1. OF AN EFFECTIVE ESSAY PRESENTATION ADAPTED FROM UTPB WEST TEXAS LITERACY CENTER ELEMENTS

2. What is an Essay? An organized piece of writing that focuses on a single topic Organized around a general idea (or, often, thesis)  Paragraphs that develop the main idea comprise the body of the essay  Begins with an introduction  Ends with a concluding paragraph

3. The Writing Process Prewriting  Begin by asking—and answering—these questions:  For what purpose am I writing? (Don’t say “Because my English teacher made me;” instead, try “to persuade” or “to inform”)  What is the scope of my topic? (Your scope is the depth or level of complexity you plan on exploring in your essay—it clarifies not only what you are writing about, but what you are not when it comes to a specific topic)  What point of view am I taking and how do I establish this through tone?  Who is my specific audience?  Brainstorming (mind maps, point-form notes, discussions, etc.)  Free-writing: jump in and begin your first draft

4. Determining Scope Wide Scope- General, big and inclusive Narrow Scope- Specific, smaller and more exact or precise Example: General1. Mammals General1. Education to2. Humans to2. High School Specific 3. Female Specific3. Westdale 4. Mary 4. Ms. Linton’s class

5. Introduction to an Essay: The Introductory Paragraph  The first part of an essay  The reader’s first contact with the topic from your perspective – makes a first impressions  Major influence on the reader’s desire to keep reading  Reader begins to evaluate the essay based on the introduction

6. Attention Getters for Introductory Paragraphs Strategy  Provide some interesting background about the topic in the form of a general statement  Use a thought-provoking quotation  Ask a question about your topic  State a surprising fact or a puzzling statement  Share an anecdote  Use descriptive details and rhetorical devices Examples  Today’s children become tomorrow’s leaders.  “Adolescence is not a stage of life, it is a disease!” Dr. S. Rosner  Why don’t children want to be controlled by adults?  Teenagers join gangs because they need the support of a family.  When I was a teen, it took three arrests for me to straighten out.  Deafening gun shots ring out at least three times a week at the east-end neighborhood.

7. Attention Getters for Introductory Paragraphs Strategy  State a common misconception  Describe a problem  Give an analogy  Show how the topic is related to the reader’s personal experience  Write an interesting and precise thesis statement Examples  Despite popular misconceptions, children don’t learn bad habits from adults.  Everyone knows what a problem juvenile delinquency has become.  Children are just like domestic animals: they need someone to set rules and expectations in order to behave best.  Most people know how difficult it is to raise children.  To help curb youth gun violence, educators, parents, community groups, and the local police must work collaboratively and proactively.

8. Body of an Essay Set of paragraphs that develop the idea expressed in the introduction Like any paragraph, should be unified around a main idea and arranged coherently  Make a list of specific ideas or sub-points that support your main idea  Each one should become the topic sentence and focus of a body paragraph  Arrange the main ideas in logical order (time, place, or importance)  Plan out each body paragraph by listing major details that support each main idea  Each body paragraph should end with a transitional or concluding sentence

9. Supporting Paragraphs Methods of Development: Writing the Body Allusion to help your reader relate Analogy to help the reader infer that because two events/ideas are alike in one respect, they will be alike in other respects as well Anecdotes brief narration of a real-life event to connect to a larger issue Classification to organize information according to groups or categories Cause and Effect to make connections/trace patterns between events or ideas Concession to admit that the opposition is correct on a specific point (but then usually continues on to destroy the rest of the opposition’s argument) Contrast and Comparison to illustrate the difference or to show similarities between Descriptive Details to appeal to the reader’s senses and creates imagery Examples facts, statistics, supporting reasons, charts, graphs, and survey results, that give evidence to support the author’s claim or give detail

10. Most to Least Important Details to capture the reader’s attention with the most compelling evidence and then gives a series of other supports to reinforce it Problem and Solution to explore an issue with a realistic answer or resolution Process Analysis to explain step-by-step how something is done or how to do something Quotation to make one’s stance more credible by quoting a text or a person who is an authority or expert on the subject, thus making the writer’s position more credible Rhetorical Question to encourage the reader to consider a key point Series of Events According to Time to organize ideas chronologically Summary to offer a succinct and clear overview of a text, philosophy, or concept that covers the main ideas but does not contain irrelevant and/or extraneous details

11. Transition Words For examples: For example, for instance, to illustrate For organization or chronological order: The six steps are…, next, finally first, secondly, third For additional points: Furthermore, in addition, also, moreover For opposing ideas: On the other hand, in contrast, although, however For similar ideas: Likewise, similarly, in comparison

12. Transition Words For exceptions: However, nevertheless, but, yet, still For emphasis: Above all, finally, more importantly For understanding: In other words, in essence, briefly For summarizing: In conclusion, to sum up, for these reasons, ultimately

13. Conclusion of an Essay Purpose: To leave the reader with a positive impression, a sense of completeness, and the inclination to think about the topic Usually a short, single paragraph (but may be comprised of more paragraphs depending on length and scope of essay) Should follow logically from the body of the essay

14. The Closing: Writing the Conclusion  Make reference to the opening  Restate the thesis statement (if applicable) in different words/sentence structure  Reveal the significance—answer “so what?”  Summarize the points made in your introduction and body  Make a bold statement or use a quotation to reinforce your point or stance  Make predictions—present a theory or idea for future consideration (but one for which there is not enough room in the scope of this particular essay)  Make recommendations

15. The Revision and Editing Process The process of reviewing and rewriting to make your ideas more logical, understandable, and interesting to your readers Involves crossing out some material, adding other information, and rearranging material Two main aspects of the Revision Process  Revision through reading  Revision through collaboration

16. Revising and Editing through Reading A way of finding out what other readers think about your essay May become aware of problems that you have not noticed Can get suggestions for improving organization, clarity of ideas; including grammar, punctuation, spelling and usage As you read to revise:  Keep in mind your purpose for writing  Remember your specific audience  Read carefully and multiple times – with each rereading you will probably find ways to improve your essay