Essay Writing

6 minQuiz at the end

What is an Essay?

An essay is a structured piece of writing that explores a topic, develops an argument, or analyses an idea. Most academic essays have the same basic structure.

The Introduction

A strong introduction has three jobs:

  1. Hook — grab the reader's attention (a question, quote, striking fact, or anecdote)
  2. Background — provide brief context for the topic
  3. Thesis — state your main argument clearly

Writing a Thesis Statement

The thesis statement is the single most important sentence in your essay. It states your position or argument specifically.

❌ "Climate change is a problem." (too vague) ✅ "Human activity is the primary driver of climate change, and governments must implement urgent policy reform to prevent irreversible damage."

Body Paragraphs

Each body paragraph = one main point.

Use the PEEL structure:

  • Point — state the paragraph's main idea (topic sentence)
  • Evidence — provide a fact, quote, or example
  • Explain — analyse how the evidence supports your point
  • Link — connect back to the thesis or transition to the next paragraph

The Conclusion

Your conclusion should:

  1. Restate the thesis in new words (never copy-paste)
  2. Briefly summarise your main arguments
  3. End with a final thought — a call to action, wider implication, or memorable statement

❌ Do NOT introduce new arguments in the conclusion.