what is the shape of an essay

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Many types of writing follow some version of the basic shape described above. This shape is most obvious in the form of the traditional five-paragraph essay: a model for college writing in which the writer argues his or her viewpoint (thesis) on a topic and uses three reasons or subtopics to support that position. In the five-paragraph model, as illustrated below, the introductory paragraph mentions the three main points or subtopics, and each body paragraph begins with a topic sentence dealing with one of those main points.

SAMPLE ESSAY USING THE FIVE-PARAGRAPH MODEL

Remember, this is a very simplistic model. It presents a basic idea of essay organization and may certainly be helpful in learning to structure an argument, but it should not be followed religiously as an ideal form.

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Elements of an Essay

Definition of elements of an essay.

An essay is a piece of composition that discusses a thing, a person, a problem, or an issue in a way that the writer demonstrates his knowledge by offering a new perspective , a new opinion, a solution, or new suggestions or recommendations. An essay is not just a haphazard piece of writing. It is a well-organized composition comprising several elements that work to build an argument , describe a situation, narrate an event, or state a problem with a solution. There are several types of essays based on the purpose and the target audience . Structurally, as an essay is an organized composition, it has the following elements:

• Introduction
• Body Paragraphs

Nature of Elements of an Essay

An essay has three basic elements as given above. Each of these elements plays its respective role to persuade the audience, convince the readers, and convey the meanings an author intends to convey. For example, an introduction is intended to introduce the topic of the essay. First it hooks the readers through the ‘ hook ,’ which is an anecdote , a good quote, a verse , or an event relevant to the topic. It intends to attract the attention of readers.

Following the hood, the author gives background information about the topic, which is intended to educate readers about the topic. The final element of the introduction is a thesis statement. This is a concise and compact sentence or two, which introduces evidence to be discussed in the body paragraphs.

Body paragraphs of an essay discuss the evidences and arguments introduced in the thesis statement . If a thesis statement has presented three evidences or arguments about the topic, there will be three body paragraphs. However, if there are more arguments or evidences, there could be more paragraphs.

The structure of each body paragraph is the same. It starts with a topic sentence, followed by further explanation, examples, evidences, and supporting details. If it is a simple non-research essay, then there are mostly examples of what is introduced in the topic sentences. However, if the essay is research-based, there will be supporting details such as statistics, quotes, charts, and explanations.

The conclusion is the last part of an essay. It is also the crucial part that sums up the argument, or concludes the description, narration, or event. It is comprised of three major parts. The first part is a rephrasing of the thesis statement given at the end of the introduction. It reminds the readers what they have read about. The second part is the summary of the major points discussed in the body paragraphs, and the third part is closing remarks, which are suggestions, recommendations, a call to action, or the author’s own opinion of the issue.

Function of Elements of an Essay

Each element of an essay has a specific function. An introduction not only introduces the topic, but also gives background information, in addition to hooking the readers to read the whole essay. Its first sentence, which is also called a hook, literally hooks readers. When readers have gone through the introduction, it is supposed that they have full information about what they are going to read.

In the same way, the function of body paragraphs is to give more information and convince the readers about the topic. It could be persuasion , explanation, or clarification as required. Mostly, writers use ethos , pathos , and logos in this part of an essay. As traditionally, it has three body paragraphs, writers use each of the rhetorical devices in each paragraph, but it is not a hard and fast rule. The number of body paragraphs could be increased, according to the demand of the topic, or demand of the course.

As far as the conclusion is concerned, its major function is to sum up the argument, issue, or explanation. It makes readers feel that now they are going to finish their reading. It provides them sufficient information about the topic. It gives them a new perspective, a new sight, a new vision, or motivates them to take action. The  conclusion needs to also satisfy readers that they have read something about some topic, have got something to tell others, and that they have not merely read it for the sake of reading.

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Before anyone reads your essay, you communicate something about your skill by the shape of your essay. You should divide your essay (more or less evenly) into paragraphs.

Typical formatting guidelines you should be aware of include using 12 pt font, Times New Roman font, double spacing, one inch margins, left-alignment, indented paragraphs, and not leaving a space between paragraphs.

If you are writing a timed essay on the computer, most of these formatting features are not within your control. You should however, still make an effort to divide your essay into paragraphs by either indenting at the beginning of the paragraph or leaving an empty line between paragraphs.

This content is provided to you freely by BYU Open Learning Network.

Access it online or download it at https://open.byu.edu/academic_a_writing/shape .

What is an Essay?

10 May, 2020

11 minutes read

Author:  Tomas White

Well, beyond a jumble of words usually around 2,000 words or so - what is an essay, exactly? Whether you’re taking English, sociology, history, biology, art, or a speech class, it’s likely you’ll have to write an essay or two. So how is an essay different than a research paper or a review? Let’s find out!

Defining the Term – What is an Essay?

The essay is a written piece that is designed to present an idea, propose an argument, express the emotion or initiate debate. It is a tool that is used to present writer’s ideas in a non-fictional way. Multiple applications of this type of writing go way beyond, providing political manifestos and art criticism as well as personal observations and reflections of the author.

An essay can be as short as 500 words, it can also be 5000 words or more.  However, most essays fall somewhere around 1000 to 3000 words ; this word range provides the writer enough space to thoroughly develop an argument and work to convince the reader of the author’s perspective regarding a particular issue.  The topics of essays are boundless: they can range from the best form of government to the benefits of eating peppermint leaves daily. As a professional provider of custom writing, our service has helped thousands of customers to turn in essays in various forms and disciplines.

Origins of the Essay

Over the course of more than six centuries essays were used to question assumptions, argue trivial opinions and to initiate global discussions. Let’s have a closer look into historical progress and various applications of this literary phenomenon to find out exactly what it is.

Today’s modern word “essay” can trace its roots back to the French “essayer” which translates closely to mean “to attempt” .  This is an apt name for this writing form because the essay’s ultimate purpose is to attempt to convince the audience of something.  An essay’s topic can range broadly and include everything from the best of Shakespeare’s plays to the joys of April.

