1. Personal Connections

2. CausesEffects

3. CauseEffect

4. Attention getter Thesis with three major points Introduction Cause #1 (Paragraph 1) Cause #2 (Paragraph 2) Cause #3 (Paragraph 3) Body Reword thesis Offer a solution Conclusion

5. Attention getter Thesis with three major points Introduction Effect #1 (Paragraph 1) Effect #2 (Paragraph 2) Effect #3 (Paragraph 3) Body Reword thesis Offer a solution Conclusion

6.  Address your audience—Are you writing a letter? A speech?  Begin with a quotation or question (attention grabber).  Connect the attention grabber with the prompt.  Acknowledge the problem. What are you going to argue? THESIS  List the three major points that support your thesis (historical, literary, and personal OR use what you know and the quotes on the prompt sheet).

7.  Begin with a transition and topic sentence. ◦ Transitions: first, second, third/finally ◦ Example:  Thesis: Teen violence is caused by the promotion of violence by media sources such as video games, television shows, and websites.  First, personal violence is promoted by video games such as “Grand Theft Auto.” (evidence…examples)  Second, television shows, such as “Wild Boys,” encourage teens to destroy property that does not belong to them. (evidence…examples)  Third, websites such as YouTube promote violent acts as a form of passive entertainment. (evidence…examples)

8.  Begin with a transition (finally/in conclusion).  Offer a sentence that sums up what you have written. ◦ Finally, one can see how the portrayal of violence in various types of media can influence the actions of America’s teens.  Offer solutions for resolving the problem.