A Different Kind of Writing

Happy Saturday lovely readers, T. C. Arc here!

Last week was a bit off schedule because I caught a cold but I'm feeling much better now and so today's post is a tad longer to make up for last week, enjoy!

Now that school is back in session a certain type of writing is taking over writing for fun. That’s right, you guessed it, essays, papers, and assignments, oh my! Today I’m going to give some pointers that will hopefully help you all in your academic writing ventures.

Outlining

Just like in story writing, there is a planning aspect to writing papers. Instead of plotting however, it is important to outline your academic writing. Outlining helps you to organize your thoughts and what paragraph the thought should go in. You don’t need to use super formal language in your outline, this is just to help you get started and brainstorm. Below is a sort of template for how I outline my paper:

1. Title of this Paragraph (ex. Body Paragraph One)

   1. What I am trying to explain in this paragraph (ex. Why fall is the best season)

   2. An example or reason why my point is valid (ex. We get to wear cost clothes)

   3. Another example or reason if I have one (ex. It is the start of the holiday season)

   4. The conclusion I want to draw from this paragraph (ex. Fall is the best season because we get to enjoy cooler weather, cozy clothes, and start the holiday season)

2. Repeat with the rest of your necessary amount of paragraphs

Paragraph Structure

In my seventh grade English class, my teacher taught me a way to structure paragraphs, and I still use it today! The acronym to remember the structure is I SEEC. Below I will explain what I SEEC means:

1. (I) Introduction Sentence

   1. This sentence introduces your paragraph and gives you the first opportunity to interest your reader.

   2. Tip: use flashier language that make your topic sound more exciting

   3. Example: Pumpkin spice, colorful leaves, and perfect weather are just a few of the amazing qualities of Fall.

2. (S) Statement Sentence

   1. This sentence gives you the opportunity to state the main point or idea.

   2. Example: Fall is the best season

3. (E) Example Sentence

   1. This sentence gives you the opportunity to state an example of when your point is true

   2. Tip: if you are required to quote from a certain text, this would be the ideal place to do so.

   3. Example: Every fall, Halloween and harvest themed festivals and activities are enjoyed by the whole town.

4. (E) Explanation Sentence

   1. In this sentence you explain your example and why it relates to your topic.

   2. Tip: Sometimes you may need to list several examples in your paragraph. This is totally doable, just make sure you explain each example.

   3. Example: The festivals bring people together in the festive spirit, allowing for everyone to enjoy the wonderful things the season brings together.

5. (C) Conclusion Sentence

   1. Last but not least, this sentence allows you to wrap up and conclude why your main point is true.

   2. Tip: Conclusion sentences can also be used to segway into your next body paragraph for a smoother transition.

   3. Example: Fall is the most wonderful season of all because you can enjoy cooler weather, cozy clothes, and the company of your loved ones.

Hopefully I didn’t bore you to death with those pointers, but everything above has really helped me in my academic writing (Can you tell that I want to be a teacher? XD). I SEEC is especially helpful for me during timed essays when I get stressed out. I know I always have a structure to get me started. I wish you all the best of luck in your academic endeavors, and until next time I wish you happy writing!