Essay Development Guide

Below are the steps that we looked at today and that you should be utilising in your small group/pair to plan and write an essay response to the question based on Iago's statement, I am not what I am (I, i, 65).

Essay Development Steps

Step 1: Underline key words/phrases

Step 2: Determine whether you need to ask any questions about the task.

Step 3: In your own words, explain what you believe the question is asking.

Step 4: Brainstorm possible responses/key ideas/main points

Step 5: Devise a thesis statement (this answers the question).

Step 6: Devise topic sentences for each main body paragraph (need to link directly to thesis statement).

Step 7: Find evidence for each main point.

Step 8: In dot point format, explain how evidence links/proves main point.

Step 9: Is there a way your first main point links to second and so on

Step 10: Are there any conclusions/evaluations to be made after considering all main points?

*Completed at least up to step 10 before test*

Step 11: Attempt introduction. NB. This statement needs to be clear.

Step 12: Attempt main body paragraphs.

-Topic sentence

-Explain

-Evidence

-Expand/elucidate/evaluate

-Concluding/linking statement

Step 13: Attempt conclusion. Revisit your thesis and main points but don’t simply re-write. A conclusion implies that you have come to a final resolution of some sort.

Step 14: Look back at question and plan, then read over essay to ensure you have

a)Answered the question

b)Completed all steps of your plan

Step 15: Make any changes that that were needed after previous step.

Step 16: Proof-read and edit - focus on technical elements: spelling, grammar, tense, sentence structure, expression, capital letters, punctuation, word choice, paragraphs deal with 1 idea only, underlined text title.

Step 17: Final read through