There are three things to consider before writing your essay: thesis, type, and audience. Of these, the most important by far is your thesis, or the crux of what your essay is about.
Your thesis, encapsulated in your thesis statement, is the central point you’re trying to make. The thesis of Bertrand Russell’s essay “In Praise of Idleness, ” for example, is that people focus too much on work and don’t value time spent idly. Essays can occasionally stray and go into related tangents, but they always come back to that one core idea in the thesis.
You should always pinpoint your thesis before writing. If you’re having trouble nailing it down, ask yourself, “What’s the one thing I want my reader to remember when they’re done reading my essay? ”
The best practice is to include your thesis as soon as possible, even in your topic sentence if it’s appropriate. You’ll want to reiterate it throughout the essay as well, especially when wrapping up everything in the conclusion.
The rest of your essay, then, supports your thesis. You can include empirical evidence, testimonials, logical deductions, or even persuasive rhetoric—whatever gets the job done. The point is that you’re building upon your initial thesis, not switching to completely different topics.
There are three things to consider
before
writing your
essay
:
thesis
, type, and audience. Of these, the most
important
by far is your
thesis
, or the crux of what your
essay
is about.
Your
thesis
, encapsulated in your
thesis
statement, is the central point you’re trying to
make
. The
thesis
of Bertrand Russell’s
essay
“In Praise of Idleness,
”
for example
, is that
people
focus too much on work and don’t value time spent
idly
.
Essays
can
occasionally
stray and go into related tangents,
but
they always
come
back to that one core
idea
in the thesis.
You should always pinpoint your
thesis
before
writing. If you’re having trouble nailing it down, ask yourself, “What’s the one thing I want my reader to remember when they’re done reading my
essay
? ”
The best practice is to include your
thesis
as
soon
as possible, even in your topic sentence if it’s appropriate. You’ll want to reiterate it throughout the
essay
as well
,
especially
when wrapping up everything in the conclusion.
The rest of your
essay
, then, supports your
thesis
. You can include empirical evidence, testimonials, logical deductions, or even persuasive rhetoric—whatever
gets
the job done. The point is that you’re building upon your initial
thesis
, not switching to completely
different
topics.