The Writing Process Shaping the Essay

What is Shaping the Essay? It is the 2nd step in the writing process— between pre-writing and the first draft It is an organized layout of your thesis, body paragraphs, and conclusion The focus is on the body paragraphs where each sentence has required content Along with pre-writing, this takes up approximately 85% of writing an essay

The Body Paragraph This format insures that the writer is including the proper amount of concrete details (CD) and commentary (CM) A chunk is the ratio of one part CD to two or more parts CM (1:2+) [CD-CM-CM] An entry level essay will include two chunks per body paragraph More advanced essays will include three or more chunks in a body paragraph

The Body Paragraph The Breakdown: 8 sentence format TS: Topic sentence CD: Concrete detail #1 CM: Commentary about CD #1 CM: CM that supports first CM CD: Concrete detail #2 CM: Commentary about CD #2 CM: CM that supports previous CM CS: Concluding sentence

The Body Paragraph The Breakdown: 11 sentence format TS: Topic sentence CD: Concrete detail #1 CM: Commentary about CD #1 CM: CM that supports first CM CD: Concrete detail #2 CM: Commentary about CD #2 CM: CM that supports previous CM CD: Concrete detail #3 CM: Commentary about CD #3 CM: CM that supports previous CM CS: Concluding sentence

Shaping the Essay Sample Form Shaping the Essay Thesis: 1st Body Paragraph TS: CD: CM: CM: CD: CM: CM: CS: 2ND Body Paragraph TS: CD: CM: CM:CD:CM:CM:CS: 3 rd Body Paragraph TS:CD:CM:CM:CD:CM:CM:CS: Conclusion: Write the first sentence of your conclusion.

Shaping the Essay Example Shaping the Essay Thesis: Mark McGwire deserves to be elected and placed in Cooperstown’s Baseball Hall of Fame. 1 st Body Paragraph TS: Steroids are likely to keep some players from reaching the Hall of Fame. CD: McGwire, seeking election for the first time next year, has already been convicted in the eyes of society. CM: However, no proof has ever been linked between McGwire and steroids. CM: Without verifiable proof, how are we to condemn him from baseball’s ultimate legacy. CD: Many contribute McGwire’s size difference throughout his career, as well as his increasing achievements, to be the evidence they require to assume his guilt. CM: In today’s society with the ever growing research into health and fitness, is it not possible for someone to grow physically without the use of steroids. CM: McGwire had admittedly used other substances, not previously banned or illegal, that could explain, with extensive workouts included, the difference in McGwire’s size over the years. CS: McGwire has never been convicted of taking steroids, but because he has achieved so much in his career, fingers are now being pointed his direction. 2 nd Body Paragraph TS: Aside from believing in the slugger’s innocence of tampering with our nation’s pasttime, his presence after the 1994 strike alone should merit him some attention to the Hall. CD: In 1994, baseball players and their union officially went on strike, ending the season without a champion. CM: This was a disaster to baseball. CM: Fans went on their own strike upon the player’s return with attendances reaching career lows. CD: However, McGwire began approaching one of baseball’s most hallowed records. CM: With McGwire hitting balls out of parks on record paces, fans began to return to the ballpark. CM: McGwire spent a few years getting close to Roger Maris’ 61 homers in a season, before finally achieving and surpassing the mark by becoming the first player in baseball history to hit 70 dingers in a season. CS: Baseball did not seem to think McGwire needed anything other than a Louisville slugger to rescue baseball from fading into darkness. 3 rd Body Paragraph TS: The Baseball Hall of Fame is notorious for only allowing the best of the best. CD: Upon retiring, Mark McGwire was in the top ten of all time in home runs. CM: Each of the other eligible players in the top ten list with McGwire have already been elected. CM: He would become the first player to hit at least 500 home runs and not be in the Hall should the voters black ball him. CD: McGwire broke several home run records during his tenure in the major leagues. CM: He began hitting home runs at record paces as he first began playing as a rookie for the Oakland Athletics. CM: He started off his career on a pace that could had the potential to surpass even the greats such as Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron. CS: Mark McGwire’s statistics alone deserve him to be recognized in the Hall of Fame. Conclusion: McGwire’s status in baseball’s future is in limbo, but the one thing that no one can deny is that he victimized pitchers during the entirety of his career.