CLAS/HIST1631

Essay Boot Camp

Back to Basics What is an essay

The heart of an essay is its argument Formal writing:

full sentences, paragraphs, proper spelling, punctuation, etc.

Avoid contractions like 'don't'

What is an essay not: Collection of facts, summary or introduction to topic Personal introspection

Read Your Topic Carefully

e.g., “Read Books 1 and 2 of Thucydides' Peloponnesian War. What was Pericles' plan for the defence of Athens? Why did it fail?”

Note: Required reading Question in two parts Things you have to learn to even begin to answer

the question

The Structure of An Essay Introduction

What do you need to know about this topic to join me in considering it?

“In 431, the Athenian empire began a war against Sparta and its allies which was to last over twenty years. Athens' democracy had as its leading politician one Pericles ...”

The Thesis

Thesis When the essay topic is a question, this is easy:

An answer to the question Also tells the reader what the shape of the paper

will be, this is its argument Your argument and thesis cannot be wholly

personal “Pericles plan was to enlist the help of an army of UFOs.

I know this because a pink unicorn told me.” It has to be something that you can argue from the

sources

The Body of the Essay

Comprises paragraphs, each of which should move the ball down the field

Ideally, these follow the progression of the argument presented in the thesis

Packages the thesis in bite-sized chunks With no paragraphs, you're probably rambling One-sentence paragraphs usually show that

you've run out of steam

What To Avoid

Paraphrase or extensive quotation If your main source is an historian, don't just

retell the historical narrative Every question requires analysis, just restating the

events doesn't give analysis If your main source is literature, don't just say

what the literature is about All this has to be packaged inside the argument Think of your essay as the source text turned

inside-out, so that the seams are showing

Be Ruthless

You are the general, and each essay paragraph is a batallion If it isn't working for the whole, it goes!

Or, you are the District Attorney and your paragraphs are witnesses for the prosecution If they aren't making your case for you, you need

new ones Most long essays were full of junk:

Don't waste your reader's time

Do Your Readings

Take notes: What more would you ask? What don't you know that you should? Keep record of interesting quotations

Read Around Your Topic You need to make yourself informed:

Who was Pericles? Why did Athens need to be defended? How had it defended itself in the past? Where is Athens?

What natural defenses does it have?

Using the Internet, Course Notes and Textbook

Often these resources tend to be encyclopaedia-style Statement of facts without supporting argument or

sources

Don't Put All Your Background Reading into the Essay

We call this 'gathering wool'

While Reading, Don't Look for 'The Answer'

Topics are chosen to not be subject of recent papers or books

You'll still need to argue it from your readings, etc.

There are many, many arguments that deserve a 'A+'

(But there are even more that don't)

Evidence Forensic scientists “bag it and tag it” Scholars cite

our chain of custody provided by citation of references

Not just to keep you out of trouble It also provides authority for your argument Otherwise, you present yourself as the

authority: “the walk from my house to Hart Hall is about 20

minutes” “the population of ancient Mycenae was about

7,000 at its peak”

Rules for Citing

Basically, the only essays that got this right used Zotero

Otherwise, fastidiously follow the MLA rules on the university website

Mechanics

Spell-check at the very end of the writing Double-check the technical terms, names and

place-names you don't know If you don't use Zotero, you have to:

Check that all your sources are in your Works Cited list, and that nothing in your Works Cited list is not in your paper

Format your works cited list None of my essays did this right

In General

Write more than one draft Have someone else read your writing, mark it

up Use complete sentences Spell-check, sensibly

Comma Splice

Avoid comma splice: X “The ducks are resting in the sun, the

swans are resting, too.” Ok “The ducks are resting in the sun. The swans

are resting, too.” This often results in run-on sentences

Sentence Fragment

This is used all the time in advertisements. X “I crept upstairs to find the source of the

noise. A cat.” What does a sentence need? Ok “I crept upstairs to find the source of the

noise, a cat.”

Avoid Passive Verbs

X “I was kissed last night.” Ok “Mari kissed me last night.” Larger rule: avoid boring verbs like, is, are,

were, shows

When to Use a Semicolon

Do you know what a balanced clause is? Really? Are you sure?

If so, then use a semicolon only when you are separating two of these

If not, don't go near them Most semicolons in 1st year papers are ill-placed

If you want to know how to use a semicolon, read any book on writing

Settle For Clarity

Academic writing gets very few points for beauty

Just settle for making yourself understood Don't make up phrases or use extended

metaphors, search for the right word or words that are already part of English

If English isn't your first language, you need the help of someone for whom it is

More Advanced: Be Artful

Words like 'segue', 'evidences' and phrases like 'the fact that' are like putting the drive-train on the outside of a car.

Transitions (segues) are meant to be hidden! Evidence is integrated, not painted orange

and put on the roof. If you find these in your text, revise.