1. The Seven-Paragraph Essay
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2. The Seven-Paragraph Essay
Is a basic essay format which every student should know
Has several formally-designated parts
May be subjective or objective in nature
Has a clear, single focus on an idea or subject
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3. The Seven Paragraph Structure
First: Thesis statement and backgrounding
Second &Third: Points to support thesis, and supporting information
Fourth: Strong point to support thesis and supporting information
Fifth & Sixth: Points which seem like a rebuttal of the thesis are presented, then refuted. Each has a topic sentence and supporting information, with a commentary which acts as a refutation and turns the points into support for the overall thesis of the essay.
Seventh: Summary and concluding statement(s).
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4. The Seven-Paragraph Essay
Subjective Essay:
Focuses on a personal idea or reaction and offers support
Is author-driven; author appears as “I”
May be personal and intense in style
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Objective Essay:
Focuses on an idea or concept and offers support
Is not author-driven but is idea-driven (the author does not appear as “I”)
Uses formal academic style
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5. Subjective Writing
Use the subjective style to show, inform, demonstrate, convince, compare, share or illustrate
You may reveal yourself in the author position with phrases such as “ I believe”...” or “I have always enjoyed …”
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6. Objective Writing Shares and supports an idea or point of view
Is formal and closely follows academic writing conventions
Is written in an objective (3rd Person) style, wherein the author does not reveal her/him self
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7. The Thesis Statement
Every 7-paragraph essay has a central thesis statement which is to be investigated and finally supported or refuted
The thesis statement is usually found in the first paragraph
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8. Thesis Statement
The thesis statement must be written clearly. Do not make the reader guess about the point of the essay.
The statement is phrased in the positive (affirmative): “Coffee is a beneficial drink”, NOT “Coffee is bad for you”.
If the thesis may be negated with an unambiguous example or condition, it is disproven.
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9. Supporting Paragraphs
The second, third and fourth paragraphs are usually arranged in order of ascending strength
The fifth and sixth paragraphs present points which would seem to negate (deny) the thesis, but the author (that’s you) skillfully turns the points into support for the thesis
Each paragraph has a topic sentence and support information, plus transitional devices
Each paragraph is written in proper sentences
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10. Negation Of Your Central Thesis
A thesis is almost always phrased in the positive
A single exception disproves the thesis. For example, if you claim “Canadian Art is not collectable” in your thesis, it only takes one person collecting Canadian art to disprove it.
The fifth and sixth paragraphs negate, but then are themselves negated, creating thesis support
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11. Concluding a Seven-paragraph essay
Conclusions may be stated in the positive or negative. The thesis may be proven or disproven, supported or not. Be honest and clear. If there is still room for debate, admit it.
The final paragraph may contain a brief summary of the thesis and supporting information
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12. Presenting Your Essay
Add a title AFTER the essay is written (let the title emerge from the content, not the other way around)
Type it onto a good word processor and do spelling and grammar checks
Double-check that every requirement of the assignor has been met
Read it out loud to someone else to ensure the essay does what you want it to do
Make necessary changes
Do a title page and turn in your work
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13. The End The End. Return to the top Return to paragraph divisions
Return to thesis statement
Return to final check information
The End.

14. Transitional Devices
These are ways to gently tie one idea or paragraph to another in sequence
If one paragraph in an essay on agriculture ends with the idea that the use of horses declines where there are tropical diseases, the next paragraph needs to start with something like “Disease is not the only disincentive to tropical agriculture…”.
In an essay on race relations in present-day Toronto, the support for one paragraph might mention the difficulty of many black youth who are constantly checked by police whilst driving. This has lead to the facetious charge of D.W.B. (driving while black). The next paragraph might begin with a mention that other groups might be similarly targeted, such as young Hispanic males or any vehicle with more than four youth in it at night.
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15. Negating Paragraphs
These paragraphs present information opposing the thesis. The opposition has support.
Each point is then refuted by showing how it is not valid; thus the support of the central thesis is not weakened
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16. Negating Examples
In an essay on speeding and public danger, the point may be raised that almost everybody speeds at least some of the time. This defense of speeding may be refuted by presenting facts such as the increased danger to everyone on the road by the selfish use of the accelerator, lane-changing and tailgating in traffic -- supported by accident and insurance statistics
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17. Negation (continued)
An essay on Canadian culture may posit that there is no such thing, and use the support of historical immigration patterns which have created a bland cultural polyglot. This argument may be refuted by pointing out the valuing of individual cultures through such policies as Heritage Language instruction in schools and Saturday classes. The power of a blend of distinct ingredients does not always become a vanilla milkshake but may become a ratatouille, with many separate parts which together make up a strong whole.
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18. Thank you. I hope this presentation has been useful
The End
Thank you. I hope this presentation has been useful