TOPIC: ESSAY WRITING

BY SADEED AHMAD KHAN

LECTURER IN ENGLISH
DEPARTMENT OF LINGUISTICS
UNIVERSITY OF HARIPUR
 ESSAY WRITING
• Defined as a literary genre that is characterized by allowing to
develop a certain subject in a free and personal way.
• The word “Essay” comes from Latin word “essai” which
means attempt or try.
• The French writer “Montaigne” first used this word in 1580.
• Remember no one is born essayist. Mastery in this art is a
matter of thinking, study and practice.
Four stages of Essay writing:
1. Think about the subject.
2. Arrange those facts according to topics.
3. Pay attention to grammar, punctuation & style.
4. Revise what you have written.
1. Think about the subject:
• Think about the subject and
write down on paper all the facts or ideas that occur to you.
• Title must be read carefully so that the precise scope of subject
and point of view from which treated must grasped.
2. Arrange those facts according to topics:
• Arrange all of
the facts according to proper topics and construct outlines of
composition.
• When facts are arranged, group them under certain heads. Each
from the subject of paragraph.
• Due proportion of space allotted to each aspect .
3. In writing pay attention to grammar, punctuation and
style:
• Clarity is the first essential element of writing.
Words should be chosen accurately.
• Words, phrases clauses should be placed in right order.
• Pronouns must be clear in their reference.
• Slang language must be avoided.
• First person should not be used. Subject should be treated
impersonally. “I think, my opinion” should not be used.
4. Revise, what you have written:
• Everything which has
been written should be revised thoroughly.
• Students will also detect errors which can easily be corrected.
Common mistakes to be avoided
• Paragraphs must not be numbered.
• Heading must not be inserted in the body of the essay.
• Single sentence paragraphs must/should be avoided.
• Each paragraphs consists of several sentences.
 TYPES OF ESSAYS:
1. Reflective essays:
• Reflection of thoughts on some topics.
• Generally of an abstract nature such as Music, habits, qualities
(truthfulness), social and political topics (poverty, government,
education, business etc. )
2. Narrative Essays:
• It deals with narration, that should be
treated as subject for thought/ comment.
• It deals with historical facts or , biographic incidents, journeys and a
story etc.
• There are two sub kinds of narrative essay.
1. Simple Narrative Essay:
• Single set of events.
2. Compound Narrative Essay:
• Various events taking place at
the same time.
• Includes; a) Biographies (Written history of persons life)
• b) Autobiographies (Written account of person’s life in own
words)
• c) Histories, travelling, novels etc.
3. Descriptive Essay:
• It deals with the description of some
place or thing such as animals, plants, minerals, towns, countries
etc.
• Presents a word – picture of a person place or thing.
• Picture presented must be definite, clear and vivid.
4. Expository Essay:
• It deals with the exposition or
explanation of some subjects. E.g. Institutions, industries,
occupations, scientific and literary topics.
• There are also some essays which involves discussions. It
requires the writer to discuss certain problems and presents
logical statements of his/her point of views.
• Examples include Co-education, The first occupation in life etc.
The Opening Paragraph of an Essay
• It is one of the most important device for an essay.
• It can also be said that writing an interesting introduction is half a battle won. This
could be a thought provoking question, a surprising fact or a relevant quote, or a
vivid description. E.g. Climate change, impact of plastic waste on environment,
the impact of technology on society, a visit to historical site etc.
• Introduction plays a crucial role in capturing the readers attention and setting the
tone for the entire piece.
• It should provide essential information and context while piquing the readers
interest.
• Similarly, once struck out a sound and perhaps an original idea for the first
sentence, the remaining sections follow naturally.
• Some essays have a lame and halting opening.
• It is worth-while to spend considerable thought on introductory paragraph.
• The opening should not be unduly abrupt, introduce the reader to perfectly definite
idea bearing on theme. Provide a brief overview of the topic or subject matter to
give the reader context. You do not need to go into extensive details at this point,
but offer enough information so that the reader understands the broad subject of
your essay.
• Consider the appropriate tone and style of your essay. Whether
its formal, informal, academic or persuasive your opening
paragraph should reflect the overall style of the essay.
• Keep the opening paragraph concise. It should be long enough
to establish the context and introduce the thesis, but not so
long that it becomes overwhelming.
 The Concluding Paragraph
• Similarly, in the concluding paragraph students often experience difficulty.
• It is important to give essay graceful conclusion and not to bring the reader an abrupt halt.
Begins by reiterating the thesis statement or main argument of your essay. This reminds the
