Rough Drafting or First Drafting

Introduction

Rough drafting, or first drafting is the process by which you get your ideas, research, and supporting points down on paper. Rough drafting is an important step in creating a well rounded, well written essay. You should not be overly concerned with grammar, punctuation, and spelling at this stage. These final aspects should be saved for the final draft.

At this point you should have a well written outline from which you have created keywords and phrases that you have used to gather supporting and opposing documents. If you have been careful to collect citation data from your chosen resources then you are ready to start writing! The actual elements that create an essay are very simple. There are only three major parts of any essay.

Elements of a First Draft Essay

1. Introduction


2. Body


3. Conclusion

1. The Introduction
   
   This is the part of your essay where you state your argument and plug in your thesis statement. The length for an introduction to an average (5-10 pages) paper is one to two paragraphs. Remember, your thesis statement is only going to be one or two sentences in length, so the remainder should be composed of your strong argument meant to persuade the audience who will be reading your essay.


2. The Body
   
   The body of your essay is where you will proceed to back up your argument with information and opinion. This is where you will provide the reader with the information they need to see your side of things. In the body of your essay you will include your references to background data that you have gathered during your research that support your argument. This is also where you will present any opposing arguments and research and clearly state why you find that they are not relevant or strong enough to diminish the strength of your argument. You will also cite your sources soon after mentioning them. You may use direct quotes from your sources, but keep these to a bare minimum. Paraphrasing is a method of writing, in your own words, what you have learned or read elsewhere. You should rely more on paraphrasing then quoting when referencing other sources on your subject in your essay. An example of paraphrasing is provided below for your reference.
   
   Be sure to keep the length of your rough draft as close to the required pages as assigned by your teacher, professor, or boss. You can, and will, cut and add as needed during the revision process, but keeping your rough draft as close to the intended length at the beginning will make your revision much easier. If you are not sure how long your essay should be, make sure to ask.
   
   Example of Paraphrasing
   
   Using the first step of rough drafting from above (1. The Introduction) let's say you read this paragraph and wanted to use it in your essay. You would paraphrase as such:
   
   Introductions are used to present your argument and include the thesis statement in the beginning of your essay, (LoRe, English Composition, Lesson 7, paragraph 4, January 2010).
   
   Do you see how this differs from a direct quote? The basic idea of the paragraph is presented, in your own words, and credit is given to the original author. When direct quoting, you must also include the authors name, the title of the piece, and the date.


3. The Conclusion
   
   Your conclusion is exactly that. It is a final summary and an ending to your essay. You should not bring up any new arguments or points in your conclusion. A good conclusion will simply summarize, support, and "wrap-up" what you have clearly presented in the body of your essay. The conclusion should also be approximately one to two paragraphs in length, depending on the total length of your paper.