After Reading >> Writing Practice

I. A Brief Introduction

How to Achieve Unity in An Essay

Unity is a matter of logical direction. It means oneness — one subject, one controlling attitude, one tone. The key to unity is to keep focused on the argumentative controlling attitude toward your single, limited subject. Unity rests on the principle of inclusion and exclusion: inclusion of relevant materials and exclusion of irrelevant materials. Here are a few tips for you to follow to achieve unity in essay writing.

1. Create one specific, limited idea for your essay and state that idea in a thesis statement.

2. Create a topic sentence for each paragraph that supports and harmonizes with the essay thesis.

3. Place your topic sentence effectively within your paragraphs. Let the purpose of your paragraphs and the nature of your evidence guide you.

4. Let your paragraphs’ evidence — the selected details, the examples — illustrate, clarify, explain, support or address the idea expressed in your topic sentence.

5. Make sure you explain the relationship between your evidence and your idea so that it is clear to readers.

6. Think about unity among paragraphs. Be sure your paragraphs focus on the central idea and are related so that they fit together and clarify your essay’s idea.

II. A Sample

      It is commonly recognized that dogs have an extreme antagonism toward cats. This enmity between these two species can be traced back to the time of the early Egyptian dynasties. Archaeologists in recent years have discovered Egyptian texts in which there are detailed accounts of canines (犬类) brutally mauling felines (猫类). Today this type of cruelty between these two domestic pets can be witnessed in regions as close as your own neighborhood. For example, when dogs are walked by their masters, and they happen to catch sight of a stray cat, they will pull with all their strength on their leash until the master is forced to yield; the typical result is that a feline is chased up a tree. The hatred between dogs and cats has lasted for so many centuries; it is unlikely that this conflict will ever end.

III. Homework

Write a composition entitled Fight Against Global Warming in no less than 120 words. You may focus on such aspects as reducing people’s dependence on fossil fuels and cutting energy consumption in the daily life when explaining your thesis statement. Try to follow the six tips to make your essay unified and impressive.

People can help fight global warming by reducing their dependence upon fossil fuels. For starters, they can drive only when necessary and plan trips so as to accomplish several goals at one time, for example, picking up dry cleaning and then shopping for groceries on the way home from an appointment. Another way is to carpool to work, share expenses with coworkers and, in the process, reduce carbon emissions. In addition, people can also purchase smaller vehicles instead of gas-guzzling SUVs and four-wheel-drive pickups.

On the other hand, people can also cut energy consumption in the home, for instance, by switching off lights when they leave rooms and setting air-conditioners a bit higher in summer and lower in winter. Granted, however, none of these steps will immediately stop global warming or solve the energy crisis, but they will make a difference in time.