Transcript Telling your reader what argument you are going to

Essay Organization
Getting your ideas across to your reader
Building support for your ideas:
An easy-to-follow framework
• Introduction
• First body paragraph
Topic Sentence, Concrete Detail, Commentary,
Commentary, Concrete Detail, Commentary, Commentary,
Concluding sentence
• Second body paragraph
Topic Sentence, Concrete Detail, Commentary,
Commentary, Concrete Detail, Commentary, Commentary,
Concluding sentence
• Conclusion
Introduction: Telling your reader what
argument you are going to make so they know what to
watch for
• 1st sentence – Should make the reader want
to read your paper. (The hook)
• 2nd sentence – Should mention prompt, title
and author
• 3rd sentence – Should quickly summarize
story
• 4th sentence – Should list main points of your
argument
• 5th sentence –should be your thesis
What’s a thesis, anyways?
• It’s the subject and your opinion about it.
• It’s your answer to the prompt.
• It’s what the rest of your argument (essay) is
trying to prove.
• And because the reader can tell it’s an
opinion, the reader knows it’s yours, the
writer’s, opinion.
• There’s no need to write “I think” or “In my
opinion” in your thesis.
Body paragraphs: the rules of at least
two
• There should be at least two body paragraphs. If
an essay had only one main point, it would be a
paragraph.
• Each body paragraph should contain at least two
pieces of evidence (concrete detail) for every
main point.
• Each piece of concrete detail (quote, plot, etc.)
should be followed by at least two pieces of
commentary (your opinion or interpretation of the
detail).
All this makes for large body paragraphs, which make you
look smart.
Conclusion
• Most students find the conclusion the most
difficult to write. It seems you’ve already said
everything. Now what?
• A conclusion should start with a restatement of
the thesis (thesis in different words), then have a
relisting of main points, and then, it should
answer, “So what?”
• The last sentences of a conclusion should tell the
reader why the subject of the paper matters.
How does the ideas in the paper connect with
the larger world?
General essay rules to remember
• Avoid using “I” or “me.” The reader knows who’s
writing the paper.
• No returns between paragraphs.
• Double-spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman font.
• Indent paragraphs.
• Avoid using more than one passive verb per
paragraph. Passive verbs: is, are, am, were, was,
be, been, just take up space. Use words that do
something.