Writing Quick Start: Drafting an Essay
7
Drafting an Essay
IN THIS CHAPTER YOU WILL LEARN TO
- structure an essay effectively,
- organize supporting details, and
- write effective introductions, conclusions, and titles.
WRITING QUICK START
T
he photographs here show two examples of green initiatives at colleges around the country. Study these images of composting and bicycle sharing. Then, working alone or with classmates, write a sentence that states your opinion of these initiatives and how likely they are to succeed. Support this opinion with details (evidence) from the photographs and from your own knowledge of green initiatives. Number your best evidence 1, your second-best evidence 2, and so on. Cross out any details that do not support your opinion, or adjust the sentence if the evidence disagrees with it. Finally, write a paragraph that begins with the sentence you wrote and includes your evidence in order of importance.
The paragraph you just wrote could be part of an essay on how colleges are making campuses environmentally sustainable. To write an essay you would need to do the following.
- Do additional prewriting and research to learn more about this topic.
- Write a thesis statement and develop supporting paragraphs.
- Write an effective introduction and conclusion.
- Choose a good title.
This chapter will guide you through the process of developing an essay as part of the writing process shown in Figure 7.1.