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What makes an essay stand out? How does tone and structure help convey the overall message?

Answers
Much depends on the subject matter to be discussed and the genre.  More info would help get a more specific answer.Dianne Ross
Dianne R.
24 January 2017
An essay usually stands out if it conforms to the basic requirements of excellent grammar and structure. A well -written essay consists of three main components. These are an introduction, a main body and a conclusion. It introduces a topic, and in a very balanced way, it presents the pros and cons of a topic in its main body. The conclusion of a great essay will tell of the writer's viewpoint on a topic based on what is presented in the main body. Of course, the essay should be free of  grammatical errors. 
Carol O.
26 January 2017
Tone will need to suit audience. It can be objective or subjective depending on whether you are writing formally or in a conversational way.  It all depends on your essay question and what it is based on. If you need more info or help don't hesitate to get in contact. 
Sim H.
26 January 2017
What_makes_an_essay_stand_out.docx
dolly
27 January 2017
For an essay to stand out it needs to be engaging. Tone and structure are both incredibly important. It is hard to discuss tone without more of an idea of what sort of essay you are writing. Your essay structure should follow a logical sequence. The paragraphs should link together and flow easily. For me, an essay which stands out is one which  is easy to read. Linking ideas across paragraphs through the use of linking sentences rather than a simple "additionally", "furthermore" etc makes an essay much more natural. If you are writing a science essay, try and keep your paragraphs to ~6 sentences max. Essays for subjects such as English and History can contain longer paragraphs. No matter what you are writing, be concise! 
Niamh S.
28 January 2017
This depends very much on what the essay is on? If you are making an argument there would be expected to be statistics and good valid points on both sides, as you are not stating your opinions but rather facts of both sides of the argument which would make who ever is reading understand clearly each side. In this case the tone would be very factual, very light and informative and not biased! To help with the structure it is always best to do a plan before hand even if it is only a quick small one. Introduction - what you are writing aboutArgument side 1 - (3 points)Argument side 2 - (3 points)Conclusion - conclude your point you made in introduction.if you follow this plan then you will have a structure that flows. this is a very basic one and you can go into a lot more detail. feel free to contact me if you need additional help. 
nicole0811
31 January 2017
A good essay needs to be clear and concise. The introduction gives a basic outline of what you are going to say, and the various points you need to consider to argue your point to a conclusion. It depends how long you want the essay to be, but I would usually write 5/6 paragraphs for a 2,500 word essay. The paragraphs, while each focusing on a different aspect of your argument (what you want to say), need to link with each other, so key words like 'furthermore', 'however' and 'in addition' are important to making everything flow. The conclusion ties together everything you have written. In your paragraphs, the PQA (point, quote, analysis) method is useful - whenever you make a statement make sure you can back it up with evidence and that it fits into your parargraph. Good luck, and feel free to ask me any additional questions!
Helena K.
01 February 2017
Hi. I've just completed an English degree at Oxford, and making essays stand out is something that was drilled into us for 3 years there! Would be happy to schedule a lesson if you'd like
dannymills
02 February 2017
An essay stands out when it delivers what it set out to do. So often, essays run off track and this is where the structure comes in. As simple as it may be, a concise beginning, middle and end are key. Firstly, set out the aims in your opening paragraph by introducing a broad idea about your topic. Narrow it down as you move through the essay until you can come to a concise conclusion to ensure you have answered what you set out to do. As for tone, it is important to match your writing style to the occassion. Is this a professional application? A literary piece? For an assignment? When the tone is right the essay will flow nicely and from reading a single sentence, an outsider will be able to glean the intent of the essay. Hope this helps a little :) 
Jake M.
05 February 2017
Essay's need to have a good structure and flow to them to keep the reader focused and enthused by what they are reading. Imagine you are reading a text; what stands out for you? If you were to read a long piece of text without any pauses, exciting adjectives or phrases, rhetorical questions, or thought provoking information, would you enjoy reading it? I am a Spanish teacher, but the rule remains the same. The best essays include connectives, opinions, justifications and a wealth of vocabulary. Good luck!
Salsabiel M.
13 February 2017
Hello :) Structure is very important as it makes your essay easier for the reader to understand, which will enamour them to the points you make. I would suggest the 'hamburger' structure as a basic framework. In terms of tone, your best bet is to maintain a neutral tone, so that your argument seems balanced. Hope that is helpful :)
Eleanor W.
06 March 2017
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Similar questions

How to write broadsheet articles


How do you go about writing a Broadsheet article?

A broadsheet article reports the facts and details of an event, without an author's opinion (as would be the case in a tabloid newspaper). In general, they are unbiased but this is often not the case in real newsprint. The idea is for the reader to form their own opinion based on the given information Before you start writing you need to think who your audience is and who the article is aimed at, use the who, what, where, when, why and how format in your opening then concentrate on the important information in the main section of the article The article should be written in complete sentences, using formal language, and be broken up in to sections to help the reader navigate the article. The article would usually be about something serious and newsworthy, including current affairs, rather than commenting on popular media and celebrities. Don’t forget to add a title, date, and author’s name to the article. The title should also be formal and to the point, avoiding puns or jokey headlines as in tabloids. The first thing when writing a newspaper article is to find some event worth reporting on. A newspaper article, as others have said, reports the facts and details of an event.  As you might expect, there is no rising action, falling action or climax – this is not a story, this is the fact. Begin with the most important, critical points of the article. For example, Yesterday night around 11 pm, a man, George Bluth, 41 was shot in front of Parker Square Mall.  Police responding to the scene of the shooting cordoned off a small area near the doors of the mall, and did not respond to questions. Mr. Bluth was taken to the St. Catherine’s Memorial Hospital, and is currently in stable condition. According to Mrs. Bluth, George was walking home from a night with friends, and the police say that he was attacked by several youths…You should progress through the story, and each paragraph should contain less important facts than the paragraph before. As many others have said, you should use formal language as I have above.  Instead of “I asked the police…”, you should write “police reported that…” and so on.

