College Application Essays
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Lesson Three: Example Essay Structures
The following
structures are demonstrated and discussed: Example Structure The Example Structure follows the rules of a traditional
academic essay: begin with a main argument or thesis statement, follow this
with three pieces of evidence that support the argument, and wrap up by stating
what the essay has shown. This is a good structure to use when making a single,
strong point. Its power lies in its simplicity. Because it allows you to
present several points neatly in support of a single claim, it is especially
useful for making a persuasive argument. This format will be most helpful when
writing short essays, but for longer personal statements, it might appear
formulaic and dull. One of the more creative structures described below might
draw attention more successfully to your writing. Click here for a sample of
an Example Essay. Back to Top
Compare and Contrast
Structure For some questions, this structure is a natural choice, as in
the personal growth and development question, which asks you to compare
yourself now to the way you once were. You can structure a cause-and-effect
essay point for point, by comparing one aspect of the object or situation at a
time. Or you can choose to employ the block method by thoroughly covering all
the points of the first object or situation in the first half of the essay and
then comparing it with all the points of the other in the last half. Click here for a sample of
a Compare and Contrast Essay. Back to Top
Narrative or Chronological
Structure If you have decided to focus on a single event in your life, you
will want to use this structure. It can be filled with action, dialogue, and
subtle details. Although, you should not confuse effective drama with
overwrought, Hollywood-style melodrama. The briefest and simplest of events can
take on meaning when told convincingly. Using a chronological or narrative
structure over a long period of time (anything more than a day or two) can
often read like a ship’s log. You don’t want to sound like
you’re rattling off a schedule of events. Rather, take on the role of
storyteller and provide great detail about a very specific set of events. The
sequence of events will help reinforce flow from one stage of the essay to the
next and will make the difficult task of transitioning between paragraphs very
natural. While the narrative is one of the most effective forms of writing for
an essay, it can also be difficult. Use the following tips as your write your
narrative: - Make the reader aware of chronology and keep the story
generally moving forward.
- Don’t feel obligated to tell more of the story than
you need to convey your point. Extra details distract from the main drive of
the story.
- Try not to use reflective conclusions or introductions
describing what you learned; start and end with the action and have everything
take place within the context of the story.
- Describe events, people, and places in very specific,
colorful terms.
Narrative can be combined with other structures
for an approach that is less risky but still interesting. Beginning an essay
with a brief story is the most common and effective of such methods. Another
twist on the narrative essay is one that describes a single place, person, or
action in great detail. It appeals to the senses of the audience without
necessarily drawing on the action of a story. There is no standard structure
found in this type of essay -- each is differently organized -- but all rely on
crisp imagery and sensory detail, leaving the reader with a single, vivid
image. Single images are easier to remember than a list of points, qualities,
traits, or qualifications, no matter how impressive any one or all of them may
be. Still, this is a risky approach and is best employed when you have to
provide multiple essays for one school so that you have a chance to structure
your other essays more traditionally. Click here for samples
of Narrative Essays. Back to Top
Descriptive
Structure This is similar to the chronological structure
except that instead of walking step by step through increments of time, it
follows step by step through a description of a place, person, or thing. The
first paragraph gives an introduction describing the general feel of the place,
person, or thing. The body paragraphs offer in-depth descriptions of two or
three particular aspects of the place, person, or thing. In the last paragraph,
the writer steps out of the descriptive mode and offers a brief conclusion of
what the place, person, or thing says about him or her. Click here for a
sample of a Descriptive Essay. Back to Top
Cause-and-Effect
Structure Often times you will be asked for a life-changing experience or
about someone or something that has had a great influence on you. This
structure shows that you understand and appreciate the effect that other
entities have had on your development and maturity. For these essays, you will
want to use the body paragraphs to first describe the influence and then move
onto how that has had an effect on you. You can either divide the essay into a
“cause section” and an “effect section” or you can mesh the
two together by taking each small description one by one and explaining the
effect it has had on you. If you decide to use this structure, be sure that you
don't write yourself out of the equation; make the point that you were the
catalyst between the cause and the effect. That way, you demonstrate that you
know how to take action and create change. Click here for a sample of a
Cause and Effect Essay. Back to Top
Continue to Sample Outline and
Essay From ESSAYS THAT WILL GET
YOU INTO COLLEGE, by Amy Burnham, Daniel Kaufman, and Chris Dowhan. Copyright
1998 by Dan Kaufman. Reprinted by arrangement with Barron's Educational Series,
Inc. | 