Essay Writing Formal Literary Essay

Relevancy Why do we have you write the formal literary essay? Why do you need to learn the skills required to write a formal literary essay?

Thesis Argument Controls the paper Destination Everything relates back to the thesis Explicit or implicit Placement – Beginning or end, sometimes even in the middle Rubric – Knowledge and Thinking

Audience Who will read your writing? What do they already know? What do they want to know?

Purpose Narration – tell a story Description – create a sensory picture Expository – inform or explain Argument/Persuasive - convince

Brainstorming Free writing on the thesis Mind mapping Dot jot of ideas What comes to mind? How easy will this thesis be to defend?

Outline Graphic organizer, loose-leaf page, word document– what works best for you? Thesis Dot jot points, proofs (quotations and page references), explanation Consider organization – strong point, weakest point, strongest point

Outline cont'd Include 3 topic sentences Each topic sentence must relate to thesis 3 quotations/topic sentence Context for each quotation

Outline Graphic organizer, loose-leaf page, word document– what works best for you? Thesis Dot jot points, proofs (quotations and page references), explanation Consider organization – strong point, weakest point, strongest point

Rough Draft Complete sentences Paragraph structure Topic and concluding sentences Link paragraphs with transition words or repetition of words Present tense

Peer Editing Topic sentence relates to thesis Point then proof with context then explanation Paragraph is not a summary Concluding sentence

Introduction Sentences 1-2: General opening statement, famous quotation, introduce text and author Sentences 3-4: List points to be discussed in essay Sentence 5: Thesis (last sentence in introduction)

Shakespeare’s play Macbeth is a about a true tragic hero. He has many noble qualities as well as several tragic flaws. He is a courageous, brave and good nobleman who is haunted by superstition, moral cowardice and an overwhelming ambition. The three points which contribute greatly to Macbeth’s degeneration are the prophecies told to him by the witches, Lady Macbeth’s influence and manipulation of Macbeth’s judgment, and finally Macbeth’s long time ambition which drove his desire to be king. Although he is courageous and brave and he is seen as the hero at the beginning of the play, his sky high ambition causes his damnation; ultimately he becomes a tragic hero.

Conclusion Sentence 1 – Restate thesis Sentences 2-4 – Summation of key points (topic sentences) Sentence 5 – General statement, profound statement of what is learned, food for thought for your reader

Editing Explore spell check suggestions. Make sure you have avoided “I think,” “You,” slang and any other informal language. No abbreviations or contractions. Read aloud to catch awkward sentences, missing words, typos.

Editing Get a trustworthy editor – what parts are not fully explained? What questions does your editor have? Consider what should be changed. Maintain your own voice – your paper should sound like you.

Final Copy Double space Italicize the name of the text every time it is used. Use size 12 font. Leave only one space after periods or other punctuation marks.

Final Copy First page– your name, teacher’s name, course, date go in the top left corner Top right corner – your last name (Anderson 1) Pagination: top right corner of each page - last name, then page number ( Anderson 2) title of your essay (not the title of your novel)

Final Copy For Shakespeare/poetry quotations, place the Arabic numbers for the act, scene, and lines in round brackets. Use a period to separate: (3.1.12) or ( ). Use a slash with a space on each side to illustrate line breaks. “It will have blood, they say; blood will have blood: / Stones have been known to move and trees to speak” ( ).

Final Copy Quotations more than 3 lines: Indent, no quotation marks the way they appear in the text Lady Macbeth reveals that she is capable of murder: Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts! Unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top full Of direst cruelty; make thick my blood, Stop up the access and passage to remorse, That no compunctious visitings of nature Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between The effect and it (1

Final Copy Works Cited page Author’s last name, first initial. Title of Text. City of publication: Publisher, copyright date. Print.

Relevance – Transferable Skills Casual Debate – Leafs vs Habs Lawyer – Litigating Letter of Application/Reference