• Introduction
• Main body paragraphs
• Conclusion

Download these additional resources:

• Essay structure
• Structure of an essay template

• TEDed lessons worth sharing: the power of a great introduction

Grammar describes how language works. Following the basic rules of English grammar is what allows you to communicate with others. Developing and learning how to apply those rules will improve your oral and written communication skills.

Download the resources below:

• Sentence Structure: MHCBE
• Grammar Study Zone: UVIC
• Grammar and Punctuation: TRU

• University of Wisconsin: Twelve Common Errors in Grammar and Punctuation
• Grande Prairie College: Transitional Words and Phrases 
• TEDed Lessons Worth Sharing: How Misused Modifiers can Hurt Your Writing

Punctuation is the marks in your writing. It separates thoughts, words, and parts of speech to give your audience direction when they read. There are basic rules to punctuation, like there are for grammar. By following and learning these rules, your writing skills will develop.

Download the resources below:

• Punctuation review

• LC eLearning Café: Punctuation
• TEDed Lessons Worth Sharing: Comma Story
• TEDed Lessons Worth Sharing: How to Use a Semi-Colon
• TEDed Lessons Worth Sharing: When to Use an Apostrophe
  

The first, and most crucial, step to take before you begin writing or doing research is to understand what your assignment is asking you to do by reading your assignment outline. This is important because:

• All the key information to do your assignment is in the assignment outline
• Failure to read your assignment outline carefully could result in an unfocused and unanswered paper

Download the resource below for steps to avoid this:

• Understanding Your Assignment

Useful link:

• University of Leicester: Essay Terms Explained

There is more than one form of an academic essay. Depending on the course or discipline, you may be asked to write anything from an annotated bibliography to a case study, and everything in between. Each type of assignment has its own writing formats and expectations, and you have to know how, for example, a research paper in Philosophy differs from a research paper in English. Use the resources below to help you!

Download the resources below:

• Compare and Contrast: Venn Diagram
• Compare and Contrast: Chart Diagram
• Research Paper Notes Sheet
• Concept Maps Outline KPU
• Concept Maps Template
• Writing the Persuasive Essay WUSD
• Persuasive/Argumentative Essay Notes Sheet FHSD
• Persuasive Essay: Graphic Organizers FHSD
• Writing a Critical Summary
• Case Study
• Annotated Bibliographies
• Scientific Research Proposal

Thesis Development

A thesis statement is your answer to the essay question. It is the point you want to argue and prove in your paper. It is, in essence, the foundation of your paper and it will serve to guide you in writing the entire paper. A strong thesis statement is:

• Clear
• Concise
• Not a generalization
• Something that can be proven in the scope of your paper

If your thesis is not clear and too broad, the rest of your paper will suffer.

Download the resources below for help on how to narrow and check your thesis:

• Thesis Development and Supporting Argument
• Thesis Statement Checklist Graph
• Thesis Statement Checklist
• University of Leicester’s Essay Terms Explained

Supporting Argument

The supporting argument is the area of the essay where you have to prove and support your thesis. This is where you will provide evidence and research to back your points/arguments up. Generally:

• The content of your research is usually stated in the essay question (ex. novel, time period, etc.)

• Remember after your evidence is provided, you have to explain how it supports or relates to your thesis! You can’t put a whole bunch of research in one paragraph and expect that alone to back up your thesis. Your evidence is supplementary; it will not prove your thesis if you do not explain how it does.

• Use the University of Hull’s Main Paragraph Acronyms when planning and outlining your body paragraphs:

TEA (Topic, Evidence, Analysis)

PEE (Point, Evidence, Explanation)

WEED (What is the topic?, Evidence, Explanation, Did I relate it to my thesis?)

Writing is a process. It is not something that can be done in one sitting. The entire process has 4 stages:

• Prewriting
• Drafting
• Revising
• Publishing

Download the resources below:

• The Writing Process
• Pre-Writing Essay Map 
• Research Paper Notes Sheet

Useful links:

• TEDed Lessons Worth Sharing: The Power of Simple Words

A key component for the writing process to work is managing your time well. If you struggle with time management, check out the resources below:

• UBC Assignment Calculator
• The Research Paper Navigator

If time management is a consistent struggle, connect with the Academic Strategist for support and guidance.

Citing means to quote. In an academic paper, citing is quoting ownership and authorship to outside material that you use. As a student at MHC, you are expected to understand and practice Academic Integrity in your writing. This means properly citing and referencing research and words that are not your own. If you try to use someone else’s wording or work as your own, that is plagiarism and it is an academic offence that can have huge consequences on your academic and professional career. The main citation styles you will come across at MHC are:

• MLA
• APA

You may come across other citation styles depending on the course and instructor preference.

Visit the MHC’s library page for citation guides and handouts for APA and MLA style.

Other Online Resources:

• Citation and Quotes Note Sheet
• Writing and Citation Guides 
• TEDed Lessons Worth Sharing: The Punishable Perils of Plagiarism 

If you struggle with paraphrasing and not knowing what is and is not acceptable, check out the module below for examples and information.

• Acadia University: Plagiarism Module

Self-editing is an important step in the writing process. It is an act of finding and revising mistakes, and like every step in the writing process it takes time to develop. Learning to edit your own writing is important because:

• It gives you a chance to understand your strengths and weaknesses as a writer
• This strengthens your writing skills

• 6 Steps to Self-Edit Essays
• Self-and-Peer Editing Checklist 
• Self-Editing Grammar and Punctuation 
• Common Errors in Essay Writing 

In-Class Essays
Essay exams usually have fewer questions than regular final exams, and often those few questions are related to each other, but worded and focused slightly differently. Doing well on essay exams demands that you be well and thoroughly prepared with the concepts, ideas, theories, and arguments from your course. In general, you need to be able to think critically and to communicate your thoughts in written form.

Download the resource below:

• In-Class Essay Exam Prep
• UofW: Take-Home Essay Exams
• IPFW: Guide to Writing In-Class Essays

Useful links:

• Simon Fraser University- Exam Preparation: Strategies for Essay Exams