Essays are generally structured as arguments.
After you analyse the essay question, you read (or re-read) texts from your reading list and texts found through your own research. On the basis of your reading, you develop a general view, or answer, to the essay question, which you then defend with the evidence found in your reading.
The view that you defend in your essay is called a thesis statement.
What is a thesis statement?
Your thesis statement states your position on the essay question, which you will defend with one or more arguments in the body of the essay. Your thesis statement is essentially your answer to the essay question, expressed in a single sentence, and will be based on your reading.
Your thesis statement is:
Example 1:
Essay question: ‘Discuss the claim that mass public schooling provides equal access to high quality education.’
Thesis: This essay will argue that while the introduction of mass public schooling was a great advancement in ensuring equal access to education, the influence of socio-economic status on educational attainment has not yet been overcome.
"This essay will argue" → Signposting phrase to introduce your argument
"while mass public schooling was a great advancement in ensuring equal access to education, the influence of socio-economic status on educational attainment has not yet been overcome" → Clearly indicates your position on the issue
Example 2:
Essay question: To what extent is there a 'participation crisis' in UK politics?
Thesis: If we define 'participation' as xyz, it can be argued that there is not in fact a participation crisis in UK politics.
A note on thesis statements:
It can feel scary to commit yourself to a thesis statement because thesis statements seem to speak with tremendous certainty! But..."The influence of socio-economic status on educational attainment has not yet been overcome" simply indicates the general destination that the essay will be moving toward. It does not have to be a highly developed statement of how things are. Try to develop a general, 'working' thesis to give your writing direction. You can make it more precise and nuanced as you work through various drafts of your essay.
To write an effective argument, you will need to provide the following:
In defending your thesis statement, you will likely have to break it down into separate issues, or aspects, which are dealt with separately.
In discussing these separate aspects, you might develop smaller thesis statements, which are related to your larger thesis statement.
This means that your essay will have a "tree structure".
Essay tree structure
An example of a more developed tree structure:
Thesis: Digital technology will lead to greater social mistrust and dysfunctionality rather than greater social cohesion
| Aspect 1: Dehumanisation | Aspect 2: Anonymity | Aspect 3: Manipulation |
| Sub-thesis: We are more likely to dehumanise others when relating to them remotely, via media, or representations. |
Sub-thesis: Anonymity in digital environments decreases trust and accountability in social interactions. |
Sub-thesis: The gathering of data on many aspects of our experience means that bad actors could easily manipulate us. |
|
Point 1: We have more information about what others are feeling when we relate to them in-person. Evidence (studies, texts, statistics) Reasoning Consideration of counter-arguments |
Point 1: Anonymity in digital environments means that false personas and false claims can proliferate. Evidence (studies, texts, statistics) Reasoning Consideration of counter-arguments |
Point 1: Data-gathering has improved in sophistication, and increased exponentially, over the last 15 years. Evidence (studies, texts, statistics) Reasoning Consideration of counter-arguments |
|
Point 2 ... |
Point 2 ... |
Point 2 ... |
|
Point 3 ... |
Point 3 ... |
Point 3 ... |
| At various points within this argument, you will consider how this sub-thesis, and these points, relate to the thesis. |
At various points within this argument, you will consider how this sub-thesis, and these points, relate to the thesis. |
At various points within this argument, you will consider how this sub-thesis, and these points, relate to the thesis. |
|
Research, not speculation! Your thesis, your sub-theses and your points, should all be based on reading. You should not develop arguments based on what you think is probably true, or ‘common knowledge’, and then look for readings to support your views. Each point in the outline above is supported by evidence gathered in the reading stage and this evidence is linked to the point with reasoning. How, exactly, does the evidence support the point? |
The handout below looks at the difference between everyday arguments and arguments in academic writing:
Examples
Claim: We should go to the cinema today.
Argument structure A:
1. Counter arguments/concessions:
It is true that…
Cinema is costly (topic 1)
It is hard to agree on a movie (topic 2)
Tomorrow we have lectures in the morning (topic 3)
2. Rebuttals with evidence:
But
We have saved money by working… (topic 1)
There is a new sci-fi movie that you should like and I’m finding quite intriguing... (topic 2)
We haven’t been out in a while and I need some
inspiration to study more efficiently... (topic 3)
Argument structure B:
1. Counterargument/concession plus rebuttal of topic 1
Cinema is costly, at £10 per ticket, but we have saved money by working…
2. Counterargument/concession plus rebuttal of topic 2
It is hard to agree on a movie, but there is a new sci-fi movie that you should like and I’m finding quite intriguing..
3. Counterargument/concession plus rebuttal of topic 3
Tomorrow we have lectures in the morning, but we haven’t been out in a while and I need some inspiration to study more efficiently
Obviously your academic writing will be more complex, will deal with more serious questions, will use evidence and will refer to the relevant academic literature!
Your essay needs to demonstrate some degree of analysis and critical thinking. The more you progress in higher education, the more you are expected to use and apply knowledge. This is reflected in critical writing, whereby you move from mere description to analysis and evaluation.
Critical thinking entails:
It also involves asking questions about your own work as well as the work of others such as:
If you have ever been told that your writing is ‘too descriptive’ and not ‘critical’ enough then consider the differences between analytical writing and descriptive writing:
Check the guide on Critical Thinking and Writing for more information on writing critically.
