There may be various opportunities for you to write an essay in college, maybe even before you start class. College essays can range from entrance essays to graduate school personal statements. We’ll be focusing on a typical college essay formula, but these techniques are foundational for any type of essay.
The Art of Your Thesis
Your thesis is also known as your three-point thesis. This is because essays are normally structured using three body paragraphs. However, your thesis can have as many points as you desire, as long as your body-paragraph count follows.
What a Thesis Should Look Like
Your thesis is basically the argument of your paper and should only be one sentence. For example:
Cats are better than dogs because they are cuter, friendlier, and smarter.
Let’s break this thesis down.
“Cats are better than dogs” is the argument. “Are” makes it a statement. Its supporting points, or prongs, are “cuter,” “friendlier,” and “smarter.”
When your professor reads this thesis, they’ve basically read the map to your essay. Your essay needs to be about how cats are cuter than dogs, how cats are friendlier than dogs, and how cats are smarter than dogs in that order.
Structure, Structure, Structure
Your essay will most likely be structured as the following:
- Intro Paragraph
- Attention-grabbing statistics and/or facts
- Thesis statement (prong 1, 2, and 3)
- Body Paragraph 1
- Elaborates on prong 1
- Supports prong 1 with hard facts
- Possibly includes counterargument and rebuttal
- Body Paragraph 2
- Elaborates on prong 2
- Supports prong 2 with hard facts
- Possibly includes counterargument and rebuttal
- Body Paragraph 3
- Elaborates on prong 3
- Supports prong 3 with hard facts
- Possibly includes counterargument and rebuttal
- Closing Paragraph
- Summarizes essay
- Repeats thesis statement
Order
Your body paragraphs, and therefore prongs to your thesis statement, should be in order of strong to strongest (you can usually tell which prong is the strongest because it’ll be the longest).
Exceptions
As mentioned, your essay can have more prongs in your thesis statement, meaning you will have more body paragraphs. What’s key is that your essay is organized and able to speak on these prongs in the order they are originally mentioned.
You may also have professors that require your counterarguments and rebuttals to be composed into one additional body paragraph after your prong paragraphs. You may also have professors that do not assign counterarguments and rebuttal at all.
It’s important to understand each essay assignment individually and its requirements. Thinking about going online? Use our free search engine to find accredited online schools and degree programs.
