How to Write an Essay Grades 7-12

A complete guide for teachers and students. Written from a student's perspective so that teachers may give students the pages they need.

This resource is designed to prepare and help students write essays in the first years of secondary school. It will be helpful for students at higher levels of education who have had difficulty with essay-writing in earlier years.

Because it teaches a basic formula approach to essay-writing, it is designed as a starting point only. If students expect to excel at essay-writing at the university level, they need to build on basics which are presented here. However, students who have never experienced success at writing essays will benefit from studying this resource.

Much of this resource is written from a students perspective, so that teachers may give students the pages which they need or so that students can purchase the book to use as they write their essays at home.

Contents include:

 What is an essay?

• Definition and history, "of Love" by Sir Francis Bacon, The Essay and the Report,
• Examples of Essays and Reports, Samples of Essays and Reports, Activity #1: Recognizing Essay and Report Topics, The Parts of an Essay, Thesis Examples, Evidence.

Prewriting

• Brainstorming, Research, Selection of Arguments, Pre-writing Plan

Writing the First Draft

• The Thesis Paragraph, Transitions, a Sample Thesis Paragraph, Paragraphs in the Body, The concluding Paragraph, The Pattern, Using Quotations in the Essay, Footnotes and Bibliography

Editing and Revising

1. A Sample Editing Sheet for an Essay
2. Style: Sentence Variety, Precise and Effective Diction, Precise and Effective Nouns and Verbs, The Intended Audience, Tone, Focus and Emphasis, Subordination, Parallel Structure, Varying Syntax
3. Activities to Improve Style: Sentence Variety, Precise and Effective Diction, Precise and Effective Nouns and Verbs, The Intended Audience, Tone, Focus and Emphasis, Subordination, Parallel Structure, Varying Syntax
4. Mechanics: Common Errors in Spelling, Consistent Verb Tense, Use of the Semi Colon
5. Conclusion

Writing the Final Draft

A Sample Essay

Resources

Appendix A: Overheads

Supports Common Core Standards for Writing, Text Types and Purposes.

64 pages