Why analyze the structure and essentials of writing?

A scholarly approach to the writing process usually entails writing a rough draft, through which you work out an ambitious thesis and the scope of your argument, and then starting over with a wholly rewritten second draft containing a more complete argument anchored by a refined thesis. During drafts, you will identify any holes in your arguments, and look closely at paragraph construction, the introduction and conclusion, and continue to revise the paper until you have a clear and coherent argument.

While you will approach an argumentative essay differently than, say, a narrative essay about a specific event, there are certain features that all of these styles or methods have in common:

• A clear thesis statement, usually provided at the beginning of the essay
• Clear and logical transitions
• Focused body paragraphs with evidence and support
• Appropriate format and style if you use source material
• A conclusion that expands upon your thesis and summarizes evidence
• Clear writing that follows standard conventions for things like grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

In this module, we’ll take a closer look at each of these components of essential writing.