This is a list:

water bottle
sweater
compass
sandwiches
camera
This is also a list:
I need a water bottle for the hike in case I get thirsty.
A sweater is useful if it gets cold.
A compass will help me go in the right direction.
Sandwiches will be an easy-to-carry snack.
I can use a camera to take pictures of unusual or attractive places.
1.2 Is the following a list or a paragraph?

I need a water bottle for the hike in case I get thirsty. A sweater is useful if it gets cold.
A compass will help me go in the right direction. Sandwiches will be an easy-to-carry snack. I can use
a camera to take pictures of unusual or attractive places.

It is not a paragraph, but a list of sentences.

It is in paragraph form because it begins with an indent.

Even though it is in paragraph form, it is not a paragraph. But WHY?

1.3 Why isn’t it a paragraph?
It isn’t a paragraph because it has no central idea.
Without a central idea, a group of sentences is just a list, and not an actual paragraph.

1.4 Can we make it a paragraph?

Yes, we can.
How can we make it a paragraph?
We can make it a paragraph by giving it a central idea, or a focus.
How do we give it a focus?
We give it a focus by standing the central idea of the paragraph in one sentence.
What is this sentence called?
It is called the topic sentence. The topic sentence is usually found at the beginning of every paragraph.
1.5 Let's look at the sentences again:
I need a water bottle for the hike in case I get thirsty. A sweater is useful if it gets cold. A compass will
help me go in the right direction. Sandwiches will be an easy-to-carry snack. I can use a camera to
take pictures of unusual or attractive places.
1.6 Let's try to supply a central idea for the senteces.
All the sentences talk about things needed for a hike.
In a few words, write a central idea for these sentences. Be sure that your central idea covers all of
the ideas in the sentences. So write a complete sentence containing the central idea.
This is your topic sentence.
Each paragraph needs
a topic sentence.

And how many paragraphs do we need?

Introduction (1 paragraph)
Body (1 or 2 paragraphs)
Conclusion (1 paragraph)

FOCUSING ON ESSAYS
What’s an essay?

What is an essay?
An essay is a piece of writing that methodically analyses and evaluates a topic or
issue. Fundamentally, an essay is designed to get your academic opinion on a particular matter. Many
students get confused about the word 'opinion' in academic writing, and think that academic writing
should just stick to reporting the facts and forget about opinion altogether.
 Writing a great essay is not about simply surveying and re-telling existing ideas. Instead, a good
essay takes into account various opinions and points of view and puts forward an argument that
reflects the writer's informed opinion. Before you begin planning any essay, then, it’s crucial to
have a clear idea of what you think about your topic; you need to have a position,
argument, or clear stance on a topic, that you defend with evidence and argument. This is what's
called your thesis statement.

ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR A KILLING ESSAY

INTRODUCTION
Thesis statement
 DEVELOPMENT
In the main body of your essay, each paragraph should be based on a separate but related aspect of
the main topic of the essay. They should supplement each of your points with the evidence you have
collected. Supporting your statements is vital. This will not only get you extra marks but will also
sometimes suggest additional lines of thought which may be helpful, if relevant to the main argument.
Try to end each paragraph with a ‘hook’ to the next, with an idea that introduces the topic of the next
paragraph. This will help your essay flow better and your ideas will lead to your conclusion.
You can develop your paragraphs in several ways:
• Sequential writing, where one event follows naturally from another
• Elaborative writing, where you develop a point made previously
• Contrast/compare, where an idea contradicts or questions a point in the previous paragraph
 CONCLUSION

FOCUS ON PLANNING
ONE OF THE VERY FOUNDATIONS OF A GOOD ESSAY IS PLANNING. PLANNING IS THE FIRST STEP TO
SUCCESS.
Take a look at some different ways you can organise your production.