1. The Introduction NO NO’s 1) Announce Your Intentions
“This paper is going to be about…”
“In this paper I will…”
2) Begin with a dictionary definition
“Webster’s dictionary defines perception as…”
3) Ask a Lame Question
“Have you ever judged somebody before getting to know them?”
4) Stress Out over an Attention Getter
“Greasers are filthy, trashy people. At least that’s what some people think.”

2. Begin with an interesting statement
The Introduction
Do’s
Begin with an interesting statement
“In The Outsiders, Ponyboy Curtis may be the youngest greaser, but it’s possible he learns the most throughout the book.” Or
In S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, Ponyboy Curtis learns a lesson that is valuable for any young person.
In a world filled with different people, S.E. Hinton shows us that titles and first impressions do not always tell the full story.

3. Provide background that leads to your Thesis Statement.
The Introduction
Do’s
Provide background that leads to your Thesis Statement.
The main character and narrator, Ponyboy Curtis, is a 14-year old boy living on the poor side of town with other members of his gang, known as the greasers. This close-knit group of boys consists of his two brothers, Darry and Soda, along with four other boys from troubled homes sharing some of the same life experiences. Each of these boys also shares a hatred for a rival gang known as the Socs. Throughout the beginning of the novel, Pony reveals his views on each member of his gang and those of the Socs. However, experience teaches Pony that sometimes, familiarity alters perception.

4. The Introduction
Do’s
Provide background that leads to your Thesis Statement.
Who is Ponyboy?
What is his situation in life?
What is his social situation?
Who is getting in the way of his happiness?
What does he learn? THESIS STATEMENT!
THESIS STATEMENT: PONY LEARNS FAMILIARITY ALTERS PERCEPTIONS.

5. 3) Repeat Your Body Paragraphs
The Conclusion
NO NO’s
1) Announce What You Did
“In this paper I …”
“I just showed you…”
2) Talk to the Reader
“So as you can see…”
3) Repeat Your Body Paragraphs
“Ponyboy changes the way he sees his brother.”
4) Give Advice
“So the next time you judge someone, don’t!”

6. Begin by restating your Thesis Statement.
The Conclusion
Do’s
Begin by restating your Thesis Statement.
Pony learns that becoming familiar with someone can change the way he sees a person.
In The Outsiders, Pony finds first impressions are not always the best ones.
Sometimes it takes a while to really learn what a person is like. And what we learn, is often different that what we first perceive.
Pony’s experiences with Darry, Dally, and the Socs prove that first impressions are not necessarily accurate.

7. Provide background that leads to your Thesis Statement.
The Conclusion
Do’s
Provide background that leads to your Thesis Statement.
Sometimes it takes a while to really learn what a person is like. And what we learn, is often different that what we first perceive. In The Outsiders, Ponyboy is forced to see people in very difficult circumstances. Yet, it is during tough times that the true character of people is revealed. This is even true for Pony. As a reader, it might be easy to conclude that Pony is a young hood after the first couple chapters. The gang he is a part of could lead us to this conclusion. But through the course of the book, Pony proves to be an intelligent, deep- thinking kid who is insecure about himself and his group. Perhaps the lesson Pony learns can best be appreciated by understanding Pony himself.

8. Provide background that leads to your Thesis Statement.
The Conclusion
Do’s
Provide background that leads to your Thesis Statement.
Pony’s experiences with Darry, Dally, and the Socs prove that first impressions are not necessarily accurate. People are deeper than what appears on the surface, and only by digging under that surface can we find the truth. He finds that all of these people worry, just like him, and have problems and emotions, just like him. These are common bonds that unite all people regardless of social class or type of clothing. In fact, things are “rough all over” just as Cherry suggested (35). In the novel, Pony never seems comfortable with his title greaser. Perhaps this lesson will help him feel comfortable dropping the label and find happiness just being Ponyboy Curtis.

9. Step back and wrap up the big picture.
The Conclusion
Do’s
Step back and wrap up the big picture.
In general, how did this lesson affect Pony’s views?
Why is the lesson important for Ponyboy Curtis?
How is Pony’s personality different than the other greasers? How does this affect the way he learns this lesson?
Who do you think is/are the real outsiders in this book? Make a connection to the theme.
How will this lesson make him better?
Does the lesson apply to our understanding of the title?
How is the lesson a universal truth?