For anyone who has ever been a student in their life, writing an essay is easily one of the most common school requirements. Whether you are in middle, junior or senior high school, essay writing is a metric used by teachers to see if students understand a certain lesson or topic. If you are tasked to write an essay, especially if the subject is particularly challenging, it is helpful to plan your approach before diving right into writing.
An essay outline is a skeletal structure or list that is used to plan an essay before writing it. It is an effective strategy designed to organize one’s thoughts and ensure a concise writing process and thought flow.
In an article published by Seattlepi, university educators use essay writing as a metric for critical thinking, writing skills, and overall comprehension of a lesson or subject material.
Outlining an essay is much easier when you know what type of essay you want to write. Deciding on the type of essay is critical because it can help you stick to a common theme and maintain a consistent tone all throughout. There are many forms of essays; but these are some of the common ones:
Now that you’ve learned the various types of essay formats, you can proceed with outlining your thoughts and points. Pick a sample from the templates above and note these important steps as you outline your essay.
In most cases, a topic is either given or chosen by a student. After establishing your topic, decide what type of angle you want to use in your writing. What type of essay will best drive your point home? You can choose from the examples above or research on more essay types to find what works for you. Your title will be determined by how you frame your topic.
The way you introduce your topic is critical in capturing and sustaining the reader’s interest. One option is to outline your introduction by stating your main point and providing a couple of supporting details that reinforce your main point. A paragraph or two would be enough. An introduction should not be too lengthy but it should give the reader enough to want to learn more. Be creative so you will be able to hook the reader’s attention.
When structuring your essay, keep in mind the body is the meat of your essay. The body usually contains two or more main ideas. The writer then explores, explains, and connects these ideas together. Facts, opinions, and examples are commonly used to support the main points. Divide your body into easy to digest parts and paragraphs so as not to overwhelm your reader.
Your conclusion can also be subdivided into smaller parts. Like the introduction, keep it at a minimum. You can summarize the main points mentioned in your body or reiterate your key ideas. Another option is linking your introduction and conclusion by relating the two parts and tying up any loose ends.
A typical essay would consist of an introduction, body, and conclusion. Each part can be further divided into subsections. Depending on the writer, the introduction may contain his or her thesis statement along with either one or two supporting statements. Key points and important arguments make up the main body of the essay. These main points should be divided and arranged with a clear logical flow. Lastly, the essay’s conclusion can either summarize the ideas in the introduction and body; or contain a new idea backed with secondary supporting ideas.
Start with a topic in mind and organize your ideas into parts. Provide a thought-provoking introduction, a concise body and end with a strong conclusion. For each part, you can list your ideas in bullet points. The outline can serve as your guide when you start to build your argument.
Essays are normally constructed in paragraphs. One popular format is the MLA Essay format. It follows specific rules on title, headers, margins, alignment, indentation, and spacing. On the other hand, you could also make use of the available templates above to guide you.
Keeping in mind the basic rules and structure of essay writing will definitely help organize your thoughts better. The goal for all writers, after all, is communicating clear and concise work. Whether you are an English high school student or a professional writer, everyone should know how to create and convey effective essays. Outline your essay now and start writing!
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