Structure How to structure your essay

The general structure of an academic essay is similar to any other academic work, such as a presentation or a lecture. It too has an introduction, a main body, and a conclusion.

The general structure of an academic essay is shown in the diagram below. Each area is discussed in more detail in other sections of the website. Click on a link for more information.

General statements Thesis statement	Introduction
Paragraph 1 Topic sentence Supporting idea Supporting idea Supporting idea ... (Concluding sentence) Paragraph 2 Topic sentence Supporting idea Supporting idea Supporting idea ... (Concluding sentence) Paragraph 3 Topic sentence Supporting idea Supporting idea Supporting idea ... (Concluding sentence)	Main body
Summary Final comment	Conclusion

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