Writing an Essay

1. Writing an Essay Click here to get started

2. The Diagram When we write an essay the flow of information can be fit into a diagram that looks something like this: You will find out what fits into all of these shapes. For now let’s start at the beginning. Think about the way that you would start an essay.

3. The Introduction When we start a project we usually start at the beginning. Keeping this in mind, where do you think the introduction is found in the essay? Click on the section in the essay to the right where you think the introduction would be found.

4. Try again. Hint: You use the introduction to let the reader know what the topic of your paper will be. They would read this information first. Click here to try again.

5. Great! • The introduction is that paragraph that is used to introduce the writer to the essay. Therefore, it is the first paragraph in the essay. • For the essay diagram the introduction looks like this:

6. To Format an Introduction . . . The first sentence of an introduction should make a broad reference to the topic of your essay. After the first sentence the information is narrowed until the thesis is reached. Broad Sentence Thesis

7. Click on the sentence below that you think would make the best first sentence for an introduction for an essay on The Contender. I am going to talk about Alfred’s struggle to become a Contender Alfred Brooks is the definition of perseverance . Working hard often helps to add character to a person.

8. Not Quite. Remember – the first sentence should not be too specific and it should include a broad topic that you will address in your essay.

9. Right! The first sentence of an introduction is broad. So using the sentence Working hard often helps to add character to a person. means that you will focus on how Alfred worked hard to become successful.

10. The Thesis This is the most important sentence in your essay! • A thesis is a sentence that tells the reader what your paper is about. It also provides some main points for your paper. Click here for an example

11. For example. . . If you were writing an essay on The Contender, your thesis might say: Through a strong commitment to himself, Alfred Brooks is able to overcome many different challenges, such as substance abuse, high drop out rates or unemployment, and negative peer pressure which surround him in Harlem. If this was your thesis you would have 3 main points in your paper • Alfred Brooks is able to overcome substance abuse. • Alfred Brooks is able to overcome high drop out rates or unemployment. • Alfred Brooks is able to overcome negative peer pressure.

12. Think of your thesis as an umbrella for your essay. All of the information in your essay should fit under the umbrella.

13. Going back to the example: Through a strong commitment to himself, Alfred Brooks is able to overcome many different challenges, such as substance abuse, high drop out rates or unemployment, and negative peer pressure which surround him in Harlem. All of the information in your essay will fit under this umbrella. It will need to fit under one of the three main points. Overcomes high drop out rates and unemployment. Overcomes negative peer pressure. Overcomes substance abuse. Supporting Information Supporting Information Supporting Information Supporting Information

14. Back to those 3 main points • Alfred Brooks is able to overcome substance abuse. • Alfred Brooks is able to overcome high drop out rates. • Alfred Brooks is able to overcome negative peer pressure. Based on the three main points listed above, click on the sentence that would make good supporting information in your essay. Alfred Brooks was African-American. Alfred Brooks lost his last fight. Alfred Brooks refused to participate when drugs were being used in the clubhouse.

15. Try Again. Hint: Read the three main points and try to determine which sentence could fit under the umbrella.

16. Correct! That sentence fits under the umbrella of the main point Alfred Brooks is able to overcome negative peer pressure.

17. The thesis is the last sentence of your introduction. It is found here on the diagram: The Introduction Thesis

18. So What Would Our Introduction Look Like Working hard often adds character to a person. Nowhere is that more apparent then in Robert Lipsyte’sThe Contender. In the novel, the protagonist, Alfred Brooks, is confronted with many challenges that he must overcome. Firstly, Alfred is faced with an increase in drug use by his friends. In addition, Alfred drops out of school and his neighbourhood of Harlem is full of unemployment. Finally, the combination of increasing drug use and unemployment in his neighbourhood lead Alfred to experience high levels of negative peer pressure. Through a strong commitment to himself, Alfred Brooks is able to overcome many different challenges, such as substance abuse, high drop out rates or unemployment, and negative peer pressure which surround him in Harlem.

19. The Body of the Essay The body of the essay is where all of the supporting information is located. This is the middle section of the essay. It’s section on our essay diagram looks like this: The body portion is the longest part of an essay.

20. What information fits here? Click on the group of information below that you think would fit the best into the body portion of an essay. • Name • Date • Hour • Topic sentence • Quotes • examples • Thesis • Restatement of thesis • A list of the works cited in the essay.

21. Not Quite! Hint: The body portion of the essay contains all of the information needed to support the thesis. What kind of information would you use to back up what you wrote in your thesis? Click here to try again

22. Correct! In the body portion of the essay we use items like quotes and examples to back up what was stated in the thesis sentence. Each body paragraph is also started with a topic sentence. Click here to learn about topic sentences

23. Topic Sentences A topic sentence • is located as the first sentence of each body paragraph • provides the main idea for each paragraph • shows how the information in that paragraph will connect to the thesis • Ties together information in the paragraph Topic Sentence Supporting Information A Body Paragraph

24. Click on the first word of the topic sentence in the paragraph below. Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn love adventure. For example, Tom convinces Huck and their friend, Joe, to go to Jackson’s Island with him to pretend that they are pirates. Later Tom and Huck explore a haunted house in search of treasure. The boys seem to thrive on the adventures that they encounter.

25. Try again. Remember: The topic sentence is like an introduction to a body paragraph. Think of where an introduction is located. Click here to try again

26. Right! The topic sentence introduces the paragraph and fits in with one of the main ideas in your thesis. It also connects the ideas in a paragraph.

27. The Conclusion The conclusion of a book or movie comes at the end. Click on the part of the essay diagram below that you think is the conclusion.

28. Yes! The conclusion of the essay is the last section. The conclusion is used to: • Restate the thesis • Give a finished feel to the essay • Leave the reader with a final thought

29. Not quite. The first section is called the introduction. It is used to introduce the essay and provide the main points. Click here to try again

30. Not quite. This is the body of the essay. It is used to provide supporting information for the thesis. Click here to try again

31. Now think back to the shape of the introduction. The conclusion is like the introduction, but it is flipped upside down. Click the place in the diagram of the conclusion where you think you would restate the thesis.

32. Right! The thesis is stated at the point of the triangle. After the thesis is restated the conclusion moves on to some final thoughts.

33. Try again. Remember that in the introduction the thesis was the last sentence. It was found at the point of the triangle. Click here to try again

34. Remember. . . The base of the triangle in the diagram shows us where a broad statement belongs. We started the essay with a broad statement, now we end with one at the base of the conclusion triangle. Broad Statement

35. A Review Which format is correct for an essay?

36. Great Job! You’re off to a great start for writing your essay!

37. Not quite. Hint: Remember the thesis is located at the point in each triangle. It is the last sentence of the introduction and the first sentence of the conclusion. Click here to try again