Below is the structure and features of a broadsheet article:

Content

Emphasis on important global/national news, political, economic, social and cultural issues. Covers politics, finance, and current affairs. Often has a sports supplement.

Appearance

Few photographs, A2 size, black/white. Frontpage should be more informative, about public issues. The design emphasizes content through detailed articles in small print, with some emphasis on photographs and restrained use of color.  

Headline

It should be informative, factual, serious language, black/white.  

Article

Formal language, highly researched, factual details, neutral and unbiased, small print. Varied types of sentences. Emphasis on the information.

How do you start a letter about yourself to your teacher?

 

How do you start a letter about yourself?

If you’ve ever had English homework or an English assignment, chances are you’ve probably had to do one of those ‘introduce yourself in x words or sentences’ moments. While it should be easy, writing about yourself can be one of the hardest skills to attain.   Let’s take a look at some scenarios in which you might be asked to write about yourself.  

Situation Description
Sending an email to someone You will need to introduce yourself if you’re sending an email to someone
Blurb for a pamphlet/brochure Writing a personal blurb for yourself for professional purposes (conferences, events, etc.)
English writing assignment If you are and English language learner and need to learn writing English techniques and formats, you will need to write about yourself in English
Resume When you’re looking for a job, you will need to present your best skills
Recommendations If you need a teacher or peer recommendation, you will need to write about yourself so that they know what to write about

  If you’re writing a letter about yourself, especially if you’re writing to a teacher, you will need to know how to start. The easiest way to start writing is to brainstorm! Here is a process you can follow in order to start your rough draft.   drafting_letters  

What are 5 words to describe yourself?

So, how do you write 5 sentences about yourself? How do you write more than a paragraph about yourself? Well, to start writing a letter about yourself to a teacher especially, you should start with the basics. Meaning, start with brainstorming 5 words to describe you.   words_to_describe_you In order to think about five words to describe yourself, you should first start by identifying what kind of letter you’re writing. If you’re writing to a teacher, chances are you’re doing one of the following.  

Motivation Description
Informational These types of letters request information about a class, a grade, etc.
Recommendation These letters either ask for a recommendation for university or give details on what to include in said recommendation.
Professional You will send these types of letters if you’re interested in establishing or continuing a professional relationship with your professor (such as collaborating on a book).

  Let’s start with the informational letters. The types of descriptions about yourself you’ll want to include in these types of letters will be mostly surface level.  

Descriptive Words
Your position Student, prospective student, graduate, alum, etc.
Your name Introduce your name
Your institution (if any) University, organization, club, society, etc.

  If, on the other hand, you’re soliciting a recommendation or are giving more details for your teacher to include in your recommendation, you should try to use descriptive words dealing with your accomplishments, both academic and professional. In addition, you should include any personal and professional aspirations.  

Descriptive Words
Academic Dean/provost’s list, president, coordinator, leader, honours student, etc.
Extracurriculars Creator, manager, coach, educator, tutor, trainer, etc.
Professional Intern, editor, experience level, duties, etc.

  When you’re interested in contacting a teacher for a professional opportunity that they’re offering or that you’re extending, you should focus more on the details of who you are and what the proposed project will be.  

Descriptive Words
Your position Blogger, consultant, assistant processor, etc.
Your experience Number of industry years, projects you’ve been on, trainings or certifications, etc.
Your offer or response Propose, collaborate, experiment, investigate, assist, etc.

 

How to introduce yourself

Whether you’re looking for English homework help or wondering how do you start a letter to a teacher, introducing yourself can be hard. When you introduce yourself, no matter who your audience is, you should always include a couple of key informational points.   Regardless of who your letter is meant for, you will most likely need to cover 3 basic points:  

1 Name Your name or position
2 Contact Your address, email, or phone number
3 Purpose The purpose of your letter

  Introducing yourself can take anywhere from a sentence to a couple of paragraphs. Here is the rule of thumb for the length that introductions should take for different types of letters.  

Purpose Length
Informational 2-3 sentences
Uni Recommendation 1 paragraph
Scholarship Recommendation 1-2 paragraphs
Professional opportunity 3 sentences

 

Introduce yourself example

Let’s take a look at a couple of examples with regards to introducing yourself. example_letter_teacher As we can see, while the letter may go on, the introduction is limited to two sentences. This type of letter is informational, as we can see by the request made by Marcus. Let’s break down this introduction.  

1 Addressee
2 Name
3 Position
4 Purpose
5 Requested action

  If you’re writing a letter to your teacher in order to secure a recommendation for a scholarship, for example, your letter should look a bit different. letter_teacher Here, you can see that the introduction is longer. Because Marcus is asking for a recommendation for a teacher, you can see the details of who Marcus is are less important than then details of the scholarship and his accomplishments.  

1 Addressee
2 Requested action
3 Introduction to the scholarship
4 Introduction accomplishment
5 Set of supporting accomplishments

 

Connecting words in English writing

So now that you understand how to write to your teacher under various different circumstances, you can bolster this skill by using connecting words. Connecting words, also called linking words, are used to link together two ideas. verbs_categories