Planning your essay

Definition

The process of organizing thoughts, outlining main points, considering evidence/examples, and structuring paragraphs before starting to write an essay.

Analogy

Planning your essay is like creating a roadmap for a road trip. You decide on destinations (main points), plan routes (paragraph structure), gather necessary supplies (evidence/examples), so that when you start driving (writing), you have a clear direction.

Related terms

Thesis statement: A concise statement that presents the main argument or purpose of an essay.

Outline: A structured plan that outlines the main points and supporting details of an essay or speech.

Introduction: The opening section of an essay that provides background information, engages the reader, and states the thesis.