How to Write an Essay

Ms. MitchellFreshman Literature

Table of Contents

• Introduction– General Statement– Definitions– Transition Statement– Thesis

• Body Paragraphs– Context– Evidence– Analysis

• Conclusion

Introduction

1. GENERAL STATEMENT/HOOK

3. TRANSITION STATEMENT

2. DEFINITION(S)

4. THESIS

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General Statement/Hook

• Interesting opening remark to hook your audience and make them want to read your paper

• Should be general and broad. Should not mention the text or the author.

• Example: “Every culture has their own understanding of what it means to be a hero.”

Definitions

• This is where you define any key terms your reader will need to know to understand your paper.

• Why? If your paper is about why Edward Bloom is a hero, you have to define for your reader what a hero means to you for your paper to be clear.

• Example: “A hero is someone who always thinks of others before himself.” (NOTE: I did not mention Edward Bloom here—I just have a generic definition.)

Transition Statement

• This is where you mention the text and the author.

• This should be getting more specific than your hook and definitions, but not be as specific as your thesis.

• Example: “In Big Fish by Daniel Wallace, Edward Bloom meets the definition of a hero.

Thesis

• This is the crux (heart) of your paper. Everything you write in the body of your paper should connect to your thesis.

• A thesis statement is an opinionated statement that presents the argument of the paper.

• This is an ARGUMENT that can be debated, but you are out to prove.

• You want your reader to say “hmmmmm, I’ve never thought of that before! I should read more!”

Thesis

• Example: “By routinely putting other’s happiness first, even when it means being unhappy himself, Edward Bloom acts like a hero.”– This is an opinion (not a fact) because someone

could say to me: “No! That doesn’t make him a hero! That just makes him a nice guy!”

– Then I would argue why I am correct and use examples to prove my point!

Body Paragraphs

• The meat and bones of your paper• This is where you prove your thesis• Each paragraph should have it’s own topic or focus• Each paragraph that starts with a topic sentence

that tells the reader what the paragraph is about.• Example: In the vignette “Karl the Giant” Edward

selflessly offers himself as a sacrifice to save the lives of his neighbors and fellow residents.

Body Paragraphs

Context

Evidence

Analysis

Context

• Before you can give evidence (quotes) to prove your thesis, you have to give your reader some context.

• How much context you give depends on your audience.

• You should not repeat everything that happens in the book before your quote, but rather, just give enough to “set the scene.”

Context

• Example:– Topic Sentence: In the vignette “How He Tamed

the Giant” Edward selflessly offers himself as a sacrifice to save the lives of his neighbors and fellow residents.

– Context: A giant is eating the town of Ashland out of house and home. After the giant eats two dogs, the townspeople are convinced they might be next. Edward Bloom offers to help.

Evidence: Quotes

• You can’t prove your thesis with your own ideas alone. You MUST use the author’s own words to support your point.

• You have to revisit the text and find specific examples that prove your point and then quote these examples in your paper.

Evidence: Quotes

• Our paragraph so far: In the vignette “Karl the Giant” Edward selflessly offers himself as a sacrifice to save the lives of his neighbors and fellow residents. A giant is eating the town of Ashland out of house and home. After the giant eats two dogs, the townspeople are convinced they might be next. Edward Bloom offers to help.

• Quote: “‘To you, O great Karl! We submit to your power. In order to save the many, we realize we must sacrifice a few. That makes me—what?—lunch?’” (32.)

Formatting Quotes

• You always have to give credit to the original author when you use someone else’s words

• To do this you start with “quotation marks” around the words you’re using

• At the end of the quote, outside the quotation marks, you put the page number in (parenthesis) with a period outside the parenthesis.

Formatting Quotes

Example: “blah blah blah blah blah” (32).

Open quotation mark

Parenthesis around the page numbers

Period to end.

Close quotation mark

The words you’re borrowing from the text

Analysis

• Analysis comes after you quote.• Analysis is composed of your ideas. It is

opinion not fact.• Analysis is where you explain how the quote

proves your thesis statement.• Analysis is the most important part of your

paper next to your thesis.

Analysis• Our paragraph so far: In the vignette “Karl the Giant” Edward

selflessly offers himself as a sacrifice to save the lives of his neighbors and fellow residents. A giant is eating the town of Ashland out of house and home. After the giant eats two dogs, the townspeople are convinced they might be next. Edward Bloom offers to help. He offers himself as a sacrifice, “‘To you, O great Karl! We submit to your power. In order to save the many, we realize we must sacrifice a few. That makes me—what?—lunch?’” (32.)

• Proving himself to be a hero, Edward Bloom sacrifices himself to Karl so as to save the townspeople. While Karl does not actually want to eat Edward, there is no evidence that Edward knew this prior to offering himself as the sacrifice. His actions are selfless; he would rather save many than save himself.

Conclusion

REVIEW MAIN IDEA

RESTATE & EXPAND THESIS STATEMENT

FINAL THOUGHTS

BIG PICTURE COMMENT

SPECIFIC

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Conclusion

• Review Main Ideas– Go back to your paragraphs and look at the main

idea for each one.– Write 1-2 sentences that remind your reader of

those ideas• Restate and Expand Thesis– Go back to your thesis statement. Find another

way to say the same thing. Elaborate if you can.

Conclusion

• Final Thoughts– Make an important point about the BIG ideas you

mention earlier• Big Picture Comment– Don’t bring in a new argument but try to find

someway to connect your ideas to the real world– What do you want your reader to walk away

knowing