Model Essay Composition

In this space, make sure to list other smaller ideas that relate to each main idea.Doing this will allow you to see connections and will help you to write a more organized essay. The first part states the topic, and the second part states the point of the essay.

However, this opportunity also gives you the advantage to choose a subject that is interesting or relevant to you. By taking what’s already in your head and putting it to paper, you are able to see connections and links between ideas more clearly.

This structure serves as a foundation for your paper.

Next, write each of your supporting ideas in sentence format, but leave three or four lines in between each point to come back and give detailed examples to back up your position.

Fill in these spaces with relative information that will help link smaller ideas together.

Use either an outline or a diagram to jot down your ideas and organize them.

To create a diagram, write your topic in the middle of your page.Each body paragraph will have the same basic structure.Begin by writing one of your main ideas as the introductory sentence.Writing an essay often seems to be a dreaded task among students.Whether the essay is for a scholarship, a class, or maybe even a contest, many students often find the task overwhelming.Now that you have chosen a topic and sorted your ideas into relevant categories, you must create a thesis statement. For instance, if you were writing about Bill Clinton and his impact on the United States, an appropriate thesis statement would be, “Bill Clinton has impacted the future of our country through his two consecutive terms as United States President.” Another example of a thesis statement is this one for the “Winning Characteristics” Scholarship essay: “During my high school career, I have exhibited several of the “Winning Characteristics,” including Communication Skills, Leadership Skills and Organization Skills, through my involvement in Student Government, National Honor Society, and a part-time job at Macy’s Department Store.” The body of your essay argues, explains or describes your topic.Your thesis statement tells the reader the point of your essay. Each main idea that you wrote in your diagram or outline will become a separate section within the body of your essay.Now that you have developed your thesis and the overall body of your essay, you must write an introduction.The introduction should attract the reader’s attention and show the focus of your essay. You can use shocking information, dialogue, a story, a quote, or a simple summary of your topic.It is not the only format for writing an essay, of course, but it is a useful model for you to keep in mind, especially as you begin to develop your composition skills.The following material is adapted from a handout prepared by Harry Livermore for his high school English classes at Cook High School in Adel, Georgia. See, first, Writing Introductory Paragraphs for different ways of getting your reader involved in your essay.