Writing EssaysDavid Estrella I., MBA

Contents

1. Background info

2. Parts of the Pragraph

3. The mechanics of writing

4. What is an essay?

5. Purpose and types of essays

6. Parts of the essay.

7. The thesis statement.

8. The process

9. Assesing the essay?

10. Using APA style.

What is a predicate?3

What is a subject?

2

What is a sentence?

1

Background info

In simple terms, a sentence is a set of words that contain a subject and a predicate.

It is what the sentence is about, the topic of the sentence

It is what is said about the subject

Which is the most important sentenceIn the paragraph? 5

What is a paragraph?

4

Background info

A paragraph is a collection of connected sentences.

Topic sentence

What is the clincher?.

7

What are the types of sentences thatfollow the topic sentence?6

Background info

Supporting ideas, Details, Clincher

The clincher is the last sentence of theparagraph.

Whenever we read a sentence and like it,

we unconsciously store it away in our model-chamber; and it goes with the myriad of its fellows,

to the building, brick by brick, of the eventual edifice which we call our style.

Mark Twain

Parts of the paragraph

The topic sentence

is the most important sentence

in aparagraph

A.K.A. focus

sentence

is usually the first

sentence

Parts of the paragraph

helps organize

the paragraph

Don’t write too many

details

Say exactly what you want to

say

Don’t be too broad

Qualities for good topic sentence

Brevity Clarity Precision

Parts of the paragraph

What makes a bad topic sentence

Don’t use facts as

topic sentences

Think about causes not only effects

Don’t write “I am

going to tell you…”

Parts of the paragraph

1. Topic sentences – good vs bad

– The following topic sentence is bad. Conferwith your partner. Why is this a bad topicsentence?

George Lucas is a filmmaker.

Parts of the paragraph

George Lucas is a filmmaker.

• It tells the reader very little about what you are going to say.

• You are not making any real point.

Work in pairs write a better topic sentence.

George Lucas is an influential filmmaker who has changed cinema in a few important ways.

Parts of the paragraph

• Lets make groups.

• Each of you has a piece of a movie poster.

• You need to find the other two pieces to form a complete image.

• When you form a complete image you can sitwith the other members of your group.

Parts of the paragraph

Parts of the paragraph

Let’s do a quick exercise:

You now have 9 strips of paper.

In your groups put the strips in the correct orderso that they make a coherent paragraph.

Imitation is a perfectly honorable way to get started as a writer—and impossible to

avoid, really: some sort of imitation marks each new stage of a writer’s development.

Stephen King

Pronouns

Agree in number

Are a specific reference to a

noun

Agree in person

The mechanics of writing

a. If the student passes this course, they will graduate.

b. When a person comes to class, you should have his homework ready.

c. Kim spends all his time reading and playing soccer, but it isn’t good for him.

The mechanics of writing

compound, singular subject

Noun Verb Agreement

compound, singular subject connected

by and, verb is plural

connected by ornor, verb is

singular

plural and singular subject joined by

or or nor, verbagrees closest

subject

The mechanics of writing

Placed together into one sentence without proper

punctuation

Run-on Sentences

Made of two or more independent clauses

or complete sentences

plural and singular subject joined by

or or nor, verbagrees closest

subject

The mechanics of writing

2. replace it

with a

semicolon

incorrect use comma to

Comma splice

It creates a run-on

sentence.

Correct it:.

1. replace it with

a period.

The mechanics of writing

connect two complete

sentences.

3. use a

conjunction

Example:

Comma splice: Our school received an award, we raised the most money for the local charity.

Corrected sentence: Our school received an award. We raised the most money for the local charity.

or

Our school received an award; we raised the most money for the local charity.

or

Our school received an award because we raised the most money for the local charity.

The mechanics of writing

2. that have commas

Use semicolons to

separate

Semi colon

1. joined without a

conjunction.

3. Connectedwith adverb of

relationship

The mechanics of writing

independent clauses

Examples:

1. Four people worked on the project; only one received credit for it.

2. The strays were malnourished, dirty, and ill; but Liz had a weakness for kittens, so she adopted them all.

3. Victoria was absent frequently; therefore, she received a low grade.

The mechanics of writing

It is time for a little game to relax and review

some of the concepts we have gone through

so far.

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”

Ernest Hemingway

A piece of writing that is long enough to cover many topics and present different viewpoints.

1

When writing an essay, it is never acceptable to write in the first person (I and me.)

2

The introduction presents the topic and your opinion. Here you write the thesis statement.

3

In the conclusion you often re-state thethesis and summarize the main pointsof the essay..

