ACADEMIC ESSAY FORMAT

AndThe Oreo Cookie

Academic

• Research• Information or quotes from story or text• Very little opinion if any• Academic essays are not “stories”or Personal Narratives

Academic Essay Format

• Every essay has a minimum of 5 paragraphs• Each paragraph must be at least 5 sentences long • Each paragraph must have 1 simple, 1

compound,1 complex, 1 compound-complex and 1 of your choice.

• This is called the 5x5! Minimum of 25 varied sentences per essay. Less is an Incomplete Paper!

Oreo Cookie

The top cookie is the Introduction Paragraph (1 paragraph & Thesis), the creamy middle is the BODY of the paper (3+ paragraphs), and the bottom cookie is your Conclusion paragraph (1 paragraph)

Thou Shalt Not….

• Begin your paper at the top of the page. EVER!!!!

• Always start in the middle with your THESIS.• Thesis is: 1 sentence. 1 idea + 3 steps, reasons, or

list items. (Phrase, Phrase, Phrase or Word, word word)

• IT IS ALWAYS THE LAST SENTENCE OF THE INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH. NEVER INDENTED.

• YOU ALWAYS WRITE IT FIRST

ORDER of Essay Writing***Write them out of order

• THESIS• TOPIC SENTENCES• FILL IN BODY PARAGRAPHS• FILL IN CONCLUSION• WRITE INTRODUCTION

Write in this order….

• The three best cookies to eat are the Oreo cookie, the Nutter Butter cookie, and the sugar cookie.• First, one of the best cookies to eat is the Oreo cookie.• • • • • Second, one of the best cookies to eat is the Nutter-butter.• • • • Third, one of the best cookies to eat is the sugar cookie.• • • • • • In conclusion, the Oreo cookie, the Nutter-Butter, and the Sugar cookie are the three best cookies to eat.

Essay Format is the

BIG PICTURE

Paragraph Structure and Color Coding

• Now we will magnify a paragraph.

Sentence Pathways

In order to vary your sentence structure, you will review each paragraph and check to see if you have a

• Simple• Compound• Complex• Compound-Complex• 1 of your choice IN EACH PARAGRAGH. If not, tweak the sentences

so that each pathway is represented.

Color Coding• Each sentence is color coded for content. • “The opener” (taken from the thesis) is blue• The next sentence is a fact or detail about the

topic and is pink• The next sentence is a fact or detail about the

topic and is pink• The next sentence is an Example of the above

detail or fact it is yellow• The final sentence is the closer that restates the

main idea of the paragraph it is blue

Here is our Thesis topic

• Thesis: Cool Runnings, Aliens, and The Wizard of Oz are the three best movies ever made.

1st Body Paragraph Example

First, Cool Runnings is one of the best movies ever made. Cool Runnings, filmed in 1993, tells the story of the Jamaican bobsled team that competed in the Calgary Olympics. While the movie starred virtually unknown actors the film documented an important event in history: Jamaica’s attempt to secure a medal in a winter sporting event. Olympic Bobsledding involves sliding in a sled down a dangerous, curving track. Obviously the Caribbean Island of Jamaica had never competed in the sport and the movie brought to the masses the incredible story of four young athletes.

Color Coding• First, Cool Runnings is one of the best movies ever made.

Cool Runnings, filmed in 1993, tells the story of the Jamaican bobsled team that competed in the Calgary Olympics. While the movie starred virtually unknown actors, the film documented an important event in history: Jamaica’s attempt to secure a medal in a winter sporting event. Olympic Bobsledding involves sliding in a sled down a dangerous, curving track. Obviously the Caribbean Island of Jamaica had never competed in the sport and the movie brought to the masses the incredible story of four young athletes.

Let’s check Sentence Pathwaysare they all included?

• First, Cool Runnings is one of the best movies ever made. Cool Runnings, filmed in 1993, tells the story of the Jamaican bobsled team that competed in the Calgary Olympics. While the movie starred virtually unknown actors the film documented an important event in history: Jamaica’s attempt to secure a medal in a winter sporting event. Olympic Bobsledding involves sliding in a sled down a dangerous, curving track. During the event, the athletes try to start their sled quickly down the track and the officials judge their best time. Obviously the Caribbean Island of Jamaica had never competed in the sport and the movie brought to the masses the incredible story of four young athletes.

