Arriving At The Optimum 5 Paragraph Essay Outline
A 5 paragraph essay outline would simply incorporate all content to be included within 5 paragraphs. Students often start with the basic 3 paragraph essay which includes the introduction, body of a single paragraph, and a conclusion. They then attempt essays in 5 paragraphs. The basic difference is that the body of the essay would be covered in 3 paragraphs instead of just one. The fundamentals of gathering content within an outline helps in creating a method that could be used for all 5-paragraph essays, irrespective of the topic.
The first paragraph would contain the introduction containing the essay statement. It is the most important statement in the essay. The topic is introduced to readers through the essay statement, which should attract readers like a magnet. It provides a clear picture of what is to follow in the essay without giving away the solution. Readers are looking for solutions to their problems. The essay statement should convince them that the solution lies ahead in the essay. Some readers may be looking for fresh information. If they are convinced that they would benefit by reading the essay, they would continue reading it. This emotion has to invoked by the essay statement. The rest of the introduction could include support statements that link closely to the it. For example, in a persuasive essay, the support statements could provide the direction the essay would take in terms of arguments that support or oppose the essay statement.
In a 5 paragraph essay outline, the body of the essay would be divided into three paragraphs. in a persuasive essay, each paragraph would elaborate on an argument. Again, each argument would link to the essay statement and to the other arguments sequentially. For example, if the topic is “Can smoking be banned in colleges,” the body of the essay would have support arguments either accepting the contention or not. In either case, the most likely reason would be listed first followed by less likely reasons. The arguments have to be backed by solid evidence from reliable sources. The 5 paragraph essay format would ensure that consistency is maintained throughout the 5 paragraphs in terms of writing style and connectivity between the paragraphs. A very good method would be to move into an argument with the help of examples, analysis, and an active discussion with strong viewpoints.
The conclusion just reiterates what was said earlier in the introduction and body of the essay. The purpose of the conclusion is to remind readers of the viewpoint held by the writer. Students must learn to end the 5-paragraph essay outline with a convincing conclusion. It can help generate a feeling of expectation by leading readers into an extension of the essay either in the form of some action they must take to complete their understanding of the topic or read supplementary information that would convince them further that that the writer’s viewpoint is the right one. If the essay brings in more people to read it, the outline is effective. Writers could use the same outline for all 5-paragraph essay assignments.