The essay comes in many shapes and sizes; it can focus on a personal experience or a purely academic exploration of a topic.  Essays are classified as a subjective writing form because while they include expository elements, they can rely on personal narratives to support the writer’s viewpoint.  The essay genre includes a diverse array of academic writings ranging from literary criticism to meditations on the natural world.  Most typically, the essay exists as a shorter writing form; essays are rarely the length of a novel.  However, several historic examples, such as John Locke’s seminal work “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding” just shows that a well-organized essay can be as long as a novel.

The Essay in Literature

The essay enjoys a long and renowned history in literature.  They first began gaining in popularity in the early 16 th century, and their popularity has continued today both with original writers and ghost writers.  Many readers prefer this short form in which the writer seems to speak directly to the reader, presenting a particular claim and working to defend it through a variety of means.  Not sure if you’ve ever read a great essay? You wouldn’t believe how many pieces of literature are actually nothing less than essays, or evolved into more complex structures from the essay. Check out this list of literary favorites:

• The Book of My Lives by Aleksandar Hemon
• Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin
• Against Interpretation by Susan Sontag
• High-Tide in Tucson: Essays from Now and Never by Barbara Kingsolver
• Slouching Toward Bethlehem by Joan Didion
• Naked by David Sedaris
• Walden; or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau

Pretty much as long as writers have had something to say, they’ve created essays to communicate their viewpoint on pretty much any topic you can think of!

The Essay in Academics

Not only are students required to read a variety of essays during their academic education, but they will likely be required to write several different kinds of essays throughout their scholastic career.  Don’t love to write?  Then consider working with a ghost essay writer !  While all essays require an introduction, body paragraphs in support of the argumentative thesis statement, and a conclusion, academic essays can take several different formats in the way they approach a topic.  Common essays required in high school, college, and post-graduate classes include:

Five paragraph essay

This is the most common type of a formal essay. The type of paper that students are usually exposed to when they first hear about the concept of the essay itself. It follows easy outline structure – an opening introduction paragraph; three body paragraphs to expand the thesis; and conclusion to sum it up.

Argumentative essay

These essays are commonly assigned to explore a controversial issue.  The goal is to identify the major positions on either side and work to support the side the writer agrees with while refuting the opposing side’s potential arguments.

Compare and Contrast essay

This essay compares two items, such as two poems, and works to identify similarities and differences, discussing the strength and weaknesses of each.  This essay can focus on more than just two items, however.  The point of this essay is to reveal new connections the reader may not have considered previously.

Definition essay

This essay has a sole purpose – defining a term or a concept in as much detail as possible. Sounds pretty simple, right? Well, not quite. The most important part of the process is picking up the word. Before zooming it up under the microscope, make sure to choose something roomy so you can define it under multiple angles. The definition essay outline will reflect those angles and scopes.

Descriptive essay

Perhaps the most fun to write, this essay focuses on describing its subject using all five of the senses.  The writer aims to fully describe the topic; for example, a descriptive essay could aim to describe the ocean to someone who’s never seen it or the job of a teacher.  Descriptive essays rely heavily on detail and the paragraphs can be organized by sense.

Illustration essay

The purpose of this essay is to describe an idea, occasion or a concept with the help of clear and vocal examples. “Illustration” itself is handled in the body paragraphs section. Each of the statements, presented in the essay needs to be supported with several examples. Illustration essay helps the author to connect with his audience by breaking the barriers with real-life examples – clear and indisputable.

Informative Essay

Being one the basic essay types, the informative essay is as easy as it sounds from a technical standpoint. High school is where students usually encounter with informative essay first time. The purpose of this paper is to describe an idea, concept or any other abstract subject with the help of proper research and a generous amount of storytelling.

Narrative essay

This type of essay focuses on describing a certain event or experience, most often chronologically.  It could be a historic event or an ordinary day or month in a regular person’s life. Narrative essay proclaims a free approach to writing it, therefore it does not always require conventional attributes, like the outline. The narrative itself typically unfolds through a personal lens, and is thus considered to be a subjective form of writing.

Persuasive essay

The purpose of the persuasive essay is to provide the audience with a 360-view on the concept idea or certain topic – to persuade the reader to adopt a certain viewpoint. The viewpoints can range widely from why visiting the dentist is important to why dogs make the best pets to why blue is the best color.  Strong, persuasive language is a defining characteristic of this essay type.

The Essay in Art

Several other artistic mediums have adopted the essay as a means of communicating with their audience.  In the visual arts, such as painting or sculpting, the rough sketches of the final product are sometimes deemed essays.  Likewise, directors may opt to create a film essay which is similar to a documentary in that it offers a personal reflection on a relevant issue.  Finally, photographers often create photographic essays in which they use a series of photographs to tell a story, similar to a narrative or a descriptive essay.

Drawing the line – question answered

“What is an Essay?” is quite a polarizing question. On one hand, it can easily be answered in a couple of words. On the other, it is surely the most profound and self-established type of content there ever was. Going back through the history of the last five-six centuries helps us understand where did it come from and how it is being applied ever since.

If you must write an essay, follow these five important steps to works towards earning the “A” you want:

• Understand and review the kind of essay you must write
• Brainstorm your argument
• Find research from reliable sources to support your perspective
• Cite all sources parenthetically within the paper and on the Works Cited page
• Follow all grammatical rules

Generally speaking, when you must write any type of essay, start sooner rather than later!  Don’t procrastinate – give yourself time to develop your perspective and work on crafting a unique and original approach to the topic.  Remember: it’s always a good idea to have another set of eyes (or three) look over your essay before handing in the final draft to your teacher or professor.  Don’t trust your fellow classmates?  Consider hiring an editor or a ghostwriter to help out!

If you are still unsure on whether you can cope with your task – you are in the right place to get help. HandMadeWriting is the perfect answer to the question “Who can write my essay?”

