Writing a competent essay takes work – and writing a good essay takes even more work. The steps below should help make the process easier
1. After choosing question, re-read story
1. Copy out quotes that seem related to your question/topic and group them down into categories, labeling each group with a key word or phrase
2. Write a list of different reasons which support your answer, and then look for evidence (quotes) to support these reasons.
3. Try making two columns – one “Reason” (The idea that proves your point) and one “Evidence” (the quotes/actions from the story that prove it). Move these to the Reasons and Evidence sheet (see Course Packet for Reason and Evidence sheets).
4. Construct thesis statement (see Thesis and Topic Sentences in the Glossary) to organize your thoughts and guide readers through your argument, and then construct an outline with reasons and evidence.
5. Using your rough outline/Reasons and Evidence sheet, start drafting essay. Start with the thesis statement and then develop your body paragraphs using the examples/arguments from reasons and evidence sheet to back up your topic sentences.
Remember to form your body paragraphs around topic sentences (Thesis and Topic Sentences and Course Packet) that make a claim (use your reasons as topic sentences), and then work from quotes to back up your assertion (I often type out the quotes I may use separately, then insert them as needed).
Your purpose is to explain the quotes in detail: not just what they mean, but how specific, individual words (and their connotations), convey the point you are trying to make.
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Tip #1: After writing down quote, tell readers how it supports the topic sentence/thesis by explaining – out loud – exactly how and why it does indeed back up your argument. Copy your thoughts on a tape recorder or write them down quickly, and then reshape into paragraphs. · Break down an important quote into parts and describe how the connotations/meanings of individual words support your reading of the passage, and compare it to other patterns/ideas or quotes in the story. · Discuss how the tone (angry, sad, amused, sarcastic) of a particular passage contributes to the meaning. |
6. Write introductory paragraph: answer the question "what are you talking about?" Remember to include author's name and story title – underline novels and long short stories, use quotation marks for short stories.
7. Write conclusion paragraph: concluding (what's it all mean?) paragraphs.
8. Come up with five possible titles, and choose the best one. Make title a reflection of your own focus.
Adapted from The Concise Guide to Writing
The goal of revision is simple: to make your essay more accurately express what is on your mind to another person. You’ll find that even though you’ve spent hours planning and writing a first (or second, or third) draft, your essay will still need work if your goal is (as it should be) to fully communicate your ideas. You have two choices: 1) give up and watch reruns of Alf, or 2) roll up your sleeves and get to work. Surprisingly, experienced writers know that good writing takes many drafts, and thus know that the real writing doesn’t begin until the first drafts are out of the way. Then they delete, move, rephrase, and add material in order to say what they want to say more clearly and thoughtfully.
While a first draft (or zero draft) is a time for low expectations, when you shift from drafting to revision, the time has changed: the clock now must read “high expectations.” Don’t be satisfied with what’s written: keep pushing yourself to make it more interesting and more specific. In fact, I’ve found that the students who are sure that “this is the best paper I’ve written” often need more work on their essays, while the students who aren’t fully satisfied with their work often do well.
What these latter students have is a positive attitude towards writing. They realize that essays aren’t “born” (i.e. written in one or two sittings), but are “made” by attention to details. This positive attitude is crucial when you look in despair at your first draft and think “Uh oh!” Don't just give up if you think most of your essay isn't any good (most writers feel this way).
Tip #2
The key is to divide the work into a series of steps
Start with just your organization, then rest, then work on individual paragraphs, one at a time. This makes the revision process seem less onerous -- it may even make it fun.
Follow the steps below to help focus your essay.
1. Clarify and revise your idea and/or thesis statement.
2. Complete Organization and Revision Exercise (see Online Packet)
3. Make sure each paragraph revolves around a particular argument forecasted in your thesis statement.
4. You have to be the “ignorant reader;” thus as you reread your essay, bombard it with the following questions, and be sure your sentences answer them:
· "What in the work backs up the point I'm making here?"
· "Why did the author choose this way of saying it?" (tone of words [angry, melancholy, excited, etc.])
· "How does this quote back up my point?"
· "What about the symbolism/connotations etc. of this word?"
