Thematic Essay WritingTips

Tips• Answer all parts of the task

• Best way to assure you do this is by planning your essay, a chart like we have done in class usually works the best

• At a minimum if you are low on time make a check list• The most common reason people lose points is not addressing a part of the task

• Historical Circumstances• What led up to the event, person making a decision, revolution• Can include things like causes, previous wars, previous revolutions etc.

• Effects can be long term or short term, direct or indirect• If you write about Marx for example, any country that becomes Communist at

some point is an effect of his work!• If you write about emperor Meji and the Meji Restoration, Japan and WWII can

be a long term effect of the modernization and industrialization that took place in the 1800s because this brought a need for natural resources.

• Use information from the multiple choice if it is available to you!

Introduction

• Do more than just restate the theme and task provided• DO NOT JUST COPY THE THEME OR THE TASK

• Broad information about the general topic• Summarize the theme or problem• Identify what specific people, events, revolutions, ideas, etc. that you

will talk about.• Have thesis sentence stating what you will show/prove in your essay

Body Paragraphs• 1 paragraph for each part of the task is best• If there are three parts to the task and you have to choose to

people, you have six different parts of the task you need to address

• Use your prewriting to make sure your essay is organized and you include all the information you want to include• Put as many details as possible, if you are not sure whether

to include a detail or not, include it!• If possible write in chronological order• For example if you are talking about Martin Luther and Gandhi,

talk about Martin Luther first and then Gandhi because Luther lived first

Conclusion

• Restate what you have proven• Do more than just restate the task!