HOW TO STRUCTURE AN ESSAY | TIPS & TEMPLATES

The basic structure of an essay always consists of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. But for many
students, the most difficult part of structuring an essay is deciding how to organize information within the
body.
This article provides useful templates and tips to help you outline your essay, make decisions about your
structure, and organize your text logically.
The basics of essay structure
There are two main things to keep in mind when working on your essay structure: making sure to include
the right information in each part, and deciding how you’ll organize the information within the body.

PARTS OF AN ESSAY
The three parts that make up all essays are described in the table below.
PART CONTENT
 Presents your topic
Introduction  Provides background
 Gives your thesis statement
 Core arguments and analysis
 Presents evidence (e.g. quotes)
Body  One main point per paragraph
 Each paragraph starts with a topic sentence
 All paragraphs relate to your thesis
 Ties together your main points
Conclusion
 Shows why your argument matters
ORDER OF INFORMATION
You’ll also have to consider how to present information within the body. There are a few general principles
that can guide you here.
The first is that your argument should move from the simplest claim to the most complex. The body of a
good argumentative essay often begins with simple and widely accepted claims, and then moves towards
more complex and contentious ones.
For example, you might begin by describing a generally accepted philosophical concept, and then apply it to
a new topic. The grounding in the general concept will allow the reader to understand your unique
application of it.
The second principle is that background information should appear towards the beginning of your
essay. General background is presented in the introduction. If you have additional background to present,
this information will usually come at the start of the body.

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The third principle is that everything in your essay should be relevant to the thesis. Ask yourself whether
each piece of information advances your argument or provides necessary background. And make sure that
the text clearly expresses each piece of information’s relevance.
The sections below present several organizational templates for essays: the chronological approach, the
compare-and-contrast approach, and the problems-methods-solutions approach.

CHRONOLOGICAL STRUCTURE
The chronological approach (sometimes called the cause-and-effect approach) is probably the simplest way
to structure an essay. It just means discussing events in the order in which they occurred, discussing how
they are related (i.e. the cause and effect involved) as you go.
A chronological approach can be useful when your essay is about a series of events. Don’t rule out other
approaches, though—even when the chronological approach is the obvious one, you might be able to bring
out more with a different structure.
Explore the tabs below to see a general template and a specific example outline from an essay on the
invention of the printing press.
CHRONOLOGICAL ESSAY OUTLINE TEMPLATE
I. Introduction
A. Hook
B. Background
C. Thesis statement
II. Event/period one
A. Discussion of event/period
B. Consequences
III. Event/period two
A. Discussion of event/period
B. Consequences
IV. Event/period three
A. Discussion of event/period
B. Consequences
V. Conclusion
A. Summary
B. Importance of topic
C. Strong closing statement
CHRONOLOGICAL ESSAY OUTLINE EXAMPLE
I. Introduction

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 A. Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages
B. Background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press
C. Thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in
Europe, paving the way for the Reformation
II. Situation before the printing press
A. High levels of illiteracy in medieval Europe
B. Literacy and thus knowledge and education were mainly the domain of religious and political
elites
C. Consequence: this discouraged political and religious change
III. Invention and spread of the printing press
A. Invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg
B. Implications of the new technology for book production
C. Consequence: Rapid spread of the technology and the printing of the Gutenberg Bible
IV. Printing press’s influence on the Reformation
A. Trend for translating the Bible into vernacular languages during the years following the
printing press’s invention
B. Luther’s own translation of the Bible during the Reformation
C. Consequence: The large-scale effects the Reformation would have on religion and politics
V. Conclusion
A. Summarize the history described
B. Stress the significance of the printing press to the events of this period

