エッセイの書き方の基本 （300 words 用） - revised -

 

☆手順

1．Writing Topicの確認: 課題を正確に読みとり要求されている解答内容をイメージします。

2．Brainstorming: 課題に関して思いつくことを書き出します。（頭の中にある材料を頭の外に出して整理しやすくする作業です。）

3．構成: Brainstormingで書き出した材料を整理してエッセイの基本構造に合う形にします。（１）同じ事項に関するものは同じ段落に集めます。（２）段落を重要な順に並べ替えます。

4．書く: 構成でできた段落（本論）に導入と結論の段落をつけ、実際の文章にします。

5．見直し: 論旨の矛盾、説明不足、構文・つづり・句読点等のミスをチェックします。

 

☆構成

英文エッセイは簡単に言うと【主張（～だと思う）→理由（なぜなら…だからだ）→結論（従って～だと言える）】という流れになります。この流れの各部分は以下のようにIntroduction, Body, Conclusionと呼ばれています。

 

英文エッセイの基本構造   主張＝Introduction (Thesis)  導入 理由＝Body  本論 結論＝Conclusion  結論

主張＝Introductionでは意見と根拠の要旨を示します。エッセイの概略の段落です。エッセイ全体が見通せるように書きましょう。

理由＝Bodyでは根拠を列挙します。具体例はここに書きます。

結論＝Conclusionでは本論から導き出せる結論を書きます。エッセイの総括の段落です。

 

Bodyでは示したい根拠の数だけ段落を作ります。例えば主張の理由が2つある場合、Bodyは2段落になります。

英文エッセイでは全体がこの流れになると同時に各段落もこの流れ（主張→理由→結論）になるようにします。

余裕がある場合はIntroductionを更に細かい(1) Hook（つかみ）(2) Background（背景説明）(3) Thesis（主張）(4) Gist of Reasons（理由の要旨）の構成にし、Conclusionでは最後にinsight（掘り下げの一文）をつけるとより内容が充実します。

 

 

以下は、次のWriting Topicに対するエッセイ構成メモとエッセイ例です。

Writing Topic: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement. It is truly enjoyable to play a game only if you win. Support your response with specific reasons and examples.

 

エッセイ構成メモ

Introduction

Thesis: Disagree Gist of Reasons: 1) for fun 2) Truly enjoyable things other than winning

 

Body

Reason 1: Games are for fun.  e.g. to kill time, to release stress, to spend time with others

Reason 2: Truly enjoyable things other than winning happen during a game. e.g. joy of improvement, witnessing a great player of an incredible performance

Counterargument-treatment: The joy of winning is all about one’s self.

 

Conclusion

Conclusion: Winning is only one of the factors that make us truly enjoy ourselves.  →It cannot be said that it is truly enjoyable to play a game only if you win.

 

エッセイ例

Humans have had many kinds of games since ancient times, and there seem to be many reasons for our fascination with this activity. I disagree with the statement that it is truly enjoyable to play a game only if you win. I think games are for fun, development, and more, not just for winning.

We play games to have fun. We play games to kill time, to release stress, or to spend time with others. When feeling empty or stressed out, people take out a game machine, play it for a while, and feel good whether they lose or win. Games are also used to promote good companionship. At a party, for example, a game helps people laugh and talk, both winners and losers enjoying themselves. It is precisely because games are not to win but for fun that people enjoy them.

Many truly enjoyable things happen during a game. For example, playing a game involves joy of improvement. Humans instinctively have a desire to learn something new, and fulfilling this desire is a great joy of life. Gamers lose more often than they win, and yet they are absorbed in gaining new skills, by thinking hard or by trial and error. This process let them truly enjoy games. Also, witnessing a great player or an incredible performance gives you delight comparable to nothing. Lost Olympians often express joy of witnessing superb performances of the medalists. A miracle goal at the last moment in an amateur soccer game would make all the participants excited and have them talk about it even years later.

Winning may bring euphoria, as it proves you that you are on top of a competition. It confirms you and others that you are the best in terms of talent, efforts, or luck. It strengthens self-confidence, and we need it. Adults even deliberately lose to their young children so that their offspring can trust itself. Yet, the joy of winning games is all about one’s self, except when you are in a team and wish for a win for others. It has a gravity as it is related to our very existence, but as people grow, they experience a higher degree of delight that surpasses tiny self, such as those I have written above. When they experience that greater joy, the result of a game is of their least concern.

Winning is only one of the factors that make us truly enjoy ourselves. Therefore, it cannot be said that it is truly enjoyable to play a game only if you win. When we feel more delight in losing than in winning, we can celebrate ourselves for the journey of life we have gone through and know the meaning of playing games. (454 words)