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Ethical Research Paper Topics

Writing a research paper on ethics is not an easy task, especially if you do not possess excellent writing skills and do not like to contemplate controversial questions. But an ethics course is obligatory in all higher education institutions, and students have to look for a way out and be creative. When you find an […]

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2.3.1: Introduction – the Funnel Approach, Introductions

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Introductions

Read this article to learn more about the role of introductions and effective strategies for developing your opening paragraph. The introduction is the most important part of an essay because it provides first impressions for your audience. In general, your introduction should provide an overview of your topic and should lead into your thesis statement. Try using one of the "attention grabber" suggestions in the reading for the exercise below.

What This Handout is About

This handout will explain the functions of introductions, offer strategies for writing and revising effective introductions, and provide some examples of less effective introductions to avoid.

The Role of Introductions

Introductions and conclusions can be the most difficult parts of papers to write. Usually, when you sit down to respond to an assignment, you have at least some sense of what you want to say in the body of your paper. You might have chosen a few examples you want to use or have an idea that will help you answer the main question of your assignment; these sections, therefore, are not as hard to write. But these middle parts of the paper can't just come out of thin air; they need to be introduced and concluded in a way that makes sense to your reader.

Your introduction and conclusion act as bridges that transport your readers from their own lives into the "place" of your analysis. If your readers pick up your paper about education in the autobiography of Frederick Douglass, for example, they need a transition to help them leave behind the world of Chapel Hill, television, e-mail, and The Daily Tar Heel and to help them temporarily enter the world of nineteenth-century American slavery.

By providing an introduction that helps your readers make a transition between their own world and the issues you will be writing about, you give your readers the tools they need to get into your topic and care about what you are saying. Similarly, once you've hooked your reader with the introduction and offered evidence to prove your thesis, your conclusion can provide a bridge to help your readers make the transition back to their daily lives.

Why Bother Writing a Good Introduction?

You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

The opening paragraph of your paper will provide your readers with their initial impressions of your argument, your writing style, and the overall quality of your work. A vague, disorganized, error-filled, off-the-wall, or boring introduction will probably create a negative impression. On the other hand, a concise, engaging, and well-written introduction will start your readers off thinking highly of you, your analytical skills, your writing, and your paper. This impression is especially important when the audience you are trying to reach (your instructor) will be grading your work.

Your Introduction is an Important Roadmap for the Rest of Your Paper

Your introduction conveys a lot of information to your readers. You can let them know what your topic is, why it is important, and how you plan to proceed with your discussion. In most academic disciplines, your introduction should contain a thesis that will assert your main argument. It should also, ideally, give the reader a sense of the kinds of information you will use to make that argument and the general organization of the paragraphs and pages that will follow. After reading your introduction, your readers should not have any major surprises in store when they read the main body of your paper.

Your Introduction Should Make Your Readers Want to Read Your Paper

The introduction should capture your readers' interest, making them want to read the rest of your paper. Opening with a compelling story, a fascinating quotation, an interesting question, or a stirring example can get your readers to see why this topic matters and serve as an invitation for them to join you for an interesting intellectual conversation.

Strategies for Writing an Effective Introduction

Start by thinking about the question (or questions) you are trying to answer. Your entire essay will be a response to this question, and your introduction is the first step toward that end. Your direct answer to the assigned question will be your thesis, and your thesis will be included in your introduction, so it is a good idea to use the question as a jumping off point. Imagine that you are assigned the following question:

Education has long been considered a major force for American social change, righting the wrongs of our society. Drawing on theNarrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, discuss the relationship between education and slavery in 19th-century America. Consider the following: How did white control of education reinforce slavery? How did Douglass and other enslaved African Americans view education while they endured slavery? And what role did education play in the acquisition of freedom? Most importantly, consider the degree to which education was or was not a major force for social change with regard to slavery.

You will probably refer back to your assignment extensively as you prepare your complete essay, and the prompt itself can also give you some clues about how to approach the introduction. Notice that it starts with a broad statement, that education has been considered a major force for social change, and then narrows to focus on specific questions from the book.

One strategy might be to use a similar model in your own introduction – start off with a big picture sentence or two about the power of education as a force for change as a way of getting your reader interested and then focus in on the details of your argument about Douglass. Of course, a different approach could also be very successful, but looking at the way the professor set up the question can sometimes give you some ideas for how you might answer it.

Decide How General or Broad Your Opening Should Be

Keep in mind that even a "big picture" opening needs to be clearly related to your topic; an opening sentence that said "Human beings, more than any other creatures on earth, are capable of learning" would be too broad for our sample assignment about slavery and education. If you have ever used Google Maps or similar programs, that experience can provide a helpful way of thinking about how broad your opening should be. Imagine that you're researching Chapel Hill. If what you want to find out is whether Chapel Hill is at roughly the same latitude as Rome, it might make sense to hit that little "minus" sign on the online map until it has zoomed all the way out and you can see the whole globe.

If you are trying to figure out how to get from Chapel Hill to Wrightsville Beach, it might make more sense to zoom in to the level where you can see most of North Carolina (but not the rest of the world, or even the rest of the United States). And if you are looking for the intersection of Ridge Road and Manning Drive so that you can find the Writing Center's main office, you may need to zoom all the way in. The question you are asking determines how broad your view should be. In the sample assignment above, the questions are probably at the state or city level of generality. But the introductory sentence about human beings is mismatched – it is definitely at the global level. When writing, you need to place your ideas in context – but that context doesn't generally have to be as big as the whole galaxy!

Try Writing your Introduction Last

You may think that you have to write your introduction first, but that isn't necessarily true, and it isn't always the most effective way to craft a good introduction. You may find that you don't know what you are going to argue at the beginning of the writing process, and only through the experience of writing your paper do you discover your main argument. It is perfectly fine to start out thinking that you want to argue a particular point, but wind up arguing something slightly or even dramatically different by the time you've written most of the paper.

The writing process can be an important way to organize your ideas, think through complicated issues, refine your thoughts, and develop a sophisticated argument. However, an introduction written at the beginning of that discovery process will not necessarily reflect what you wind up with at the end. You will need to revise your paper to make sure that the introduction, all of the evidence, and the conclusion reflect the argument you intend. Sometimes it's easiest to just write up all of your evidence first and then write the introduction last – that way you can be sure that the introduction will match the body of the paper.

