How To Write A Good Essay [Tutorial]

So you want to write a good essay? This is a great structure to use. It's called the "Oreo" Structure, and it's got me a high grade on the AP English exam.

So lets get started

WHAT YOUR ESSAY NEEDS
.Topic Sentence
.5 paragraphs
.One quote per paragraph
.Intro
.Conclusion
.Sources (If required)

THE STRUCTURE
Intro
.topic sentence (what your topic is)
Paragraph 1
.topic sentence
.quote
.explanation of quote
.lead on to paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
.topic sentence
.quote
.explanation of quote
.lead on to paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
.topic sentence
.quote
.explanation of quote
.NO lead on
Conclusion
.summary of topic
.10 word final sentence
Sources(Only if it's required)
.list of sources

BREAKDOWN

1. Your intro NEEDS to have a hook at the beginning. For example if we're writing an essay on say...Teen Suicide, then you'll want to say something to hook them in the first paragraph, such as:

"Everybody is carrying someone's life in their hands; their own."

You want something in your intro to catch the eye of the reader and draw them in.

2. The next thing your intro needs is the topic at hand. So be sure to include it.

"Commonly due to outside influences, Teen Suicide is becoming a problem in society, because they are too blinded by other problems that they can't see how valuable their life really is"

**MAKE SURE YOUR INTRO IS NO LONGER THAN 6 SENTENCES**


**The key to paragraphs is to have a different theme for all 3 paragraphs.
(paragraph 1 = causes)
(paragraph 2 = influences it has on other people)
(paragraph 3 = how it effects family)
**

1. The first thing your paragraph needs to have is the topic mentioned. So for the essay on Teen Suicide, start it off with something like: [/CODE]"One of the major causes for Teen Suicide is peer influence."[/CODE] You're stating your topic is the causes. Then you back it up with..

2. Quotes (if you can find any, then use a short quote from someone who has attempted suicide or wants to, that explains their reasoning for it). If you cannot find a quote anywhere then do #1, and #4

3. Explain the quote (tie the quote in with your topic sentence)

4. Wrap it up and make a hook that will lead into Paragraph 2
Example:

"Causes of suicide among teens not only effect the teens themselves, but influences others"

Then you can go onto Paragraph 2 talking about Influences.

**Repeat with Paragraph 2 and 3**


Your conclusion must be no longer than 4/5 sentences, and the last sentence must be a maximum of 10 words. END IT POWERFULLY, IF POSSIBLE. A powerful conclusion leaves minds blown.

THINGS TO AVOID
-repeating yourself too much
-If you're writing an essay on a book or a story, avoid using "I" "My" or "You"
-If you're writing an essay on a book or a story, avoid re-telling the story
-If you're writing an essay on a book or a story, avoid sounding like a suck up. DO NOT mention "The author did a great job" and "In this legendary work by [so-and so]".

So this is basically everything you need to know and do to write a top-end essay If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I hope you found this useful.

**please sticky this if you find it useful. I'll keep updating/changing it as time goes on. if you have anything to add, please let me know.**

-Raivu

Good guide

well use this for my end of the year research essay (should make a guide how to write a research essay)

Google wrote:

Good guide

well use this for my end of the year research essay (should make a guide how to write a research essay)

lol alright, what is it on? a book, topic, debate, etc.

Some civil right activist guy.

God just got out of class we had to write an essay on a book. Glad I read this before the class

Google wrote:

Some civil right activist guy.

God just got out of class we had to write an essay on a book. Glad I read this before the class

lol. books are my favorites because I can do quotes with them.

As far as the civil rights guy, do you just need to tell about his life and what he did, or do you have to tell about something specific?

If you had to tell about his life and what he did, I'd do:

Intro - sum him up
paragraph 1 - his history
paragraph 2 - what he did
paragraph 3 - how it effected us
conclusion - sum him up

I hate doing quotes D:

and Its how he affected today's society.

I suggest that a bibliography/list of sources (if appropriate) can be added. Plagiarism is serious business, especially if your teacher says that you need to mention sources.

noob wrote:

I suggest that a bibliography/list of sources (if appropriate) can be added. Plagiarism is serious business, especially if your teacher says that you need to mention sources.

Good suggestion I'll throw that in

@Google: Then have your 3 paragraphs be 3 different things he did that affected today's society.

Really well written guide.
Good job.
Will turn to alot!

Hmm....I am doing a report over why an element is important to the world. (my element is radon)

How would I start that, and could I actually put in quotes?

chowchig wrote:

Hmm....I am doing a report over why an element is important to the world. (my element is radon)

How would I start that, and could I actually put in quotes?

If you can find quotes of people explaining Radon then go for it
But what I'd do is

Intro - description of radon and 3 reasons it's important
Paragraph 1 - One importance
Paragraph 2 - Another Importance
Paragraph 3 - Last Importance
Conclusion - Summary of 3 paragraphs

If you can find 3 importances then you're golden.

