There is no one way to organise and structure an academic essay. However, the basic outline of an essay follows a standard 'hourglass' format with the introduction acting as the funnel, the body as the stem, and the conclusion as the base of the hourglass. The table below provides a basic example of this.
|
Introduction |
Provides context and background information on the topic and provides a clear thesis statement that states the main argument or purpose of the essay. This is usually around 10% of the word count. |
| Body |
The body of the essay is structured into paragraphs. A typical paragraph in an academic essay is around 250 words. Each paragraph includes a topic sentence that introduces the main point of the paragraph, evidence from reading and research, and explanation and analysis as to why this evidence supports the point and links to the argument of the essay. The body of the essay is usually around 80% of word count. |
| Conclusion |
Summarizes the main points of the essay and restates the thesis in a new way. This is usually around 10% of the word count. |
| References | Sources of information and evidence used in the essay are provided in a list of references at the end of the essay. |
The Essay Outline Wizard helps you plan, organise and create an outline of your essay and allocate word count before you start drafting your essay.
You can fill it out online step-by-step and then export your essay outline as a Word document for you to save or edit further (or you can jump straight to the export page and work on the document).