Do Not be Afraid to Write a Tentative Introduction First and Change it Later

Some people find that they need to write some kind of introduction in order to get the writing process started. That is fine, but if you are one of those people, be sure to return to your initial introduction later and rewrite if necessary.

Open with an Attention Grabber

Sometimes, especially if the topic of your paper is somewhat dry or technical, opening with something catchy can help. Consider these options:

• An intriguing example – For example, Douglass writes about a mistress who initially teaches him but then ceases her instruction as she learns more about slavery.
• A provocative quotation – For example, Douglass writes that "education and slavery were incompatible with each other".
• A puzzling scenario – For example, Frederick Douglass says of slaves that "[N]othing has been left undone to cripple their intellects, darken their minds, debase their moral nature, obliterate all traces of their relationship to mankind; and yet how wonderfully they have sustained the mighty load of a most frightful bondage, under which they have been groaning for centuries!" Douglass clearly asserts that slave owners went to great lengths to destroy the mental capacities of slaves, yet his own life story proves that these efforts could be unsuccessful.
• A vivid and perhaps unexpected anecdote – For example: "Learning about slavery in the American history course at Frederick Douglass High School, students studied the work slaves did, the impact of slavery on their families, and the rules that governed their lives. We didn't discuss education, however, until one student, Mary, raised her hand and asked, 'But when did they go to school?' That modern high school students could not conceive of an American childhood devoid of formal education speaks volumes about the centrality of education to American youth today and also suggests the significance of the deprivation of education in past generations."
• A thought-provoking question – For example, given all of the freedoms that were denied enslaved individuals in the American South, why does Frederick Douglass focus his attentions so squarely on education and literacy?

Pay Special Attention to Your First Sentence

Start off on the right foot with your readers by making sure that the first sentence actually says something useful and that it does so in an interesting and polished way.

Be straightforward and confident. Avoid statements like "In this paper, I will argue that Frederick Douglass valued education". While this sentence points toward your main argument, it isn't especially interesting. It might be more effective to say what you mean in a declarative sentence. It is much more convincing to tell us that "Frederick Douglass valued education" than to tell us that you are going to say that he did. Assert your main argument confidently. After all, you can't expect your reader to believe it if it doesn't sound like you believe it!

How to Evaluate Your Introduction Draft

Ask a friend to read it and then tell you what he or she expects the paper will discuss, what kinds of evidence the paper will use, and what the tone of the paper will be. If your friend is able to predict the rest of your paper accurately, you probably have a good introduction.

Five Kinds of Less Effective Introductions

1. the place holder introduction.

When you don't have much to say on a given topic, it is easy to create this kind of introduction. Essentially, this kind of weaker introduction contains several sentences that are vague and don't really say much. They exist just to take up the "introduction space" in your paper. If you had something more effective to say, you would probably say it, but in the meantime, this paragraph is just a place holder.

Example: Slavery was one of the greatest tragedies in American history. There were many different aspects of slavery. Each created different kinds of problems for enslaved people.

2. The Restated Question Introduction

Restating the question can sometimes be an effective strategy, but it can be easy to stop at JUST restating the question instead of offering a more specific, interesting introduction to your paper. The professor or teaching assistant wrote your questions and will be reading ten to seventy essays in response to them – he or she does not need to read a whole paragraph that simply restates the question.

Example: Indeed, education has long been considered a major force for American social change, righting the wrongs of our society. The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass discusses the relationship between education and slavery in 19th century America, showing how white control of education reinforced slavery and how Douglass and other enslaved African Americans viewed education while they endured. Moreover, the book discusses the role that education played in the acquisition of freedom. Education was a major force for social change with regard to slavery.

3. The Webster's Dictionary Introduction

This introduction begins by giving the dictionary definition of one or more of the words in the assigned question. This introduction strategy is on the right track – if you write one of these, you may be trying to establish the important terms of the discussion, and this move builds a bridge to the reader by offering a common, agreed-upon definition for a key idea.

You may also be looking for an authority that will lend credibility to your paper. However, anyone can look a word up in the dictionary and copy down what Webster says – it may be far more interesting for you (and your reader) if you develop your own definition of the term in the specific context of your class and assignment, or if you use a definition from one of the sources you've been reading for class.

Also, recognize that the dictionary is also not a particularly authoritative work – it doesn't take into account the context of your course and doesn't offer particularly detailed information. If you feel that you must seek out an authority, try to find one that is very relevant and specific. Perhaps a quotation from a source reading might prove better? Dictionary introductions are also ineffective simply because they are so overused. Many graders will see twenty or more papers that begin in this way, greatly decreasing the dramatic impact that any one of those papers will have.

Example: Webster's dictionary defines slavery as "the state of being a slave", as "the practice of owning slaves", and as "a condition of hard work and subjection".

4. The "Dawn of Man" Introduction

This kind of introduction generally makes broad, sweeping statements about the relevance of this topic since the beginning of time. It is usually very general (similar to the place holder introduction) and fails to connect to the thesis. You may write this kind of introduction when you don't have much to say – which is precisely why it is ineffective.

Example: Since the dawn of man, slavery has been a problem in human history.

5. The Book Report Introduction

This introduction is what you had to do for your elementary school book reports. It gives the name and author of the book you are writing about, tells what the book is about, and offers other basic facts about the book. You might resort to this sort of introduction when you are trying to fill space because it's a familiar, comfortable format. It is ineffective because it offers details that your reader already knows and that are irrelevant to the thesis.

Example: Frederick Douglass wrote his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, in the 1840s. It was published in 1986 by Penguin Books. In it, he tells the story of his life.

Works Consulted

We consulted these works while writing the original version of this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout's topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find the latest publications on this topic. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using.

All quotations are from Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave , edited and with introduction by Houston A. Baker, Jr., New York: Penguin Books, 1986.

Thesis Statements

What this handout is about.

This handout describes what a thesis statement is, how thesis statements work in your writing, and how you can craft or refine one for your draft.

