In my flow chart for academic writing plan, an essay should have an introduction, body and conclusion. The introduction contains a thesis statement which comprises topic sentence, main point/assertion and/ or reason. The body of a formal writing should discuss only one central idea at a time. Each body contains a topic sentence which should be explained by way of definition, evidence or reason, critical thinking or example and result. This will help you to achieve coherence and cohesion in your writing. It will also help your reader to follow your thought processes. The body can be discussed using subheadings for clarity, depending on the topic of discussion.
In your conclusion, restate your thesis statement, take a stand and summarize.
N:B This is meant to serve as a guide as there are different ways of structuring an academic writing.
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