This document provides guidance on writing essays. It defines an essay as a collection of words organized to create an image, prove a point, argue a perspective, or express an opinion. The key parts of an essay are identified as the introduction, thesis statement, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Tips are provided for each section, such as making the thesis statement exciting and the conclusion leave the reader thinking. Overall advice emphasizes writing passionately about interesting topics and being conversational without talking down to readers.

1. By Tim Schneider
English Education Volunteer
The Peace Corps

2. What Is An Essay?

 What an essay writer can do is re-
engage people with their own
humanity. – Barbara Kingsolver

3. What Is An Essay?

 A collection of words
 organized in such a way
 as to create an image,
 prove a point,
 argue or persuade,
 review art, films, literature, food, etc.,
 or simply express an opinion, thought or idea.
 In short…

4. What Is An Essay?

…a
sculpture
of words.

5. Parts of an Essay

 Introduction –
 Thesis Statement –
 Body Paragraphs -
 Conclusion -

6. Introduction

 Get passionate!
 Turn to your passion: It is extremely important to
write about something which interests you. If the
topic for the essay is really uninteresting for you,
bend it to a topic that IS interesting to you. If you
have interest in a topic, your readers will see it.
 Topic: It is widely said that, “Time is money.” Prove
or disprove that this adage is true.
 Passion: Computer games.

7. Introduction

 wasting your time! The
You can be a billionaire by
United States and several other countries are full of
examples of corporate executives who most likely
got their start listening to their mothers tell them to
stop playing with their computers and get outside
and do something productive. Take, for example,
Bill Gates and Steve Jobs – both billionaires
several times over. I am certain their parents
weren’t thrilled about their obsession with
computers and computer games. In the end,
however, they proved that time isn’t “money,” but
rather that following your passions is how money
is made.

8. Thesis Statement

 Make it exciting!
 Your thesis statement is the engine that will drive
your essay. Make it strong. And make it
imaginative.
 Unimaginative: “In this essay, I will describe how
people can be persuaded to do anything if there is
enough money involved, someone can appeal to their
passion and they hear enough good things about
themselves.”

9. Thesis Statement

 Too broad: “You can get people to do anything if you
try hard enough.”
 Too technical: “Using several forms of scientific
research in the fields of psychology, sociology and
anthropology, and understanding rudimentary
aspects of how to use ethos, pathos and logos, one
can bend the will of others in order to accomplish
difficult tasks.”
 What would be just right?

10. Thesis Statement

 Working magic can be as simple as persuading
people to do almost anything for you. To do this,
however, the magician must be willing to pay
attention to details, listen carefully to the passions
of others and understand that he may need to give
something back in return.

11. Body Paragraphs

 Follow the thesis statement.
 There should be several points made.
 Paragraphs have a structure too: topic sentence and
supporting sentences.
 Know when to start a new paragraph.
 Smoothly transition from paragraph to paragraph:
Your ideas should be well-organized and easily
flowing.
 Use transition words and phrases.

12. Conclusion

 Write a conclusion that makes the reader want to
read more.
 Conclude your essay, but stretch the minds of your
readers to leave them thinking about what you had
to say.
 Questions or quotes as a final thought are terrific.

13. Conclusion

 “Of course, we would be respectful, but wouldn’t it
be tempting to jump into a time machine and travel
back to tell our mothers that rather than wasting
time playing computer games, we were actually
building a profitable and sustainable method of
earning a living?”

14. Some Tips for Students

 Free writing – Use it!
 Remember your audience: Never talk ‘over’ or
‘down’ to your reader. Using overly jargoned,
scientific, or technical words can sound really
pompous, and can put some readers to sleep.
 Never suggest that you are much better than your
readers: “In my not-so-humble opinion”; “Not that
you will understand what I’m trying to say…”; “The
average person won’t understand the meaning
behind my words when I say…”; “If you think this
means…, then this essay is not meant for you.”

15. Some Tips for Students

 Never apologize: “It may only be my opinion,
but…”; “While I’m only in High School, so I
wouldn’t know a lot about this subject…”; “Better
minds than mine might say…”
 Be conversational and inclusive: “I’m certain my
readers will agree with me when I say…”; “All of us
at some time in our lives have experienced…”; “As
the average person will already be aware…”

16. What Is An Essay?

 A good essay must have a permanent quality about
it; it must draw its curtain round us, but it must be
certain that it shuts us in, not out. – Virginia Woolf
 It helps us understand our world
 It educates
 It makes us think
 It brings beauty
 It calls us to action
 It persuades

17. A Sculpture of Words