FINDING your THESIS in the PROMPT

QUESTION

“PROMPT” IS A FANCY WORD FOR:

STEAL YOUR THESIS FROM THE PROMPT!!!! ALWAYS!!!!

• EXAMPLE: Prompt:What are the best movies that have ever been

produced? Discuss your answer in terms of film vocabulary.

Thesis:The best movies that have ever been produced are

Cool Runnings, Aliens, and the Wizard of Oz. Or Cool Runnings, Aliens, and The Wizard of Oz are the

best movies ever produced.

Stealing tells the Teacher that you understand the prompt!

WARNING!!!!

• LESS IS NOT MORE! MORE IS MORE. DON’T TRY TO SHORT CUT THE THESIS STRUCTURE! USE ALL THE WORDS!

Naughty No-Nos!

• DO NOT USE CONTRACTIONS• DO NOT USE 2ND PERSON (ANY FORM OF

“YOU”)• USE PRONOUNS ONLY WHEN YOU ABSOLUTLY

HAVE TO.• NEVER USE FIRST PERSON (ANY FORM OF “I”

OR “MY” UNLESS THE PROMPT HAS THE WORD “YOU” IN IT.

YOUR FIRST PROMPTCHOOSE THE ONE YOU WANT TO TRY

A: DISCUSS ALL THE IMPORTANT ELEMENTS RELATED TO A NEW DRIVER, AUTOMOBILE VOCABULARY, AND RATINGS. WHAT ARE THE BEST CARS A TEENAGER COULD CHOOSE TO DRIVE AND WHY.

B: CONSIDER THE ELEMENTS THAT MAKE UP A FAMILY. AFTER RESEARCHING THE TOPIC, EXAMINE WHICH FAMILY PETS ARE THE BEST TO OWN AND WHY?

Conclusions & Introductions

Conclusions

• Topic sentence is flip-flopped of your thesis.• 2 Facts or detail about 1st body paragraph• 2 Facts or detail about 2nd body paragraph• 2 Facts or detail about 3rd body paragraph• Closer

3 Ways to write Introductionsuse a related Metaphor or Simile #1

• Metaphor or Simile• Credit for Metaphor and explanation of it;

how does it relate to the topic• Fact or detail about the topic• Fact or detail about the topic• Thesis

Example

“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” This metaphor, by William Shakespeare, explains that human beauty can only be compared to the beauty of nature. Nature surrounds our society. It also defines our relationships through encoded signals that are sent to the opposite genders. Men and women connect in our society through symmetry of features, smell, and body language.

Use a relevant Quotation#2

• Quote that relates to topic• Credit for quote and explanation as to how it

relates to topic.• Fact or detail about topic• Fact or detail about topic• Thesis

Example Quotation

“A rose by any other name will smell as sweet.”This quote, by William Shakespeare, means that names are irrelevant. Substance is more important than what an object or person is called. Shakespeare’s plays, if written by another, are still the same plays. They are still unique, brilliantly written, and thematically complicated. Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Julliet, contains several themes: love conquers all, meddling in other people’s business never ends well, and parents do not always set the best examples for their children.

#3Paint a Picture

• Use an Imperative sentence and a creative language• Use an Imperative sentence and a creative language• Use an Imperative sentence and a creative language• Fact or detail about topic that ties to creative

sentences• Fact or detail about topic that ties to creative

sentences• Thesis

Picture Example

Imagine a cool autumn day, leaves rustling as they litter the earth. See an October evening surrounded by the sounds of chirping crickets welcoming the night time. Create the image of excited children and haggard parents as they prepare for the inevitable Halloween holiday. Halloween is full of happiness, laughing children, and creepy costumes. Creepy creature costumes that children wear are seized from ideas from nightmares that are universal to humanity. Some of the creepiest creatures on earth are scorpions, spiders, and snakes.