-Thesis: Your thesis is the central argument of your essay, the thing that you intend to prove.
-Introduction: Your thesis can be the first sentence of your introduction. Use the rest of your introduction to justify, or expand on, your idea/statement. Aim for at least 3-4 sentences in total.
-Body Paragraphs: Your body paragraphs are what you use to justify your thesis with evidence (that is to say, supporting quotations from the book). You also want to use them to acknowledge and address anything that doesn’t fit in with your thesis. You might, for example, have 3 body paragraphs in support of your thesis and 1 dealing with any concerns that seem to contradict it. Remember to use quotations from the book in all of them!
-Conclusion: Try to wrap all your ideas together in your conclusions, and perhaps even save something new to say in it. Don’t be afraid to include quotations here too.
Also try not to repeat yourself. You may restate your thesis and refer back to your essay question, but try to do so in new language.
-Things to watch out for:
-Name and essay question at the top of your paper!
-Never lose track of your essay question. Relate your ideas to it throughout.
-Don’t narrate the story! Analyze it. Assume your reader knows the story inside out so you never have to explain what happens in the book.
-Use lots of quotations to support your arguments!
-Try and avoid the 1st person. 3rd person is better. If you must use the 1st person, say “One might argue” rather than “I think”.
-Keep your tone and language very formal and avoid contractions.
-Don’t waste time in your opening paragraphs saying things like, “This essay will show….” – just start your analysis!
-Don’t forget to cite your quotations! Parentheses containing author’s surname and page number. Example (Wharton 34).
-Read your work aloud to yourself when you are finished to check for grammar and syntax issues.
– Write in the present tense when discussing a novel. When discussing a dead author, naturally you can use the past tense.
Useful Language/phrases:
A brief note on language… it’s a small and obvious point but try to dress it up as much as possible, without misusing it, of course!
Examples:
Instead of ‘use’ – utilise.
Instead of ‘to make something’ – to render something.
Instead of ‘idea’ – notion, concept, hypothesis.
Instead of ‘structure’ – architecture.
Instead of ‘signs of’ – hallmarks of.