How To Make A Good Essay

By: Ummi Malikal Balqis, 1006666513

Essay is a piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Before we

make an essay, we must select the topic to bounded the matery. The diagram of an essay is devided is

3 parts, there are introduction, body, and conclusion. Introduction contains general information and

thesis statement. Body contains some paragraphs, each paragraph should contain a topic sentence and

supporting sentence. The last, conclusion contains prediction, solution, or recomendation.

Selecting Topic

Before we write an essay, the first step to make a good essay is selecting a topic. The purpose of

selecting a topic is to bounded a subject that will be written. Selecting a topic for an essay is similar to

choosing a topic to write about in a paragraph. Several patterns of organization are possible for each

topic, examples:

1. Cause effect: What causes people to lose their job?

2. Problem solution: How to combat unemployment?

3. Comparison-contrast: Unemployment in Indonesia in the 60s and in the 90s

4. Definition/clarification: Poverty in terms of incomes distribution

The Introduction

The introduction is very important because this part tells the reader what the essay is all about. The

function of the introduction is to provide the background information, to capture the reader’s interest,

and to state the thesis. The introductory paragraph usually consist of three parts, there are hook,

connecting information, and thesis statement.

- The hook

The hook is the opening statement. There are many different ways to write a hook:

1. By asking question, example: Can you imagine if you choose to be a nurse?

2. By making an interesting observation or relating an anecdote.

3. By describing a unique scenario to catch the reader’s attention

4. Using a famous quotation or saying as a hook, example: “Give a man fish, and he will eat

ffor a day. Teach him how to fish and he’ll eat forever”

5. Using background information related to the thesis statement.

- Connecting Information

After the hook, the writter usually writes three to five sentences that help to introduce the

topic to the reader. These sentences can be background information about the topic or they

can be examples or explainations.

- Thesis Statement

After selecting a topic, we can make a thesis statement. This thesis statement is usually one

sentences that gives the purpose of the essay. There are the caracteristics of thesis statement:

1) Is the strongest, clearest statement in the essay

2) Comes in the beginning of the essay, usually at the end of the introdustory paragraph

3) Must NOT be a simple statement of fact that requires no elaburation. A simple statement

of fact has little possibilities for development

4) Sholud not be expressed as a quetion, because a question contains no attitude or opinion.

The ANSWER of the question is a thesis statement

5) Contain CONTROLLING IDEAS that will be used in the topic sentences of the body

paragraph of the essay

6) May be a STATEMENT OF OPINION that will be explained and proved in the body

paragraph

7) May may be STATEMENT OF INTENT that will be explained and illustrated in the

body paragraph of the essay

The example of thesis statement is “Hispanic contribution to American culture are reflected

in the words we speak, the foods we consume, and the music we enjoy”

Writing The Body

In essay, the thesis statement is directly related to the topic sentences in the body paragraph. Each

topic sentences relates to and deals with one or more of the controlling ideas in the thesis statement.

We can related each paragraph with transition words. The writer develops these paragraph and uses

linking information or transitions to make sure that the paragraph flow slowly from one to other.

Writing Conclusion

There are the guidelines that can make conclusion easier for us to write an effective conslusion.

1. Let the read know that this is the conclusion. You can use the following transitions for that

purpose:

In conclusion......................

To summarize....................

As we have seen...............

Finally................................

2. The conclusion should help the readers to reconsider the main ideas that you have given in the

essay

3. The final sentence of an essay often give a suggestion (result, consequences, a solution, a

recomendation, or call for action), an oppinion , or a prediction.

Bibliography

Bookrags. November 30, 2011. How to make and use essay outlines.

http://www.bookrags.com/articles/2.html

International Students. July 22, 2011. General writing essay tips.

http://www.internationalstudent.com/essay_writing/essay_tips.shtml

Wiradisastra, G., et al. 2010. Englis fo academic purpose: MPK Bahasa Inggris University of Indonesia. Jakarta: Badan Penerbit FK UI