COMPARE-AND-CONTRAST STRUCTURE
Essays with two or more main subjects are often structured around comparing and contrasting. For example,
a literary analysis essay might compare two different texts, and an argumentative essay might compare the
strengths of different arguments.
There are two main ways of structuring a compare-and-contrast essay: the alternating method, and the block
method.
ALTERNATING
In the alternating method, each paragraph compares your subjects in terms of a specific point of comparison.
These points of comparison are therefore what defines each paragraph.
The tabs below show a general template for this structure, and a specific example for an essay comparing
and contrasting distance learning with traditional classroom learning.
ALTERNATING ESSAY OUTLINE TEMPLATE

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 I. Introduction
A. Hook
B. Background
C. Thesis statement
II. First point of comparison
A. Subject 1
B. Subject 2
III. Second point of comparison
A. Subject 1
B. Subject 2
IV. Third point of comparison
A. Subject 1
B. Subject 2
V. Conclusion
A. Synthesis of argument
B. Importance of topic
C. Strong closing statement
ALTERNATING ESSAY OUTLINE EXAMPLE
I. Introduction
A. Topical relevance of distance learning in lockdown
B. Increasing prevalence of distance learning over the last decade
C. Thesis statement: While distance learning has certain advantages, it introduces multiple new
accessibility issues that must be addressed for it to be as effective as classroom learning
II. Teacher capacity to aid struggling students
A. Classroom learning: Ease of identifying difficulties and privately discussing them
B. Distance learning: Difficulty of noticing and unobtrusively helping
III. Accessibility issues
A. Classroom learning: Difficulties accessing the classroom (disability, distance travelled from
home)
B. Distance learning: Difficulties with online work (lack of tech literacy, unreliable connection,
distractions)
IV. Personal interaction and engagement
A. Classroom learning: Tends to encourage personal engagement among students and with
teacher, more relaxed social environment
B. Distance learning: Greater ability to reach out to teacher privately

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 V. Conclusion
A. Sum up, emphasize that distance learning introduces more difficulties than it solves
B. Stress the importance of addressing issues with distance learning as it becomes increasingly
common
C. Distance learning may prove to be the future, but it still has a long way to go

BLOCK
In the block method, each subject is covered all in one go, potentially across multiple paragraphs. For
example, you might write two paragraphs about your first subject and then two about your second subject,
making comparisons back to the first.
The tabs again show a general template, followed by another essay on distance learning, this time with the
body structured in blocks.
BLOCK ESSAY OUTLINE TEMPLATE
I. Introduction
A. Hook
B. Background
C. Thesis statement
II. First subject
A. Point 1
B. Point 2
III. Second subject
A. Point 1 (compare)
B. Point 2 (compare)
IV. Third subject, continued
A. Point 1 (compare)
B. Point 2 (compare)
V. Conclusion
A. Synthesis of argument
B. Importance of topic
C. Strong closing statement
BLOCK ESSAY OUTLINE EXAMPLE
I. Introduction
A. Topical relevance of distance learning in lockdown
B. Increasing prevalence of distance learning over the last decade

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 C. Thesis statement: While distance learning has certain advantages, it introduces multiple new
accessibility issues that must be addressed for it to be as effective as classroom learning
II. Distance learning: Accessibility
A. Advantages: Flexibility, accessibility
B. Disadvantages: Discomfort, challenges for those with poor internet or tech literacy
III. Distance learning: Personal interaction
A. Advantages: Potential for teacher to discuss issues with a student in a separate private call
B. Disadvantages: Difficulty of identifying struggling students and aiding them unobtrusively,
lack of personal interaction among students
IV. Classroom learning: Accessibility
A. Advantages: More accessible to those with low tech literacy, equality of all sharing one
learning environment
B. Disadvantages: Students must live close enough to attend, commutes may vary, classrooms
not always accessible for disabled students
V. Classroom learning: Personal interaction
A. Advantages: Ease of picking up on signs a student is struggling, more personal interaction
among students
B. Disadvantages: May be harder for students to approach teacher privately in person to raise
issues
VI. Conclusion
A. Sum up, emphasize that distance learning introduces more difficulties than it solves
B. Stress the importance of addressing issues with distance learning as it becomes increasingly
common
C. Distance learning may prove to be the future, but it still has a long way to go