Introduction

Writing in college often takes the form of persuasion—convincing others that you have an interesting, logical point of view on the subject you are studying. Persuasion is a skill you practice regularly in your daily life. You persuade your roommate to clean up, your parents to let you borrow the car, your friend to vote for your favorite candidate or policy. In college, course assignments often ask you to make a persuasive case in writing. You are asked to convince your reader of your point of view. This form of persuasion, often called academic argument, follows a predictable pattern in writing. After a brief introduction of your topic, you state your point of view on the topic directly and often in one sentence. This sentence is the thesis statement, and it serves as a summary of the argument you’ll make in the rest of your paper.

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement:

• tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
• is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
• directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
• makes a claim that others might dispute.
• is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper (most often, at the end of the first paragraph) that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

If your assignment asks you to take a position or develop a claim about a subject, you may need to convey that position or claim in a thesis statement near the beginning of your draft. The assignment may not explicitly state that you need a thesis statement because your instructor may assume you will include one. When in doubt, ask your instructor if the assignment requires a thesis statement. When an assignment asks you to analyze, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being asked to develop a thesis and to support it persuasively. (Check out our handout on understanding assignments for more information.)

How do I create a thesis?

A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis” that presents a basic or main idea and an argument that you think you can support with evidence. Both the argument and your thesis are likely to need adjustment along the way.

Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the broader significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement. For more ideas on how to get started, see our handout on brainstorming .

How do I know if my thesis is strong?

If there’s time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following :

• Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question. If the prompt isn’t phrased as a question, try to rephrase it. For example, “Discuss the effect of X on Y” can be rephrased as “What is the effect of X on Y?”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is likely to  be “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
• Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s okay to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.

Suppose you are taking a course on contemporary communication, and the instructor hands out the following essay assignment: “Discuss the impact of social media on public awareness.” Looking back at your notes, you might start with this working thesis:

Social media impacts public awareness in both positive and negative ways.

You can use the questions above to help you revise this general statement into a stronger thesis.

• Do I answer the question? You can analyze this if you rephrase “discuss the impact” as “what is the impact?” This way, you can see that you’ve answered the question only very generally with the vague “positive and negative ways.”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not likely. Only people who maintain that social media has a solely positive or solely negative impact could disagree.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? No. What are the positive effects? What are the negative effects?
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? No. Why are they positive? How are they positive? What are their causes? Why are they negative? How are they negative? What are their causes?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? No. Why should anyone care about the positive and/or negative impact of social media?

After thinking about your answers to these questions, you decide to focus on the one impact you feel strongly about and have strong evidence for:

Because not every voice on social media is reliable, people have become much more critical consumers of information, and thus, more informed voters.

This version is a much stronger thesis! It answers the question, takes a specific position that others can challenge, and it gives a sense of why it matters.

Let’s try another. Suppose your literature professor hands out the following assignment in a class on the American novel: Write an analysis of some aspect of Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn. “This will be easy,” you think. “I loved Huckleberry Finn!” You grab a pad of paper and write:

Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.

You begin to analyze your thesis:

• Do I answer the question? No. The prompt asks you to analyze some aspect of the novel. Your working thesis is a statement of general appreciation for the entire novel.

Think about aspects of the novel that are important to its structure or meaning—for example, the role of storytelling, the contrasting scenes between the shore and the river, or the relationships between adults and children. Now you write:

In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.

• Do I answer the question? Yes!
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not really. This contrast is well-known and accepted.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? It’s getting there–you have highlighted an important aspect of the novel for investigation. However, it’s still not clear what your analysis will reveal.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? Not yet. Compare scenes from the book and see what you discover. Free write, make lists, jot down Huck’s actions and reactions and anything else that seems interesting.
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? What’s the point of this contrast? What does it signify?”

After examining the evidence and considering your own insights, you write:

Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.

This final thesis statement presents an interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of its content. Of course, for the essay itself to be successful, you must now present evidence from the novel that will convince the reader of your interpretation.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. 2018. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing , 8th ed. New York: Pearson.

Ruszkiewicz, John J., Christy Friend, Daniel Seward, and Maxine Hairston. 2010. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers , 9th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Writing: The Shape of Essay

Recently, a student sent me a piece meant to outline the thesis of a book. But whoa, Nelly! Essays and nonfiction chapters must have a shape.

Writing Tip for Today: Can your essay or nonfiction stand up to the shape challenge?

Journalism rules.

One of the basic rules of journalism is the three-point rule for articles and essays: (1) State the premise or promise, (2) build up that promise’s argument and (3) remind and give a takeaway. For a news article, you’ll start with what you need to communicate, expound on that idea and then remind and show readers the significance of the original promise.

With essay and nonfiction you’re telling them, showing them more and then pointing to what it means or what they gain or take away. In creative nonfiction or essays, the “promise” (opening) might be shown through a scene with characters who have a problem. The build-up (middle) will show readers the character’s process for solving their problem.

Near the conclusion, essayists often “turn” to the reader and guide them to understand what they can take away from the piece. Many times, the essay returns briefly to the scene and character to give readers a sense of closure.

One Point, Please

To make an essay cohesive or “hang together,” keep one major point in mind. Avoid trying to direct readers to several different promises or points. Sticking with one major point helps readers stay oriented to what you’re trying to say.

Sometimes, even you the writer may not understand the point until you’ve drafted your essay. This is especially true if you’ve gone on tangents or tried to include too broad a point. The scenes and symbols you choose should become clearer as you revise. I find that with essays I tend to revise a lot.

Consider the pace of your work. I can say the same thing three ways—and I often do. In revision I see repetitive examples and can winnow the essay to the best one. Yes, you must keep showing the reader where to go, but your reader is smart—don’t hit them over the head with your point.

You hope to give your readers something new or valuable.

Takeaways and Turns

Toward the end of the body of an essay, you’ll want to exit a scene and address or “turn to” readers with a few global or more abstract ideas of the scenes you’ve written to illustrate your point. Don’t stay here long—readers are usually more interested in scene than in ideas.

