Structuring an Essay

The first step towards quality writing is developing a clear structure or outline. While there may be a writer or two out there who can sit down without preparation and compose structured, flowing rhetoric, these are outliers. The majority of us will end up with incoherent ramblings without taking the time to focus on a clear essay structure. You could write one hundred sentences of Shakespearean-quality verse; if they lack conceptual organization, they will fail to convey a strong point.

The most essential component of an essay structure is the thesis. A thesis is the central claim or overarching idea of an essay. It is the lens through which the entirety of the composition can be viewed. Some people associate the term thesis with research papers or academic writing, but virtually every genre of writing will benefit from a strong thesis. Even the menu of a restaurant could have a thesis: “All of our entrees are sourced from quality local and organic ingredients.” Each item on this menu would lend support to the central claim, and the reader would interpret their dinner options through that lens.

Different genres of writing may demand a more complex thesis, but it is important in all cases to keep the thesis narrow and focused. A thesis too broad will fail to provide structure to the writing and will make it difficult to get across a meaningful point. A thesis for a college application essay that reads, “I would be a great fit for the history program at Duke University” is far too general and indistinct. A focused version would look more like this: “Studying the history of colonial America has given me a more clear understanding of the present, and a passion for exploring the lessons of history.”

Once the central claim is in place, the body of the essay can be thought of as evidence for that claim. The individual building blocks of this structure are a series of claims and evidence, analogous to the broader outline of a thesis and evidence. These sub-claims will be supported by evidence, and as the reader is convinced of each sub-claim, the sub-claim becomes evidence for the thesis. Depending on the length and genre of writing, each sub-claim could correspond to a paragraph or, for longer compositions, a chapter. Connecting your sub-claims to these units of composition may help you to follow your structure when writing. Think of the essay as an interlocking puzzle. The different claims and ideas become interconnected to shed light on the overall idea or thesis. Here is a very basic outline that will provide a starting point for structuring an essay:

• Introduction

  • Thesis

    • Claim #1

      • Evidence

    • Claim #2

      • Evidence

    • Claim #3

      • Evidence

• Conclusion

This outline will vary in length and complexity depending on the type of essay, but the basic structure of thesis, claim, and evidence is essential to a logically sound essay. The thesis statement itself should come towards the end of the introduction, and the conclusion should include a restatement of the thesis that expands its implication.

Once an essay is finished, it is helpful to read back through it with the thesis and outline in mind. A successful essay will leave the reader with a solid understanding of the central claim, and a clear structure will let you communicate that claim with writing that is fluid and lucid.