Writing Essays. What is an essay?

Transcription

1 What is an essay? Writing Essays An essay is a short piece of writing that discusses, describes or analyzes one topic. It can discuss a subject directly or indirectly, seriously or humorously. It can describe personal opinions, or just report information. Essay Structure Look at the following 2 diagram and in pairs or groups try to answer these questions: 1. What do you understand from both diagrams below? 2. What are the main parts of the essay? 3. What does each essay part should contain? 4. List some similarities and differences between these 2 diagrams. 0

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3 Basic Essay Structure Introduction (approx 10% of word count) Paragraph General statements on broad topic (Definitions of important terms) Statement of the central argument Listing of main points to be covered Topic sentence Explanation Evidence (Concluding sentence) Paragraph Body (approx 80% of word count) Paragraph Topic sentence Explanation Evidence (Concluding sentence) Topic sentence Explanation Evidence (Concluding sentence) Restatement of the central argument Conclusion (approx 10% of word count) Summary of main points covered Final statements 2

4 Steps in essay writing Step of prewriting include doing three sub-steps: A) Choosing a specific topic : If a topic is not assigned for you, choose a specific topic for your essay. For example, the topics Palestine, national unity, unemployment, marriage, children and Islam are all too general, if your objective is to write a specific analysis. You must narrow it to something like: a. Causes of unemployment among Palestinian bursing graduates b. Effects of watching violence films on young children c. Advantages and disadvantages of early marriage B) Writing a thesis statement (supported with 3 related points): The thesis statement should have 2 parts: one topic and 3 specific and related points: 1. The main goals of Primary education in Palestine include expanding knowledge, developing learning and thinking skills and promoting universal values. 2. Unemployment in Palestine causes several social/ psychological problems. C) Preparing a tentative outline The purpose of an outline or diagram is to put your ideas about the topic on paper, in a moderately organized format. The structure you create here may change before the essay is complete, so don't agonize over this. Writing a tentative outline helps you to organize your ideas logically and clearly. Task Read the following essay, try to find main supporting points included in each paragraph and complete the essay outlines below. Compare your outline with your partner. 3

5 Malaria a new threat? The first great breakthrough in the treatment of malaria was the discovery by Sir Ronald Ross, during the period , that the disease was transmitted by the female Anopheles mosquito. Then Giovanni Grassi worked out the life cycle of the human malaria parasite. With the connection between malaria and the mosquito clearly established, steps could be taken to fight the disease. One method was to attack the breeding places of the mosquito. It was known that mosquitoes lay their eggs in water. So, in malaria infected areas work was started on draining marshes and stagnant pools, and trying to ensure generally that there were no areas of water where mosquitoes could breed. Where areas of still water could not be drained, they were sometimes covered with oil or detergent, which made them unusable by the mosquitoes. One of the most interesting methods of preventing mosquitoes from multiplying is to introduce a different variety of mosquito into the area: when two varieties mate, the females are infertile. This kind of biological engineering has had some limited success in the field, but it is not always possible to reproduce laboratory conditions in real life. Since there are over 2,600 different kinds of mosquitoes, the research problems are enormous. 4

6 The most obvious and easiest method of prevention is to use wire screens and mosquito netting to prevent people being bitten. But this may not always be possible in poor areas, and does not help when people are moving about. Then people have to cover up and/or use some kind of protective cream or spray. A more flexible method is to take preventative drugs such as quinine. This drug was at one time extremely widely used, but during the Second World War most of the supply areas were under siege so alternative methods had to be found in the West. These new drugs proved to be more effective in many ways, and the use of quinine tailed away. Recently, however, there have been indications that certain varieties of malaria germs are becoming more resistant to modern drugs, and quinine is coming into use once more. At one time it seemed that insecticides, especially DDT, might wipe out malaria completely. One of the most successful DDT campaigns was carried out in India. In 1952 at the beginning of the campaign, seventy-five million Indians a year suffered from malaria. By 1965, the spraying of DDT had reduced this to a hundred thousand. However, as with the malaria germ and preventative drugs, there is evidence that mosquitoes are developing 5

7 resistance to DDT. One of the reasons for this has been the initial success of the operation. People became careless. Also, owing to increases in the price of fuel, poorer countries found it impossible to maintain the eradication programme. The situation now is that malaria is staging a comeback, and there are new breeds of mosquito which are resistant to DDT. Writing Styles: Essay types 1 There are many different kinds of essays. The following are some of the most common ones: 1- The compare/contrast essay: discusses the similarities and differences between two things, people, concepts, places, etc. The essay could be an unbiased discussion, or an attempt to convince the reader of the benefits of one thing, person, or concept. The essay could discuss both similarities and differences, or it could just focus on one or the other. A comparison essay usually discusses the similarities between two things, while the contrast essay discusses the differences. Examples: A compare/contrast essay may discuss... the likenesses and differences between two places, like New York City and Los Angeles; the similarities and differences between two religions, like Christianity and Judaism; two people, like my brother and myself. 1 Based on English Works! (2011) - Gallaudet University, Washington, D.C. 6

