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Mini EssayIntroduction, Body, and Conclusion

Introductory Paragraph

Hook – a statement, quote, phrase, or word that grabs the audience’s attention

General Ideas – ideas that speak to the topic without getting into specific details or textual evidence

Thesis Statement – Located at the end of the introductory paragraph, this statement captures the major ideas your essay attempts to explain, defend, or prove.

Body

Main Point Located at the beginning of each body paragraph Mini-thesis statements that are more focused and

specific to a part of the body paragraphs.

Body (continued)

Transition Words – words that connect sentences and ideas. See mysurveylit.com for examples.

Lead-in Sentences – introduces textual support

Examples:

Drexler further explains the effects of technology as she states…

Similarly, Collins agrees with these effects, claiming….

Body (continued)

Analysis Always relate your analysis to the claims in your

thesis statement. This is important to a avoid a thesis statement/body disconnect

An effective analysis does not explain what the textual support means, but rather, it explains the textual support’s significance to the Main Point and/or Thesis Statement.

Concluding Paragraph

Restatement, not a repeat, of the thesis statement

Restatement, not a repeat, of the major points

No new points should be made in the concluding paragraph.

The last couple of sentences should answer the question: what now? In other words, how should the reader transform after reading your paper? What philosophical, real-world, or universal connection did you make in your paper?