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Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
Organizing your essay
from introduction
to conclusion
Anna Aghlamazyan Writing Consultant
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
1. What are the main functions of introductions?
2. What are the main functions of conclusions?
3. What is a paragraph and how to construct it?
4. Quiz time
A quick outline
Latin – Exigere: "to examine, test, drive out."
French - Essay
English - Essay
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
To encourage students to test or examine their ideas on a topic
Introductions make
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
the first impression
Proportions are important
Introduction
Body
Conclusion
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
Proportions are important Introduction
Body
Conclusion
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
Hoo the reader
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
Define Keywords
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
The Opening Sentence
Daniel Coyle, “The Talent Code”
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
“In December 2006 I began visiting tiny places that produce Everest-size amounts of talent.”
Geoffrey Colvin, “What It Takes to Be Great?”
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
“What makes Tiger Woods great?”
Strategies to hook Asking a question
Challenging a thought
Introducing something familiar
Raising a problem
Revealing a startling fact
Bringing an example
Incorporating a relevant quote
Telling an anecdote
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
Revealing a startling fact
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
More than 2.5 billion pictures are uploaded to Facebook each month.
Raising a problem
At first I had no idea what made students come to Math & Writing Center again and again.
Do not merely announce the topic of your essay:
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
“In this essay, I will speak about…” “This essay is about…”
In this paper I will show how the participation in student clubs at AUA can help students to improve their grades.
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
Thesis statement
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
usually occurs in the introductions
Participation in student clubs at
AUA helps students to improve
their grades.
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
Conclusions
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
Don’t repeat
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
Emphasize
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
Guide to
future directions
“The striking, liberating news is that
greatness isn't reserved for a preordained few.
It is available to you and to everyone”.
Geoffrey Colvin, What It Takes to Be Great
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
The Closing Sentence
What is a paragraph?
A paragraph is a group of
sentences relating to a
central idea and appearing in
a logical sequence.
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
Anatomy of a Paragraph
1
• Topic sentence
• One main idea
• Supporting evidence
2
• Topic sentence
• One main idea
• Supporting evidence
3
• Topic sentence
• One main idea
• Supporting evidence
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
What does the topic sentence do?
Thesis statement
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
Writing consultancy sessions should be a requirement for undergraduate students.
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
The essay structure
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
Introduction
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 2
Conclusion
Opening sentence
Thesis statement
Topic sentence
One main idea
Supporting evidence
Topic sentence
One main idea
Supporting evidence
Recapping what has been said
Closing sentence
Transition words
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
ADDING SEQUENCING ILLUSTRATING CAUSE AND
EFFECT
COMPARING QUALIFING CONTRASTING EMPHASISING
1. True or false? Introductions and conclusions should have 150 words.
2. Which are the main functions of a conclusion?
3. Which are the main functions of an introduction?
4. Enumerate at least 5 strategies to hook the reader.
5. True or false? Each paragraph starts with a topic sentence.
6. True or false? This is what a well-structured paragraph should contain. Topic sentence, Three main ideas, Supporting evidence
Sep/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
Quiz time
Oct/2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
Prepared by Anna Aghlamazyan
Writing Consultant
References
Sep, 2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
English Composition I: Achieving expertise. (2015). Duke University. Conducted by Dr. Denise Comer. MOOC provided by Coursera. Retrieved from https://www.coursera.org/course/composition
Colvin, G. (2006, October). What It Takes to Be Great. Fortune. Retrieved from: http://archive.fortune.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2006/10/30/8391794/index.htm
Hacker, D., Sommers, N. (2012). Rules for writers with writing about literature. Bedford/St. Martin’s, Boston, New York.
References
Sep, 2015 AUA, Center for Student Success
Introduction to Public Speaking. University of Washington. Conducted by Dr. Matt McGarrity. MOOC provided by Edx. Retrieved from
https://courses.edx.org/courses/course-v1:UWashingtonX+COMM220UWx_2+1T2015/info
Miiller, J.C. (2015, Aug). A Long Journey Home. English Composition I: Achieveing Expertise online course. Retrieved from: https://class.coursera.org/composition-004/forum/thread?thread_id=5423
Starting with a hook. (N.d.). Retrieved from: http://www.time4writing.com/learning-how-to-write/starting-with-a-hook/
50 interesting Facebook facts. (2010). Retrieved from http://facts.randomhistory.com/interesting-facebook-facts.html
Starting with a hook. (N.d.). Retrieved from http://www.time4writing.com/learning-how-to-write/starting-with-a-hook/