Writing Tips

Introduction Don't simply echo the language of the assignment Avoid offering a history of your thinking about the assignment. Avoid beginning with "Webster defines 'xxx' as... " – Use a specialist, philosopher, or admirable person

Introduction Avoid beginning with grandly banal statements: – EX: 1984 is the most interesting novel of all time. – EX: Winston Smith is the most heroic character in all of literature. – WHY NOT? Readers may find the statement too obvious to be worth reading they may think that it oversimplifies a complex matter

How to start I am addressing the issue of [ fill in your topic here] in order to show why/how/what/who/whether [fill this in with subject and verb] I am addressing the issue of the relationship between Jefferson's assumptions and evidence in order to show how he depended on assumptions that he could not prove but needed in order to use the evidence he had.

How to start Once you write the previous statement: – Attempt to answer the question (why/how/what/who/whether) – This will go at the end of your tentative introduction and work as a makeshift thesis to go off of to write your draft

Draft Introduction should go from general to specific. Therefore, nothing should be more specific than your thesis. Only use quotes in introduction to define a concept. You may even want to devote another paragraph entirely to that definition and how it is interpreted in your paper. No other quotes will be necessary.

Body Paragraphs All paragraphs should start with a topic sentence which states the point you want to make. Then it should be followed by support (direct quotes, paraphrases, evidence) that backs up your point. These pieces of support should be connected with analysis  aka how it connects to your thesis, to your point, why it matters in the context of your paper.

Body Paragraphs Use transitions to transition from thought to thought and paragraph to paragraph Avoid summary. Remember your audience is a room full of people like your teacher. They know the general plot of the books you read. They do not need to be reminded of the general plot. A sentence or two summary in the introduction will suffice. Finally, keep in mind that you are trying to PROVE something.

Quotes When including direct quotes you should use the sandwich method. A quote is meant to help further your own point in an essay. Many writers often make the mistake of throwing a quote into their body paragraphs without properly introducing it, or explaining it’s significance.

Quotes By sandwiching a quote, you are: giving your reader background information on the quote explaining why the quote is even relevant to your argument and transitioning the quote into your paragraph. Think of it like a sandwich. The quote is the meat of the argument, and the bread represents your own words, surrounding and explaining it.

A sandwich just isn't as good without the bread. Once you know what quote you want to use, begin by introducing it. Do this by transitioning into the idea, or transitioning into the beginning of the quote.

Example: Let’s introduce this quote for an essay about Americans watching too much TV: “By the time they are 20, Americans are exposed to at least 20,000 hours of television.” This is an example of transitioning into the sentence with your own words. The amount of hours watching TV is simply getting out of hand, in fact, studies show that “by the time they are 20, Americans are exposed to at least 20,000 hours of television”(Stow)

You can also try to introduce the idea that you are about to present. For example: Many studies show that the amount of hours Americans are watching television is detrimental to their health. In fact, “by the time they are 20, Americans are exposed to at least 20,000 hours of television” (Stow). But whatever you do, make sure that you never start a quote without introducing it in your own words!

Not done making the sandwich yet… Having a quote in your paragraph is a great way to support your idea. But the quote cannot speak for itself, you have to string the ideas along for the reader. When explaining the significance of a quote to your reader, consider the following questions: Why did I pick this quote? How does this quote further my own ideas? What is this quote really saying? What do I want my reader to really understand from this quote?

Finish the example Let’s finish our paragraph by using the question: What do I want my reader to really understand from this quote? Many studies show that the amount of hours Americans are watching television is detrimental to their health. In fact, “by the time they are 20, Americans are exposed to at least 20,000 hours of television” (Stow). 20,000 hours is the equivalent to almost two and a half years spent sitting in front of a television. This time could be better spent exercising, furthering education, or simply learning to help one another. But instead of doing things that can potentially help the American community, Americas are choosing to spend time on things that can only harm themselves.