From the course: College Prep: Writing a Strong Essay

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Finding an organizational structure

Finding an organizational structure

From the course: College Prep: Writing a Strong Essay

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Finding an organizational structure

- One of the most critical decisions to make when you start writing is to find an organizational structure that suits your essay. In my experience, I find that most high school students mistakenly believe that there is only one choice, the five-paragraph essay. You know, the one where you have a broad to specific introduction stating your thesis, three body paragraphs that develop it, then a specific to broad conclusion that restates the thesis? Yes, I thought that would sound familiar. While this structure can work just fine for an analysis or argument paper, it definitely isn't your best choice for a college application essay. The five-paragraph essay is an example of what is known as the deductive structure. You start with providing the reader your thesis and then you prove it. In a personal narrative, such as a college application essay, however, you actually may be better off putting your thesis statement at the end of your essay. This organizational structure, known as the…

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