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Responding to literature

How to write essays for your English literature courses

Introductory paragraph

An introductory paragraph informs your reader about your

  • topic and basic background details on your topic
  • the points you will focus on in your essay
  • your perspective on the topic, which generally appears as your thesis statement.

An introductory paragraph could begin with

  • background information and facts. Often, this could be some basic information about the text you are analyzing, as it relates specifically to your topic.
  • an anecdote or quotation (inspirational or informative)
  • a comparison or contrast
  • a perplexing statement that you will unravel in your research essay

An introductory paragraph

  • creates interest for your reader
  • introduces the broader scope of your topic
  • shows which part of that broader topic will be the focus of your essay
  • describes the parameters of the topic that you will cover
  • usually concludes with your thesis (or working thesis)

Adapted from the Research Essays LibGuide.

Body paragraphs

Each body paragraph must include

  • a single idea or point that supports your thesis
  • a topic sentence that lets the reader know what the paragraph will be about
  • analysis of the idea or point supporting your thesis
  • evidence that supports your argument
  • a demonstration of how the evidence supports your argument

Evidence comes from your research sources and is

  • relevant to your point or argument
  • authoritative support for your arguments
  • presented in the form of examples, direct quotes and paraphrasing from your primary text or scholarly sources
  • incorporated into your essay through introductory or signal phrases
  • analyzed to show how and why the evidence is relevant to your essay

Analysis will help you

  • discover the message you want to communicate to your reader
  • clarify the main points you want to include
  • identify why your message is important in the context of the broader subject area. (Some instructors call this the "so what?")

Begin your analysis by asking yourself the following questions about your topic:

  • Who?
  • What?
  • Where?
  • When?
  • Why?
  • How?

For example, it is not enough to write an essay on a story, poem, or play that merely describes instances of plot or character interaction. Make sure you are asking yourself

  • Why is this instance of plot important? What does it demonstrate?
  • How does the dialog between characters demonstrate complex elements of their relationship?
  • What are some recurring symbols, metaphors and images the author is using? What might these suggest? How do they enhance our understanding of the theme or overall text?

Asking yourself these and other questions you can think of about this topic will help you

  • develop, strengthen, or perhaps even change the message you want to convey to your reader
  • address and refute opposing points of view
  • understand your argument's importance in the broader context of the subject area

When integrating information from your sources, you must credit your source if you

  • paraphrase (put the words or ideas into your own words)
  • quote directly (include exact words in quotation marks)

How do I integrate paraphrasing or quotations from my source into my essay?

  • Use a signal phrase to introduce your quote or paraphrase and establish the authority of your source. For more information on signal phrases, quoting and paraphrasing see Camosun Library's MLA8 (Modern Language Association) LibGuide.

How do I know whether I should quote or paraphrase?

  • Choose a direct quote when the exact wording must be used in order to maintain meaning that would be lost by paraphrasing.
  • Direct quotes and paraphrasing should not be used to create content in your essay.
  • Direct quotes and paraphrasing should be used as evidence to back-up your analysis and support the position you are taking in your essay.
  • If the quotes and paraphrases were removed from your essay, you should still have an essay that could stand on its own.
Adapted from the Research Essays LibGuide.

Concluding paragraph

How should I conclude my essay?

You could

  • Summarize your main points
  • Reiterate your thesis statement (showing how this is the conclusion you come to based on the points you've explored in your essay)
  • Look at the implications or significance of your thesis in a broader context

You could also

  • Acknowledge there is a middle ground between your view and the opposing viewpoint
  • End with a question or hypothesis that you generated from your research and writing
  • Include a quotation that emphasizes the significance of your topic
  • Show how your findings are significant to the academic conversation surrounding your text
  • Discuss how your analysis of particular themes within a text are still relevant or applicable today

Adapted from the Research Essays LibGuide.

Ready for your first draft

Try to write your first draft all at once without concern for

  • length
  • clarity
  • grammar
  • spelling
  • sentence structure

Focus on getting your ideas down in writing because

  • writing your first draft will help you generate more ideas about your topic

Use an approach that works best for you 

  • point form or full sentences
  • computer or handwritten

As you write this first draft

  • think about your scholarly sources (your evidence) and where quotes and paraphrases can best be used to support your arguments.

Having a first draft means you

  •  have a tangible paper to revise and develop into a stronger essay.

Remember to keep

  • your notes and all versions of your developing essay (should your instructor check for plagiarism). You can email copies to yourself to avoid losing your work due to technical issues.
  • a copy of your completed research essay

Adapted from the Research Essays LibGuide.