At some point during the prewriting process, you will feel "finished." Usually this means that you are satified that you have a workable topic, viable purpose, a clear and appropriate audience, and enough satisfactory ideas to form a departure point.
WHAT TO MOVE ON
There is no single way to organize an essay. Below is one useful pattern of organization. This pattern can eb varied in many ways and even abandoned altogether. Understanding how it works can make you more aware of ways to vary your organization and still be logical and effective.
Every essay has a beginning, a middles, and an end. In the pattern of organization presented here, the beginning is the introductions, the middle is the body; and the end is the conclusion.
1. The first paragraph (or paragraphs) of the essay forms the introduction, which serves two
purposes: it lets your reader know what your essay is about,, and it arouses your
reader's interest in your topic. That's your beginning.
2. Next comes the middle. This is two or more body paragraphs. The purpose of your body
paragraphs is to present detail to develop your topic. The body paragraphs form the real
meat of the essay.
3. The end of your essay is the conclusion. This final paragraph (or paragraphs) serves to
bring your essay to a satisfying finish.
THE INTRODUCTION
First impressions are important. The introduction of your essay must be carefully handled to ensure that your reader's initial reaction is favorable. It should stimulate the reader's interest. The introduction can also serve another purpose. It can let your reader know what your topic is - that is, it can tell your reader what your essay is about by including a statement that reveals the topic. This statement is called a thesis. A thesis should indicate what the writer's broad subject is and what narrow territory within that broad subject the writer has staked out for treatment.
Shaping the Thesis
When you shape your thesis, keep the following four points in mind:
1. The thesis should be narrow enough to allow an in-depth discussion in a manageable length.
2. The thesis usually includes only ONE subject and ONE narrowing.
3. The narrowing should be expressed in specific words.
4. The thesis should not be a formal announcement!!!!
A thesis statement such as "this paper will show why I've always hated team sports" or "The next paragraphs will present the reasons I enjoy collecting rocks" is generally considered weak style. If you write "This essay is about" I will give your essay an F.
Click here for more notes on essay writing