The subject is a task that is often assigned in the subject of Italian to middle and high schools and sometimes, in the form of an essay, also to the university. While it may seem like a colossal undertaking, make sure it isn't: if you give yourself enough time to plan and carry out your theme, you will have nothing to stress about.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Getting started
Step 1. Take the time to write
It is not possible to write an essay in 10 minutes. It's best to have plenty of time to do it and review it quietly, allowing yourself a few breaks between drafts. However, if the delivery date is approaching, you should make good use of the time you have available.
Step 2. Sit down and write
Although it is important to prepare, when it comes to developing the theme you just need to start writing the contents on paper. Remember that you can always go back, "adjusting" the text later, and that it is normal to make major changes during the writing process.
Step 3. Outline the thesis
The thesis is one of the most important elements of the theme and the sentence that introduces it summarizes in a sentence the main topic or one's point of view within the paper. Tell the reader what the theme will try to emphasize or demonstrate. Therefore, everything you write must be directly related to the thesis.
- The teacher will expect to see a well-constructed thesis in the initial stage of the topic. Place it at the end of the first paragraph.
- If you don't know how to develop a thesis, ask the teacher for help. This is an important concept that will continually return in the subject of Italian, but also in other disciplines where the drafting of a paper is required.
Step 4. Process the introduction
Once you've created a compelling introductory statement, you can build the rest of the introduction from this part. If you are hesitant about having to find a way to introduce the theme, you can also postpone this step until after your work is done. The best introductions "grab" the reader, enticing him to devour the text. Among the most effective strategies for starting a theme consider:
- Tell a personal anecdote;
- Cite a singular fact or statistic;
- Reverse the most common misunderstandings;
- Challenge the reader to analyze his or her preconceptions.
Step 5. Create an outline on which to base the theme
It will help you develop the basic structure of the assignment that has been assigned to you and, for your part, you can use it when you are ready to carry out the theme. Examine the notes and exercises that stimulate inventive and original writing, thinking about how you can arrange this information within an outline. Which should be placed first, second, third, and so on.?
- Try creating a numbered outline using a word processing program or a simple sheet of paper.
- Don't worry about being too precise when composing this pattern. Just outline the main concepts on a piece of paper.
Part 2 of 4: Procedure
Step 1. Collect all the notes and materials you need
Before you start writing, gather all the notes, books and supplies you will need to answer the track. Do not start writing without consulting this material, as it is essential to be able to develop a good theme. If you have time, read the notes before you go to work.
Make sure you have the diagram handy too. To develop the task track, you can rely on the outline you have created. Just try to expand each point in the order you placed it
Step 2. Insert an opening sentence at the beginning of each paragraph
The opening sentences indicate to the reader what will soon be treated. Start each paragraph with a sentence, so the teacher is able to see that you have developed your concepts in a clear and direct way.
- Consider opening sentences as a means of communicating to the reader what will be discussed in the rest of the paragraph. It is not necessary to summarize the content of an entire paragraph, but just give it a small taste.
- For example, if in one paragraph you have to describe the rise and fall of Okonkwo, the tragic hero of "Collapse", you could start by writing: "At first Okonkwo was a poor boy, but later he manages to achieve economic well-being and to acquire a social status of the highest level ".
Step 3. Develop your concepts to the fullest
Make sure you include as much information as possible in order to properly respond to the trace. Remember that filling a text with redundant and meaningless elements is by no means an effective strategy to develop a theme, because the teacher will notice it immediately. During his career, a teacher has undoubtedly read hundreds, if not thousands, of texts written by his students, so he will know when a paper is full of useless things. Instead, enter information that makes the content relevant and impactful. If you get stuck, here are some great strategies for developing your ideas:
- Back to the invention phase. To develop your concepts to the maximum, practice writing in an original way, perhaps using free writing, making a list and grouping ideas. You can also review your notes and books to see if there is anything you missed or forgot.
- Go to the school's writing workshop. If the school offers a writing workshop, submit your essay. It is also present in many universities. These are places open to students where help can be found to improve a text at any stage of the drafting process.
- Talk to your teacher. Some teachers are happy to meet their students and help them with this task. If your teacher has office hours or allows students to meet by appointment, take advantage of this opportunity. See him and discuss how you could improve your theme before submitting it.
Step 4. Cite sources using the MLA style
If you use bibliographic sources within your paper, then you will need to mention them using the style preferred by the teacher. The MLA style is the most used format for reporting sources, so you will have to learn how to use it, providing citations within the text, but also bibliographic references at the end of the paper.
- Bibliographic references in the MLA style should be written on a page at the end of the written text. An entry must be entered for each source used. The entries should provide enough information for the reader to be able to easily identify the source to which it refers. For example, entries in a book's bibliography should include the authors' first and last names, the title of the works, publication information, year of publication, and format.
- Citations within the MLA-style text (also called explanatory notes) provide the reader with the author's surname and the number of the page to which the citation refers. You must include a quote in the body of the text for any information that mentions, summarizes or comments on a source. It must be inserted immediately after the information that constitutes the source and shows the surname of the author together with the page number in brackets. For example, a textual quote from "Collapse" might look like this:. … "(Achebe 57).
