Essay Writing mini-workshop The Summer Reading Assignment Preparation

Introductions are as easy as ACT  Introductions: ACT Introductions are as easy as ACT  A-Attention Grabber (Hook) C-Context and Connections T- Thesis Statement Attention Grabber/Hook: Start your essay with a sentence or two that grabs your reader’s attention.

Introductions: “C” C=Connect and Context TAG: After you hook your reader, you want to connect the topic to the text specifically. Always introduce the Title, Author, and Genre of the text you are discussing. Genre: is your text: a novel, a short story, a poem, an article, or a memoir.

Introductions: “C” continued Context and Connection: Provide a brief summary of what the text is about and connect to how the topic is reflected in the text. Remember you don’t want to be too specific yet!!!! Get your readers interested in the topic you will be analyzing

Introductions: “T” Thesis Statement: The bold argument and its justification that you are making in your paper. Remember, you always want your argument to be very specific. Introductions tend to start off general (the hook) and become very specific (the thesis)

ACT teaches you to create a “funnel” intro

Body Paragraphs Topic Sentence: This sentence sets the stage for the rest of your paragraph. It introduces a point that helps prove the thesis statement. The rest of the paragraph should help to show how your topic sentence is true in the text. Topic Sentences are IDEA based NOT plot based!

Body Paragraphs Textual Evidence: Textual evidence helps prove that the point you are making is true in the text that you are writing about. Direct quotations (embedded and cited) or summary of the plot (be specific but keep focused on summary that helps prove your point.

Body Paragraphs Analysis: Textual evidence alone is not enough to support your point. You need to explain to the reader why your textual evidence is significant and explain how it helps prove your thesis.

Body Paragraphs Wash, Rinse, Repeat: One piece of textual evidence per paragraph may not be enough (it can be, especially if your are examining a particularly meaningful section of the text), so feel free to provide more textual evidence and analysis to prove the point of the topic sentence. Repeat these steps in each of your body paragraphs.

Conclusion Restate Thesis: This is tricky, because you don’t want to sound repetitive. Try putting your thesis into different words. Show How You Proved Your Thesis: Give a brief recap of the points you made in your essay. Again, you are summarizing, but try not to be repetitive with your phrasing. Broadening Statement: Ending an essay can be hard– think about how the point you make in your essay can be applied to the world as a whole. Thesis statements tend to move from the specific (the thesis), to the general (the broadening statement)