Pre-writing for your Investigative Essay

A photo of a notebook with a pen on top along with two balls of crumpled paper.

What have I found so far in my research and reading that excites me most? Why?

  • How do I envision using that in the essay?

What’s the question I’m posing? What do I expect my answer will look like (i.e., a provisional thesis)?

What’s at stake with my subject—what’s in it for readers?

How am I thinking about my audience, my core readers?

How do I imagine this essay will be shaped?

What will be the 3-4 main sections of this essay?

Introduction:

  • What will I use to hook readers in my introduction?
  • What context will I provide so that readers can see that my question is part of an ongoing situation/discussion that they most likely recognize?

Will I use “I” in this essay?

  • Will it be just an occasional appearance, or will I use personal experience as part of my set-up?

 

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