STEP INTO THE GED
WRITING PRACTICE:  Depression
A Simple Essay:

CAUSES OF DEPRESSION
  The passage that you finished reading is called an essay.

An essay is a writing passage that develops ideas about a topic. It has paragraphs, or parts. To finish high school or to get a GED or to pass many types of tests, you will need to write essays.

A paragraph is a part of an essay. A paragraph has sentences that talk about one thing. Every new paragraph begins a new line. If you are typing, you might use two lines to break into another paragraph. (See the introduction). If you are hand writing, you will start a new line and indent (leave a space) before the first word of the new paragraph.

An essay has a top paragraph, called an introduction. It has a bottom paragraph, called the conclusion. It has one or more paragraphs in the middle. Those are called development paragraphs. They are the meat of the essay. They organize information about the topic so that it's easy to read.

What images look like an essay? What things have a top, a bottom and other parts in between?

A sandwich: a top bread layer, a bottom layer, and three layers of goodies inside.

A book on its side: A top cover, a bottom cover and five chapters inside.

A pie: A bottom crust, a top crust, and two layers of different fruit inside.

What other images can you think of?

The essay below has 4 parts or paragraphs between the top and the bottom. Read the right-hand column to examine each paragraph.
 
 

Depression affects people all over the United States. It is a major cause of death in this country. What causes this common and dangerous disease? There are four major possible causes of depression.

 This is the first paragraph, or the outer layer. The first paragraph in an essay introduces the topic. If tells the reader why you are writing about something. It usually ends in a sentence that tells you how you are going to talk about the topic.
<= This last sentence of the introduction says that the writer is going to talk about depression by discussing 4 causes.
One common cause of depression is family history. That is a genetic factor. A genetic factor is something that is passed down through your genes. It is inherited. People with a family history of depression are at risk for developing depression. For example, Jamie's mother, father, aunts, uncles, or other family members were depressed. That means that Jamie has a history of depression in her family. However, not everybody with a family history of depression develops the illness. In fact, major depression can happen in people who have had no family members with the illness. Other factors are also probably responsible. <= This is the first inside layer of your essay. It starts with a sentence that introduces the first cause of depression: family history or the genetic factor. Everything in this paragraph will discuss that cause. Every sentence in this paragraph is about the genetic factor. The sentences give you more details or explanations about the first cause. It gives an example. Giving examples is one way to develop the topic of each paragraph.
Biochemistry is another important factor in depressive illnesses. First, many depressed people have a problem with brain chemicals, called neurotransmitters. In addition, they have trouble sleeping. That is because their biochemistry is off. Finally, depression can be induced or helped with certain medications, and some hormones have mood-altering properties. That means that biochemistry affects depression. What we don't know, yet, is whether the "biochemical factors" of depression are of genetic origin, or if they are secondary to other factors or conditions. <= This is the second inside layer of your essay. It also starts with a sentence that tells you the topic of the paragraph. This type of sentence is called a topic sentence. In this paragraph, the topic sentence tells the reader about the second cause: biochemistry. Every sentence in this paragraph talks about  biochemistry as a cause of depression. The topic sentence uses the word "another" to help the reader remember that there was a first cause before it.

In addition, some people get depressed when difficult things happen to them. Events can cause depression. For example, a big loss, a difficult relationship, financial problems, or a major change in life can induce depression. Sometimes the depression starts with severe or chronic physical illness. In addition, some form of drug abuse occurs in about one-third of people with any type of depressive disorder.

 <= This is the third inside layer of your essay. It starts with "in addition." That tells the reader this is an additional cause to the ones above it. The third cause is "difficult things" that happen. Everything in this paragraph will discuss difficult things that happen that can start depression. Like the first inside paragraph, it gives examples.
Finally, persons with certain characteristics tend to be more depressed. Those would be called a psychological and social factors. People who are pessimistic, have low self-esteem, feel like they have little control over events, and who worry a lot are more depressed than others. Sometimes, the way people get depressed over sex role expectations. Negative thinking patterns typically develop in childhood or adolescence. Some experts have suggested that the traditional upbringing of girls might help develop these traits. They may be a factor in women's higher rate of depression. <= This is the fourth inside layer of your essay. It starts with "finally." That tells the reader that the paragraph is going to talk about the last cause of depression: personal characteristics. It gives examples and details about what characteristics often cause depression: pessimism, low self-esteem, etc...
It is good to know why you are depressed so that you can get the right kind of help. The important step is the one you take to get help, or to get someone else help.

 

 <=The last paragraph, the outer layer at the bottom, is usually short. It wraps up the topic, It is called a conclusion. In this essay, it suggests that a person get help. A conclusion is your final "word" on the topic you chose to write about. What do you want to leave the reader with?
YOUR TURN!

Follow instructions for each box below. You will write a short essay, explaining two  causes for poverty. Think about two reasons for why people are poor.  Talk about those reasons with your friends and instructors. How would you list your reason? What would you say to someone about those reasons? Give examples, or other details to support your two reasons.

1. Write your first paragraph, your first or outer layer. Introduce your topic. Look at the essay above and use it as a model. Tell a little bit about why this is a topic you want to write about. End by stating that you are going to talk about 2 causes or poverty.

2. Write your first inner paragraph. The first sentence, your topic sentence, will state the first cause of poverty. Write a few details about that cause. Give and example of an explanation.

3. Write your second inner paragraph. Start with a topic sentence that states the second cause. You might start with "Another cause of poverty..." or "A second major cause of poverty...." Finish the paragraph with details about that cause.

4. Write a short conclusion paragraph, your bottom layer. What do you want to leave the reader with? What is your final opinion about why poverty exists? Discuss it with others, and write a couple of sentences to end your essay.

Print, sign, and date your essay. Give it to your instructor or place it in your folder.