How to Write an Essay Ms. Mitchell Freshman Literature

Table of Contents Introduction – General Statement General Statement – Definitions Definitions – Transition Statement Transition Statement – Thesis Thesis Body Paragraphs – Context Context – Evidence Evidence – Analysis Analysis Conclusion

Introduction 1. GENERAL STATEMENT/HOOK 3. TRANSITION STATEMENT 2. DEFINITION(S) 4. THESIS BROAD NARROW

General Statement/Hook Interesting opening remark to hook your audience and make them want to read your paper Should be general and broad. Should not mention the text or the author. Example: “Every culture has their own understanding of what it means to be a hero.”

Definitions This is where you define any key terms your reader will need to know to understand your paper (if necessary!) Why? If your paper is about why Atticus Finch is a moral character, you have to define for your reader what a moral character, or what morality, means to you for your paper to be clear. Example: “A moral character is someone who always does what is right even when it is difficult.” (NOTE: I did not mention Atticus Finch here—I just have a generic definition.)

Transition Statement This is where you mention the text and the author. This should be getting more specific than your hook and definitions, but not be as specific as your thesis. Example: “In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch meets the definition of a moral character.”

Thesis This is the crux (heart) of your paper. Everything you write in the body of your paper should connect to your thesis. A thesis statement is an opinionated statement that presents the argument of the paper. This is an ARGUMENT that can be debated, but you are out to prove. You want your reader to say “hmmmmm, I’ve never thought of that before! I should read more!”

Thesis Example: “By always doing what is right, even when it is difficult or to his own detriment, Atticus Finch exemplifies what it means to be a moral character.” – This is an opinion (not a fact) because someone could say to me: “No! That doesn’t make him a moral character! That just makes him a moron!” – Then I would argue why I am correct and use examples to prove my point!

Body Paragraphs The meat and bones of your paper This is where you prove your thesis Each paragraph should have it’s own topic or focus A good rule of thumb is that a full length essay has at least three body paragraphs. Sometimes this will vary. Each paragraph that starts with a topic sentence that tells the reader what the paragraph is about. Example: Atticus Finch demonstrates his morality by agreeing to take Tom Robinson’s case when no other lawyer will.

Body Paragraphs ContextEvidenceAnalysis

Context Before you can give evidence (quotes) to prove your thesis, you have to give your reader some context. How much context you give depends on your audience. You should not repeat everything that happens in the book before your quote, but rather, just give enough to “set the scene.”

Context The following clip demonstrates context. Watch the clip and see if you can determine what part was the context. fxI&list=PLsKej73jIiBZacEX2QJyPX8KRYPgA6f7 0 fxI&list=PLsKej73jIiBZacEX2QJyPX8KRYPgA6f7 0

Context Example: – Topic Sentence: Atticus Finch demonstrates his morality by agreeing to take Tom Robinson’s case when no other lawyer will. – Context: Tom Robinson, a black man, is accused of raping a young white woman in the town of Maycomb. Because Tom is black and the case is impossible to win, no lawyer is willing to take the case—except Atticus Finch.

Evidence: Quotes You can’t prove your thesis with your own ideas alone. You MUST use the author’s own words to support your point. You have to revisit the text and find specific examples that prove your point and then quote these examples in your paper.

Evidence: Quotes – Our paragraph so far: Atticus Finch demonstrates his morality by agreeing to take Tom Robinson’s case when no other lawyer will. Tom Robinson, a black man, is accused of raping a young white woman in the town of Maycomb. Because Tom is black and the case is impossible to win, no lawyer is willing to take the case—except Atticus Finch. Atticus Finch is willing to fight an unwinnable fight because it is right. Quote: “‘Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win’” (Lee 87).

Formatting Quotes You always have to give credit to the original author when you use someone else’s words To do this you start with “quotation marks” around the words you’re using At the end of the quote, outside the quotation marks, you put the page number in (parenthesis) with a period outside the parenthesis.

Formatting Quotes Example: “blah blah blah blah blah” (Lee 32). Open quotation mark Parenthesis around the page numbers Period to end. Close quotation mark The words you’re borrowing from the text

Formatting Quotes with Dialogue “‘blah blah blah blah blah’” (Lee 32). Open quotation mark Parenthesis around the page numbers Period to end. Close quotation mark The words you’re borrowing from the text Open single quote to show dialogue Close single quote to show dialogue ending

Analysis Analysis comes after you quote. Analysis is composed of your ideas. It is opinion not fact. Analysis is where you explain how or why the quote proves your thesis statement. Analysis is the most important part of your paper next to your thesis.

Analysis – Our paragraph so far: Atticus Finch demonstrates his morality by agreeing to take Tom Robinson’s case when no other lawyer will. Tom Robinson, a black man, is accused of raping a young white woman in the town of Maycomb. Because Tom is black and the case is impossible to win, no lawyer is willing to take the case—except Atticus Finch. Atticus Finch is willing to fight an unwinnable fight because it is right. “‘Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win’” (Lee 87). Analysis: As a lawyer, Finch’s reputation in town depends on the number of cases he wins. However, Finch believes that there are things more important the professional reputation and one of those things is doing what is right. He is willing to take the case, even if it means sacrificing his reputation in town, to show his children the importance of acting in a moral manner. He knows that Tom Robinson is entitled to a defense attorney and Atticus Finch is willing to give Robinson that, regardless of what it means for himself.

Conclusion REVIEW MAIN IDEA RESTATE & EXPAND THESIS STATEMENT FINAL THOUGHTS BIG PICTURE COMMENT SPECIFIC BROAD

Conclusion Review Main Ideas – Go back to your paragraphs and look at the main idea for each one. – Write 1-2 sentences that remind your reader of those ideas Restate and Expand Thesis – Go back to your thesis statement. Find another way to say the same thing. Elaborate if you can.

Conclusion Final Thoughts – Make an important point about the BIG ideas you mention earlier Big Picture Comment – Don’t bring in a new argument but try to find someway to connect your ideas to the real world – What do you want your reader to walk away knowing