What Is a Five Paragraph Essay?
Because a five-paragraph essay is a chosen vehicle for measuring a student’s writing proficiency, it is essential that each master this patterned format writing to score well.
What Is a 5 Paragraph Essay?
Students at the college or university level are often required to write essays as part of an exam or as a general writing-composition assignment. Unless an assignment calls for a more in-depth composition (persuasive essay, research paper, dissertation), or if a written exam instructs otherwise, more than likely the student is to respond to a question or write on a topic in the form of a five-paragraph essay. While many students are taught in high school how to write this particular type of essay, it may seem a foreign concept to others.
Students must be able to apply these skills and their knowledge of that material in the form of an essay. An essay of this sort may have them making an argument, or simply conveying information on a given topic, to their instructor or professor.
In most instances, whether for an exam or an assignment, instructions will not always specify that the student responds to a question in the form of this particular kind of essay – “Respond to the following questions in a five-paragraph essay.” Unless students are asked to write longer-type papers, or responses in brief one-paragraph segments in exams, writing a five-paragraph essay may be the safest approach – and it is always beneficial to know the formula for writing one.
5 Paragraph Essay Outline
An essay can be written in just FIVE paragraphs. Here is a detailed information about a 5 paragraph essay outline.
Introduction
The first paragraph, the introduction, includes an opening, topical sentence as a way to ease the reader into the essay; secondly, this paragraph states the topic (a text, book, article, or issue, etc.) being examined in an accompanying thesis statement, a single-sentence summary of the argument the student is making in the rest of the paper – the claim the student is making about the topic. If it’s not an argument the student is making, it is best if they view the thesis statement as a declaration or theory that is put forward as a premise for the rest of the paper.
Body Paragraphs
Often referred to as “the meat of the essay,” the next three paragraphs support and evidence the thesis statement. Each one usually begins with some kind of transition (first of all, secondly, lastly) and a topic sentence to keep the reader’s focus on the topic at hand – and each one includes very pertinent information and in no particular order: each paragraph needs to restate the thesis but in a different way than it was originally written in the introduction without diluting the original argument.
Once again, each of these body paragraphs serves to evidence the thesis – to build a stronger argument for the student making the case of something.
Each of these body paragraphs, usually, are to include a quote, or paraphrase, or summary, as well as a commentary on how these points of evidence defend or make a stronger argument. Also known as the body paragraphs, the three paragraphs take on different aspects or elements of a story or topic – whatever is needed to defend the thesis – and always tie into the argument being made.
Conclusion
The conclusion paragraph restates, in a clever way, the argument first declared in the introductory paragraph and summarizes the most important points that comprised the three body paragraphs. By this time, the student, if they have made a valid argument with this five-paragraph essay, will have convinced the reader (most likely the professor or instructor) that their argument is valid.
Again, a 5 paragraph essay format is used to argue a position in a thorough, persuasive manner; and, in some entry-level composition courses, a professor will require their students to submit papers in this genre to build the student’s analytical and writing skills and to demonstrate their understanding of a given topic.
If you are going to write a five-paragraph essay and would like to receive quality academic guidance and assistance, we are happy to help. We have experts in writing all kinds of essay types and guarantee you a quality of service. Rest assured: your paper will be properly written and formatted, will contain only recent research data and will be fully original. We guarantee you total customer satisfaction – to inform the details of your assignment, place an order.
