Essay tips

1. Essay tips

2. Rule #1 • READ THE QUESTION!!! • Recognize what the question is asking. • Cause & effect • Compare & Contrast • Evaluate & Analyze • Every part of the question is important • Pay attention to the verbs. • Consider the nature of the question • Should answer be chronological or topical? • Should the answer be based on ‘what part of Sprite? (social, political, religious, intellectual, technological or economic history • Analyze the influence of humanism on the visual arts in the Italian Renaissance. Use at least THREE specific works to support your analysis.

3. Sooooo…… • The questions asks about aspects of humanism. • You must use three pieces of work to show these aspects • You talk about, say, talk about art techniques in Renaissance Europe (e.i., disappearing lines), but IT WONT GET YOU ANY POINTS • ALWAYS ANSWER THE QUESTION, not as you wish it was asked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4. Think about the thesis… • Think of the magic words • Ex…. No Italian Renaissance art essay can be without some of the TMNT • ’Bing, Bang & Boom’ • THREE is the magic number generally • THREE topics that will be addressed in the essay, may be mentioned in the thesis

5. Thesis statements • You MUST have one • It CANNOT merely a restatement of the question • Use specific information • Tell what you are going to prove • Put it at the beginning • If you know what you are trying to say from the beginning, it will make for a much better essay overall!!!!!!!!!

6. Question: • Analyze the influence of humanism on the visual arts in the Italian Renaissance. Use at least THREE specific works to support your analysis. • Here’s an AWESOME thesis: “The influence of humanism on the visual arts in the Italian Renaissance is seen in the emphasis of the individual, the classics and secularism.”

7. Why is that thesis good? • It provided some context for the answer, and displayed some background knowledge • It responded to the major focus of the question (how is humanism ideas found in the visual arts) • It provided an indicator of what kind of information was going to be included in the essay, and expressed the conclusion • It summarized the basic premise of the answer • It provided an easy starting point for the answer – “…Italian Renaissance had several aspects of humanism.”

8. Use paragraphs • Structure and organization are part of your essay grade • You should always use more than one argument or example to support your thesis – multiple paragraphs will force you to do that • It keeps all of your ideas separate and easier to follow

9. Like Sort of Kind of Really A little Very Things Lots Stuff Ways Many Any contractions!!! Never use the followingin your thesis Good Words to Include *While…. *Although… *Despite/ In Spite of…

10. Things to AVOID • Wordiness….. . Say what you mean.. .quickly! • Don’t write: Doofus was able to burp • Write: Doofus burped • Use the ACTIVE voice. • Don’t write: The paper was written by Bubba • Write: Bubba wrote the paper • Cliches • Superlatives (most, best, all, worst, way, super, anything) • 1st and 2nd person (I agree) • Speculation (I think….)

11. Things to AVOID • 2, 4, b/t, or any other short hand abbreviations • …Mixing verb tenses. Almost always, use past tense • Only use last names of people. Don’t include first names or titles. • “… ...this paper is about.…..I am going to write about…

12. Finally… • Do not make broad unsupported statements: “peasants were all lazy…” • If you say it, you should have some information to back it up • In general, you should try to use an example or argument for EVERY statement of “fact” you make • Remember, this is an essay, not a note or a chat room. You are trying to prove something and you should try to sound like you know what you’re talking about all the time.