Writing Essays

General Guidelines:

  • Make sure that you respond to the intent of the question.  Do not add personal opinion or interpretation unless you are requested to do so in the essay prompt's instructions.
  • Write for your target audience; if an audience is not specified, write for a hypothetical audience of Composition II instructors.
  • Provide specific examples whenever possible; don't rely on generalizations or stereotypes.
  • Try to pitch your response to the mainstream reader; avoid overly controversial or idiosyncratic responses.
  • Budget your time; make sure that you allocate adequate time for planning and producing a rough draft.

Tips on Writing Essays

Step One (Prewriting):

  • Carefully review the assumptions that inform the essay prompt--anticipate your expected intent and ideal audience.
  • Record your initial thoughts in list, paragraph, or map form--generate as much material as possible to clarify your thoughts and to collect information for your rough draft.
  • At this time, do not focus on grammar, mechanics, or continuous prose.
  • Spend approximately 40% of the time that you have allocated for the essay on prewriting.

Step Two (Drafting):

  • Review your prewriting material and identify items that you would like to include in your rough draft.
  • Concentrate on refining your understanding of your response and begin to produce sentences and paragraphs.
  • Consider a simple three component format:
    • Introduction (establishes the focus and scope of your essay): a single paragraph comprised of two to three sentences; a clearly defined thesis statement as your last sentence.
    • Body (provides the details of your essay): two to three paragraphs; each paragraph should run approximately three to five sentences; each paragraph should focus on a single specific issue.
    • Conclusion (offers closure to your essay): a single paragraph comprised of two to three sentences; should offer final evaluative analysis or explore the broader implications of your discussion.
  • Spend approximately 30% of the time that you have allocated for the essay on drafting.

Step Three (Revising and Editing):

  • Determine if your message is clear and that you have addressed the likely concerns of your intended audience; add additional detail as necessary.
  • Edit for the following global issues:
    • that you have a clear thesis as the final sentence of your introductory paragraph
    • that each paragraph has a distinct focus;
    • that your conclusion offers evaluative analysis or explores the broader implications of your discussion;
    • that you addressed the primary expectations of the essay prompt.
  • Paragraph issues
    • that you have adequate transitions to bridge each paragraph;
    • that each paragraph has a topic sentence (which can be the paragraph's transition sentence, too);
    • that there is no significant overlap in the content of each paragraph.
  • Sentence issues
    • that at least 95% of all your sentences are written in the active voice;
    • that at least 60% of your sentences are simple sentences;
    • that less than 15% of your sentences are complex or compound-complex sentences;
    • that all unnecessary words and phrases are deleted;
    • that verb tenses and pronouns are used consistently;
    • that the draft follows the conventions of standard written English;
    • that the draft is neat and legible.
  • Spend approximately 30% of the time that you have allocated for the essay on editing.

last revised: 11/13/03