Essay writing

-Essay writing is the most important skill you need to develop in your hsc year. When marking an essay, teachers and essay markers want to see that youve developed a complex and in-depth understanding of a text and in order to show them this, you need to express your ideas clearly

-Nothing is more important than simplicity and structure

-A good essay is circular In that the conclusion links back to the introduction, self-sustaining in that all arguments are put forward will be thoroughly explored in the essay, best one that gives the reader everything they need to know

Introduction- first impression your reader will get, so its the most important part of an essay. You need to answer the question asked within the thesis statement then explain on your thesis in the introductory paragraph, the themes within the texts and their relation to your area of study or particular module. You also need to give and overview of the key techniques you will discuss later.

Remember, your thesis statement is your 'big idea' or 'main argument'

a thesis should reflect your perspective and understanding of what you have been studying

it will be used to shape and direct you response and will be supported and/or challenged by your perscribed text and own texts

your thesis statement creates the first impression as to the quality of your essay

a good thesis statement should have a:
-clear connection to the questioned
-originality
-angle of argument
-sophisticated and appropriate use of vocab
-clarity of written expression

t.t.e.e – thesis, highlight a technique, identify an example ad explain the effect

conclusion- a conclusion can often be both the easiest and most difficult part of an essay.
-you conclusions should mirror your introduction by answering the question. You should also restate you thesis and in turn consider wether or not it holds up after your analysis of the texts.
-a conclusion must draw on the fundamental idea that you have extracted