It goes by many names: the 5-paragraph essay, three-tier paper, or 1-3-1 model, to name a few. Many of you know it as the“hamburger”essay–an easy-to-follow model for writing papers that’s often taught inNorth Americanhigh schools.
During my first semester of undergrad, I hearditagain and again from my professors and TAs: don't submit a hamburger essay. "Forget everything you learned in high school," they told me, "university writing is different!"
I had always done well on my high school writing assignments.I thought essay writing in university would be a breeze.So,the idea of throwingawayallmy pastknowledgeand practice feltconfusing and overwhelming.If I wasn’t supposed to write essays in university the same way I wrote them in high school, then how was I supposed to writeat all? And where was I supposed to learn these mysterious new writing techniques, anyway?
Now, aftermanyyears ofhoning my academic writing skills and becoming a writing instructor myself, I’m here tosay, loud and proud:I love the hamburger essay.
Thisis somewhat of a controversial statementin higher education.For years, many professors havecondemnedthe “hamburger” model of essaywriting,resentingits rules and restrictions.And whilemany ofthesecritiques are valid,I believethere are too many valuable aspects of the hamburger essaytothrow it awayaltogether.In fact, many of thesame techniquesthat makeahamburger essaygreat,canalsobe used to craft aqualityacademicpaper.
Sono, you don’t need to“forget everything you learned in high school” when it comes time to write your firstuniversity essay!Keep reading to learn how you can useturnyourhigh schoolhamburger essay into astronguniversity-level paper.
What is the hamburger essay?
The hamburger essay iswell-known andwell-loved becauseofitssimple and easy to remember structure. If you're new to the hamburger essay, check out the diagram belowtolearn more about how it works.
In short, eachingredient of the hamburger represents a differentparagraph of the essay.Itstarts with an introduction paragraphand endswith a conclusion paragraph,represented by thetop and bottombuns, respectively.Just likearealburger bun,theseparagraphsframe thejuicycontents inside– thebody paragraphs–whichare each represented by a different topping: lettuce, tomato, or patty.
Pay attention to the order of toppings in the hamburger essay.The lettuce comes first; it’s light and flimsy, representing one of the lighter arguments of the paper. The tomato is somewhat more robust(in terms of argument), while the pattyat the endis the true “meat” of the essay.Justlike the toppings of a hamburger in real-life, the body paragraphsbuild on one anotherto fill out the paper, giving it substance andflavour.
How to usethe hamburger modelin university
If you’re already familiar with the hamburger or 5-paragraph essay model, there are many great aspects of it that you can keep and adapt in your university essay writing. Keep reading to learn how!
1. Thetopbun (a.k.atheintroduction paragraph)
The hamburger essaybegins witha strongintroductionparagraph(the top bun)that sets up the rest of the paperandpresentsthe essay’sprimarythesis statementorargument. In high school, students are often taught to begin their introduction paragraph with the broadest ormostgeneral informationfirst, and gradually narrow in on the specifics.They’re also taught tobegin the introductionwith a narrative hook – a catchyphrase or fact to grab the reader’s attention –and to endthe introductionwith a “road map,” which outlineswhat each paragraph of the essay will discuss, in the orderof informationpresented.
Althoughat the university level, introductions maybe longer thanone paragraph(depending on the length of the essay overall),they should still begin with more general contextual information first, then narrow in on a more focused thesis statement. This structurehelps guide the reader by presenting them with the background information they requireforthethesis and body paragraphs to make sense.
You can also keep the introductory “hook” and “road map”pieces of thehamburgerintroduction,butnote the differences in what these elementslook like at the university level.While high schoolwritersoften try to catch the reader’s attention by assertinga universal or historical truth (e.g. “Since the dawn of time…”or “Throughout history…”), a hook at the university level shouldremainfocusedon the specific topic at hand–a surprisingfact orstatisticworks well here.
Additionally, while a high school-level road map might outline the topic of each and every body paragraph in the essay, a university-level road mapshouldbe less detailed. Because university papers are typically longerthan high school papers, it makes more sense toonlymention the paper’smain overarching arguments(if at all)in the road map section, rather than summarize every paragraph.
To learn more about how to write a strong university-level introduction,check out this WCCresourceon introductions.
