The Write Stuff

1. The Write Stuff Ms. Selby

2. Why Should I Care About Writing? • Writing is an essential job skill • Builds your ability to explain complex positions • Develops communication and thinking skills • Helps give others feedback and helps others give feedback to you. • Writing expresses who you are as a person

3. 5 Paragraph Essay Blueprint • Introduction • Hook • Background • Thesis Statement • Body Paragraph • Topic Sentence • Supports • Concluding Sentence • Conclusion • Restate Thesis • Summarize • Lasting Impression

4. Introduction Paragraph “You never get a second chance to make a first impression”

5. Parts of the Introduction Paragraph • Hook • Background Information • Thesis

6. The Hook • It should grab your reader’s attention. • Quote • Vivid description • Anecdote • Definition • Question • Must transition into the paper’s topic

7. Hook: Vivid Description • A vivid description is like a photo- a single snapshot. Unlike an anecdote, it has no plot or action. • Ex) The sweet smell of cotton candy floats in the air. Bumper cars collide in the distance. There is nothing like the county fair.

8. Hook: Anecdote • An anecdote is a short story that leads the reader into your topic. • Ex) Imagine a small child crying at the county fair because they cannot ride the rides the big kids do. Despite their wailing, the parent does not budge. In a similar fashion…

9. The Thesis Statement • Main argument of your paper • It introduces the reader to the rest of your paper

10. So What’s the Formula?

11. Recipe for a Good Thesis _______________ because ________________ , ________________ , and ________________ . Arguable Point Reason #1 Reason #2 Reason #3

12. Give Me an Example Smoking should be illegal because it can kill you, can harm those around you, and it is addictive and difficult to stop once started.

13. A topic sentence tells the reader what the paragraph is going to be about. Use it to help remind the reader what your paper is trying to prove (thesis) It should have a subject, a verb, and a controlling idea. Ex.) One reason why schools should not enforce random locker checks is because it is an invasion of student privacy. Topic Sentence

14. Supporting Sentences • This is where you give more information about your topic. • Ask yourself: How can I prove this is true? What examples can I give? • Three supports per paragraph

15. Adding Quotes- Parenthetical Citations • According to movie analyst Kevin Jones in his novel Summer Blockbusters, “The Dark Knight sold more tickets in its opening weekend than any other movie in history”(Jones 252). • A parenthetical citation shows where the information is from. • Give author and page number. • No comma. Punctuation follows citation.

16. Restate thesis. Use new words (points in same order) • Summarize main points of essay. Remind reader what you said. • End with a lasting impression. Give reader something to think about after finishing essay. Conclusion Paragraph

17. And That is How you Write an Essay! …Now go ace that paper on Friday!