How to Write Better Essays

It gives structure, yet it suspends judgement and is not driven to prove

one preconceived viewpoint. A question is hung over each sentence,

with words like ‘suggests’, ‘may not be’ and ‘it seems’. As this suggests,

essays are far more complex than just the defending of a preconceived

opinion, like a defence lawyer attempting to persuade a jury. Genuine

discussion, and the higher cognitive skills that go with it, depend upon

suspending judgement. As one tutor at the Writing Center at Harvard

argues, ‘An effective thesis cannot be answered with a simple “yes” or

“no.” A thesis is not a topic; nor is it a fact; nor is it an opinion.’^7

So, if your department does require you to write thesis statements,

just clarify for yourself: does this mean I am expected to announce my

opinion and defend it in the essay; or am I expected just to give a clear

indication of the map of my essay, while I suspend judgement and hang

a question over the issues involved?

In the next chapter

Structure, then, does not depend upon you announcing your opinion

in the introduction. In the next chapter you will see that the most

effective introductions do two things: analyse the implications of the

question, and outline the map of the essay structure drawn from

your plan.

Notes

1 Jan Regan, Essay and Report Writing: What is Expected of You?(Lismore:

Southern Cross University, 2000), p. 1.

2 Kathy Duffin, Overview of the Academic Essay (Cambridge, Mass.: Writing

Center at Harvard University, 1998), p. 1.

3 Eric Eve, A Guide for Perplexed Students, 4: Tutorial Essays (Oxford:

University of Oxford, 2000), p. 3.

Available at: http://www.hmc.ox.ac.uk/

4 Regan, Essay and Report Writing, p. 1.

5 Greats Handbook(Oxford: University of Oxford, 2000), p. 39.

6 Patricia Kain, Beginning the Academic Essay(Cambridge, Mass.: Writing

Center at Harvard University, 1999), pp. 2–3.

7 Maxine Rodburg, Developing a Thesis(Cambridge, Mass.: Writing Center at

Harvard University, 1999), p. 1.

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