HOW TO WRITE ESSAYSTransitions

Words NOT to useIntegrating QuotesThesis Statements

Concluding….

Transition Sentences In both academic writing and professional

writing, your goal is to convey information clearly and concisely, if not to convert the reader to your way of thinking.

Transitions help you to achieve these goals by establishing logical connections between sentences, paragraphs, and sections of your papers.

Transition Sentences In other words, transitions tell readers

what to do with the information you present to them.

Whether single words, quick phrases or full sentences, they function as signs for readers that tell them how to think about, organize, and react to old and new ideas as they read through what you have written.

Transition Sentences Transitions are not just verbal decorations

that embellish your paper by making it sound or read better.

They are words with particular meanings that tell the reader to think and react in a particular way to your ideas.

You might need to work on transition sentences if….

Your instructor has written comments like "choppy," "jumpy," "abrupt," "flow," "need signposts," or "how is this related?" on your papers.

Your readers (instructors, friends, or classmates) tell you that they had trouble following your organization or train of thought.

You tend to write the way you think—and your brain often jumps from one idea to another pretty quickly.

You wrote your paper in several discrete "chunks" and then pasted them together.

You are working on a group paper; the draft you are working on was created by pasting pieces of several people's writing together.

How transitions workThe organization of your written work

includes two elements: (1)the order in which you have chosen to

present the different parts of your discussion or argument

(2) the relationships you construct between these parts. Transitions cannot substitute for good organization, but they can make your organization clearer and easier to follow.

Take a look at the following example:

El Pais, a Latin American country, has a new democratic government after having been a dictatorship for many years. Assume that you want to argue that El Pais is not as democratic as the conventional view would have us believe. One way to effectively organize your argument would be to present the conventional view and then to provide the reader with your critical response to this view. So, in Paragraph A you would enumerate all the reasons that someone might consider El Pais highly democratic, while in Paragraph B you would refute these points. The transition that would establish the logical connection between these two key elements of your argument would indicate to the reader that the information in paragraph B contradicts the information in paragraph A. As a result, you might organize your argument, including the transition that links paragraph A with paragraph B, in the following manner:

Transition Sentences Paragraph A: points that support the

view that El Pais's new government is very democratic.

Transition: Despite the previous arguments, there are many reasons to think that El Pais's new government is not as democratic as typically believed.

Paragraph B: points that contradict the view that El Pais's new government is very democratic.

Transition Sentences In this case, the transition words "Despite

the previous arguments," suggest that the reader should not believe paragraph A and instead should consider the writer's reasons for viewing El Pais's democracy as suspect.

Transitions act as the glue that binds the components of your argument or discussion into a unified, coherent, and persuasive whole.

Types of Transitions Transitions between sections—

Particularly in longer works, it may be necessary to include transitional paragraphs that summarize for the reader the information just covered and specify the relevance of this information to the discussion in the following section.

Types of Transitions Transitions between paragraphs—If you have

done a good job of arranging paragraphs so that the content of one leads logically to the next, the transition will highlight a relationship that already exists by summarizing the previous paragraph and suggesting something of the content of the paragraph that follows. A transition between paragraphs can be a word or two (however, for example, similarly), a phrase, or a sentence. Transitions can be at the end of the first paragraph, at the beginning of the second paragraph, or in both places.

Types of Transitions Transitions within paragraphs—As

with transitions between sections and paragraphs, transitions within paragraphs act as cues by helping readers to anticipate what is coming before they read it. Within paragraphs, transitions tend to be single words or short phrases.

Similarity

also, in the same way, just as ... so too, likewise, similarly

Exception/Contrast

but, however, in spite of, on the one hand ... on the other hand, nevertheless,

nonetheless, notwithstanding, in contrast, on the contrary, still, yet

Sequence/Order first, second, third, ... next, then, finally

Timeafter, afterward, at last, before, currently,

during, earlier, immediately, later, meanwhile, now, recently,

simultaneously, subsequently, then

Example and Emphasis for example, for instance, namely,

specifically, to illustrate

even, indeed, in fact, of course, truly

Place/Position and Cause and Effect

above, adjacent, below, beyond, here, in front, in back, nearby, there

accordingly, consequently, hence, so, therefore,

thus

Additional Support or Evidence and Conclusion/Summary

additionally, again, also, and, as well, besides, equally important, further, furthermore, in addition, moreover, then

finally, in a word, in brief, briefly, in conclusion, in the end, in the final analysis, on the whole, thus, to conclude, to summarize, in sum, to sum up, in summary   

Words, Words, Words

It can sometimes take more time to "save" words from your original sentence than to write a brand new sentence to convey the same meaning or idea. Don’t be too attached to what you’ve already written; if you are willing to start a sentence fresh, you may be able to choose words with greater clarity.

