC0 (Creative Commons Zero) license
• a pen writing in a notebook © Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
• a page in a dictionary © Pixabay
• relief: noun, a feeling when the worry disappeared ↵
• controversial: adjective, causing argument because of different opinions ↵
• typical: adjective, common, showing the nature of something ↵
• barrier: noun, a challenge or a difficulty that stops people from doing something ↵
• flexibility: noun, the quality of being willing to change ↵
• humility: noun, the quality of being humble, not proud ↵
• generosity: noun, the quality of being willing to give things to others or sharing things with others ↵
• prospect: noun, something about future ↵
• cross-country competition: noun phrase, a sport of running long and different paths ↵
• imitate: verb, follow or copy someone else's behavior ↵
• infrequently: adverb, not often ↵

Building Academic Writing Skills Copyright © 2022 by Cui, Lin is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• How to write an argumentative essay | Examples & tips

How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips

Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An argumentative essay expresses an extended argument for a particular thesis statement . The author takes a clearly defined stance on their subject and builds up an evidence-based case for it.

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

Table of contents

When do you write an argumentative essay, approaches to argumentative essays, introducing your argument, the body: developing your argument, concluding your argument, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about argumentative essays.

You might be assigned an argumentative essay as a writing exercise in high school or in a composition class. The prompt will often ask you to argue for one of two positions, and may include terms like “argue” or “argument.” It will frequently take the form of a question.

The prompt may also be more open-ended in terms of the possible arguments you could make.

Argumentative writing at college level

At university, the vast majority of essays or papers you write will involve some form of argumentation. For example, both rhetorical analysis and literary analysis essays involve making arguments about texts.

In this context, you won’t necessarily be told to write an argumentative essay—but making an evidence-based argument is an essential goal of most academic writing, and this should be your default approach unless you’re told otherwise.

Examples of argumentative essay prompts

At a university level, all the prompts below imply an argumentative essay as the appropriate response.

Your research should lead you to develop a specific position on the topic. The essay then argues for that position and aims to convince the reader by presenting your evidence, evaluation and analysis.

• Don’t just list all the effects you can think of.
• Do develop a focused argument about the overall effect and why it matters, backed up by evidence from sources.
• Don’t just provide a selection of data on the measures’ effectiveness.
• Do build up your own argument about which kinds of measures have been most or least effective, and why.
• Don’t just analyze a random selection of doppelgänger characters.
• Do form an argument about specific texts, comparing and contrasting how they express their thematic concerns through doppelgänger characters.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

An argumentative essay should be objective in its approach; your arguments should rely on logic and evidence, not on exaggeration or appeals to emotion.

There are many possible approaches to argumentative essays, but there are two common models that can help you start outlining your arguments: The Toulmin model and the Rogerian model.

Toulmin arguments

The Toulmin model consists of four steps, which may be repeated as many times as necessary for the argument:

• Make a claim
• Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim
• Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim)
• Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that you have considered alternative perspectives

The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays. You don’t have to use these specific terms (grounds, warrants, rebuttals), but establishing a clear connection between your claims and the evidence supporting them is crucial in an argumentative essay.

Say you’re making an argument about the effectiveness of workplace anti-discrimination measures. You might:

• Claim that unconscious bias training does not have the desired results, and resources would be better spent on other approaches
• Cite data to support your claim
• Explain how the data indicates that the method is ineffective
• Anticipate objections to your claim based on other data, indicating whether these objections are valid, and if not, why not.

Rogerian arguments

The Rogerian model also consists of four steps you might repeat throughout your essay:

• Discuss what the opposing position gets right and why people might hold this position
• Highlight the problems with this position
• Present your own position , showing how it addresses these problems
• Suggest a possible compromise —what elements of your position would proponents of the opposing position benefit from adopting?

This model builds up a clear picture of both sides of an argument and seeks a compromise. It is particularly useful when people tend to disagree strongly on the issue discussed, allowing you to approach opposing arguments in good faith.

