Composition: Developing Effective Essays
If you have tried out the strategies on this site for developing paragraphs, you are well on your way to creating effective essays as well. Here we will organize paragraphs into various kinds of essays--those that explain, compare, analyze, classify, and argue. Our goal is to create informative and persuasive compositions that keep our readers interested.
300 Writing Topics
Coming up with a good topic can be one of the hardest parts of composing a paragraph or essay. These 300 topic suggestions should make that job a little easier.
Coming up with a good topic can be one of the hardest parts of composing a paragraph or essay. These 300 topic suggestions should make that job a little easier.
Ten Tips for Composing a Successful Essay for the SAT or ACT
Here are ten tips for composing an effective essay under pressure for the SAT or ACT. But be warned: we've saved the most important piece of advice for the very end.
Here are ten tips for composing an effective essay under pressure for the SAT or ACT. But be warned: we've saved the most important piece of advice for the very end.
Essay Assignment: Personal Experience
This assignment will give you practice in composing a narrative essay based on personal experience.
This assignment will give you practice in composing a narrative essay based on personal experience.
Essay Assignment: Profile
This assignment will give you practice in composing an informative essay based on interviews with your subject.
This assignment will give you practice in composing an informative essay based on interviews with your subject.
Compose a Letter of Complaint
Here's a project that will introduce you to brainstorming and give you practice in group writing. You will join with three or four other writers to compose a letter of complaint.
Here's a project that will introduce you to brainstorming and give you practice in group writing. You will join with three or four other writers to compose a letter of complaint.
Draft Classification Essay: "Types of Shoppers"
A student composed the following draft in response to this assignment: "Choose a topic that interests you, and develop an essay through strategies of classification or division." After reading the draft, respond to the discussion questions at the end. Then compare "Shoppers" to the student's revised version of the essay, "Shopping at the Pig."
A student composed the following draft in response to this assignment: "Choose a topic that interests you, and develop an essay through strategies of classification or division." After reading the draft, respond to the discussion questions at the end. Then compare "Shoppers" to the student's revised version of the essay, "Shopping at the Pig."
A Classification Essay (Revised)
The following classification essay, "Shopping at the Pig," is a revised version of the draft "Shoppers." See if you can identify the numerous changes that have been in this revision, and consider the extent to which the essay has been improved as a result.
The following classification essay, "Shopping at the Pig," is a revised version of the draft "Shoppers." See if you can identify the numerous changes that have been in this revision, and consider the extent to which the essay has been improved as a result.
Tips for Taking Essay Exams
These tips you should help you to manage exam pressures and compose a strong essay.
These tips you should help you to manage exam pressures and compose a strong essay.
Rhetorical Analysis of E. B. White's "The Ring of Time"
One way to develop our own essay-writing skills is to carefully examine how professional writers achieve a range of different effects in their work. Such a study is called a rhetorical analysis. Here you will find a sample rhetorical analysis of E. B. White's essay "The Ring of Time."
One way to develop our own essay-writing skills is to carefully examine how professional writers achieve a range of different effects in their work. Such a study is called a rhetorical analysis. Here you will find a sample rhetorical analysis of E. B. White's essay "The Ring of Time."
Preparing an Argument
The best way to get ready to explain and defend a position on some issue is to explore a topic thoughtfully, considering both sides of the issue before preparing an essay plan.
The best way to get ready to explain and defend a position on some issue is to explore a topic thoughtfully, considering both sides of the issue before preparing an essay plan.
Self-Evaluation of Essays
Writing a brief self-evaluation each time you have completed a writing project will make you more aware of your strengths as a writer and help you to see more clearly what skills you need to work on.
Writing a brief self-evaluation each time you have completed a writing project will make you more aware of your strengths as a writer and help you to see more clearly what skills you need to work on.
Revision Checklist
This checklist should serve as a guide when it comes time to revise your writing.
This checklist should serve as a guide when it comes time to revise your writing.
Ten Quick Tips to Improve Your Writing
Whether we're composing a blog or a business letter, an email or an essay, our goal should be to respond clearly and directly to the needs and interests of our readers. These ten tips should help us to improve our writing whenever we set out to inform or persuade.
Whether we're composing a blog or a business letter, an email or an essay, our goal should be to respond clearly and directly to the needs and interests of our readers. These ten tips should help us to improve our writing whenever we set out to inform or persuade.
Ten Tips on How to Write a Professional Email
Email is the most common form of written communication in the business world--and the most commonly abused. Follow these ten tips to keep your messages clear, concise, professional, and polite.
Email is the most common form of written communication in the business world--and the most commonly abused. Follow these ten tips to keep your messages clear, concise, professional, and polite.
Three Good Reasons Not to Buy an Online Essay
Stop right there. You're not going to do it. You're not going to cheat. You're not going to buy an essay or a term paper online. And here's why.
Stop right there. You're not going to do it. You're not going to cheat. You're not going to buy an essay or a term paper online. And here's why.
Music Review: "A New Voice Emerges in Paris"
Notice how music journalist Erin O'Keefe has based this review of "Klima" on an interview with the artist as well as on her own thoughtful response to the music.
Notice how music journalist Erin O'Keefe has based this review of "Klima" on an interview with the artist as well as on her own thoughtful response to the music.
Tips for Composing a Family Newsletter
A family newsletter doesn't have to be silly or boring. One that's fairly brief, thoughtfully composed, and marked by a sense of humor can be a charming way of staying in touch with distant friends.
A family newsletter doesn't have to be silly or boring. One that's fairly brief, thoughtfully composed, and marked by a sense of humor can be a charming way of staying in touch with distant friends.