Module Objectives
This module on essay structure provides descriptions of desirable structural features of a completed essay. It describes the importance of:
- understanding that an essay’s structure should be guided by its purposes
- developing focused and coherent paragraphs including topic sentences, transitions, introductory and concluding paragraphs
- constructing sentences that communicate an essay’s meaning clearly to its reader
- using direct and indirect quotations appropriately
- understanding how outlines can assist in essay organization
- following a consistent plan for formatting an essay
Suggestions regarding the writing process – how one would produce a well- structured essay – can be found in the Writing Strategies module.