Brainstorming and Outlining Essays

Warm Up Take a few notes on what you love and hate about writing essays. Be sure not to forget the date!

Essay Anxiety Who has experienced feelings of anxiety before writing an essay? Do you sit down and stare at your paper or computer screen forever because you don’t know where to start? What can you do to fight these feelings? Understand the objective of the essay Know where you stand Brainstorm Outline Write!!!

Understand the Prompt Look for question words Identify key words and phrases How long does the essay have to be? What will you have to do? Argue? Analyze? Persuade? Ask yourself, what is the point of the essay What is the “So What” For a more in-depth explanation:

Brainstorming What is brainstorming? How do we do it? 2 techniques Webbing Brain-Splat

Practice Brainstorming – As a Class Argue why my parents should come to Morocco – use ideas from warm-up Understand the prompt Web or Brain-Splat? Categorize ideas and pick the strongest supporting points Does each main point have several points of supporting evidence?

Picking Your Points and Supporting Evidence What are the categories in your brainstorm? Which have the most evidence? Which have the strongest evidence? Which can you write about best? Which work best together?

Outlining What is an outline? What are the elements? How you do make one? Is any particular order necessary? Steps Brainstorm  what is your argument?  what are your main points  put into outline structure

Outline as A Class Argue why my parents should come to Morocco

Brainstorm and Outline Practice Individually, brainstorm and outline the following prompt Do not begin to brainstorm until you understand the prompt, what you are supposed to do, and the essay’s objective Don’t begin to outline until you have a solid brainstorm and you know your stance Good habits improve our physical, emotional, and/or financial health. Select one of your good habits and write an essay persuading readers to make that habit a part of their lives.

Recap What are the steps you should follow when you receive an essay prompt? How do these strategies help you write a more organized essay and avoid losing time staring at your paper?

Essay 1: Prompt In our continually modernizing world, one cross-cultural trend is that new generations are experiencing more and more ways in which their generation is different from their parents. Despite these changes, many people think that no matter how the times change, there are always elements of a culture that are relatively stable. In no less than two pages, discuss these similarities and differences between your generation and your parents' within the context of some larger argument. For example, you may argue that differences may exist but that traditions and culture hold generations together or you may argue that these changes are good or bad because of ___ reason.

What You Need to Do Make an argument Example: Our generation is lacking in focus when compared with our parents'. This is good or bad because of ____ Example: Our generation is more adventurous than our parents'. This is good or bad because of ____ Provide support for your argument With each point of support, you analyze why this support is helpful for your argument Have a strong thesis statement Correctly paraphrase and quote the words of others

Essay 1: How You Will Be Graded You will be graded on the presence and quality of the: Introduction: Does your thesis statement states your argument and your support Paragraphs with supporting details for argument Quotations and paraphrasing Conclusion: Does your overall argument match your thesis statement

Notes There is no "right or "wrong" answer Just need to provide proof and support for your argument and write a well-structured essay You will only be held accountable for skills we have covered Each essay turned in should be an improvement from the last No research besides a conversation with your parents or a parent-like figure is necessary Take notes of exact phrases they say while speaking with them You should not decide on your argument until you identify a trend you want to discuss Start with your interview and then decide what your argument it

Homework Come to class with a brainstorm and outline of Essay Prompt #1 You will have to speak with your parents before next week in order to complete this assignment -- don’t forget to take good notes and write down some exact quotes Read the PDF online titled “Paraphrasing, Summarizing, and Quoting” Link is available on class blog