The basic essay

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Learning Centre
 
 
This resource and others are available at www.douglascollege.ca/learningcentre 
WR 4.30 (8/20) 

The Basic Essay

Instructors use the term “essay” to refer to a wide range of written work. Usually, they mean a piece of 
writing that has several paragraphs and has one focus or idea. This resource discusses a basic essay 
format and the three main parts: the introductory, body and concluding paragraphs. 
A Visual Overview of the Basic Essay 
One way to think of an essay is to think of a pillar on an old Greek or Roman temple. Picturing this image 
can help you remember some key issues about essay structure. 
The Introductory Paragraph 
The introductory paragraph should be brief, typically no more than about 6 sentences in a short essay. 
The introduction’s role is to: 
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To motivate your reader to read further
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To provide a context for your essay, and
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To clarify the purpose and scope of your essay.
The Thesis
: The most important part of the introduction is the thesis statement. It generally comes at 
the end of the introductory paragraph. The thesis statement typically expresses a point of view (or 
argument) about a topic. The purpose of the essay is to prove the truth of the thesis statement. Here 
are two examples of thesis statements: 
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In “The Necklace,” de Maupassant shows that personal tragedy can lead to strength of 
character.
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Although the raid at Dieppe was unsuccessful, it was necessary to boost the morale of the 
citizens of Allied countries.
Introductory
Paragraph 
Body
Paragraphs 
Concluding 
Paragraph
At the top, there is a wide part that narrows to the width of the 
pillar. This top part is like the introduction. It is broader than the 
content of the rest of the essay, but it narrows to a focussed 
thesis at the end of the introduction.
The body of the essay is represented by the column itself. The 
body stays within the confines of the focus of the thesis. The 
body of the essay is made up of building blocks which hold up 
the thesis. Each block is heavy and strong. The strength of a 
body paragraph comes from the strength of the evidence and 
explanation provided.
At the bottom, there is another part that widens out from the 
column to make a pedestal on the floor. In the same way, the 
conclusion begins with the narrower focus of the body 
paragraphs and thesis and then widens out to include other 
ideas. Notice how this pedestal is a mirror-image of the top of 
the pillar. Similarly, a conclusion is like a mirror-image of an 
introduction.

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The Basic Essay 
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