Say you want to argue that the internet has had a positive impact on education. You might:

• Acknowledge that students rely too much on websites like Wikipedia
• Argue that teachers view Wikipedia as more unreliable than it really is
• Suggest that Wikipedia’s system of citations can actually teach students about referencing
• Suggest critical engagement with Wikipedia as a possible assignment for teachers who are skeptical of its usefulness.

You don’t necessarily have to pick one of these models—you may even use elements of both in different parts of your essay—but it’s worth considering them if you struggle to structure your arguments.

Regardless of which approach you take, your essay should always be structured using an introduction , a body , and a conclusion .

Like other academic essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction . The introduction serves to capture the reader’s interest, provide background information, present your thesis statement , and (in longer essays) to summarize the structure of the body.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.

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.

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.

In the standard five-paragraph format for short essays, the body takes up three of your five paragraphs. In longer essays, it will be more paragraphs, and might be divided into sections with headings.

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.

This example paragraph takes a Rogerian approach: It first acknowledges the merits of the opposing position and then highlights problems with that position.

Hover over different parts of the example to see how a body paragraph is constructed.

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 (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). 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” (Coomer, 2013). 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” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). 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.

Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting

Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

• Academic style
• Vague sentences
• Style consistency

See an example

An argumentative essay ends with a conclusion that summarizes and reflects on the arguments made in the body.

No new arguments or evidence appear here, but in longer essays you may discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your argument and suggest topics for future research. In all conclusions, you should stress the relevance and importance of your argument.

Hover over the following example to see the typical elements of a conclusion.

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.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

College essays

• Choosing Essay Topic
• Write a College Essay
• Write a Diversity Essay
• College Essay Format & Structure
• Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

 (AI) Tools

• Grammar Checker
• Paraphrasing Tool
• Text Summarizer
• AI Detector
• Plagiarism Checker
• Citation Generator

An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

The majority of the essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Unless otherwise specified, you can assume that the goal of any essay you’re asked to write is argumentative: To convince the reader of your position using evidence and reasoning.

In composition classes you might be given assignments that specifically test your ability to write an argumentative essay. Look out for prompts including instructions like “argue,” “assess,” or “discuss” to see if this is the goal.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2023, July 23). How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips. Scribbr. Retrieved July 15, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/argumentative-essay/

Is this article helpful?

Jack Caulfield

Other students also liked, how to write a thesis statement | 4 steps & examples, how to write topic sentences | 4 steps, examples & purpose, how to write an expository essay, get unlimited documents corrected.

✔ Free APA citation check included ✔ Unlimited document corrections ✔ Specialized in correcting academic texts

EL Education Curriculum

You are here.

• ELA G4:M1:U2:L9

Writing a Literary Essay: Analyzing a Model

In this lesson, daily learning targets, ongoing assessment.

• Technology and Multimedia

Supporting English Language Learners

Universal design for learning, closing & assessments, you are here:.

• ELA Grade 4
• ELA G4:M1:U2

Like what you see?

Order printed materials, teacher guides and more.

How to order

Help us improve!

Tell us how the curriculum is working in your classroom and send us corrections or suggestions for improving it.

Leave feedback

These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

• RL.4.10: By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, in the grades 4-5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
• RI.4.10: By the end of year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, in the grades 4-5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
• W.4.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
• W.4.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
• W.4.5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
• I can use the Painted Essay structure to analyze a model. ( W.4.2, W.4.4, W.4.5 )
• Painted Essay(r) template

• Prepare the materials required for the Painted Essay (see Materials).
• Preview the Painting an Essay lesson plan to familiarize yourself with what will be required of students (see supporting materials).
• Post: Learning target and Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart.

Tech and Multimedia

• Work Time A: Rather than using colored pencils on the displayed model literary essay, consider highlighting or using colored text on a word-processing document.