2.The bottom bun (a.k.a. the conclusion paragraph)
Thehamburger essayends with a satisfyingconclusionparagraph(thebottom bun) thatsummarizes its findings and wraps up thepaper’sarguments. High school students are often taught to structure their conclusion paragraph in the reverse order of the introduction,beginning with the most specific information and broadening out to the most general.Hamburger essay conclusionsoften restate the thesis at the start of the paragraph, thengo on tosummarize each pointof the essay.
At the university level,you should continue to structure your conclusionbypresentingthe most specific pieces of information related to your thesis first,followed bythemore general ideas.Structuring your conclusion this way helpstransition the reader out of the paper’s arguments and intoabroader reflection on the topic.
Ƿɱ𱹱,you don’thaveto limit yourselfto only one paragraphfor your conclusion(hint: introductions and conclusions typically make up 10-15% of the essay length overall).And while it’s good practice to remind your reader of the essay’s main arguments and findings,too much repetition can be a bore.Try focusing instead on thesignificanceof the paper’sclaims anddiscoveriesto highlight for the reader why your essay matters– why your thesis is significant in a larger context.
For deeper insight into how to write a university-level conclusion,view our conclusions resource.
3. The toppings (a.k.a.the body paragraphs)
The body paragraphs of a hamburger essay are its meatiest parts (pun intended). In high school, studentsare often taught toexplain, and provide evidence for, theirmainthesisby presentingthree distinctpoints in threeseparatebody paragraphs, ordered roughlyfrom the weakest point to the strongest.In this model, eachbody paragraphsupportsthe essay’s thesis by providing a new pieceof informationto back-up the author’sprimaryclaim.Also,each paragraph articulatesitsmainpoint in asingletopic sentenceat the beginning of the paragraph.
For university essays, there’s a lot to like about the hamburgeressay paragraph model.For example, it’s important that each paragraph of youruniversity-level paper worksto substantiate the paper's overarching thesis statement. This will prevent your essay from going off on tangents–that is, presenting ideas or research that are not directly related to the essay's focused goal.You should also pay attention to the order ofideas presented; while ordering your points from weakest to strongest(as in the hamburger model)isn’t necessary, there should bealogicalflowtoyour ideas. Ask yourself: what does my reader need to understand first in order to understand what’s coming next?
Topic sentences are also super useful in academic papers: they help alert the reader to the paragraph’s mainidea andprovide context for the evidence presentedwithin the paragraph itself.In a traditional academic essay, readers should be able to read the first sentence(or two)of each paragraph only,and still have a strong idea of the paper’s main arguments and points.
Ƿɱ𱹱,university-level essays can – and should – have more than three body paragraphs. This is perhaps the biggestcomplaint against the hamburger essaystructure: that it tricks students into thinking they can only provide three pieces of evidence toback-up their thesis statements. Academic essays, especially research essays,should present the reader with a great breadth of evidence and informationto prove their claims. It’s up to you – the writer – to decidehow much evidence is needed, and howit can be organizedlogicallyinto body paragraphsforthe readerto follow.
On a similar note,some points in your academic paper will require more than one body paragraph to develop,and that’s ok!Let’s say, for example, thatyou’rewriting anessay onthe benefits offreecommunity programming for reducing loneliness amongst seniorcitizens. It may takeonly one paragraph topresentyourresearch on loneliness amongst seniors, but maybe three or four paragraphs to show why publicly-funded programs are attractive to senior citizens in particular.
While some students believe, based on the hamburger model,that each new paragraph requires abrand newtopic or point, in reality, there is more flexibility to the “rules” ofacademicwriting.As long aseach of your paragraphs is tackling one coherent idea at a time,you may choose to develop a single point over numerous body paragraphs.This is especially true if you have a lot of evidence to discuss!
To learn more about how to write strong body paragraphs at the university level,check out this WCC resourceon body paragraphs.
Final thoughts…
Keep in mind thatevery writing assignment in university is differentand not all papers follow the traditional essay format. In fact, most essay assignments come with specific guidelines from the professor, which you should always follow with care, and ask questions about if you’re unsure.
Ifyou’retransitioning from high school andlooking forhelp with your writing projects,why notcheck out our new program for first-years, ݮƵ Ready to Write!Or book an appointment with one of our friendly and helpful writing instructors at the WCC. We would love to help you out.
Writing essays in university can be intimidating, especially if you’re new at it. But remember, you’re here for a reason, and you’ve already got a great foundation to start from! Try to think about writing in university as an extension and adaptation of what you already know. If you have an open mind, take your professors’ feedback to heart, and push yourself to try new things, you’ll be setting yourself up for success.