What are the key components of an essay?

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This answer defines an essay and summarises the key components: the introduction, main body and conclusion.

An essay is a structured piece of writing that presents a coherent argument or narrative. The key components of an essay include the introduction, body, and conclusion, each serving distinct purposes to ensure clarity and effectiveness in communication.

Key Components of an Essay

Introduction: This section introduces the topic and presents the thesis statement, which is the main argument or point of the essay. It often includes an attention getter to engage the reader (Kusheva, 2022; Elfi and Israini, 2024).

Thesis Statement: A clear and concise statement that outlines the main argument or purpose of the essay. It guides the direction of the essay and is typically included in the introduction (Kusheva, 2022; Elfi and Israini, 2024).

Body: The body of the essay is where the main ideas are developed and supported with evidence. It consists of multiple paragraphs, each with a topic sentence that relates back to the thesis statement. The body should maintain coherence and cohesion through logical organisation and transitions between paragraphs (Kusheva, 2022; Wang and Xie, 2022; Wulandari et al., 2023).

Conclusion: This section summarizes the main points and restates the thesis in light of the evidence presented. It often includes a final commentary or evaluative insight to reinforce the essay’s argument (Elfi and Israini, 2024; Cheung, 2024).

Additional Elements

Purpose, Audience, and Tone: These elements shape the content and style of the essay. The purpose is the reason for writing, the audience is whom the essay is intended for, and the tone is the writer’s attitude towards the subject (Stracuzzi and Cormier, 2020).

Argumentative Components: In argumentative essays, components such as pro arguments, counterarguments, and rebuttals are crucial for presenting a balanced and persuasive argument (Elfi and Israini, 2024).

Stylistic Features: Essays often employ various linguistic and stylistic features, such as metaphors and imagery, to enhance expression and engage the reader (Khlystun, 2022).

An effective essay is structured with a clear introduction, a well-organised body, and a concise conclusion. It is shaped by its purpose, audience, and tone, and may include argumentative elements and stylistic features to enhance its impact. These components work together to present a coherent and persuasive narrative or argument.

References

Stracuzzi, A., & Cormier, A., 2020. 6.1 Purpose, Audience, Tone, and Content. **.

Khlystun, I., 2022. Linguistic and stylistic features of the essay as a journalistic genre. Philological Review. https://doi.org/10.31499/2415-8828.1.2022.257958

Kusheva, G., 2022. On Some Aspects of Teaching Essay Structure. Proglas. https://doi.org/10.54664/mavk6369

Elfi, 1., & Israini, M., 2024. ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY COMPONENTS: A STUDY OF ENGLISH STUDENTS’ WRITING AT UIN MAHMUD YUNUS BATUSANGKAR. ELP (Journal of English Language Pedagogy). https://doi.org/10.36665/elp.v9i2.920

Wang, Y., & Xie, Q., 2022. Diagnosing EFL undergraduates’ discourse competence in academic writing. Assessing Writing. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asw.2022.100641

Wulandari, R., , A., Wisudawati, F., Isa, M., Kunci, K., , G., Gagasan, O., Esai, P., & , E., 2023. Ideas Organisation In Student Writing: Essay Assessments In EFL Classroom. Guruku: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Sosial Humaniora. https://doi.org/10.59061/guruku.v1i2.350

Cheung, L., 2024. Evaluative patterns in the concluding components of expounding essays. Linguistics and the Human Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1558/lhs.22671

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