8 Compare/Contrast 2- The cause/effect: essay explains why or how some event happened, and what resulted from the event. For example, - why a volcano erupts, and what happens afterwards; - what happens after a loved one's death. This essay is a study of the relationship between two or more events or experiences. The essay could discuss both causes and effects, or it could simply address one or the other. A cause essay usually discusses the reasons why something happened. An effect essay discusses what happens after a specific event or circumstance. The below example shows a cause essay, one that would explain how and why an event happened. If this cause essay were about a volcanic eruption, it might go something like: "Pressure and heat built up beneath the earth's surface; the effect of this was an enormous volcanic eruption." 7

9 The next example shows an effect essay, one that would explain all the effects that happened after a specific event, like a volcanic eruption. If this effect essay were about a volcanic eruption again, it might go something like: "The eruption caused many terrible things to happen; it destroyed homes, forests, and polluted the atmosphere." 3- The process essay: describes how something is done. It generally explains actions that should be performed in a series. It can explain in detail how to accomplish a specific task, or it can show how an individual came to a certain personal awareness. The essay could be in the form of step-by-step instructions, or in story form, with the instructions/explanations subtly given along the way. - how to properly re-pot a plant; - how an individual came to appreciate hard work. 8

10 4- The argumentative essay: attempts to persuade the reader to the writer's point of view. The writer can either be serious or funny, but always tries to convince the reader of the validity of his or her opinion. Why mothers should breastfeed their newborn babies? Task Quickly read the following 2 essays about the controversial issue of abortion and try to list all the ideas discussed in each essay in a diagram similar to the one discussed at the beginning of this book. Block-by-Block Pattern Introduction: (the thesis is underlined) Explains the argument The Abortion Issue: Compare and Contrast One of the most divisive issues in America is the controversy surrounding abortion. Currently, abortion is legal in America, and many people believe that it should remain legal. These people, pro-choice activists, believe that it is the women's right to chose whether or not to give birth. However, there are many groups who are lobbying Congress to pass laws that would make abortion illegal. These people are called the pro-life activists. Explains prochoice Abortion is a choice that should be decided by each individual, argues the pro-choice activist. Abortion is not murder since the fetus is not yet fully human, therefore, it is not in defiance against God. Regardless of the reason for the abortion, it should be the woman s choice because it is her body. While adoption is an option some women chose, many women do not want to suffer the physical and emotional trauma of pregnancy and labor only to give up a child. Therefore, laws should remain in effect that protect a woman's right to chose. Explains pro- Abortion is an abomination, argues the pro-life activist. It makes no sense 9

11 life Conclusion for a woman to murder a human being not even born. The bible says, "Thou shalt not kill," and it does not discriminate between different stages of life. A fetus is the beginning of life. Therefore, abortion is murder, and is in direct defiance of God's will. Regardless of the mother's life situation (many women who abort are poor, young, or drug users), the value of a human life cannot be measured. Therefore, laws should be passed to outlaw abortion. After all, there are plenty of couples who are willing to adopt an unwanted child. If we take away the woman s right to chose, will we begin limiting her other rights also? Or, if we keep abortion legal, are we devaluing human life? There is no easy answer to these questions. Both sides present strong, logical arguments. Though it is a very personal decision, the fate of abortion rights will have to be left for the Supreme Court to decide. Point-by-Point Pattern Introduction: (the thesis is underlined) Explains the argument The Abortion Issue: Compare and Contrast One of the most divisive issues in America is the controversy surrounding abortion. Currently, abortion is legal in America, and many people believe that it should remain legal. These people, pro-choice activists, believe that it is the women's right to chose whether or not to give birth. However, there are many groups who are lobbying Congress to pass laws that would make abortion illegal. These people are called the pro-life activists. Point One: Pro-life and Prochoice Point Two: Pro-life and Prochoice Supporters of both pro-life and pro-choice refer to religion as support for their side of the argument. Pro-life supporters claim that abortion is murder, and is therefore against God's will. However, pro-choice defenders argue that abortion is not murder since the fetus is not yet a fully formed human. Therefore, abortion would not be a defiance against God. Another main point of the argument is over the woman's personal rights, versus the rights of the unborn child. Pro-choice activists maintain that regardless of the individual circumstances, women should have the right to chose whether or not to abort. The pregnancy and labor will affect only the woman's body, therefore it should be the woman's decision. Prolife supporters, on the other hand, believe that the unborn child has the right to life, and that abortion unlawfully takes away that right. 10

12 Conclusion If we take away the woman s right to chose, will we begin limiting her other rights also? Or, if we keep abortion legal, are we devaluing human life? There is no easy answer to these questions. Both sides present strong, logical arguments. Though it is a very personal decision, the fate of abortion rights will have to be left for the Supreme Court to decide. (Source: Rory H. Osbrink (2001) English Works! at Gallaudet University, Washington 11