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Lesson
Three: Example Essay Structures
The
following structures are demonstrated and discussed:
Example
Structure
The Example Structure
follows the rules of a traditional academic essay: begin with
a main argument or thesis statement, follow this with three
pieces of evidence that support the argument, and wrap up
by stating what the essay has shown. This is a good structure
to use when making a single, strong point. Its power lies
in its simplicity. Because it allows you to present several
points neatly in support of a single claim, it is especially
useful for making a persuasive argument. This format will
be most helpful when writing short essays, but for longer
personal statements, it might appear formulaic and dull. One
of the more creative structures described below might draw
attention more successfully to your writing.
Click
here for a sample of an Example Essay.
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Compare
and Contrast
For some questions,
this structure is a natural choice, as in the personal growth
and development question, which asks you to compare yourself
now to the way you once were. You can structure a cause-and-effect
essay point for point, by comparing one aspect of the object
or situation at a time. Or you can choose to employ the block
method by thoroughly covering all the points of the first
object or situation in the first half of the essay and then
comparing it with all the points of the other in the last
half.
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here for a sample of a Compare and Contrast Essay.
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Narrative
or Chronological Structure
If you have decided
to focus on a single event in your life, you will want to
use this structure. It can be filled with action, dialogue,
and subtle details. Although, you should not confuse effective
drama with overwrought, Hollywood-style melodrama. The briefest
and simplest of events can take on meaning when told convincingly.
Using a chronological or narrative structure over a long period
of time (anything more than a day or two) can often read like
a ship's log. You don't want to sound like you're rattling
off a schedule of events. Rather, take on the role of storyteller
and provide great detail about a very specific set of events.
The sequence of events will help reinforce flow from one stage
of the essay to the next and will make the difficult task
of transitioning between paragraphs very natural. While the
narrative is one of the most effective forms of writing for
an essay, it can also be difficult. Use the following tips
as your write your narrative:
- Make
the reader aware of chronology and keep the story generally
moving forward.
- Don't
feel obligated to tell more of the story than you need
to convey your point. Extra details distract from the
main drive of the story.
- Try
not to use reflective conclusions or introductions describing
what you learned; start and end with the action and have
everything take place within the context of the story.
- Describe
events, people, and places in very specific, colorful
terms.
Narrative can be
combined with other structures for an approach that is less
risky but still interesting. Beginning an essay with a brief
story is the most common and effective of such methods. Another
twist on the narrative essay is one that describes a single
place, person, or action in great detail. It appeals to the
senses of the audience without necessarily drawing on the
action of a story. There is no standard structure found in
this type of essay -- each is differently organized -- but
all rely on crisp imagery and sensory detail, leaving the
reader with a single, vivid image. Single images are easier
to remember than a list of points, qualities, traits, or qualifications,
no matter how impressive any one or all of them may be. Still,
this is a risky approach and is best employed when you have
to provide multiple essays for one school so that you have
a chance to structure your other essays more traditionally.
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here for samples of Narrative Essays.
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Descriptive
Structure
This is similar
to the chronological structure except that instead of walking
step by step through increments of time, it follows step by
step through a description of a place, person, or thing. The
first paragraph gives an introduction describing the general
feel of the place, person, or thing. The body paragraphs offer
in-depth descriptions of two or three particular aspects of
the place, person, or thing. In the last paragraph, the writer
steps out of the descriptive mode and offers a brief conclusion
of what the place, person, or thing says about him or her.
Click
here for a sample of a Descriptive Essay.
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Cause-and-Effect
Structure
Often times you
will be asked for a life-changing experience or about someone
or something that has had a great influence on you. This structure
shows that you understand and appreciate the effect that other
entities have had on your development and maturity. For these
essays, you will want to use the body paragraphs to first
describe the influence and then move onto how that has had
an effect on you. You can either divide the essay into a "cause
section" and an "effect section" or you can mesh the two together
by taking each small description one by one and explaining
the effect it has had on you. If you decide to use this structure,
be sure that you don't write yourself out of the equation;
make the point that you were the catalyst between the cause
and the effect. That way, you demonstrate that you know how
to take action and create change.
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here for a sample of a Cause and Effect Essay.
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Continue
to Sample Outline and Essay
From
ESSAYS THAT WILL GET YOU INTO COLLEGE,
by
Amy Burnham, Daniel Kaufman, and Chris Dowhan.
Copyright 1998 by Dan Kaufman.
Reprinted by arrangement with Barron's Educational Series,
Inc.
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