ESSAY WRITINGESSAY WRITING

THE LAW & ORDER THE LAW & ORDER APPROACHAPPROACH

First you discover the body.First you discover the body.

We call this the prompt.We call this the prompt. Read the prompt very closely.Read the prompt very closely. Mark all of the evidence that is immediately Mark all of the evidence that is immediately

available.available. Dates, places, events, and/or people involvedDates, places, events, and/or people involved

The prompt provides just enough The prompt provides just enough information to begin the process of information to begin the process of establishing a framework for your argument.establishing a framework for your argument.

Next you must study the crime Next you must study the crime scene and collect all your evidence scene and collect all your evidence

to prove your case.to prove your case.

We call this studying.We call this studying. There are no shortcuts.There are no shortcuts. Reading the textbook or materials is Reading the textbook or materials is

a must to establishing the a must to establishing the background of information needed to background of information needed to make the your case.make the your case.

Start your essay as if you were Start your essay as if you were presenting a legal case to the “jury” presenting a legal case to the “jury”

with your interpretation of the with your interpretation of the evidence.evidence.

We call this the thesis statement.We call this the thesis statement. Make sure your thesis answers the Make sure your thesis answers the

prompt.prompt. Is your theory of the events in Is your theory of the events in

question plausible?question plausible? Does your thesis answer, “So what?”Does your thesis answer, “So what?”

Establish the main planks of Establish the main planks of your caseyour case

We call these the “body” paragraphs We call these the “body” paragraphs of the essay.of the essay.

Use G-O P-E-R-S-I-A, if no other topic Use G-O P-E-R-S-I-A, if no other topic statements are required by the statements are required by the prompt.prompt.

They should directly tie to and support They should directly tie to and support your thesis your thesis

Use your evidence to prove each of Use your evidence to prove each of your planks in support of your thesis your planks in support of your thesis

You need to provide “evidence” to You need to provide “evidence” to the jury to substantiate your case.the jury to substantiate your case.

We call these facts. We call these facts. Are all of your facts relevant?Are all of your facts relevant? Do you have enough facts to make a Do you have enough facts to make a

strong enough case?strong enough case? Do your facts support your theory Do your facts support your theory

(thesis)?(thesis)? List any facts that may provide alternate List any facts that may provide alternate

theories, to show complete theories, to show complete understanding.understanding.

Then you must interpret those facts Then you must interpret those facts and show their relationship to the and show their relationship to the

casecase

We call this analysis.We call this analysis. How and why did this occur?How and why did this occur? Why was this evidence involved?Why was this evidence involved? How is this evidence related to the How is this evidence related to the

facts presented in the prompt?facts presented in the prompt? What are the connections?What are the connections?

Explain where the evidence took Explain where the evidence took you in your final summation.you in your final summation.

We call this the conclusion.We call this the conclusion. Rewrite your thesis statement in a new Rewrite your thesis statement in a new

way.way. Wrap up all the loose ends of your Wrap up all the loose ends of your

argument.argument. Do not introduce any new ideas or Do not introduce any new ideas or

evidence. It will be thrown out of court.evidence. It will be thrown out of court. Do not reverse your argument.Do not reverse your argument. No surprise endings!No surprise endings!

THE PROCESSTHE PROCESS

Always write an outline first.Always write an outline first. Organize your thinking.Organize your thinking. Write a rough draft of your thesis statement.Write a rough draft of your thesis statement. List all of your knowledge on the subject.List all of your knowledge on the subject. Prioritize your facts by importance to subject.Prioritize your facts by importance to subject. Start with your strongest evidence in the first Start with your strongest evidence in the first

body paragraph.body paragraph. Lesser evidence in subsequent body Lesser evidence in subsequent body

paragraphs.paragraphs. Now begin to write your essay.Now begin to write your essay.

Working through WritingWorking through Writing

Define ExpectationsDefine Expectations Writing to a Rubric—Allowed to use on Writing to a Rubric—Allowed to use on

teststests Essay Question Prompts-Use on testsEssay Question Prompts-Use on tests Spelling and GrammarSpelling and Grammar First DraftFirst Draft-not a formal essay-not a formal essay

Not an excuse to be sloppy, but it does allow Not an excuse to be sloppy, but it does allow free thinkingfree thinking

Outlines are a must before writing!!!Outlines are a must before writing!!!

Working through WritingWorking through Writing

Thesis Statement-PRACTICE~PRACTICEThesis Statement-PRACTICE~PRACTICE Timed writing—Buy a stopwatch. Timed writing—Buy a stopwatch.

Shorten times by 5 minutesShorten times by 5 minutes Confidence for the AP examConfidence for the AP exam

““If I would have had 2 more minutes, I would If I would have had 2 more minutes, I would have finished.”have finished.”

Trial by Fire-High Expectations—Expect Trial by Fire-High Expectations—Expect early failureearly failure

Inform Students—Honesty works to motivate.Inform Students—Honesty works to motivate.

TAKE THIS G-A-T-ETAKE THIS G-A-T-E

TO BETTER AP SCORESTO BETTER AP SCORES

COMPARATIVE ESSAYSCOMPARATIVE ESSAYS

A-NALYZE REASONS FOR SIMILARITIES A-NALYZE REASONS FOR SIMILARITIES

G-LOBAL CONTEXTG-LOBAL CONTEXT A-DDRESS ALL PARTS OF THE QUESTIONA-DDRESS ALL PARTS OF THE QUESTION T-HESIS STATEMENTT-HESIS STATEMENT EVIDENCEEVIDENCE 22 D-IRECTD-IRECT C-OMPARISONSC-OMPARISONS

CHANGE & CONTINUITY CHANGE & CONTINUITY OVER TIME ESSAYSOVER TIME ESSAYS

G-LOBAL CONTEXTG-LOBAL CONTEXT A-DDRESS ALL PARTS OF THE QUESTIONA-DDRESS ALL PARTS OF THE QUESTION T-HESIS STATEMENTT-HESIS STATEMENT E-VIDENCEE-VIDENCE 5-C’s5-C’s

CHRONOLOGYCHRONOLOGY CAUSATIONCAUSATION CHANGECHANGE CONTINUITYCONTINUITY CONTENTCONTENT

DBQ RUBRICDBQ RUBRIC

B-IAS/P.O.V. (3)B-IAS/P.O.V. (3) A-LL DOCUMENTSA-LL DOCUMENTS G-ROUPINGS (3) G-ROUPINGS (3) U-NDERSTAND THE DOCUMENTSU-NDERSTAND THE DOCUMENTS E-VIDENCE FROM DOCUMENTS (3)E-VIDENCE FROM DOCUMENTS (3) T-HESIS STATEMENTT-HESIS STATEMENT T-IME PERIODST-IME PERIODS E-XTRA DOCUMENT(2)E-XTRA DOCUMENT(2)