reader of the central point you have been discussing.
• In some essays concluding paragraphs presents no difficulty. Because you show how the
various points and arguments you have presented are interconnected and support your thesis.
Explain the logical progression of your thoughts.
• Also keep it concise. As we know that conclusion is essential, it should be concise and to the
point. Avoid unnecessary repetition or excessive length.
• Also leave a thoughtful impression. Ultimately, the goal is to leave the reader with a sense of
satisfaction and a clear understanding of the essay’s significance. Your conclusion should make
them think, reflect or possibly even based on what they have read.
• In argumentative essay summing up and writers own opinion naturally come to an end.
• It is also best to avoid beginning paragraphs with stereotyped phrases like;
• E.g. In conclusion we may say, Summing up, finally etc. Because these phrases are considered
cliché and can make your writing seems less engaging and original. Instead, aim for a more
creative and thoughtful introduction to your concluding paragraph.
• The examples are; The central point of this essay is….., A review of the arguments reveals
……, as we contemplate the implications of ……., In light of these findings, its imperative that
we ……., etc.
 Why Students Fail in Essay
Paper
• Majority of the people do not plan, organize and memorize the point of
specific topics. Failing to plan and organize their thoughts and ideas can lead
to a disorganized and incoherent essay. Students should create outlines,
thesis statements, and clear structure before writings.
• When the students didn’t have the adequate writing skills which includes
grammar, punctuation and vocabulary can lead to poorly written essay.
Therefore, students must have a strong command of the language to convey
their ideas effectively.
• In exam hall, reluctantly choose topic, vainly try to organized scattered
materials and nervously start writing.
• Lack of time management (writing practice within specific time) causes
anxiety, results in improper handwriting, irrelevant materials, disordered
development of thoughts etc. it is crucial to allocate enough time for
researching, writing and revising.
• Avoid plagiarism as well. It means submitting a work that is not their own,
or improperly citing sources can lead to academic misconduct and failure.
Plagiarism is a serious offense in educational institutions.
• Lack of focus also affects your essay. It means when you are
going off your topic or irrelevant information can detract from
the essay's quality. Students should maintain a clear focus on
the essay’s main argument or thesis.
• Failure to revise and proofread can negatively affects your
essay. When the writer neglect the revision and proofreading
process it can results in essay’s filled with errors, and unclear
statements. It’s essential to review to review and edit the essay
before submission.
 The marking Scheme of an Essay
Paper
• Examiner looks into the following aspects. They are;
• Presentation: Handwriting, effective paraphrasing etc.
• Language: Correction, vocabulary, punctuation, conciseness and sentence structure.
• Clear introduction and thesis statement.
• Effective use of paragraphs and transitions.
• Proper essay structure (Introduction, body, conclusion).
• Overall organization and structure of the essay.
• Appropriate use of tenses and voice.
• Proper use of vocabulary and terminology.
• Proper sentence structure and readability.
• Knowledge: It includes relevant facts and figures, examples, analysis, arguments etc.
• Is there thoughtful analysis / critical evaluation and original thought?
• Does the essay demonstrate a deep understanding of the topic.
• Relevancy: Write the title words correctly. Write down the ideas in proper order/ sequence
(introduction, present scenario, causes and effects etc).
• Content and Relevance: Clarity of the thesis statement.
• Depth of analysis and critical thinking.
• Use of evidence to support arguments.
• Originality and creativity in presenting the ideas.
Characteristics of Essay Writing
• A good essay may contain the following characteristics.
1. Unity: It means that each and every paragraph is having one
main idea. When a new idea comes up, new paragraph starts.
2. Order: (Time order, Space order, Logical sequence):
Time order means that in order to discuss all of the facts in
the order in which they occurred.
3. Positive / reverse
• Space order means used to describe person, place or thing. In
the sequence of position, direction, bottom to top, top to
bottom, left to right, right to left and so on.
• Logical sequence means general to specific, specific to
general, presenting examples, reasons, facts, explanation
comparison and details etc.
• Brevity: (Use of few words in writing)
• Your writing must not be too long as well as not too short.
• Use words which can simply communicate your ideas,
thoughts, information's.
• Style:
• The style should be simple direct and clear.
• There will be a personal choice of words / vocabulary.
• Different types of sentences will be used (Both on the basis of
structure and meaning).
• There will be proper organization of text.
• Surface meaning Connotative meaning

• Deep meaning ‘ denotative meaning