Essay Writing

How to Writing a Good Essay

1. Introduction
2. Supportive Websites
3. Guidelines
4. Student self-grading criteria
5. Teacher Grading Criteria
6. Suggested Essay Topics

1. Introduction
One of the main goals for this module is to develop your critical thinking and writing skills. When the instructor grades your written work, she/he will focus on your ability to formulate a clear argument and explain your position using supporting evidence. What you must demonstrate is your mastery of the material by selecting key points and organizing what you have learned into an argumentative essay.
2. Supportive Web sites (the best in the business)
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/index.html
http://www.powa.org/argumentative-essays/
3. Guidelines for Writing Assignments
Many of the essay questions have no straight forward right or wrong answer. Rather, the idea is for you to take a position on an issue after analyzing information from the lectures and readings. Your goal is to convince your reader of your opinion; the more you support your argument with evidence and present your ideas logically, the more persuasive your paper will be.
The following is intended to help you develop an argument and organize your thoughts into a written essay:
Building an Argument
    • Try asking yourself: What do I want my reader to learn from my essay? A direct and concise answer to this question will be the main argument, or thesis statement, of your paper.
    • Your argument must be based on solid evidence. Ask yourself: What have I learned from the lectures and readings that supports my position?
    • In order for your argument to be convincing, it must be thorough and logical. Ask yourself: What are the possible critiques of my argument and how can I defend against them?
Writing the Essay
The following are the main parts to an argumentative essay:
1. Title
    • Does your paper have a relevant title?
2. Introduction
    • Is your argument stated clearly... [continues]

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