Essay Writing Structure

Study Notes

An essay is a collection of paragraphs focused on a single topic with a central idea.
It generally has at least 3 paragraphs, but a 5-paragraph structure is common for academic writing.

Introduction: The first paragraph, introducing the topic with general ideas, and ending with the thesis statement. The thesis statement states the main idea of the essay.
Main Body: One or more paragraphs that support the thesis statement, explaining its aspects. They are placed between the introduction and the conclusion.
Conclusion: The last paragraph, summarizing the main points and the supporting ideas of the essay, restating the thesis.

Spacing: Use double spacing between each line of writing.
Margins: Leave 2.5 centimetres (1 inch) of space on all sides of the page.
Paragraph Indentation: When typing, indent the first line of each paragraph with five spaces (or one tab). When handwriting, indent about 2 centimeters. Alternatively, paragraphs can start at the left margin, but leave one line space between paragraphs.
Title: Centre the essay title at the top of the first page.

Introductions aim to engage the reader's interest and outline the essay's content.
The introduction's last sentence is typically the thesis statement.
The thesis statement specifies the essay's topic and main points.

A hook is a strategy to grab a reader's attention. It's often the first sentence (or more) of the introduction, stimulating interest in the topic.
Ways to create a hook:
- A surprising fact or statistic.
- A quote by a famous person.
- Rhetorical questions.
- An anecdote (short story).

A thesis statement conveys the author's opinion or an important idea about the specified topic.
This statement should be arguable, allowing for discussion and supporting ideas.
Avoid stating two sides of an argument equally within a single statement, as it doesn't provide a clear stance.
A thesis statement is not simply a factual statement, as this is not a topic for discussion.