The majority of students learn about the peculiarities of essay structure and organization only when the high time comes to edit and submit an assignment. The tricky part is that every essay type will have a set of specific structure rules that must be followed. The only difference would be participating in school debates or creative writing tasks. Still, almost every essay will have an introduction with a strong thesis statement, about three body parts, and a strong conclusion. Even if these parts may not be outlined in a strict way, it should be kept in mind as a mental map for writing. The purpose is to narrow things down and see what parts go here and there. It is where structure and organization come into play!
Unlocking the Secrets of Essay Structure and Organization
Determine an Essay Type
The most important is to find out the peculiarities of a particular essay type. It means that a comparative essay writing structure will differ when compared to an explanatory essay. The same is true for reflective writing or a statement of purpose essay. The key differences will include counter-arguments paragraphs or additional introductory elements. If you are unsure about what must be included in a specific essay type, online essays for sale might be a good option to consider. Just make sure to share your grading rubric and go on from there! Once you know what your essay type must include and what rules it has to follow, you will be able to see if there are any additional paragraphs in terms of structure.
Set the Purpose Clearly
As you work on a structure for an essay, think about creating an outline first. It is one of the safest methods to narrow things down and see what must be included. As a rule, you will have an introduction with the main purpose, a thesis statement, three to five body paragraphs, and the final conclusion part. In addition, you will have to include Works Cited or References page, depending on the citation style. Therefore, you must outline the main arguments and see how they relate to your structure as you describe and write down your ideas. If your purpose is to compare, add the common methodology based on which you shall compare various elements.
Topic Sentences
One of the best ways to structure an essay is to use special hints called “topic sentences” or identifiers. These usually contain the brief summary of what is to come. If you are writing about the racial prejudice, your body paragraphs may speak about the social aspects, statistics, or the social movements. This way, a topic sentence may introduce the sub-topic in your essay by making things clear and structured. You may talk about the importance of social perceptions and community work or start your paragraph by using “According to statistical data” type of a phrase. The key is to show the structural relevance and improve readability!
Implementation of Sources
Once again, keeping things organized will depend on your essay type and the citation style that must be used. It helps to see how to provide quotations, paraphrasing, and other important elements. Most essays may include up to three citations per 300 words (one page). Still, one must avoid mistakes like using too many citations because it can lead to plagiarism risks and question the author’s voice in an essay. Therefore, try to structure your writing by using citations only when and if it’s absolutely necessary.
Editing Before Proofreading!
It should be noted that every essay structure should be checked in terms of editing that always comes first. It basically means going beyond the basic grammar and spelling. One should check for readability and the presence of all the key elements based on the tasks’s guidelines. Once done with this part, continue with proofreading where you check for those little details and spelling issues by improving the readability and logic of the content. You must see if the final part of your essay sums up and answers the main questions, just as well as the introduction must introduce the subject and tell why it is relevant. Think about working on these aspects and always proofread your essay aloud!
BIO
Ruby Butz believes that excellent writing skills come with practice. As an educator and academic life explorer, she offers consulting services to students and parents. Follow Ruby to improve your writing and analytical skills as you find inspiration.