In a few sentences, remind readers of the essay’s promise. Sum it up in a way that they can apply to their own lives. This turn draws in readers to help them identify with the essay’s point. For instance, if your piece is about learning to cope with a loss, direct this turn to relate directly to your reader. “In the end, we all lose things, but we also grow past losses into life’s next adventure.”

You hope to give your readers something new or valuable to walk away with. If readers say, “I never thought of it that way,” or “I learned something new,” you’ve likely met the requirements of a good essay. After this turn, I like to leave readers back where we began (also called a wraparound ) with the character different or having grown in some way.  That way, readers can leave the essay believing that change is possible.  What do you find the hardest part of essay writing?

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About Linda S. Clare

6 comments on “ writing: the shape of essay ”.

Well-said, Linda! Thanks.

Re your closing question: Trying to select and arrange important points is the hardest part of nonfiction writing for me. Conversely, writing poetry and even some fiction pieces rely on those very tangents that spin my head in NF. But, regardless of genres, a manuscript needs something-new or some sort of “take-away” for readers, so I hope our Christian Poets & Writers group members will read this post.

Oh Linda! Perfect timing for a terrific lesson. I’ve been stuck, with both too many ideas flowing and too many distractions away from all of them. Your teaching gives me needed structure at just the right time. With gratitude, Linda (NBB)

I am so grateful that you’re writing! Keep it up you– have great stories to tell. Linda BB

Hi Mary, I think essay is one of the most difficult forms–and poetry (good poetry, anyway) being the most difficult. It’s all about that reader takeaway, and carefully pacing your single important point. Thanks and I do hope the CP&W members will visit this post. Keep Writing! Linda

Great timing for me as well, Linda!

Maintaining one point has been my greatest challenge, but one that “is” helping me to stay focused. Now that I recognize my propensity to throw everything in, I ask myself the question, “What is the one thing I want my reader to take away?” That has been very helpful!

Any truly, this works for fiction as well. When I am editing a chapter, I ask myself what was the takeaway in this chapter?

Thank you for all you do! Eve

Eve, I think you’re right about fiction–we are our readers’ manager, and so we must be clear about where we need them to go, what to remember or forget and what to takeaway. Thanks for chiming in! Keep Writing, Linda

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How to write a funnel-shaped introduction.

An easy to understand Online Writing Guide for beginning writers.  Here you will find a list of various writing models, general tips and hints to help guide you to writing success.

Before you begin

Be sure you know what your thesis is going to be (and how to write one).

The big idea

The introduction of a persuasive piece should serve three main purposes: first, it should catch the reader's attention; second, it should clearly explain what the topic of the essay is; finally, it should give the writer's position on the topic (for it or against it) and mention the subtopics the reader can expect to see later in the essay.  This last sentence is called the thesis.

How to do it

This is called a funnel-shaped introduction because it begins broad (like the mouth of a funnel) and then leads you step by step down to the very narrow point of your essay (the thesis).

The first sentence of the introduction should get the reader's attention.  It should be on the general subject, but you don't necessarily need to be able to tell what the specific topic or thesis of the piece is going to be.

The introduction should lead the reader step by step, sentence by sentence, through a chain of connected sentences that leads to the most important sentence in the entire thing: the thesis.  This should be at the end.  If the thesis is not at the end, then you're not writing a funnel-shaped introduction.

Being a kid is hard; don't let anyone tell you differently.  If you ask 100 adults, you'll find that most of them wouldn't want to live through adolescence over again.  Why not?  There are too many things to worry about: friends, grades, why your P.E.  teacher hates you, what to do when you grow up--the list is endless.  That's why it would be doing most kids a favor to give them one less major concern in life.  Because it would give them fewer worries, and because it would save their parents money, students in public school should have to wear uniforms.

Return to the Online Writing Guide Index.

Copyright 1996-2004 by Michael Klingensmith

3 issues that could make or break the US economy over the next year, according to top economist Mohamed El-Erian

• Mohamed El-Erian named three key risks that will determine where US growth is headed in 2024 through 2025.
• That includes changes to the Fed's inflation target and low-income consumer spending.
• Investors will also watch for a balance between technological innovation and geopolitical tension.

If Wall Street was wrong about recession odds in 2023 and 2024, forecasting for next year won't be any easier, Cambridge economist Mohamed El-Erian wrote in Project Syndicate . 

In his view, chances of a US soft-landing scenario still remain strong for the near-term, but there are three key risks that will determine how likely this really is.

First, all eyes are on the Federal Reserve as to whether it will double down in its 2% inflation chase, or if it can live with a slightly higher rate.

Related stories

According to El-Erian, the central bank's fixation on this figure could trap it between a rock and a hard place, in the case that US growth starts slowing before the target is reached.

In fact, the first quarter is already showing signs of this, with the latest GDP reading declining markedly against hotter-than-expected inflation. That has led to "stagflationary" alarm on Wall Street, a situation the Fed could only combat by hiking interest rates higher.

Since last year, El-Erian has warned 2024's inflation would get stuck between the 3%-4% mark , and called on the Fed to readjust its target a percentage higher ; otherwise, the central bank risks crushing the economy to achieve its goal, he's said before.

Second, America's growth trajectory will also depend on consumer spending, but especially among lower-income households. Though US consumption has generally stayed strong, lower-income brackets have taken the brunt of a declining environment . The cohort is increasingly strained by higher debt and eroded savings.

"Given high interest rates and some creditors' loss of enthusiasm, this cohort's willingness to consume will hinge on whether the labor market remains tight," El-Erian wrote.

Third, US growth is at the mercy of where the broader narrative goes — which could either mean an innovative boost or a international rupture:

"While technological advances promise a new favorable supply shock that could unlock higher growth and drive down inflation, geopolitical developments could do the opposite, as well as limit the scope for macroeconomic policy," he said. 

For instance, while technology such as generative AI and sustainable energy could mean transformative growth for at least a few years, international strife could spark stagflationary instability — such as in the case that crude surges over $100 a barrel, El-Erian wrote.

Watch: What is crypto, and is it making a comeback?