4

What is an essay?

essay

Explain or discuss

Identify and solve problem

Compare and

contrast

Persuade a reader

Respond to a

reading

Purpose and types of essays

ConclusionIntroduction

Approximately 10% he total

length.

Each paragraph

should have one main

point

Sums up each paragraph of

the essay.

Parts of the essay

Body

Introduce the topic

Your Logo

Parts of the essay: Introduction

Narrow the topic

Your Logo

Parts of the essay: Introduction

State the writer’s position

Your Logo

Parts of the essay: Introduction

Introduce thesis statement

Your Logo

Parts of the essay: Introduction

Parts of the essay: Body

Divide topics

into subtopics

Each one

will be a

paragraph on its own.

Write

topicSentences to

agree thesis

statement

Use

Transitions

between

paragraphs

1

Re-state the

thesis statement

Re-state the

topic sentences

Re-state your

opinion

Conclusion

Parts of the essay: Conclusion

Your logo

Choose a

topic to

write about

The process

Your logo

Brainstornm

ideas onto

paper.

The process

Your logo

Organize

notes from

the previous

brainstorm

The process

Your logo

Write the

first draft of

the essay.

The process

Your logo

Get

feedback

from

classmates

or the

teacher

The process

Your logo

Make

changes

and write

second

draft.

The process

Your logo

Hand in the

final paper.

The process

Know extent of

learning

Demonstrate

learning

Students know

the goals

Assessing essays

Provide

Feedback

Assessing essays

Is the thesis

statement

strong

enough?

Assessing essays

Do topic

sentences

support the

thesis

statement?

Assessing essays

Are

commas,

semicolons

and verbs

used

correctly?

Assessing essays

Is the

content of

each

paragraph

consistent

with the

topic

sentence?

Writers learn to write by paying a certain sort of attention to the works of their great and less great predecessors in the medium of written language, as well as by merely reading them.

John Barth, writer

Using A.P.A. style

Work with a partner. Decide if the followingstatements are true or false.

1. Spacing between lines should be doublespaced.

2. Margenes a 2,5 cm en todos los lados.

3. Encabezado con título

APA

recommend

s using

Times New

Roman pt

12.

ELEMENT 1

Using A.P.A. style

Using A.P.A. style

Spacing

should be

set at

double

space.

Use standard

A4 white

paper

21cm x 25cm

Using A.P.A. style

Using A.P.A. style

Margins

should be set

at 2,5cm all

sides

Using A.P.A. style

Include a

header flush

left with the

title of the

essay in each

page.

A.P.A. Citations

For in-text citations –

author’s last name and

year of publication.

Lon quotes – Separate line

indented, follow short quotes

Short quotes – Author’s last

name + year publication. End of

quote page number preceeded

by p.

Reference lists

Authors' names are inverted (last name first). Use last name and first names’ initials

Reference lists

Reference list entries should be alphabetized by the last name of the first author of each work.

Reference lists

Multiple articles by the same author, list the entries in chronological order, from earliest to most recent.

Multiple articles by the same author, list the entries in chronological order, from earliest to most recent.

Reference lists

Reference lists

Multiple articles by the same author, list the entries in chronological order, from earliest to most recent.

Write the title of thejournal in full.

Reference lists

Maintain the punctuation and capitalization that is used by the journal in its title.

Reference lists

When referring to books, chapters, articles, or Web pages, capitalize only the first letter of the first word of a title and subtitle

Reference lists

There are no spaces used with brackets in APA. Include year, month, and day in references.

Reference lists

Online articles follow same guidelines for printed articles. Include all information the online host makes available.

Reference lists

APA resources at Online Writing Lab from the Purdue University.

Reference lists

Wrap-up

To finish up take out your smart phones and let’sdo a quick game.

References

• Beattie, K., & James, R. (2000, January 1). Assessing Essays. Retrieved April 30, 2015, from http://www.cshe.unimelb.edu.au/resources_teach/assessment/docs/Assessing_essays.pdf

• Blass, L., & Gordon, D. (2008). Writers at Work: The Essay. New York, New York: Cambridge University Press.

• Dye, D. (2012). The Basics. In How to Write a Paragraph. Model Citizen Publications.

• Killgallon, D., & Killgallon, J. (2012). Paragraphs for High School: A Sentence-Composing Approach. Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Greenwood Publishing Group.

• Starkey, L. (2004). Mechanics. In How to Write Great Essays. New York, New York: Learning Express, LLC.

• A guide to paragraph writing. (2013, January 1). Retrieved May 1, 2015, from http://www.uwc.ac.za/Students/WrC/Documents/A guide to paragraph writing.pdf