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards and 4.I.B.6 and 4.II.A.1

Important points in the lesson itself

• The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with opportunities to unpack an example of the work they are expected to complete during the remainder of the unit. They are also empowered to use a color-coding system that will help them understand essay structure using visual prompts.
• ELLs may find it challenging to absorb an abundance of information and terminology about essay structure. Remind students that this structure is an expanded version of the paragraph structure they completed in prior lessons. Think aloud each part while analyzing the model essay in order to clarify the purpose of each component of the structure. Reassure students that even if they do not understand everything today, they will have plenty of opportunities to work with the concepts throughout the unit and the year.
• In Work Time A, ELLs are invited to participate in an optional Language Dive. This conversation guides them through expanding the meaning of the focus statement in the model literary essay. It also provides students with further practice using the language structure from the model literary essay focus statement. Students may draw on this sentence when writing their informative essays later in the unit. A consistent Language Dive routine is critical in helping all students learn how to decipher compelling sentences and write their own. In addition, Language Dive conversations hasten overall English language development for ELLs. Preview the Language Dive Guide and consider how to invite conversation among students to address the questions and goals suggested under each sentence strip chunk (see supporting materials). Select from the questions and goals provided to best meet your students' needs. Consider providing students with a Language Dive log inside a folder to track Language Dive sentences and structures and collate Language Dive note-catchers.

Levels of support

For lighter support:

• During the Language Dive, challenge students to generate questions about the sentence before asking the prepared questions. Example: "What questions can we ask about this sentence? Let's see if we can answer them together." (What does it mean to find inspiration?)

For heavier support:

• Create a puzzle of the model literary essay using index cards. Paste each paragraph on a different index card. Use colored index cards according to the established Painted Essay colors. Challenge students to put the paragraph together in the correct order without looking at their papers.
• Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): In Work Time A, students analyze a model essay in preparation to write their own essay. Help students engage with the model essay in multiple ways. Color-code the model on display with the same colors that the students use during the Painted Essay exercise.
• Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): In the basic structure of this lesson, students get multiple representation cues with the color-coding provided by the Painted EssayO template. However, some students may find covering the entire essay in one lesson overwhelming. Consider chunking the explicit instruction for each part of the essay into multiple lessons to provide time for students to comprehend new information.
• Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): This lesson continues work that students will use to write an informational essay on their expert group's poet. Build engagement for the informational essay by telling students that they get to become experts about a specific poet. Then they will be able to teach others all about the poet and demonstrate their knowledge.

Key:  Lesson-Specific Vocabulary (L); Text-Specific Vocabulary (T); Vocabulary Used in Writing (W)

• The Painted Essay, structure, analyze (L)
• Model literary essay (one per student and one to display)
• Informative Essay Prompt: What Inspires Poets? (from Lesson 6, one per student and one to display)
• Vocabulary logs (from Unit 1, Lesson 3; one per student)
• Annotated model literary essay (for teacher reference)
• Painted Essay(r) template (one per student)
• Paintbrushes (one per student)
• Read, yellow, blue, and green watercolor paint (one set per pair)
• Cups of water (one per pair)
• Painting an Essay lesson plan (for teacher reference)
• Red, yellow, blue, and green colored pencils (one set; for teacher modeling)
• Paper (blank; one per student)
• Informative Writing Checklist (one per student and one to display)
• Language Dive Guide: Model Literary Essay (optional; for ELLs; for teacher reference)
• Language Dive Note-catcher: Model Literary Essay (optional; for ELLs; one per student and one to display)
• Language Dive Sentence strip chunks: Model Literary Essay (one to display)
• Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 2)
• Independent Reading: Sample Plan ( see the Tools page ; for teacher reference)

Materials from Previous Lessons

New materials.

Each unit in the 3-5 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize their understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Copyright © 2013-2024 by EL Education, New York, NY.

Get updates about our new K-5 curriculum as new materials and tools debut.

Help us improve our curriculum..

Tell us what’s going well, share your concerns and feedback.

Terms of use . To learn more about EL Education, visit  eleducation.org

New York Times editorial board calls Donald Trump 'unfit to lead,' urges voters to reject reelection bid

WASHINGTON - The New York Times' editorial boar d called on voters to reject Donald Trump' s reelection bid, alleging that the former president is "unfit to lead" a second term. 

“Mr. Trump has shown a character unworthy of the responsibilities of the presidency. He has demonstrated an utter lack of respect for the Constitution, the rule of law and the American people,” wrote the Times editorial board, made up of opinion journalists, in a piece published Thursday.

