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Study Guide : Jasper Jones

A guide to help in the study of the novel 'Jasper Jones' by Craig Silvey

How to plan an essay : Writing steps

Plan your essay   

Once you understand exactly what you have to do to answer your essay question, you're ready to start planning and researching.

Do this well and you'll have no trouble writing your essay.

How to plan an essay : Essay Plan

Write an essay plan

A good essay plan helps you arrange your ideas logically and stay on track during the writing process.

Your plan should state how you're going to prove your argument, including the evidence you're going to use. Structure your plan around the different parts of an essay. To do this:

  • Write your argument in one sentence at the top of the page – you'll flesh this out into your introduction.
  • Write three or four key points that you think will support your argument. Try to write each point in one sentence. These will become your topic sentences.
  • Under each point, write down one or two examples from your research that support your point. These can be quotes, paraphrased text from reliable authors, etc. Remember to reference your examples when you write up your essay.
  • Finally, write the main point you want to leave in your reader's mind – that's your conclusion.  

Source:  http://ergo.slv.vic.gov.au/learn-skills/essay-writing-skills

How to plan an essay : Essay Structure

Essay structure

Essays are structured differently depending on the question and the subject, but some elements are common to most essays.

You can plan and write more efficiently if you understand what each element does:

  • the introduction tells the reader the point you're going to prove
  • the body is where you discuss your argument and give examples to illustrate your key points
  • the conclusion drives your argument home by describing how you've done what you said you were going to do.

 Source: http://ergo.slv.vic.gov.au/learn-skills/essay-writing-skills/plan-your-essay/essay-structure

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