2 Essays provide an unparalleled opportunity for readers to judge someone’s critical-thinking, organizational, and language skills
3 The writer of successful essay has thought through a topic, taken “ownership” of the developed topic, and worked through the stages
of the writing process-thereby creating an essay that can be a source of pride.
3
Based on the definitions above, the writer assumes that an essay is a kind of academic writing which the contents are the results of the writer’s
observation and can be categorized as a form of writing practiced in the academic and business world. Therefore, an essay should be based on the
writer’s opinion about something which heshe taught it is interesting enough to be discussed.
b. Kinds of Essay
According to L.G. Alexander, there are three kinds of essay based on the writing technique: 1 Reflective Essay, 2Argumentative Essay, 3
Literature Essay. 1
Reflective essay is contemplative activities to the main problems which have been decided. This type of essay examined the skill of thinking
and describing. 2
Argumentative Essay for some reasons is the same as abstract essay. All the things of argumentative essay related to arguments.
3 Literature essay is a perception expressing of the writer about literature
universal and general; and also a specific creative thing which describes the uniqueness of the writer itself.
4
c. How to Write an Essay
In a book “Introduction to Academic Writing”, it was stated that an essay has three parts: 1 The Introductory Paragraphs, 2 Body Paragraphs,
3 The Concluding Paragraphs.
5
3
Donald Pharr and Santi V. Buscemi, Writing Today, New York: McGraww Hill Companies, Inc., 2004. p.4
4
Sahara, op.cit., p. 118
An Essay introduction stimulates the reader’s interest and tells what the essay is about. The last sentence of an introduction is the thesis
statement. Like the topic sentence of paragraph, a thesis statement names the specific topic of the essay.The body paragraph consists of one or more
paragraphs. Each paragraph develops subdivision of the topic. The conclusion, like the concluding sentence in a paragraph, is a summary or
review of the main points discussed in the body.
6
In writing the introductory paragraph, there are two parts that the writer should be raised, several general statements and a thesis statement.
These two things are important in the introductory paragraph. First is several general statements including the topic sentence begun by explaining
issue which will be discussed in the essay. As Braine stated in his book, “introductions help you to state the topic and purpose of your papers while
gaining the interest of your readers”.
7
Second, “the thesis statement is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the
rest of the paper.”
8
“Some thesis statement also forecast the paper’s organization.”
9
When it turns into body paragraph, a forecasting thesis statement indicates the paper’s main point and its organization.Sedley in his
book also stated, “just as a topic sentence summarizes a paragraph, a thesis statement summarizes the whole essay.“
10
“The essay itself then proves the validity of the thesis statement.”
11
The body of an essay is made up of one or more paragraphs. Each body paragraph has a topic sentence and several supporting sentence. It may
or may not have a concluding sentence. Each body paragraph supports the
5
AliceOshima and Ann Hogue, Introduction to Academic Writing, New York: Pearson Education Inc., . 2007, p. 147
6
Ibid., p.148
7
George Braine and Claire May, Writing from Sources : A Guide for ESL Students, California: Mayfield Publishing Company, 1996 p.35
8
The Writing
Center, Thesis
Statements, 2014,
http:writingcenter.unc.eduhandoutsthesis-statements
9
George Braine and Claire May, op.cit. p.35
10
Dorothy Sedley, College writer’s workbook, Columbus: Charles E Merrill Publishing Company, 1981 p. 14
11
Ibid., p.17