Words, Words, Words Awkward, vague, wordy etc…..

Ex. "Having finished with studying, the pizza was quickly eaten."

What is wrong with this statement?

Words, Words, Words Correctly:

"Having finished with studying, the students quickly ate the pizza."

Words, Words, Words Misused words—the word doesn't

actually mean what the writer thinks it does.

Example: Cree Indians were a monotonous culture until French and British settlers arrived.

Words, Words, Words Revision: Cree Indians were a homogenous

culture.

Words with unwanted connotations or meanings.

Example: I sprayed the ants in their private places.

Words, Words, Words Revision: I sprayed the ants in their hiding

places.

Using a pronoun when readers can't tell whom/what it refers to.

Example: My cousin Jake hugged my brother Trey, even though he didn’t like him very much.

Words, Words, Words Revision: My cousin Jake hugged my brother Trey, even though Jake doesn't

like Trey very much.

Words, Words, Words I came to the realization

that She is of the opinion that Concerning the matter of During the course of In the event that In the process of Regardless of the fact that Due to the fact that In all cases At that point in time Prior to

I realized that She thinks that About During If During, while Although Because Always Then Before

Cliché's

Agree to disagree Dead as a doornail Last but not least Pushing the

envelope Up in the air

Simplified:

Words, Words, Words When writing for your professors, think

simplicity. Using simple words does not indicate simple thoughts. In an academic argument paper, what makes the thesis and argument sophisticated are the connections presented in simple, clear language.

Words, Words, Words Keep in mind, though, that simple and clear

doesn't necessarily mean casual. Most instructors will not be pleased if your paper looks like an instant message or an email to a friend. It's usually best to avoid slang and colloquialisms. Take a look at this example and ask yourself how a professor would probably respond to it if it were the thesis statement of a paper: "Moulin Rouge really bit because the singing sucked and the costume colors were nasty, KWIM?"

Repetition Vs Redundancy Can be a good

thing Reiterates your

point Clarifies your

argument Creates cohesion

between points

Interferes with clarity

Overuse of nouns, adjectives and terms

Does not allow for new ideas to appear

Words, Words, Words to NEVER USE in a formal essay

I, my, mine, we, ours, us Contractions: shouldn’t, couldn’t, won’t

etc. You, your Gonna - NEVER

Words, Words, Words to avoid unless used correctly

And also Each and every Due to the fact that Etc. Got Interesting Irregardless Literally vs Literarily Lots and Lots of

How to Check…. Am I sure what each word I use really

means? Am I positive, or should I look it up?

Have I found the best word or just settled for the most obvious, or the easiest, one?

Am I trying too hard to impress my reader?

What’s the easiest way to write this sentence? (Sometimes it helps to answer this question by trying it out loud. How would you say it to someone?)

Inserting Quotations Direct quotation involves quoting word

for word one or more sentences from an author or source. When you quote, be sure to introduce your quotation with a signal phrase. A signal phrase is a clause that lets the reader know who the author or source is. In the following examples of direct quotation, note how the signal phrases precede the quotations:

Inserting Quotations

According to Karl Menninger, a Freudian psychoanalyst, "the wish to kill, unexpectedly robbed of certain external occasions or objects of unconscious gratification, may be turned back upon the person of the wisher and carried into effect as suicide" (54). (Notice how the phrase "a Freudian psychoanalyst" explains who Menninger is. Phrases that rename their subjects like this must always be enclosed in commas.)

Inserting Quotations Menninger says that "suicide occurs when

an individual thus treats himself as an external object, frequently identified with the very object toward which his love and hate, particularly his unconscious wish to kill, had been directed" (55). (The inclusion of the word "that" allows you to omit the comma. If you don't use "that," however, then you would need the comma.)

