Regardless of what approach you decide on, always focus on a sentence that is topic piques the reader’s interest.

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Many of your writing assignments will involve one or more paragraph. Most will require 3-5 paragraphs, while some might be much longer. How can you organize your thinking and then make sure your reader understands your argument within these types of papers?

There is a standard structure you can follow to greatly help make fully sure your thoughts are presented logically and effectively. A typical essay should consist of the following:

  • An introduction
  • 1 or higher body paragraphs
  • A Conclusion

The Introduction

Your first paragraph should introduce readers to your subject and catch their attention so that they would you like to read on. Some common methods to the introduction include:

  • Providing background information (historical, statistical, etc.)
  • Using an anecdote
  • Making a controversial or statement that is surprising can be argued for or against
  • Including a quotation from a relevant source

Continue with sentences that support or explain your topic in order to lead readers to your thesis statement, which will be typically found at the end of the introduction. The thesis statement reveals your specific look at the subject of your essay and include a summary of the significant points you are making in your argument. The latter can be especially useful to your reader as a road-map is provided by it to your paper. However, then discuss those points in the same order when you write your body paragraph(s) if you include such a list in your thesis statement, make sure you.

Your Body Paragraphs

The ensuing paragraphs should support your thesis statement by explaining the key points in your argument. Typically, each main point should be discussed in its own paragraph.

Each body paragraph should focus on a topic sentence that tells which main point you are covering. You really need to then include sentences that are supporting describe your >

You can find a true number of different ways you can order the body paragraphs. In a persuasive essay, begin with your strongest or most important point, proceed to your second-best point, and so forth. In a study paper, it could make more sense to take a approach that is chronological. Regardless, always try to look for a order that is logical that your thinking are easy to follow additionally the reader will not wander off. Using signposts might help result in the structure of your argument more obvious into the reader. (You can learn more about that technique here.)

Your order associated with the body paragraphs should match your order of points listed in the thesis statement (if you decide to include information that is such). Do not include something that is not directly strongly related the subject described in your thesis statement.

Your paragraph that is final should within the paper and leave the reader with one or more final thoughts. It must refer returning to the introduction you need to include a directory of your main argument. Usually do not simply restatement your thesis statement, though; instead, briefly remind your reader of your position additionally the points that are main designed to support that position. Finish with something that clearly indicates the essay is ending. (Or, put simply, do not just stop mid-thought!) Some methods for you to end your conclusion are:

  • Call the reader to action
  • Ask a question
  • Suggest a direction for further research
  • Check out the long term (give a prediction, express a particular hope, etc.)
  • Earn some type or types of final point that ties together all of the ideas in your essay

Expanding This Structure for Longer Papers

Longer papers (mostly likely those around 5 or higher pages) should follow a structure that is similar of, but each of those phases is likely to be expanded. Your introduction may include multiple paragraphs. Additionally, longer papers typically involve more descriptive explanations, and thus each point that is main include multiple sub-points that each and every require their own paragraph. Your inclusion could also be expanded to more than one paragraph.

Each with its own heading in longer papers, it may help to break your writing up into sections. This will organize your argument into more bites that are manageable will help the reader sound right of your paper. For example, I might include the following sections if I were writing a 15-20 page paper about the life of George Washington:

  • Introduction
  • Childhood & Young Adulthood
  • Years Ultimately Causing the Presidency
  • Washington as President
  • Life after the Presidency
  • Conclusion

My introduction would lay out the clearly trajectory for all of those other paper, and separating the materials into these subsections will make sure the reader always knows where he/she is within the essay. Having a organization that is clear highlighting that structure may have an enormous impact on how well your ideas are understood and will create your writing a lot more effective.

Some resources that are additional

Additional information about how to structure an essay are present at: