How To Write A Focused Essay

Congratulations! You are brimming with ideas and opinions, have done research and are invested in your topic. This is a great place to be when sitting down to write your paper. But how do you keep your paper on topic?

An essay is composed of paragraphs, which are composed of sentences, which are composed of words. Each of these elements must pertain to your topic and provide a consistent tone. If each element does its job then the essay as a whole will read as a focused unit.

Start with paragraphs first. There is no sense in editing and polishing a sentence you will end up cutting. That’s right, cutting. Be prepared to delete some of your favorite parts of the essay. All that research is not lost, however. Save the deleted portions in a “storage” document. You can use them as seeds for later essays.

In order to fully utilize the editing process outlined in the rest of this article you should have a complete draft of your paper. You can't focus something that doesn't exist. The messier and sloppier and longer the draft the better. If it exists make it REALLY exist.

Your introductory paragraph should include a thesis statement. A thesis statement clearly states your position or stance on the issue or topic under discussion. A thesis statement can also be phrased as a question only if you are prepared to answer the question throughout the rest of the essay. A thesis can also state a problem, remember that the rest of the essay must then offer a solution to the problem.

You may not know your thesis statement right away. This is fine because you can always go back and refine your thesis statement as you edit your paper.

Once you have roughed out the introduction move into the body of the paper. In a typical five-paragraph essay the three paragraphs following the introduction provide evidence, proof, or support for the main thesis statement.

Each paragraph must have a topic sentence. Think of a topic sentence as being the thesis statement for that paragraph. A topic sentence states the main point of the paragraph. Topic sentences are usually found at the beginning or ending of a paragraph. Go through your rough draft and underline your topic sentences. If your paragraph doesn’t have a topic sentence then you have two choices. One - Delete the paragraph. If the paragraph has no purpose to the essay as a whole then get rid of it. Two - If there are elements in the paragraph that you feel are important in supporting the thesis then circle those elements and determine if they belong in a different paragraph.

If you have a paragraph with two or more topic sentences then separate those sentences out into their own paragraphs. If those topic sentences do not relate back to the thesis then cut them. If they do relate to the thesis but are in skimpy paragraphs look back to those circled items and see if you can construct an adequate paragraph out of what you have already written. If there still isn’t enough development then write out that paragraph and make it meaty.

Once you have established that each paragraph contains a topic sentence and clear purpose that relates back to the thesis you may pat yourself on the back. You are almost done.

Read each paragraph as a separate unit. Does every sentence in the paragraph relate back to the topic sentence? If not then delete that sentence or rephrase it so that the sentence is valuable to the paragraph. Also pay attention to word usage in each sentence. If you are writing a formal essay are there sentences that are too casual? Rephrase those sentences so that you maintain a consistent tone throughout the essay. At times, when the voice or tone of a piece changes the reader may feel as if the writer has lost focus.

After you have identified your thesis statement, analyzed your topic sentences and paragraphs, reviewed the purpose and tone of your sentences and words then make your edits, deletions and additions. Print your paper and read your focused essay out loud.

You are done!