WRITING AN ESSAY

Mr. Wilson - LMAC

Where to begin?

So, we have covered Lit Elements and Author’s Techniques; we have talked about Thesis Statements; we have discussed the MLA format…

Now what?

The First Questions

How are you being evaluated?

When is it due?

When do you do your best writing?

Did I get all the information from the text?

Now you should be ready to start

Writing an Introduction

What are the elements of a good introduction?

An attention grabber – or a hook (this should probably be your first sentence).

Necessary information – author’s name, title of the work and either a brief mention of the theme or summary of the story (ONE sentence).

THESIS STATEMENT (one sentence). Maybe a brief description of what you are

going to cover (one sentence).

Introduction information: Hook or lead, author and

title.

THESIS

Topic sentences:

what are your paragraphs

going to focus on

Next: Formulate your paragraphs.

Your paragraphs should flow in a natural order.

You can write as many paragraphs as you want.

But they should be self-contained (i.e.: with their own beginning, middle and end).

Like your conclusion, save the most interesting stuff for your last paragraph.

Want to get really fancy?

Good writing FLOWS.

If you have picked a natural order for your ideas and your paragraphs, then your ideas should…

CONNECT from one paragraph to another (this is not as easy as it sounds).

Transitional and Linking Words used in multiple paragraph essays

100 transition words

Academic Essays – by Adam Kissel

Individual paragraphs

Each paragraph is like a mini-essay: It has an introduction and a point It provides evidence to support or

disprove that point. It has a conclusion

If it is less then 3 sentences or more then 8…something is up.

Plagiarism

What is it? Passing off someone else’s ideas as your

own. Why should you avoid it?

Plagiarism is one of the worst forms of cheating.

It will remain on your academic record forever.

Why is it so easy to catch high school students? Because you are not very good at it. It is probably just easier to cite

everything!

Editing and Style

Never hand in a paper that has not be read by someone else.

Try reading your work out loud – if it sounds weird, then it will not makes sense to me either.

The last, and the most painful, is to practice practice practice practice practice. (Reading also helps a lot!)

(Sir! Are you serious!)

Yes – this means writing your paper more then 24 hours in advance!

Conclusion

Your conclusion is exactly that – a short summary of what you have already spoken about, so yes, it will be repetitive.

Many times, I have written my conclusion and I have had to go back and change my thesis! Be flexible!

This should be the BEST WRITTEN and MOST INTERESTING part of your essay – so make it count!

GOOD LUCK!(and yes – I am a very hard marker…heh heh heh.)