E SSAY W ORKSHOP How to Prepare and Write an Awesome Social Studies 11 Essay

W HY IS WRITING AN ESSAY SOMETIMES SO FRUSTRATING ? Learning how to write an essay can be a maddening, exasperating process, but it doesn't have to be. If you know the steps and understand what to do, writing can be easy and even fun. So here we go

W RITING ON YOUR A MAZING T OPIC ! Think about the type of paper you are expected to create. If it should be a specific analysis (which it is), make sure your topic is, of course, fairly specific!

B UT I D ON ’ T K NOW A NYTHING A BOUT THIS T OPIC !! R ESEARCH Begin the essay writing process by researching your topic = making yourself an expert. Take notes!

B UT I D ON ’ T K NOW A NYTHING A BOUT THIS T OPIC !! A NALYSIS Now that you have a good knowledge base, start analyzing the information you are reading. Evidence. Weaknesses Strengths.

T URN ON THAT B RAIN ! I T ’ S A B RAINSTORMING E XTRAVAGANZA Ask yourself a dozen questions and answer them. Focus/concentrate. Write down information = paraphrase = condense, condense, condense! Take time to think!

B UT D OES IT M AKE S ENSE ??? O RGANIZE YOUR IDEAS IN AN O UTLINE The purpose of an outline is to put your ideas about the topic on paper, in a moderately organized format. Change is good!

O UTLINE ? W HAT O UTLINE ? O H YEAH, T HAT O UTLINE ! Begin your outline by writing your topic at the top of the page (See handout). Next to Topic Section, write the main ideas or the main points. Under Topic Section write the facts or information = the details.

W HAT A RE Y OU T RYING T O D O ??? If you are trying to persuade, you want to write your best arguments. If you are trying to explain a process, you want to write the steps that should be followed If you are trying to inform, you want to write the major categories into which your information can be divided.

C REATE A THESIS STATEMENT ?!?! Write your thesis statement. The thesis statement tells the reader what the essay will be about, and what point you, the author, will be making.

Y ES ! C REATE A THESIS STATEMENT You know what the essay will be about (that was your topic!). Decide what point you will be making. Ask Yourself: What do the main ideas and supporting ideas that you listed say about your topic?

T EST S AMPLES FOR T HESIS C REATION The first part states the topic. Kenya's Culture Building a Green City Discrimination The second part states the point of the essay. has a rich and varied history takes innovation, time and patience can be stopped

T EST S AMPLES FOR T HESIS C REATION Or in the second part you could simply list the three main ideas you will discuss. has a long history, blends traditions from several other cultures, and provides a rich heritage. requires an investment in time, technology, and materials. is an unnecessary evil that hurts everyone.

R EMEMBER : Y OUR T HESIS S TATEMENT IS THE LAST SENTENCE IN YOUR I NTRODUCTION !

G ET A G RABBER T HE I NTRODUCTION !!! Remember that a paragraph is 5-10 sentences. The introduction should be designed to attract the reader's attention + the idea of the essay's focus. Begin with an attention grabber!

I W ANT YOUR A TTENTION !  STARTLING INFORMATION: Must be true and verifiable. It could simply be a pertinent fact. If you use a piece of startling information, follow it with a sentence or two of elaboration.

W HAT ABOUT T HIS ?!  ANECDOTE: An anecdote is a story that illustrates a point. Short, to the point, and relevant.

T ALK TO ME  DIALOGUE: The reader must understand the point you are trying to make. Use only two or three exchanges between speakers. Follow dialogue with a sentence or two of elaboration.

S UM IT U P F IRST  SUMMARY INFORMATION: A few sentences explaining your topic in general terms = lead to your thesis. Each sentence should become gradually more specific, until you reach your thesis.

WHEW! If the attention grabber was only a sentence or two, add one or two more sentences that will lead the reader from your opening to your thesis statement. FINISH THE INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH WITH YOUR THESIS STATEMENT.

Thesis Statement The Body Restate Thesis

THE BODY ( PARAGRAPHS THAT IS ) The topic you have chosen must now be explained, described, or argued. Each main idea that you wrote down in your diagram or outline will become one of the body paragraphs. If you had three or four main ideas, you will have three or four body paragraphs.

BODY PARAGRAPHS S TRUCTURE = E ASY A S P IE Each body paragraph will have the same basic structure. Start by writing down one of your main ideas, in sentence form. Next, write down each of your supporting points for that main idea.

E LABORATE : G IVE ME THE D ETAILS ! In the space under each point, write down some elaboration for that point. Elaboration can be further description or explanation or discussion.

A N E XAMPLE J UST FOR Y OU Example: Supporting Point : Commuters appreciate the cost savings of taking public transportation rather than driving. Elaboration : Less driving time means less maintenance expense, such as oil changes. Of course, less driving time means savings on gasoline as well. In many cases, these savings amount to more than the cost of riding public transportation.

T HE B ODY IS A LL F LESHED O UT If you wish, include a summary sentence for each paragraph. This is not generally needed. Once you have fleshed out each of your body paragraphs, one for each main point, you are ready to continue.

The End is Near! First Do This

T HE A BSOLUTE C ONCLUSION ! Conclusion = closure, summing up your points, or providing a final perspective on your topic. All the conclusion needs is five to ten strong sentences. Be careful not to restate your thesis and your points exactly.

A LMOST T HERE !!! Introduction + conclusion = complete essay paragraphs. Don't stop just yet! One more step remains before your essay is truly finished.

T HE F INISHING T OUCHES Before you can consider your essay a finished product, however, you must give some thought to the formatting of your paper.

O RDER ! I D EMAND O RDER !  Check the order of your paragraphs. You might want to start with the second strongest, put the weakest in the middle, and end the paragraph with the strongest.

R EAD THE I NSTRUCTIONS... A GAIN !!!  Check the instructions for the assignment. Font size + style Double-space Catchy/intriguing title ? Name, date, course etc.

C HECK. C HECK. C AN YOU H ERE ME ?? C HECK YOUR WRITING ! Nothing can substitute for revision of your work. Read and reread your paper. Does it make logical sense?

C HECKITY C HECK. L OUD AND C LEAR. Do the sentences flow smoothly from one another? Add some words and phrases to help connect. Transition words. Refer in one sentence to a thought in the previous sentence.

C HECKITY C HECK. C LEARLY S PELT + S AID Have you run a SPELL CHECKER or a GRAMMAR CHECKER? These aids cannot catch every error, but they might catch errors that you have missed.

O N THE HOME STRETCH !!! Once you have checked your work and perfected your formatting, your essay (rough draft) is finished. Congratulations! Now you are ready to write the good copy!

N OW THAT WAS EASY !