what's the best way to format an essay?

Question

How can I organize my thoughts for a high school essay?

Answer 1

I agree with Caroline R. that having an outline is a good idea.  Many students are not comfortable with writing a formal outline, so they choose to write a sentence or rough outline instead. If you have your choice of a topic, consider writing about something that you know about, have experience with, or would like to learn about.

Pre-Writing Strategies

*To start your paper, write your ideas down by mind mapping or brainstorming. It is important to get your ideas down, which can be helpful when students have "Writer's Block."

*Write the main ideas down along with supporting details, using the five senses. (I live in the Show-Me State.) Show your reader what you mean.

*Make sure that you are properly addressing the topic.

*As you write your ideas down in essay format, do not worry about spelling, grammar, or punctuation. If you stop to make corrections, you might forget your thoughts.

*If you are hand-writing your essay before you type it, use lined paper and double space by skipping every other line so that you can insert words and punctuation, etc.

*Focus on editing when you are done writing your first draft.

5-Paragragh Essay Format

*Start your introductory paragraph with background information about your topic and go from the general to more specific information.

*Grab your reader’s attention so that he or she will want to read more.

*End your introductory paragraph with a three-part thesis, which is the blueprint for your entire essay. (Think of your intro paragraph as an inverted triangle with general information in the wide base at the top. The narrow tip at the bottom is near where your thesis is placed.)

*For your first body paragraph, write the first of your three main points in the form of your topic sentence. Make sure all details back up your main idea.

*Repeat the same format for both the second and third body paragraphs.

*Conclusion paragraph: Restate your thesis without using the exact same words.  Do not introduce any new information in your conclusion. The conclusion is a bow that you are tying on a gift (tying up your essay) so that you can finish it off to present it.  Don’t rush your conclusion. The bow has to be carefully placed.

*Print a hard copy to read to avoid errors that we often miss on computer screens.

Editing: Read your essay aloud and listen for word choice and awkward meaning.  Look for errors in spelling grammar, and punctuation. 

*Set your essay aside for a few hours and a day or two if possible. As a result, you will be able to read your essay from a fresh prospective.

I hope that this helps. Happy studying!

Answer 2

That is a great question and one I've gotten often when I've peer tutored at school. One universally dependable method for me, and that I've recommended to countless students is the 5-paragraph claim, evidence, commentary method, which is as follows:

1. The first paragraph should introduce the reader to your topic/claim and your thesis (which should act as a roadmap for the main idea of each paragraph) which should back up your initial claim.
2. The second paragraph should introduce the first topic listed in the thesis, and ultimately bolster the original claim.
3. The third paragrph should introduce the second topic listed in the thesis, and ultimately bolster the original claim.
4. The fourth paragrph should introduce the third topic listed in the thesis, and ultimately bolster the original claim.
5. The fifth paragraph should recap each point made without introducing any new information and wrap up with a strong reiteration of the original idea.

Each individual paragraph should follow a Claim -> Evidence -> Commentary format. That means, make a claim about your topic, back it up by evidence that supports it, and analyze the relation of the claim and evidence. For example:

The author's piece draws a strong correlation between the character's mood and the color of the setting in which they preside. Specifically, she states "While Naomi sat by the dark, churning sea, she reflected on the unfortunate turn of events that had landed her alone on an empty beach. How could everything have gone so poorly so quickly? She figured she would sit under the slate colored sky until the answers came to her." The detailed description of the dark sea and the slate sky show that a direct connection is present between her dismal outlook and the description of her surroundings.

Hopefully this helps,

Bri

Answer 3

I always suggest writing an outline or using a graphic organizer before writing an essay. This is the best way to organize your thoughts and ideas before you actually write them down in an essay format.

As for the best way to format an essay, you should always have a beginning, middle, and end. Depending on the type of essay, there should always be an introduction, body paragraph(s) and conclusion. This structure is essential in order to have an organized essay.