Organizing Your Essay Ideas

Hello Roxy Readers! It’s been a busy, busy time on The Fourth this semester. I haven’t even had time to surf! I still like to keep all my surfing gear organized, though. It means I’ll be ready to roll when I do find a chance to hit the waves. This made me think of the importance of organization in writing. Finding a good flow is very important to an essay; if your ideas are all jumbled, then your reader will not be able to follow your argument. Think of your essay like a formula. Once you have your ideas organized, you just plug in everything in between. Remember that good organization can be the difference between an easy-to-follow essay and a really confusing one. A writer may have good thoughts and arguments, but if they're poorly organized, then it doesn't matter.

An essay has three main parts: a thesis statement, supporting arguments, and a conclusion. Your thesis is your argument. This is what ties your entire paper together. Try to have a thesis before you start writing your paper, but if you don't have a polished thesis at this point, don't worry. There’s no need to force it. You will have a thesis eventually, but you also have to remember that it is the most important component of your paper. Your arguments are going to support your thesis, and your conclusion is going to restate your thesis.

So, hypothetically, now that you have your thesis, you can follow that up with your supporting arguments or evidence. If you find that you can't come up with much in the way of supporting points, then you may need to reevaluate your thesis. Your conclusion should restate your thesis. Notice I said restate, not repeat. You should use different words. You don’t want to introduce new material in your conclusion; leave all of that to your body paragraphs. See how it all fits together?

The easiest way to organize your thoughts is to create an outline. Here is a sample of what an outline could look like.

I.	Introduction	Include a thesis stating your argument.
II.	Supporting point #1	Evidence that backs up your thesis and proves your point.
III.	Supporting point #2
IV.	Supporting point #3
V.	Conclusion	Restate your thesis in a different way and tie up your paper.

This really helps when you're stuck. It’s like a road map to follow. Your ideas are organized! Just like my surfing gear. If everything still seems all jumbled, visit us on The Fourth. We’re always happy to help you.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!