Academic Writing: The 4 Basic Parts of an Essay –
Writing a clear, convincing essay is an important English skill, whether it’s for school, college, online articles, or many other purposes. Because every culture and language family has its preferred ways of organizing and presenting ideas in writing, it Is important to know the expectations of your audience before you start to put words down on paper. Even when you’re a great writer in your first language, that skill does not always translate perfectly to a new environment.
What are some key features that essay readers in American schools, colleges, and universities look for? This article highlights the essentials you must know to craft an argumentative essay that stands out from the crowd.
As a first step, here are some basic definitions:
Essay. An essay is a short written piece about a topic that shares an opinion or seeks to understand the topic more fully. Essays are not simply ‘informational’; the writer’s unique perspective, interests, and experience are central to their content and impact.
Essays are always personal. Just as a favorite family recipe is an expression of the home cook who created it, essays express their writers’ personalities in unique ways.
Photo by Mika Baumeister
Argumentative Essay. The words ‘argument’ and ‘argumentative’ are related, but quite different—arguments are usually considered a bad thing in polite conversation, but argumentation in an essay is central to good writing.
In an argumentative essay, the author presents an opinion and supports it with well-reasoned evidence and examples. Often argumentation essays are persuasive: they aim to convince the reader to appreciate (and possibly even agree with) the author’s point of view. Argumentative essays are one of the most common essay forms in American schools and universities.
Thesis. A thesis statement is a sentence that provides a short, clearly-worded summary of the author’s opinion about a limited topic. It should almost always be located within the introduction of your argumentative essay.
I often tell students that their thesis statement is the heart of their essay: a healthy thesis provides benefit to every other part of the essay, just as a healthy heart provides benefit to the whole human body. Conversely, organizing your writing around an unclear, unhealthy thesis statement means that your whole essay will suffer from poor health.
Take a look at the following sample essay. The first paragraph provides the author’s personal opinion about the topic of ‘House Pets.’ The middle paragraphs offer three different arguments to support this opinion, and the final paragraph summarizes all the information.
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Dogs may be “man’s best friend,” but they are not the only domestic animals capable of forming close relationships with people in their lives. The first sentence of the essay ‘hooks’ the reader by saying something interesting. This essay starts with a famous quotation that the reader has likely heard before. It also provides a surprise twist: this essay is not actually about dogs, but rather cats. For many, a cat makes for an equally wonderful companion. Cats are friendly, well-mannered, and surprisingly easy to care for. This sentence previews the three arguments that will support the writer’s main opinion (thesis), which is found in the following sentence. Despite what some dog enthusiasts may argue, cats make excellent house pets. A good thesis statement is a short, clear opinion. It’s generally found toward the end of the first paragraph of your essay.
First, cats provide great companionship. The first sentence of each body paragraph proves a clear summary of an argument that supports the writer’s opinion. This is followed by 2 or 3 specific examples that show the argument is strong. Many cats are affectionate and enjoy cuddling with their owners, often curling up on laps with a comforting purr. At the end of a long day, stroking a cat’s soft fur provides fantastic stress relief. When they’re not being affectionate, cats are usually quite playful. They love to chase laser pointers and strings, or to sneak-attack their favorite toys, which can be hilariously entertaining for the whole family. Contrary to popular belief, Transition phrases like this help connect examples so the reader is never confused about what is happening. cats can also be trained. Like dogs, they can learn tricks such as fetching, shaking hands, or sitting on command (though they may need a bit of extra encouragement).
In addition to being loving companions, cats are also very polite members of the household. The first sentence of each body paragraph proves a clear summary of an argument that supports the writer’s opinion (the thesis). Cats don’t bark and rarely howl or make loud noises, which is a bonus for people who prefer a quieter living environment. They usually communicate through soft meows or purrs. Cats are also easy to house-train, as they instinctively know how to use a litter box. Even cats who were not properly socialized as kittens will usually catch on quickly with a little training. One reasonable concern with cats is potential damage to furniture from scratching, but providing a scratching post or pad is usually sufficient to redirect this instinctual need. The author’s argument is strengthened by addressing a possible problem with owning a cat.
Another reason cats are fantastic house pets is their minimal care requirements. The first sentence of each body paragraph proves a clear summary of an argument that supports the writer’s opinion (the thesis). Unlike dogs, cats don’t need to be taken on daily walks. They are content getting exercise indoors, whether by running around, chasing toys, or exploring the furniture. Additionally, Transition words like this help connect examples so the reader is never confused about what is happening. cats take care of their own grooming, rarely needing a bath. Their natural cleanliness makes them one of the lowest-maintenance pets. You can also leave a cat alone for several hours without worrying about them causing trouble—they tend to nap, explore, or play quietly while waiting for their owner’s return.
In conclusion, cats are loving, well-behaved, and low-maintenance pets. This first sentence of the conclusion summarizes the three supporting arguments that the writer gave in the body of the essay. They are perfect for people who live in small spaces or those who don’t have much free time to devote to pet care. However, even people with large homes and plenty of time often choose cats for their unique personalities. In many ways, cats are the ideal house pet. The last sentence of the conclusion brings the essay back around to the beginning: using different words, it reminds us of the author’s opinion for the final time.
Thanks for spending time with these key parts of an essay, I hope it was helpful!
For more great writing tips, take a look at Essential Writing Skills for College and Beyond (available on Amazon)
Another great way to improve your writing is to spend more time reading! This article I wrote has some great suggestions: Book Recommendations – American Immigrant Stories
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