PROBLEMS-METHODS-SOLUTIONS STRUCTURE
An essay that concerns a specific problem (practical or theoretical) may be structured according to the
problems-methods-solutions approach.
This is just what it sounds like: You define the problem, characterize a method or theory that may solve it,
and finally analyze the problem, using this method or theory to arrive at a solution. If the problem is
theoretical, the solution might be the analysis you present in the essay itself; otherwise, you might just
present a proposed solution.
The tabs below show a template for this structure and an example outline for an essay about the problem of
fake news.
PROBLEMS-METHODS-SOLUTIONS ESSAY OUTLINE TEMPLATE

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 I. Introduction
A. Introduce the problem
B. Provide background
C. Describe your approach to solve it
II. Problem
A. Define the problem precisely
B. Describe why it’s important
III. Method
A. Indicate previous approaches to the problem
B. Present your new approach, and why it is better
IV. Solution
A. Apply the new method or theory to the problem
B. Indicate the solution you arrive at by doing so
V. Conclusion
A. Assess (potential or actual) effectiveness of solution
B. Describe the implications
C. Strong closing statement
PROBLEMS-METHODS-SOLUTIONS ESSAY OUTLINE EXAMPLE
I. Introduction
A. Problem: The growth of “fake news” online
B. Prevalence of polarized/conspiracy-focused news sources online
C. Thesis statement: Rather than attempting to stamp out online fake news through social media
moderation, an effective approach to combating it must work with educational institutions to
improve media literacy
II. The problem of fake news
A. Definition: Deliberate disinformation designed to spread virally online
B. Popularization of the term, growth of the phenomenon
III. Media literacy
A. Previous approaches: Labeling and moderation on social media platforms
B. Critique: This approach feeds conspiracies; the real solution is to improve media literacy so
users can better identify fake news
IV. Educating news consumers
A. Greater emphasis should be placed on media literacy education in schools
B. This allows people to assess news sources independently, rather than just being told which
ones to trust

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 V. Conclusion
A. This is a long-term solution but could be highly effective
B. It would require significant organization and investment, but would equip people to judge
news sources more effectively
C. Rather than trying to contain the spread of fake news, we must teach the next generation not
to fall for it

SIGNPOSTING TO CLARIFY YOUR STRUCTURE

Signposting means guiding the reader through your essay with language that describes or hints at the
structure of what follows. It can help you clarify your structure for yourself as well as helping your reader
follow your ideas.
THE ESSAY OVERVIEW
In longer essays whose body is split into multiple named sections, the introduction often ends with an
overview of the rest of the essay. This gives a brief description of the main idea or argument of each section.
The overview allows the reader to immediately understand what will be covered in the essay and in what
order. Though it describes what comes later in the text, it is generally written in the present tense. The
following example is from a literary analysis essay on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
ESSAY OVERVIEW EXAMPLE
This essay begins by exploring the positive portrayal of Frankenstein in the first volume, then moves on to
the creature’s perception of him, and finally discusses the third volume’s narrative shift toward viewing
Frankenstein as the creature views him.
TRANSITIONS
Transition words and phrases are used throughout all good essays to link together different ideas. They help
guide the reader through your text, and an essay that uses them effectively will be much easier to follow.
Various different relationships can be expressed by transition words, as shown in this example.
TRANSITION WORDS EXAMPLE
Because Hitler failed to respond to the British ultimatum, France and the UK declared war on
Germany. Although it was an outcome the Allies had hoped to avoid, they were prepared to back up their
ultimatum in order to combat the existential threat posed by the Third Reich.
Transition sentences may be included to transition between different paragraphs or sections of an essay. A
good transition sentence moves the reader on to the next topic while indicating how it relates to the previous
one.
TRANSITION SENTENCE EXAMPLE
… Distance learning, then, seems to improve accessibility in some ways while representing a step
backwards in others.

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However, considering the issue of personal interaction among students presents a different picture.