Essay Structure CAT, TBEAR, RAT Villines English

Introduction Paragraph C.A.T. Introduction Paragraph

Connection Academic Discussion Thesis Statement... Make a personal connection to your topic Hook the reader Academic Discussion Give us the context of your essay (author, title, time period, brief overview of the text, theory you’ll talk about, etc.) Thesis Statement...

Make it DEBATABLE Make it DEFENDABLE Crafting a Thesis Make it DEBATABLE Make it DEFENDABLE What you will argue in your essay NOT a fact (you can’t debate a fact) Your opinion A statement that can be argued (see bullet #3) A statement you can defend with specific evidence or examples Be sure it addresses the prompt

What is a Strong Thesis? A strong thesis takes a stand defend your opinion, don’t be wishy-washy A strong thesis justifies the discussion why should I care about your argument A strong thesis expresses one main idea focus my attention A strong thesis is specific don’t make it vague, open-ended, or too broad

Example WEAK STRONG There are some negative and positive aspects to the Banana Herb Tea Supplement. Because Banana Herb Tea Supplement promotes rapid weight loss that results in the loss of muscle and lean body mass, it poses a potential danger to customers.

Example WEAK STRONG World hunger has many causes and effects. Hunger persists in Glandelinia because jobs are scarce and farming in the infertile soil is rarely profitable.

Example WEAK STRONG More attention should be paid to the food and beverage choices available to elementary school children. Because half of all American elementary school children consume nine times the recommended daily allowance of sugar, schools should be required to replace the beverages in soda machines with healthy alternatives.

Generating a Thesis Statement Turn the prompt into a specific question For example, if your assignment is, “Write a report to the local school board explaining the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class,” turn the request into a question like, “What are the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class?” After you’ve chosen the question your essay will answer, compose one or two complete sentences to answer that question. Q: “What are the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class?” A: “The potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class are . . .”OR A: “Using computers in a fourth-grade class promises to improve . . .” The answer to the question is the thesis statement for the essay.

T.B.E.A.R.S. Body Paragraphs

Topic TOPIC SENTENCES First sentence of the body paragraphs Needs to address the thesis THESIS Last sentence in intro paragraph (usually) Is it debatable? Defendable? Does it address the prompt? The argument of the essay (what you are proving; WHY you are writing the essay)

Bridge to Evidence Sets up the evidence for the reader Think→ the top part of a “quote sandwich” Give background info for the reader What text is the evidence coming from? What part of the story is the evidence coming from? What characters are involved?

Evidence/Examples Does the evidence directly support the topic sentence? Is the evidence brief? Choose the most important part of the quote Use correct punctuation to eliminate parts of the quote you don’t need (…) Are there 1-2 examples from the text for each topic sentence? Is the citation in MLA format? “Blah blah blah blah blah…blah blah blah blah” (Author page).

Analysis OFFER AN EXPLANATION→DISCUSS THE “SO WHAT?” How does the example/evidence support or connect to the topic sentence and thesis? Why is the example/evidence important? Are there at least two sentences of analysis per example?

Restate/Relationship Tie it all together How does the topic sentence serve the thesis? How does this paragraph help prove your argument (thesis)? Is there a transition to the next topic sentence

Style & Substance (this is not an added part to your body paragraphs, this needs to be considered in your writing OVERALL Style Language – be sure your language supports your purpose Formal/Academic Informal Audience – be sure your tone and diction match your audience (classmates, Congress, teacher, etc.) Substance Length – is the length appropriate for your purpose Quality – does your essay stay focused, did your evidence support your thesis, did your analysis explain your evidence in relation to your thesis, etc. Everything serves the thesis.

R.A.T. Conclusion Paragraph

Restate Thesis Academic Discussion Thought In different words, restate your thesis If necessary, change your original thesis to now match what you actually proved in your essay Academic Discussion synthesize your main points (NOT a summary explain how your points are all connected to each other and the thesis Thought leave the reader with a thought that will stick (a statement, not a question) remind the reader why the topic matters