· "Why do I think this is important?"
· “What does this compare with in real life/history/psychology/economics/etc.?”
This anticipates the kinds of things a careful, respectful, thoughtful, intelligent reader (that's me) will be looking for.
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Tip #3 When typed, a paragraph should roughly cover 1/3 to 1/2 of a page. Any more, and the reader probably needs a break; any less, and the reader isn't satisfied. This, of course, overlooks the occasional one sentence zinger paragraph. |
Work on explaining the reasoning behind your choice of examples. Remember that the ignorant reader has no idea how that quote from “Gimpel” shows that he is really not foolish. It’s your job to explain exactly why and how you think that quote proves that he’s not really the town fool.
When making connections/explanations from the example to your argument, try comparing the quote/situation to “real life” – how do people, in general, react to such events/statements. Example? Okay. In an essay on Sammy (of “A&P” fame) as an everyday hero, you can compare his character flaws with the apparent absence of such flaws in a stereotypical hero like a New York firefighter (of course, you would note how the first person point of view helps reveal Sammy’s flaws). Since ignorant readers don’t usually grasp your explanation the first time, you need to compensate by explaining how your quote supports your argument from several different perspectives. Keep in mind that this – the explanation – is the basis of your argument, and the quality of your argument, not the work you put into the essay, or your great examples, is what determines your grade.
Introductions: you should always develop a new introduction, one that leads reader into your topic. Try addressing the general topic of your essay and working down to the specific story. For instance, in an essay on the theme of history in The Things They Carried, you could discuss, in general, how most people view history. Or what about the personal? Try linking an incident in your personal life (or a reminiscence about a relative) to the main point of your essay. You can also start with a key line from the work of literature you are writing about, or focus on a specific character. In short, be inventive – avoid the “yawn” intro.
Conclusion: Ditto for conclusions. Avoid merely summing up your main points (sure to invoke the yawn reflex). Try to answer or refer back to your introduction – this creates a kind of “circle” for the reader and results in a very satisfying read.
Quotations from story/novel
BE SURE to provide a context (see Glossary) for each of your quotes.
Always introduce speakers for your quote, and always double-check your punctuation when using quotes.
Comma
1. As Hamlet tells Horatio early in Act I, ". . ." (I, v, 23-25);
“that” without comma
2. Madame Ratignolle shows her concern for Edna's reputation when she tells her that ". . ." (13).
Dash
3. Sammy never did like his job. His constant reference to the customers as farm animals – "sheep" (14) and "pigs in a chute" (17) – suggests . . .
Colon
4. The narrator's lust for Alena is shown right from his first description of her: "Bare-legged, fluid. . ." (98).
Look over your essay for areas where additional evidence may be needed. In general, there are three kinds of research you can include in your essay: 1) literary critics who support your reading of the story/novel; 2) quotes from the writer him/herself (letters, journals, articles, interviews) that support your reading of the story/novel; 3) historical, cultural, or psychological information from textbooks, articles, etc., that support your reading of the story/novel. Note that in each case, the sources aren’t inserted for their own sake: they support your argument.
When reading secondary sources, be sure to have a copy of your essay handy and refer to it.
Remember that you are using these sources to support your own arguments – treat them as you would examples from your primary source. These examples do not speak for themselves – you have to connect them to the argument in that specific paragraph.
Introduce quote with critic's name and correctly cite both in-text and on works-cited page.
Use MLA parenthetical documentation (see Using Sources for specifics and examples).
This is what separates the good from the bad. When proofreading, read the essay several times.. In the privacy of your room, read your essay out-loud, and listen for the places where the prose stumbles a bit and an ignorant reader could become confused. Clarify those passages. Then read over your work ONE SENTENCE AT A TIME. After each sentence, stop and reconsider your choice of words (do you need that “that”?), punctuation (is that comma really necessary?), format (Where does my name go?), etc. In short, make your prose accurately reflect your thinking. Strive for concise diction that is vivid and clear.
The main thing to keep in mind here is deletion. Rephrase sentences/phrases to make them shorter: remember that if a word doesn’t help your essay, it hurts it.