Step 5. Work out the conclusion
Usually the general structure of a theme starts from a broader frame of the topic until it flows into a more specific treatment. Try to think of it as an inverted pyramid or funnel. When you come to the conclusion, you should be under the impression that the information you put into it is inevitable. It is essentially a recap of everything you tried to demonstrate in your paper. However, you also have the opportunity to use the conclusion for other purposes. Maybe you may find that you prefer to use it to:
- Specify or make the information presented in the topic more complex;
- Suggest the need for further research;
- Make assumptions about how the current situation might change in the future.
Part 3 of 4: Review
Step 1. Find a lot of time
It's not a good idea to postpone writing to the last minute. Try giving yourself at least a couple of days to review your work, or even more if you can. It is important to take one to two days off after completing the essay. After that, you can take it back and review it from a new perspective.
Step 2. Focus on improving the content of your paper first
During the revision phase of a written text some people focus only on grammar and punctuation, but they are the least important aspects in relation to the content. Answer the track in as much detail as possible. Read the directions again and ask yourself:
- Did I answer satisfactorily?
- Is my thesis clear? Does it reflect the focal point of the theme I have developed?
- Does the information I have entered adequately support my thesis? Is there anything else I could add?
- Does the theme follow a logical thread? Does each concept follow the next? If not, how could I improve my argument?
Step 3. Submit your theme to a friend
It can also be helpful to ask a friend or classmate to take a look at your work. Another person may catch trivial errors or notice something that you missed because you have been holding the text in front of it for too long.
- Try swapping your theme with a classmate. Ask them to read and comment on your papers to each other so that you can be sure you have done a good job.
- Try to offer the exchange at least one day before delivery, so that you have time to correct any errors found by your friend.
Step 4. Read the topic aloud
This way, you will be able to notice if there are any trivial oversights that you have not noticed so far. Therefore, read it slowly aloud and keep a pencil handy (or edit the text directly on your computer).
As you read, correct any mistakes you may find and underline anything you think can be improved, perhaps by adding more details or perfecting the vocabulary
Part 4 of 4: Planning the Theme
Step 1. Analyze the topic or track
Take your time to carefully read the outline or directions contained therein and think about what the assignment asks you to do. You should underline keywords, such as describe, compare, show differences, explain, argue, or propose. Also, you should point out the central topics or ideas you are called upon to address, such as freedom, family, defeat, love, etc.
If you don't understand the purpose of the assignment, then ask the professor for information. Before starting to develop the theme, it is important to make sure that you have a clear idea of what the teacher wants
Step 2. Consider the reader
The teacher is the main reader of the topic, so it will be necessary to take into account the needs and expectations of that person before writing. Some basic concepts that he will need and expect of you may include:
- A very detailed answer that meets the demands posed by the assigned task;
- A clear, direct and easy to follow discussion;
- A clean paper, which does not contain small inaccuracies, such as typos or spelling errors.
Step 3. Think about what you need to enter
After considering the teacher's expectations, take some time to think about how you can achieve these general goals. Consider the necessary elements to include in the theme.
- For example, if you are tasked with describing a character in a book, then you will need to provide a lot of details about that. You will probably be forced to re-read some passages in the book, but also to revise the notes taken in class.
- To make sure your theme runs smoothly, you need to make sure it follows a logical order. You can do this by taking all the time it takes to create a draft and check that your paper follows a logical thread when finished.
- You will have less difficulty writing an essay in a polished way if you start early and take all the time you need to review it before having to give the teacher the final draft. If you can, try to finish the first version about a week before delivery.
Step 4. Develop your concepts
By applying yourself in some exercises that will stimulate your creativity, you will be able to better outline the details you already know and, consequently, start from an advantageous position in drafting the theme. You can practice inventing in the following ways:
- Free writing (or freewriting). Just write as much as possible without stopping. Even if you can't think of anything, write "I can't think of anything to write" until something comes to your mind. When finished, re-read what you wrote and underline or highlight any information that may be helpful in the topic.
- To list. It involves drawing up a list of all the details and information relevant to the task track. After you have listed everything you managed to think of, read it carefully and circle the most important information.
- Group. This exercise involves connecting ideas by drawing lines and circles on a sheet of paper. For example, you might start by writing the topic in the center of the page and then branch off from the center point, relating it to other concepts. Keep expanding your thoughts and drawing as many connections as you can.
Step 5. Do some research on the subject if necessary
If the essay asks you to conduct research, it's best to do it even before you start writing. Use the library archive and other resources to find the information you need to carry out the theme.
- The best sources to use to process a written text include books, scientific journal articles, newspaper articles from reputable information sources (New York Times, Wall Street Journal, etc.), and web pages promoted by institutions or universities.
- Many teachers include "quality of research" in their judgments, so if you use mediocre sources of information, such as blogs and authorless web sources, you risk getting a low grade.
- If you are unsure of the reliability of a source, ask the teacher or a librarian.