“Instead of a cogent vision for the country’s future, Mr. Trump is animated by a thirst for political power: to use the levers of government to advance his interests, satisfy his impulses and exact retribution against those who he thinks have wronged him,” they added. 

In the piece, the editorial board outlined five “essential” qualities and values that they feel a president must have - and that they say Trump fails on: moral fitness, principled leadership, character, a president’s words and rule of law.

“We urge voters to see the dangers of a second Trump term clearly and to reject it,” they wrote. 

Last month, the New York Times editorial board published a piece calling on President Joe Biden to drop out of the 2024 race following a disastrous debate performance. The president struggled to complete sentences during the showdown and articulate his pitch to voters.

The Times argued in its op-ed piece at the time that "the president is engaged in a reckless gamble," adding that "it's too big a bet to simply hope Americans will overlook or discount Mr. Biden's age and infirmity that they see with their own eyes."

Since the debate, a growing handful of Democratic lawmakers have called on Biden to pass the torch and exit the 2024 race for the White House.

Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Mich., on Thursday became the 10th House member to publicly call for Biden to leave the presidential race, adding to the drip of lawmakers pushing for change.

Contributing: Riley Beggin, USA TODAY

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Guest Essay

The Struggles of President Biden and the Truth About Aging

By Rachael Bedard

Dr. Bedard is a physician and writes about medicine and criminal justice.

Last week, President Biden tried to acknowledge and mitigate concerns about his capacity to stay on in the most important job in the world. “I know I’m not a young man, to state the obvious,” he said after a disastrous debate against Donald Trump. “I don’t walk as easy as I used to. I don’t speak as smoothly as I used to. I don’t debate as well as I used to.” But, the president went on, “I know, like millions of Americans know, when you get knocked down, you get back up.”

He was asking Americans to see themselves in him and to recognize his debate performance as both an aberration from and a continuation of who he has always been: a person who may suffer and stumble but whose ambition, commitment and confidence in himself have provided a backstop of resilience against insult and injury.

Reporters and Mr. Biden’s biographers have been reflecting over the past week about the severity and nature of his condition and on whether they missed signs or were duped. Americans are suddenly engaged in a speculative conversation about whether the president is physically and mentally fit to lead the country and whether they can trust his self-assessment. What would it mean for a person to “get back up” who also can’t walk, speak or debate with the ease he once did? And how to make sense of his appearance at the debate and the stories that have emerged since about lapses of memory, naps during the day and occasional bouts of confusion?

I’m a geriatrician, a physician whose specialty is the care of older adults. I watched the debate and saw what other viewers saw: a president valiantly trying to stand up for his record and for his nation but who seemed to have declined precipitously since the State of the Union address he gave only a few months earlier.

As a country, we are not having a complete or accurate discussion of age-related debility. I know no specifics — and won’t speculate here — about Mr. Biden’s clinical circumstances. But in the face of so much confused conjecture, I think it’s important to untangle some of the misunderstanding around what age-related decline may portend. Doing so requires understanding a well-characterized but underrecognized concept: clinical frailty.

As we age, everyone accumulates wear and tear, illness and stress. We can all expect to occasionally lose a night’s sleep, struggle with jet lag, catch a virus, trip and fall or experience side effects from medication. But for young and middle-aged people who are not chronically or seriously ill, these types of insults don’t usually change the way we function in the long term. This is not so for frail elders.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

• Cast & crew

Despite the risk and prejudices, a very successful CEO begins an illicit affair with her much younger intern. Despite the risk and prejudices, a very successful CEO begins an illicit affair with her much younger intern. Despite the risk and prejudices, a very successful CEO begins an illicit affair with her much younger intern.

• Halina Reijn
• Nicole Kidman
• Harris Dickinson
• Antonio Banderas

• Intern Rose

• Uber Driver

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

• December 20, 2024 (United States)
• United States
• New York City, New York, USA (street scenes)
• Man Up Film
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

Related news, contribute to this page.

• See more gaps
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed.