Chapter 1: What an Essay Does

What You Will Make

Write a short statement of your essay’s purpose. It should name the subject and the work you will do with it: explain, interpret, compare, argue, or reflect. Your assignment determines the task; an essay does not always need to persuade someone to take an action.

Move Beyond Naming the Subject

An essay gives a reader a path through your thinking. An introduction establishes direction, body paragraphs develop it, and a conclusion considers the result. The number and arrangement of paragraphs depend on the task and material. Use your teacher’s required structure where one is given.

An analytical essay examines how details create meaning. An argumentative essay defends a position against reasonable alternatives. An expository essay explains a subject; a reflective essay examines experience in relation to learning. These purposes can overlap, so read the actual instructions before choosing a form.

Follow an Example

In the fictional teaching passage “The Empty Chair”, Mina initially blocks a chair with her backpack and later invites another student to sit beside her.

Retelling: “Mina puts a bag on a chair, watches a student with a chessboard, and later speaks to him.” This records events.

Analytical direction: “I will explain how Mina’s changing use of the chair suggests greater willingness to connect, while her final gesture leaves her feelings uncertain.” This gives the essay something to establish through details.

The second version is appropriate for an assignment asking how the chair shows change. It would not automatically answer a task asking you to compare two stories or describe your own experience. Good writing still needs to answer the right question.

Try It Yourself

Take your assignment and write “My subject is…” followed by “My job is to…”. Add one source detail you could examine. If you are using the fictional passage, decide whether the bag, the invitation, or the hand on the chair best supports your starting idea.

Possible result: “My subject is Mina’s behaviour. My job is to explain how the chair reveals a change, using the blocked seat and later invitation.” You now have a direction, even though the final interpretation remains open.

Check Your Work

• Does the purpose match the assignment’s task?
• Have you named a question or relationship to examine rather than only a topic?
• Can you identify material that could support or challenge your answer?

If the purpose could describe almost any essay, narrow it before making the plan.