The purpose of this resource is to:
University writing consists of multiple genres (types of writing). These include reports, presentations, case studies, annotated bibliographies, reflective assignments, essays, and many others. In each case, a particular structure is used to achieve a specific purpose.
For academic essays, a simple, flexible structure is used to present an academic argument (or series of arguments).
Usually, your tutors will set a question or series of questions in the assignment brief, and your essay’s argument(s) will be a response to these. However, in some assignments, you may be given the option of developing your own question.
In either case, a well-organised essay structure will help you to:
Academic essays have the same basic structure:
In the diagram below, the top triangle indicates a progression from general to specific information, while the bottom one indicates the reverse.
An introduction is usually approximately 10% of the word count. Unless your introduction is over 250 words, it is usually best to present your introduction as one paragraph. This strategy helps signal the transition from your introduction into your main body.
Your introduction needs two primary elements:
Background information orientates your reader ahead of reading your essay. Start with broader information and then narrow your focus.
You will need to include:
Providing a preview of your essay, helps set the reader’s expectations. Choose one or more of the following options to best suit your essay:
e.g. ‘This essay will discuss/examine/consider…’
e.g. ‘To do so, the [theory/model/approach] will be used.’
e.g. ‘This essay argues that…’
e.g. First, [item one] will be presented; second, [item two] will be analysed…
Top tips:
The main body is where you present your answer to the essay question. In other words, this is where you provide your argument.
What is the main argument?
At a minimum, an academic argument is made up of two components:
Note: In many cases, an essay question requires more than one argument, or a series of sub-arguments. You may also have more than one question to respond to in the assignment brief.
Top tip:
A good academic argument often recognises complexity. For example, a simple “Yes” to the question “Does exercise benefit mental health?” is unlikely to get you a good grade, even if it is well-evidenced.
An argument can be strengthened by including critical thinking. For example, by considering:
Organising your argument
Your argument will need to be organised into a series of main points. Each point has its own paragraph. Your main body will be organised like this:
There are various models of paragraph structure which can help you organise the sentences within your paragraph. There are some resources in the reference list you may want to use. However, whichever model you use, each paragraph will need at least:
In addition, your markers are also likely to expect your paragraph to end with:
When moving onto a new point, it can be helful to use signal phrases such as ‘first’, ‘secondly’, ‘similarly’, ‘in contrast’, ‘next’ or ‘finally’ at the start of the next paragraph.
Conclusions remind the reader of what you have argued. This is your chance to ensure your reader takes away the main points you want them to remember.
Orgnaise your conclusion in the following way:
Your references should usually be on a separate page and laid out according to the referencing style required by your department.
Attempting to develop a structure for your essay can feel daunting, and we all plan differently. Before writing your plan, ensure you fully understand the question(s) in the brief. This may require background reading. Then undertake focused, critical reading that allows you to develop an answer to the questions in the brief and to provide evidence your argument.
You may want to use this step-by-step strategy to develop a robust essay plan that presents your argument clearly.
Write an answer to the question(s) in the brief in one or two sentences. You can use these sentences as a basis for your thesis statement in the introduction and your conclusion.
These are the points that will make up your main body and together add up to constitute your argument. You can use these key points to write your paragraph’s topic sentences within the body of your essay.
Arrange your points in a logical sequence. For example, you could organise your points in the following ways:
This may be from your reading (e.g. data, evidence, theory, examples) and/or from your case study, if you have been given one. You may need to do additional research at this stage if you don’t feel your points are well-supported.
You can include two types of counter-arguments:
A counter-argument in response to your wider argument. This will require at least one paragraph to:
A counter-argument in response to individual points in the main body. These can be located within the paragraph about the relevant point or as a separate paragraph. These counter-arguments will still require a rebuttal and a conclusion, but this may be less in-depth.
Once you have drafted your essay, you may need to revise your structure. For example, you may need to reorder your paragraphs, add a new paragraph, or delete a paragraph. This is a normal part of the writing process.
Why not test your knowledge from this resource by completing an exercise in Appendix One in pdf download of this resource.
Monash University. (2023a). How to build an essay: Body paragraphs. https://www.monash.edu/learnhq/write-like-a-pro/how-to-write.../essay/how-to-build-an-essay#tabs__2725037-03
Monash University. (2023b). How to build an essay: Outline. https://www.monash.edu/learnhq/write-like-a-pro/how-to-write.../essay/how-to-build-an-essay#tabs__2725037-01
The University of Adelaide. (2014). Writing essays: Writing centre learning guide. https://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/sites/default/files/docs/learningguide-writingessays.pdf
The University of Birmingham. (2015). A short guide to paragraph structure. https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/as/libraryservices/library/asc/documents/public/Short-Guide-Paragraph-Structure.pdf
The University of Birmingham. (2017). A short guide to essay planning and structure. https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/as/libraryservices/library/asc/documents/public/short-guide-essay-planning.pdf
The University of Melbourne. (n.d.). Six top tips for writing a great essay. https://students.unimelb.edu.au/academic-skills/resources/essay-writing/six-top-tips-for-writing-a-great-essay
The University of New South Wales. (2022). Write your essay. https://www.student.unsw.edu.au/writing-your-essay
CAW offers writing development workshops across all genres of academic writing. In order to build on your learning, you may find the following workshops useful:
To view available workshops and book online, visit: https://libcal.coventry.ac.uk/calendar/caw
To book a one-to-one tutorial with the Centre for Academic Writing: https://libguides.coventry.ac.uk/cawlibcalhome
Guide to Referencing: https://libguides.coventry.ac.uk/referencing