Essay StructureClick icon to add picture

Parts of an Essay

Introduction- slides 3- 7

Body Paragraph- slides 8-10

Conclusion- slides 11-12

Introduction

An arresting statistic or shocking statement

A relevant story, joke, or anecdote

A quotation from a recognized authority, historical figure, or literary source

TOP 3:

Step 1: Start with a Lead-In (also called a “hook” or an “attention-getter”)

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Introduction

Step 2: Follow the Lead-In (“Hook”) with some background infoTIP: This should help connect your lead-in to your thesis statement. Think of it like a bridge.

Lead-In Thesis StatementBackground Info & Connection

Introduction

Step 3: End your introduction with your Thesis StatementTIP: It is the “big picture” of what your entire is about, boiled down to one sentence.

Parts of a Thesis

Your topic (what your essay is ABOUT)

Your opinion (what do you want to say about the topic you are writing about?)

Essay Map (this is optional: It gives a map of what the order of topics you will cover)

Florida is my favorite place to go for vacation because of the beaches, Disney World, and the nice weather.

Interactive Practice• Read the following intro paragraph and answer the questions.

• When my older brother substituted fresh eggs for our hard-boiled Easter eggs, he didn’t realize our father would take the first crack at hiding them. My brother’s holiday ended early that particular day in 1991, but the rest of the family enjoyed the warm April weather, outside on the lawn, until late into the evening. Perhaps it was the warmth of the day and the joy of eating Easter roast while Tommy contemplated his actions that make my memories of Easter so sweet. Whatever the true reason, the fact is that my favorite holiday of the year is Easter Sunday and I love the family gatherings, all the food, and the Easter Egg hunt.

• What type of attention getter is used?– A. interesting fact or statistic– B. a quotation from authority or literary source– C. relevant story, joke, or anecdote (*correct answer)

• What is the thesis statement?– A. Whatever the true reason, the fact is that my favorite holiday of the year is Easter Sunday and I love the family gatherings, all the food,

and the Easter Egg hunt. (*correct answer).– B. When my older brother substituted fresh eggs for our hard-boiled Easter eggs, he didn’t realize our father would take the first crack at

hiding them– C. Perhaps it was the warmth of the day and the joy of eating Easter roast while Tommy contemplated his actions that make my memories

of Easter so sweet.

Interactive Practice• Read the following intro paragraph and answer the questions.

Henry David Thoreau, an American poet, once wrote, “ Our life is frittered away by detail… simplify, simplify!” These words of advice are difficult to follow in a society where a hectic pace of life is the norm and the attainment of more material goods is encouraged. However, I believe that this philosophy of living simply has quite a bit of merit. The difficulty of following this philosophy is knowing where we should begin, but the result is well worth the effort. I believe there are a number of ways in which to simplify our own lives and yet live richly, such as reducing screen time, taking regular vacations, and paring back on material possessions.

• What type of attention getter is used?– A. interesting fact or statistic– B. a quotation from authority or literary source (*correct answer)– C. relevant story, joke, or anecdote

• What is the thesis statement?– A. Henry David Thoreau, an American poet, once wrote, “ Our life is frittered away by detail… simplify, simplify!” – B. I believe there are a number of ways in which to simplify our own lives and yet live richly, such as reducing screen time, taking

regular vacations, and paring back on material possessions. (*correct answer)– C. The difficulty of following this philosophy is knowing where we should begin, but the result is well worth the effort.

Body Paragraphs

Step 1: Begin with a topic sentence that transitions from the previous paragraph

TIP: Topic sentences should be general (no specifics) and reflect wording from the thesis.

MY THESIS: Florida is my favorite place to go for vacation because of the beaches, Disney World, and the nice weather.

Topic sentence (first sentence) of Body paragraph #1: The best part about a Florida vacation is definitely the beaches.

Topic sentence (first sentence) of Body paragraph #2: Not only are the beaches a great destination, but Disney World is also an amazing experience.

Topic sentence (first sentence) of Body paragraph #3: Disney World is great to visit in almost any weather, and luckily in Florida, there is plenty of beautiful weather to go around.

(transition)

(transition)

Body Paragraphs

BE SPECIFIC! GIVE LOTS OF DETAILS AND EXAMPLES!

VagueMany people in movie theaters are inconsiderate. They make noises and create disturbances at their seats. Both young and old act as if they were at home in their own living room.

Specific

Little kids race up and down the aisles. Teenagers try to impress their friends by talking back to the screen, whistling, and making what they consider to be hilarious noises. Adults act as if they were at home in their own living room and comment loudly on the ages of the stars and quality of the movies.

Interactive PracticeSome sentences below provide specific evidence to support the opening point. Some are vague, general, wordy sentences. Choose the ones that provide specific evidence.

_____ 1. The people who have moved in beside us are unpleasant neighbors. (*correct answer)

 

They barely say hi when we’re in our neighboring yards. When we invited them to a neighborhood barbecue, they said they were going to be busy. They sometimes turn loud music on late at night, and we have to close our window to shut out the noise. To top it off, they own a dog, which they let roam free in our street.

 

______ 2. My mother was a harsh disciplinarian.

 

When I did something wrong, no matter how small, she would inflict serious punishment. She had expectations that I was to live up to, and she never changed her attitude. When I did not behave as I should, I was dealt with severely. There were no exceptions as far as my mother was concerned.

 

_____ 3. Pets can be more trouble than children.

 

My dog, unlike my children, has never been completely housebroken. He still has an occasional problem. We don’t have to worry about our grown children anymore. However, we still have to hire a dog-sitter.

 

______ 4. Some things are worse when they’re “improved.” (*correct answer)

 

A good cheese cake, for one thing, is perfect. It doesn’t need pineapple, cherries, blueberries, or whipped cream smeared all over it. Plain old American blue jeans, the ones with five pockets and copper rivets, are perfect too. Manufacturers only made them worse when they added flared legs, took away the pockets, tightened the fit, and plastered white logos and designers’ names all over them.

Conclusion

Restate the thesis

Quick summary of the main points in the essay

Final though/impact for the reader

Conclusion

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