Comprehensive Guide to Essay Writing Skills (NUR171)

This session, identified by the course code MNU/SN/NUR171, focuses specifically on the development of Essential Essay Writing Skills.
Objective: By the end of this instructional session, $80\%$ of participating students will be able to successfully develop and apply essay writing skills.

To produce a high-quality academic essay, students should follow these nine distinct steps in sequential order:

It is crucial to think critically about the type of essay expected for the assignment.
Initial topics are often too broad and require narrowing to become manageable and specific.
Example of narrowing a topic:
- A General Overview: "The Circulatory system."
- Problems: This is considered too general for a standard essay.
- Specific Topic: "Functions of the circulatory system."
Once a general idea is narrowed, you have a specific topic ready for development.

The primary purpose of creating an outline or a diagram is to organize your ideas about the topic and put them on paper before beginning the actual writing process.
Procedural steps for creating a formal outline:
- Begin by writing the chosen topic clearly at the top of the page.
- Use Roman numerals ( $I$ , $II$ , and $III$ ) spread apart down the left side of the page to represent your major sections.
- Next to each Roman numeral, record the main ideas or the primary points you intend to make regarding the topic.
- Under each Roman numeral, list capital letters ( $A$ , $B$ , and $C$ ) down the left side of the page.
- Next to each letter, record the specific facts, evidence, or information that support the corresponding main idea.

Definition: The thesis statement is a critical component that informs the reader of the essay's subject matter and the specific point or argument the author is making.
Formulating the statement: To determine the thesis, review the outline or diagram to identify the core message suggested by the combined main ideas and supporting facts.
Structural Components: A thesis statement consists of two integral parts:
- Part $1$ : States the topic.
- Part $2$ : States the specific point or purpose of the essay.
Persuasive Thesis Example: "Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are the best type of sandwich because they are versatile, easy to make, and taste good."
- Evaluation of Example: The author states a specific opinion ("the best type of sandwich"), indicating a chosen stance. The author then justifies this opinion with several key reasons (versatility, ease of preparation, and taste).

Purpose: The body is where the chosen topic is fully explained, described, or argued.
Structure: Each main idea documented in the initial diagram or outline is transformed into a single body paragraph.
Quantity: If the outline contains $3$ or $4$ main ideas, the final essay will contain $3$ or $4$ corresponding body paragraphs.
Consistency: Every body paragraph follows the same basic structural framework.

Function: The introduction serves as the reader's point of entry into the essay.
Design Goals: It must be crafted to attract the reader's attention and provide a clear indication of the essay’s focus.
The Attention Grabber: The opening should begin with an element designed to engage the reader. Common strategies include:
- Startling Information: This must be true and verifiable. It does not need to be brand new to the reader but should be a pertinent fact illustrating the author's point. If used, it should be followed by $1$ or $2$ sentences of elaboration.
  - Example: "The Pentagon has twice as many bathrooms as are necessary. The famous government building was constructed in the $1940s$ , when segregation laws required that separate bathrooms be installed for people of African descent. This building isn’t the only American icon that harkens back to this embarrassing and hurtful time in our history."
- Anecdote: A short story used to illustrate a point. It must be relevant and concise. Use this carefully as an effectively opener.
  - Example: "Yesterday morning I watched as my older sister left for school with a bright white glob of toothpaste gleaming on her chin. I felt no regret at all until she stepped onto the bus…"
- Dialogue: Utilizing a conversation to open the piece.
- Summary Information: A few general sentences explaining the topic to lead the reader gently toward the thesis. Each subsequent sentence should become gradually more specific.

Function: The conclusion serves as the reader's point of exit from the essay.
Goals: It brings closure, sums up the main points, or provides a final perspective on the topic.
Structure: The conclusion generally requires only $3$ to $4$ strong sentences. It does not adhere to a rigid formula.
Techniques for Conclusion:
- Review main points, taking care not to restate them verbatim.
- Briefly describe personal feelings regarding the topic.
- Use an anecdote to end the essay in a useful way.

Before considering an essay finished, the following "finishing touches" are mandatory:
- Paragraph Order: Check if the sequence of paragraphs is effective.
- Assignment Compliance: Review the original instructions to ensure all requirements are met.
- Logical Sense: Critically evaluate if the writing makes logical sense.
- Flow: Ensure sentences transition smoothly into one another.
- Spelling and Grammar: Utilize spell and grammar checkers. While these aids cannot catch every error, they identify mistakes that may have been overlooked during the writing process.
Once formatting is perfected and checks are complete, the essay is considered finished.

The session concludes with an open invitation for students to ask questions or seek clarification on the essay writing process.