• Main content

The Shape of Water vs. Master: Films Comparison Essay

The Shape of Water is a masterfully written and directed narrative by Guillermo Del Toro in 2017. It is a contemporary fantasy romance set at the height of the Cold War. The film is devoted to reminding the audience of the beauty of each individual, especially those whom society seems to alienate (Scott, 2017). Simultaneously, the film Master, akin to the Shape of Water, provides spectators with encoded messages about issues of deeply engraved discrimination and prejudice. In addition, the film Master focuses on the issues of gaslighting and identity crisis. The theory of encoding and decoding, as well as the theory of spectatorship, are known for their approach to analyzing media through the different perspectives that the viewers have. The main characters’ appearance and life situations make it the best choice for analysis through these methods. In a way, the films demonstrate how modern-day issues remain dreadful in the affliction of otherness on people that belong to the same nation and negatively affect societies. The Shape of Water demonstrates that the world of today is similar to the Cold War era negativity, which did not vanish but rather preserved itself to this day, while Master focuses on societal difficulties humanity faces today.

By decoding various details of the film, it is possible to observe the hidden messages the spectators experience. First, the usage of repressed but secretly rebellious female protagonists with terrible pasts, magical talents, and impairments which are often in their early teens or mid-twenties, makes del Toro’s work appealing from a feminist standpoint. Vivancos (2012, pp. 883–884) observes that by having these women silenced or denied the ability to take action and reduced, del Toro demonstrates how female characters select their destinies by deciding whether to submit or assert autonomy. In The Shape of Water, the female protagonist Elisa Esposito and the female supporting character Zelda Fuller are consistently neglected. Due to the fact that Elisa is deaf and Zelda is black, these women cooperate and support one another in secret, seizing control of their lives in the face of difficulty and oppression from Strickland and achieving their independence. Elisa is crucial to the plot in rescuing the amphibian asset, as she and Giles devise an escape strategy for the creature and subsequently gain assistance from Zelda and Hoffstetler. In doing so, the five oppressed and disenfranchised people are able to fight Strickland’s white supremacist and dominant regime.

The Shape of Water’s subject focuses on illustrating the maltreatment and marginalization of others. This is shown by the terrible torture and abuse of amphibian assets in service of the space race and the Cold War. It is also reflected in the marginalization of lower-class characters, such as Elisa and Zelda for being deaf and black, respectively, and Hoffstetler for being an enemy as a Russian and a traitor for aiding in the creature’s rescue. The asset is subjected to continual torture since it is an unnatural entity with magical abilities that are difficult for humans to comprehend. The topic may be connected to del Toro’s experience with racial exclusion in the United States. As a Mexican, del Toro is very aware that his presence has often been viewed as the other – foreign, detached, and shunned – which matches the qualities of monsters.

For the visual strategy, del Toro employs a set of unique colour selections. In The Shape of Water, del Toro has mostly employed teal, a medium blue-green hue, for the amphibian humanoid and the water, as well as red and dark green for the clothing of the human characters. These two hues play a crucial role in highlighting the melancholy and sad ambience of Elisa’s subdued environment and her bond with the amphibian creature, as well as the rigorous, perfect, authoritarian world of the military authorities. Dan Laustsen, the cinematographer for The Shape, reveals in an interview how Guillermo del Toro instructed him to use certain colours in the Oscar-winning film. Greens and blues were picked to symbolize water, and crimson was added to signify life, love, and death (Pritchard, 2018).

The most prominent characteristics of del Toro’s themes in The Shape of Water are the pervasiveness of water, the sombre hues of green, teal, and red, and the fluidity of movement and metamorphosis. It could be argued that the metaphorical sensations that people typically associate with water and deep ocean diving into the representational zone of bleak corridors of the lab and dimly lit bathroom – where many of The Shape of Water’s activities take place – are essential in representing the uncertain future of the Cold War era.

During the Cold War, the United States fought an intellectual war against the Soviet Union. However, the country faced issues of division across race, socio-economic status, and gender lines that threatened to rip the nation apart and ruin America’s image abroad (May, 2008, p. 8). In their propaganda efforts, American leaders advocated a style of life that was strongly associated with the exaltation of capitalism. Wealth, suburban living, and the white bourgeois nuclear family were portrayed as aspirational images of the stable household ideal that was pushed (May, 2008, p. 8). However, poverty and racism remained, resulting in discrimination, segregation, and violence, in which people of colour were unable to enjoy the benefits of American prosperity (May, 2008, p. 9). Consequently, an argument could be made that del Toro’s depiction of the perfect, well-ordered, and futuristic world of Richard Strickland is meant to expose the faults in an inflated idealized American image.

The film’s ideological content seems to align with del Toro’s assessment of modern US immigration and foreign policy, which, around 2017 and 2018, became more nationalistic. This technique focuses on the manner in which patterns of racial exclusion and social inequality are studied and utilized to depict the lifestyles of others – each in its unique aspects. Connected to the years 2017 and 2018, del Toro was undoubtedly aware of the election of a white, Republican businessman-turned-president whose platform centred on altering immigration policy by erecting barriers along the Mexico-United States border, thereby affecting the fate of younger immigrants colloquially known as “Dreamers” (Parker et al., 2019). This resonates powerfully with del Toro’s position as a Mexican immigrant, a fact he has emphasized in his descriptions of enduring marginalization in the United States.

In contrast, the film Master by Mariama Diallo is focused on the instances of discrimination that are commonly unseen by legislation but persist in the world of today. It is nothing less than a study of the discrimination encountered by the black community, a third party’s viewpoint on the issue, and the extent to which these racial biases are ingrained in the human mind.

In the film, Regina Hall portrays Gail Bishop in “Master,” who has just been named the renowned Ancaster College in Massachusetts’ head of school, or master. Gail arrives to her new destination with confidence in the ability to change the reality. At the same time, the entrance of Jasmine Moore (Zoe Renee), a freshmen that finds her way to the campus with a similar blend of confidence and wariness, coincides with Gail’s initiation. Their lives and future in the Ancaster and are now driven by the hopeless reality of the white world.