Inserting Quotations

Menninger says, "In Catholic countries there is usually a higher homicide rate, a lower suicide rate; in Protestant countries a higher suicide and lower homicide rate" (61). (The number in parentheses indicates what page the quotation is on. If your source doesn't have page numbers (e.g., a website), then do not invent any page or paragraph numbers here.)

Inserting Quotations

Paraphrase, instead of quoting the author word for word, involves putting the original phrasing into your own words. Be careful to substantially reword the original, however. If you leave just several words in a row unchanged, it will be considered plagiarism -- because you're essentially stealing someone else's phrasing.

Inserting Quotations Freudian psychoanalyst Karl Menninger

says that people who are deprived of the ability to kill others usually end up turning their murderous anger back upon themselves to commit suicide (54). (Notice how I've totally reworded this from the previous section. The rewording is my own phrasing.)

Inserting Quotations Suicide occurs when an individual

redirects his initially outward-directed hatred back upon himself (Menninger 55). (Notice that there is no signal phrase here, so I have identified the author in parentheses following the paraphrase.)

Citing Within the Essay Use quotation marks around the quote ex. “To be or not to be” Cite author’s last name and page number

in parenthesesex. “To be or not to be” (Shakespeare, 31).

Put closing punctuation outside of the brackets.

NEVER put pg or page before the #ex. (pg 31)….NO!!!!

Integrating Quotations NB: when using only one author in an

essay, once you have identified the author once, you need only include the pages numbers throughout.

Inserting a Long Quote… When you have a quote more than three

lines you need to separate it from the text:Next lineTab 1XWrite the quote, cite it,Do not put it into quotation marks

ExampleExample: Napoleon Dynamite was puzzled as to why Pedro

wore his hood in such a way. He was informed that Pedro wanted it off for many reasons:Well, when I came home from school my head started to get really hot. So I drank some cold water, but it didn't do nothing. So I laid in the bathtub for a while, but then I realized that it was my hair that was making my head hot. So I went into my kitchen and I shaved it all off. I don't want anyone to see (Smith, 13).

It was a dumb answer but it came from Pedro; what else could one expect?.

No, No’s!!! Never end a paragraph with a quote.

Never insert a quote without a beginning introductory phrase or an ending phrase of explanation.

What is a Thesis Statement?

A thesis statement makes an argumentative assertion (point) about a topic and states the conclusions you have reached regarding the topic.

Makes a promise to the reader about the purpose, range and direction of your paper.

Is focused and specific enough to be “proven” in your paper (does NOT leave the reader guessing, does NOT take an extra 10 pages…..)

What is a Thesis Statement?

Is generally located near the end of the introduction paragraph.

Identifies the relationship between the pieces of evidence that you are using to support your argument.

Preparing to Write the Thesis Statement

You need to ask:Why did your teacher as you to do this particular

task?Who is your audience?What kind of evidence do you need to support

your ideas?What kind of writing style is acceptable?What are the rules of the paper?What is my claim or assertion?What is the evidence that supports this claim?In what order should I present my reasons?

Examples of Working Thesis Statements

Topic: Coaches treatment of team players.

“You should treat people the same and not do things that favor one group over another”.

Ask:

Examples of Working Thesis Statements

Revised:

“Coaches should treat all team members equally and not favor one player over another”.

Examples of Working Thesis Statements

Why should coaches treat all team members fairly?

What happens if they do not? If coaches have favorite players on the

team what does that favoritism do to team morale?

Examples of Working Thesis Statements

Revised:

“Basketball coaches should treat all team members equally and not favor one player over another because favoritism can damage team morale”.

Working Thesis Examples Topic:

Canadian Schools

Working Thesis:

“Canadian Schools are in sad shape”.

Working Thesis Examples The use of the supernatural in Reading in

the Dark.

Working Thesis:

How to Conclude Essays Introductions and conclusions can be the

most difficult parts of papers to write. While the body is often easier to write, it

needs a frame around it. An introduction and conclusion frame

your thoughts and bridge your ideas for the reader.

In Conclusion…… Your conclusion is your chance to have

the last word on the subject. The conclusion allows you to have the

final say on the issues you have raised in your paper, to summarize your thoughts, to demonstrate the importance of your ideas, and to propel your reader to a new view of the subject.

It is also your opportunity to make a good final impression and to end on a positive note.

Strategies….. Play the "So What" Game. If you're stuck

and feel like your conclusion isn't saying anything new or interesting, ask a friend to read it with you.

