Arrangement: Write a Sectional Essay

• Essay paragraph getting too long? You might need to split paragraphs and use sections.
• For example, a 9-11 paragraph problem-solution essay:
  • Introduction section (1 paragraph)
  • Description section (1-3 paragraphs)
  • Problems section (3 paragraphs)
  • Solution section (3 paragraphs)
  • Conclusion section (1 paragraph)

Add subheadings for each section

• This section is easier to understand if you’re looking at the template I sent
• Subheading before every section (except usually Introduction).
  • Heading 2 style in template, or:
    • 12 pt, left aligned
    • Bold
    • Title Case
  • Blank line before each subheading
  • Subheading = short clear version of your section thesis
    • Columbia: Problems with Pollution
    • Comparison of USJ and Disney
    • Issues Experience by Blue Whales
    • USJ and Disney: A Comparison
    • Comparison 2
    • Issues

Careful with how you start the section.

You need BOTH section thesis AND paragraph topic. e.g. “This SECTION looks at…FIrst this PARAGRAPH examines”

• Problems Paragraph
  • Paragraph Topic Sentence “This paragraph outlines three problems…”
  • Problem 1
    • Structure sentence (“The first problem is”)
    • Detail sentence 1
    • Detail sentence 2
  • Problem 2
    • etc

But a problems SECTION might look like this:

• Problems SECTION
  • Problem 1
    • SECTION THESIS STATEMENT “This SECTION outlines three problems…”
    • ALSO A Paragraph Topic sentence (“The first problem is”)
    • Detail 1 sentence 1
    • Detail 1 sentence 2
    • Detail 2 sentence 1
    • Detail 2 sentence 2
  • Problem 2
    • etc

Careful how you end the section and paragraph

• Ask yourself - how many summaries do I need?
  • Paragraphs and section? Only if section is REALLY long.
  • Paragraph summaries only (not recommended, not sure where this would work)
  • End of each section only (recommended for repetitive “three problems” type sections
• Ask yourself - how many links do I need?
  • Everywhere
    • “The next paragraph”-“The next paragraph”-“The next paragraph”-“The next section”
    • Only if each paragraph is different style (e.g. description-proble-solution SECTION
  • Section only
    • No paragraph summaries. Just “The next section”
    • (better for repetitive “three problems” type section.

Style tips

• Bored of “this paragraph…this paragraph”? See the worksheet on topic sentence for alternatives.
• Be careful with nested style
  • e.g. don’t use “Secondly” in the middle of a paragraph that starts “The third”
  • e.g. don’t use “Finally” in the middle of an essay.
  • Instead, use “One—Another—Yet another” or alternatives