The movie is an enhanced thriller that aims to highlight the psychological violence and displacement that Black people frequently encounter when entering historically White areas. It could be seen in various scenes. For example, Jasmine’s White roommate casually toss her a rag to wipe up a mess they produced in those uncomfortable times. These instances can vary from embarrassing microaggressions and careless assumptions to open malice. One of the best scenes in the film shows Jasmine at a frat party, moving expressively to a happy pop tune, only to discover later that her White friends are gleefully chanting the N-word.

The film’s plots are interwoven with themes of concealment, alienation, and isolation felt by three persons who are attempting to find out who they are. The tone, atmosphere, and Kafkaesque images skillfully blended by Diallo evoke physical, emotional, and psychological reactions. Diallo’s narrative focuses on the personal experiences of microaggressions and injustice by utilizing history and social reality to demonstrate how racism exists and functions at the heart of its institutions.

In the last scene, the protagonist has an epiphany of sorts. She confronts the primary adversary in front of everyone. She labels herself a con artist and undermines her altruistic motives. She observes the photographs on the side tables and on the walls being duplicated in reality. The guys in the images come to life, and she finds them seated at the table with her at the party as if they had never gone. While surrounded by her coworkers, she blurts out, “And it’s never going to change.” The director metaphorically represents that the world has never altered. People, their prejudiced attitudes, bigotry, abuse, and prejudice are all still prevalent in the modern day. No matter how hard she tried, she was unable to alter the situation. She believed herself to be the “Master,” but in fact, she was only a cleaner hired to clean up the mess and boost the institution’s image. In the last scene, the security guard requests identification and inquires if she is an employee. But Gail had already made a decision. She resigns from her position and departs the organization permanently.

Del Toro is regarded as excellent in imbuing his films with hideous creatures that symbolize otherness. In The Shape of Water, the abducted amphibian asset represents the downtrodden, whose rights are often ambiguous and violated by the dominant authorities. Despite being set against the background of the Cold War, the film symbolizes the current social and political difficulties happening in the United States under the Trump administration, which are strikingly comparable to those shown in the film. The date of the film’s release, the director’s visionary themes and concepts, the picture’s originality, and its success in winning high praise and significant cinema prizes may all have contributed to the film’s status as an iconic example of social commentary and movement.

However, the film Master is similarly worthy of the same praise in the light of the skillful ability of directors to incorporate central social themes in the setting that directly translates to the modern day despite representing a similar Cold War era. The films are brilliant in their execution and development, captivating the spectators and invigorating feelings of compassion and worry. The sadness within the stories, discriminations and difficulties in the path of the protagonists create movies that demonstrate how vulnerable is the society of today as it faces numerous challenges in acceptance.

May, E. T. (2008). Homeward bound: American families in the Cold War era . New York: Basic Books.

Parker, A., Nakamura, D., & Rucker, P. (2019). Trump’s wall: The inside story of how the president crafts immigrartion policy . The Washington Post . Web.

Vivancos, A. (2012). Malevolent fathers and rebellious daughters: National oedipal narratives and political erasures in El laberinto del fauno (2006). Bulletin of Spanish Studies, 89 (6), 877–893. Web.

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IvyPanda. (2024, May 6). The Shape of Water vs. Master: Films Comparison. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-shape-of-water-vs-master-films-comparison/

"The Shape of Water vs. Master: Films Comparison." IvyPanda , 6 May 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/the-shape-of-water-vs-master-films-comparison/.

IvyPanda . (2024) 'The Shape of Water vs. Master: Films Comparison'. 6 May.

IvyPanda . 2024. "The Shape of Water vs. Master: Films Comparison." May 6, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-shape-of-water-vs-master-films-comparison/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Shape of Water vs. Master: Films Comparison." May 6, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-shape-of-water-vs-master-films-comparison/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Shape of Water vs. Master: Films Comparison." May 6, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-shape-of-water-vs-master-films-comparison/.

• Strong Skills Use: Reflection on Gail’s Case
• Francis Scott Fitzgerald & His American Dream
• White and Black Early Adolescents' Ethnic Identity
• The Films "The Vanishing American" and "Broken Arrow"
• The Films "All My Babies," "The Bargain," and "A Corner in Wheat"
• The Films "Citizen Kane", "It's a Wonderful Life", and "Rear Window"
• The "Network" and "A Street Car Named Desire" Films
• “The Seven Deadly Sins” and “Ten Blocks on the Camino Real”

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ENGL 1134 FWS: True Stories

Course description.

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2023-2024 . Courses of Study 2024-2025 is scheduled to publish mid-June.

How do we understand the reality of others? For that matter, how do we know and understand our own experience? One answer is writing: writing can crystalize lived experience for others. We can record our observations, our thoughts, our feelings and insights and hopes and failures, to communicate them, to understand them. In this course, we will read nonfiction narratives that explore and shape the self and reality, including the personal essay, memoir, autobiography, documentary film, and journalism. We will write essays that explore and explain these complex issues of presenting one's self and others.

When Offered Fall, Spring.

Satisfies Requirement First-Year Writing Seminar.

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  FWS Session.  

Credits and Grading Basis

3 Credits Graded (Letter grades only)

Class Number & Section Details

20316 ENGL 1134   SEM 101

Meeting Pattern

• TR 8:40am - 9:55am To Be Assigned
• Aug 26 - Dec 9, 2024

Instructors

Stragar-Rice, C

To be determined. There are currently no textbooks/materials listed, or no textbooks/materials required, for this section. Additional information may be found on the syllabus provided by your professor.

For the most current information about textbooks, including the timing and options for purchase, see the Cornell Store .

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Instruction Mode: In Person For more information about First-Year Writing Seminars, see the Knight Institute website at http://knight.as.cornell.edu/ .

20317 ENGL 1134   SEM 102

• MW 1:25pm - 2:40pm To Be Assigned

20318 ENGL 1134   SEM 103

• MW 10:10am - 11:25am To Be Assigned

Stamatiades, S

20319 ENGL 1134   SEM 104

• TR 10:10am - 11:25am To Be Assigned

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