Whenever you make a statement from your conclusion, ask the friend to say, "So what?" or "Why should anybody care?" Then ponder that question and answer it.

Here's how it might go:

In Conclusion…… You: Basically, I'm just saying that the

supernatural was important to Dean. Friend: So what? You: Well, it was important because it

was a key to helping the narrator discover the truth around him.

Friend: Why should anybody care? You: That's important because the

narrator felt compelled to discover the mysteries around him. Once he began to sort the truth from fiction he gradually began to reach maturity.

Strategies…. Synthesize, don't summarize: Include a

brief summary of the paper's main points, but don't simply repeat things that were in your paper.

Instead, show your reader how the points you made and the support and examples you used fit together. Pull it all together.

Strategies Point to broader implications. For

example, if your paper examines the Greensboro sit-ins or another event in the Civil Rights Movement, you could point out its impact on the Civil Rights Movement as a whole.

A paper about the style of writer Virginia Woolf could point to her influence on other writers or on later feminists.

Strategies Include a provocative insight or quotation

from the research or reading you did for your paper.

Propose a course of action, a solution to an issue, or questions for further study. This can redirect your reader's thought process and help her to apply your info and ideas to her own life or to see the broader implications.

Strategies Return to the theme or themes in the

introduction. This strategy brings the reader full circle. For example, if you begin by describing a scenario, you can end with the same scenario as proof that your essay is helpful in creating a new understanding. You may also refer to the introductory paragraph by using key words or parallel concepts and images that you also used in the introduction.

Strategies to Avoid Stating the thesis for the very first time in

the conclusion. Introducing a new idea or subtopic in your

conclusion. Ending with a rephrased thesis statement

without any substantive changes. Making sentimental, emotional appeals that

are out of character with the rest of an analytical paper.

Including evidence (quotations, statistics, etc.) that should be in the body of the paper.

Ineffective Conclusions The "That's My Story and I'm Sticking to

It" Conclusion. This conclusion just restates the thesis and is usually painfully short. It does not push the ideas forward. People write this kind of conclusion when they can't think of anything else to say. Example: In conclusion, Frederick Douglass was, as we have seen, a pioneer in American education, proving that education was a major force for social change with regard to slavery.

Avoid…. You may think it would be more dramatic to keep

the reader in the dark until the end and then "wow" him with your main idea, as in a Sherlock Holmes mystery. The reader, however, does not expect a mystery, but an analytical discussion of your topic in an academic style, with the main argument (thesis) stated up front. Example: (After a paper that lists numerous incidents from the book but never says what these incidents reveal about Douglass and his views on education): So, as the evidence above demonstrates, Douglass saw education as a way to undermine the slaveholders' power and also an important step toward freedom.

Avoid….. The "Grab Bag" Conclusion. This kind of conclusion

includes extra information that the writer found or thought of but couldn't integrate into the main paper. You may find it hard to leave out details that you discovered after hours of research and thought, but adding random facts and bits of evidence at the end of an otherwise-well-organized essay can just create confusion. Example: In addition to being an educational pioneer, Frederick Douglass provides an interesting case study for masculinity in the American South. He also offers historians an interesting glimpse into slave resistance when he confronts Covey, the overseer. His relationships with female relatives reveal the importance of family in the slave community.

Comparative Essays Analyze what the question that asks you

to compare, very carefully. Write the introduction – start with a

general point which establishes the similarity between the two subjects and then move to the specific focus of the essay.

The reader must understand which points you will be examining.

Comparative Essays Organize the sequence of paragraphs in

the main body of your essay. Example one: compare lemons and

applesParagraph one: Colour of Lemons and ApplesParagraph two: Vitamins found in Lemons and ApplesParagraph three: Health benefits of Lemons and Apples

Comparative Essays Example Two: Paragraph one – Colour of LemonsParagraph Two: Colour of ApplesParagraph Three: Vitamins found in Lemons etc.

Note: this option can be dangerous as you can start to digress, add other details or forget where to move on to next.

Concluding Comparative Essays

Give a brief, general summary of the most important similarities and differences.

End with a person statement – the “so what”.

Ex. “Although blank and blank do not seem to have anything in common, in actuality they both blank.

REVIEW YOUR WRITING! Does it answer SO WHAT? ! !