chapter 3 notes (week 2) College Essay Structure and Argumentation

The Pieces of the College Essay

  • Chapters 4 and 5 will focus on argument construction in college essay writing, which is the core skill to master.
  • Before diving into argument creation, it's important to understand the components of a college essay, which serve as a mold for shaping the essay.
  • Analogy: An argument is like Kool-Aid; it has potential value, but it needs a mold to give it a usable form.
  • A great argument without structure can be a mess.
  • Two separate aspects of essay writing:
    • Content: What you want to say.
    • Organization: How you need to say it.
  • Example: Writing about gun control involves content (accidental deaths, Second Amendment) and organization (thesis statement, topic sentences).
  • Content and organization must work together for an effective essay.

The Basics

  • All college essays have three basic pieces:
    • Introduction
    • Body
    • Conclusion
  • These pieces are a natural part of everyday communication.
  • Analogy: Meeting someone at a party:
    • Don't start with a random story without introducing yourself.
    • Instead, start with an ice breaker and introduce yourself.
  • Introduction: Break the ice with the reader and introduce the topic.
  • Conclusion: Wrap things up and end the conversation.
  • Essay structure mirrors natural conversations: introduce the topic, have the conversation (body), and conclude.
  • These pieces are simply formalized in academic writing.

What Goes Where, Briefly

  • Specific elements are expected in each section.

The Introduction

  • Introduces the topic and provides context.
  • Includes a "lead" to break the ice.
The Lead
  • The first thing you say in your essay, aiming to capture the reader's attention.
  • Bad leads:
    • "My essay is about gun control."
    • "Gun control is a controversial issue in America today."
  • Good lead:
    • "Last year, more than 11,000 Americans were killed with handguns."
  • Ways to open an essay:
    • A startling statistic: "Last year over 11,000 Americans were killed with handguns…"
    • A story: "Three-year-old Johnny Baker had no idea…"
    • A brief history: "In 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court…"
    • A quote: "I'll give you my gun when you take it from my cold, dead hands."
  • The purpose is to engage the reader.
The Thesis
  • The argument you are making in your essay, in one clear sentence.
  • Usually (but not always) at the end of your opening paragraph, after the lead and context.

The Body

  • Where your argument really happens.
  • Analogy: The body is the main part of a conversation after the introduction and before the conclusion.
  • An essay has two functions:
    1. Make an argument
    2. Defend that argument
  • The thesis makes the argument; the body defends it.

The Conclusion

  • Restate your thesis in different words, signaling the end.

  • Example thesis:

    • "Because of their inherent dangers and the untrustworthiness of people in general, handguns must be banned in America."

  • Restated thesis:

    • "Both handguns and people are simply too dangerous to allow handguns to be legal in America."

  • Wrap up the essay by:

    • Briefly summarizing the main points.
    • Adding a quote from a respected person.
    • Painting a picture of the future.
    • Logically tying everything together.
    • Challenging the reader to action (but never commanding).

  • Understanding how the pieces fit together is essential, it works with common sense and human nature.