Planning an Essay

Understanding the Task

To write a good essay, you must spend time planning and preparing ideas and
information. If you skip these steps, you may have trouble when you begin to write.

Getting Ready
Here are five steps you can use to plan an essay: before you write a single word of it.

1. What is the topic of my essay?

Here are some tips to help you decide where to look for ideas for your essay
and what kind of information to seek.
Brainstorm ideas about your topic
Free write whatever comes to mind as you think about your topic
Organize your ideas in a chart or a web

2. Who is my audience?
It is easier to write for a specific audience, such as a friend or the member of
a club. Choose a specific audience and use the following questions to help you
decide what information to include in your essay.
What will interest my audience?
What does my audience already know about my topic?
How would I talk to this audience? Formally or informally?

3. What is the purpose of my essay?

You usually will be writing to convince your audience that your opinion is correct.
It could also be an informative piece of writing, but its purpose must be to
inform.
Topic:
Purpose:
Audience:

4. How will I gather information for my essay?

You will start making jot notes (in whatever form works for you) to help
generate ideas. Remember to be concise- dont use full sentences- unless
it is a statement that is so clear and powerful that you just cant bring
yourself to paraphrase it. Also be neat and organized (a chart of some
sort is a great idea)
If you need to use specific information for your essay, you must do some
research. Before you start, set a clear purpose for your research. You
may need to be looking for a specific fact to back up your opinion. You
may also need to conduct some research before you write your final
thesis statement.
5. What is my thesis?
A thesis is not the same as the topic. A thesis expresses your position on the
topic. Your thesis is the basis for the opening paragraph and it should be
written in a single and complete sentence.
Topic
Topic: the use of
animals in medical
research

+Opinion
+ opinion: It is
necessary because it
helps doctors save
human lives.

Topic:

+ opinion:

=Thesis
= thesis: It is necessary
to use animals in medical
research because it
helps doctors save
human lives.
= thesis

Checklist:

Presented my topic clearly

Identified the audience and purpose of my essay
Wrote thesis statement as a complete sentence
Expressed an opinion about my topic in my thesis statement

Research Process
Introduction:
Before you start researching you will need to know that there are 2 ways sources can
be used in an essay:
Direct Quotes: A word-for-word copying of information from a source. This must be
recorded in an essay using quotation marks () and an indication as to which source it
came from (i.e. the authors surname and/or date and/or page reference).
Paraphrasing- A summary of information that is entirely in your own words. This is
recorded in an essay without using quotation marks and there must also be an
indication as to which source it came from (same as above).
FYI: An essay with only direct quotes is generally not acceptable, so you will need to
paraphrase at least some of your research.
Decide how you are going to keep a record of the sources you use and the information
you found in each. Each method has the same end-goal but a different process.
Method 1:
Step 1: Print off or copy information (recording source information on the sheet)
Step 2: Highlight desired quotes & paraphrase in the margins
Step 3: Identify your points to be developed (supporting thesis statement)
Step 4: Organize your research into topics (use outline below)
Method 2:
Step 1: Record the source information (i.e. title, website) on a blank sheet of paper
Step 2: Read your source & make point-form notes that summarize the main ideas
Step 3: Identify your supporting evidence topics
Step 4: Organize your quotes into topics (use outline below)
Method 3:
Step 1: Create a heading for each of your supporting evidence topics (can use outline)
Step 2: Record direct quotes and paraphrased ideas under the appropriate heading
Step 3: Simultaneously create a numbered list of sources
Step 4: Write the corresponding number with each paraphrased idea or direct quote
Other variations (i.e. using technology) are fine: just ensure that you have a clear
method of recording so you are creating unnecessary work in re-tracking ideas.

Remember:
Regardless of the method you choose, at the very least, record the website/book
name, the author and page number (for direct quotes especially). With that
information you can always find the sources again to complete your bibliography at a
later point; however, if you record all of the information, you can save yourself some
time finding it again later.

Writing an Essay
Preparing an Outline:
An essay outline should include ideas for the opening paragraph, the body of an essay
and the conclusion.

1. Opening paragraph
The opening paragraph may be the shortest paragraph in your essay, but it is
also the most important one. In the opening paragraph, you:
State your thesis (last sentence of the introduction)
Set the tone, or mood of your essay (serious, humorous)
Capture the interest of the reader (hook- interesting fact, question, or a
joke)
Briefly introduce main ideas or arguments to support your thesis.
2. The Body
In the body or the middle of an essay you develop the arguments you introduced
in your opening paragraph. The body of an essay includes at least one paragraph
to develop each point or argument. Each paragraph must have:
A topic sentence, stating the main idea of the paragraph
Supporting details
A closing sentence
3. Concluding paragraph
This is your last word on you essay topic. You should:
Restate your thesis in a different way
Summarize your arguments
Draw a final conclusion
Suggest an action you wish your reader to take

The Writing Process

The outline below should be used to create your rough draft. The outline is more-orless the same order that you will record the information in the rough draft.
Once you create a rough draft, it is very important that you and/or someone you trust
read and edit your work before you create a final copy. Even the best writers have
people edit their work before it is published. Keep that in mind before you submit your
work.

Opening Paragraph
Thesis Statement:
Points to be developed (topic for each of the 3 paragraphs in the body):
1.
2.
3.

The Body
Paragraph One
Topic Sentence (Point 1):

Supporting Details:
1.
2.
3.
Concluding Sentence:

Paragraph Two
Topic Sentence (Point 2):

Supporting Details:
1.
2.
3.
Concluding Sentence:
Paragraph Three

Topic Sentence (Point 3):

Supporting Details:
1.
2.
3.
Concluding Sentence:
*Note: you may have more than 3 body paragraphs. Just follow the same format for further paragraphs.

Concluding Paragraph
Summary of Points:

Restate Thesis:

Checklist:
Opening paragraph catches the readers attention
Each paragraph in the body of my essay presents only one main idea to
support my thesis
At least three complete sentences to develop each supporting detail
Clearly wrote about how all of my ideas relate to my thesis
I presented my ideas in the best order (strongest, weakest, middle)
I wrote a strong concluding paragraph
I credited all of my sources
Final Notes:
When you sit down to write your essay out in full, ensure that your ideas flow clearly
from one to the next: from sentence to sentence, and paragraph to paragraph. It
makes your arguments stronger, and ensures that the reader understands your point
of view.