1. Essay Writing 101
CLU 3MR
Supplemental

2. Essay Writing 101 1500 words (no more than 1800 words)
At least 7 sources (the more, the better)
About 6 paragraphs (this means 4 body paragraphs plus the intro and the conclusion)
Keep your thesis in the front of your mind... You must be proving it with every single sentence
Include at least 3 references per paragraph (direct quotations and/or indirect references)

3. Introduction About 200-250 words
Include a brief introduction to your topic... not too much... Just 2 or 3 sentences
Your thesis, make sure it is really clear. Get a couple of other people to read your intro over and make sure they can identify your thesis
Plan of development: write one sentence about each of your sub-topics. Avoid anything that sounds like a list
Conclude with another reference to your thesis

4. Sub-topics
Your first sentence should both introduce your sub-topic and connect it to your thesis. If you need 2 sentences, that’s all right
Don’t worry about a sentence that lists your evidence for the paragraph. A better sentence just informs the reader that you will provide such evidence
Then, provide your proof and an explanation of how it proves your thesis.
You should have between 2 and 4 examples of evidence in each paragraph
Conclude with a sentence that summarizes your paragraph and reconnects to your thesis

5. Conclusion This is similar to your introduction but in reverse
Start by reflecting back on your thesis
Review the sub-theses that you used to prove your thesis
At the end, restate your thesis and try to come up with the significance of your research and the entire essay
About words

6. References
You must reference any specific fact (dates, statistics, etc)
All quotations and indirect quotations
Ideas borrowed from one of your sources
Use APA style for a law essay

7. Using quotes Don’t: Begin or end a paragraph with a quote
Use quotes where your own words would be better
Expect the quotes to prove your thesis all on their own

8. Do:
Use them wisely
Remember to insert the citation (Author, page) after the closing quotation mark
Introduce and then explain your quotation
Use quotations to prove your point

9. Remember: Title page with a catchy title
Bibliography (alphabetical order)
The last page of your essay
In APA style
Your essay will not be accepted without a bibliography
Suggestion: Create your title page and bibliography in a separate file to avoid numbering them
Attach the mark sheet to the back of your essay