This is a pretty good guide, remember to always have a strong thesis statement. Most teachers prefer you have your thesis statement as one of the last sentences of the the first paragraph.



Noob is right about the bibliography, my English teacher would throw out your paper if you didn't have one. Or if it was formated incorrectly.

Raivu wrote:

If you can find quotes of people explaining Radon then go for it
But what I'd do is

Intro - description of radon and 3 reasons it's important
Paragraph 1 - One importance
Paragraph 2 - Another Importance
Paragraph 3 - Last Importance
Conclusion - Summary of 3 paragraphs

If you can find 3 importances then you're golden.

I can find 3 good things about radon, but I still have not been able to make the introductory sentence.

chowchig wrote:

I can find 3 good things about radon, but I still have not been able to make the introductory sentence.

Hmm...I'd start with something like...

"Every element serves it's own purpose. Potassium is used to make stronger glass, Gold is used to keep architectures cool on the inside, and Oxygen is used to survive. There are many other elements that are just as useful, but only one can [insert one useful fact about radon], and that is Radon. Without Radon, we wouldn't be able to [insert what would happen if we didnt' have the 3 good things about radon]. Without any of these uses, the world wouldn't be what it is today."

Raivu wrote:

Hmm...I'd start with something like...

"Every element serves it's own purpose. Potassium is used to make stronger glass, Gold is used to keep architectures cool on the inside, and Oxygen is used to survive. There are many other elements that are just as useful, but only one can [insert one useful fact about radon], and that is Radon. Without Radon, we wouldn't be able to [insert what would happen if we didnt' have the 3 good things about radon]. Without any of these uses, the world wouldn't be what it is today."

I'd actually say that's a lot better than what I would have written. o_O

CL0V3R wrote:

I'd actually say that's a lot better than what I would have written. o_O

Oh I doubt that.

P.S. Inserting facts (like potassium being used to make glass, and gold being used to keep the insides of buildings cool (why they're commonly used in Egypt and Mansions out in deserts) will earn you like...4 zillion bonus points :p

Pretty nice guide, I can agree that this is a good way of writing essays but sometimes try to not write what your essay will be about in the intro. Put the topics of the body paragraphs and then infer what the essay is about in the body paragraphs. Also, it's best if you don't use connotations in essays

I think this is a great guide.
I hope it helps me because I'm planning to join some school activities and such. @_@

Raivu do you write essays for gaia gold?

xD 250k per essay, sure. haha

Gotta ask, but this is for high school eh?
Sadly it is the perfect guide for high school, since teachers and students alike think that 1-2 pages is something excessive and huge. If a high level class accepts a 5 paragraph paper as being good and well thought out it makes me want to cry, you will not at all be prepared for college with that limited knowledge of paper writing. Go ahead and ask your teachers what a college paper is like, in most cases unless you have a degree in something pathetic it will be much different than what grade school teaches you to be prepared for.

takoyaki wrote:

Gotta ask, but this is for high school eh?
Sadly it is the perfect guide for high school, since teachers and students alike think that 1-2 pages is something excessive and huge. If a high level class accepts a 5 paragraph paper as being good and well thought out it makes me want to cry, you will not at all be prepared for college with that limited knowledge of paper writing. Go ahead and ask your teachers what a college paper is like, in most cases unless you have a degree in something pathetic it will be much different than what grade school teaches you to be prepared for.

Yes, Mr. Shakespeare, it's a guide for high school, in which I obtained the knowledge from. If anyone was getting into a high-class college like english school of sorts, they wouldn't even need to read this.

Yeah, didnt mean to sound like a dick as much as i meant to warn that youll be fucked in college, because HS prepares nobody for college

takoyaki wrote:

Yeah, didnt mean to sound like a dick as much as i meant to warn that youll be fucked in college, because HS prepares nobody for college

haha yeah I know. I called you Mr. Shakespeare because you're more educated in english and writing than I am. But to get by in highschool and essays which most of the people here are in, This is more fit. I'm currently in an Art College right now so we don't write much here.

Art college? that sounds pretty neat, what sort of medium do you work with?

takoyaki wrote:

Art college? that sounds pretty neat, what sort of medium do you work with?

Spraypaint and Photography

Nice job raivu Im the same

Lekiz wrote:

Nice job raivu Im the same

haha awesome. =D Send me some of your stuff?

Nice Rai

If possible in the future i may need help in english x.x

im only good at math

somthin how and like my teacher make me do it

Xoom wrote:

Nice Rai

If possible in the future i may need help in english x.x

im only good at math

lol I'm shit at math. I'm only good at English, and somewhat science.

I failed.... Thanks. >>

Thanks, this is great! for my public speaking class.