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A “Nelson-style” Essay—Step-by-Step

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Topic or Question

• Should parents encourage their children to wrestle alligators?

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Should parents encourage their children to wrestle alligators?

• Parents should encourage their children to wrestle alligators because [clause 1], [clause 2], and [clause 3].

• Parents should not encourage their children to wrestle alligators because [clause 1], [clause 2], and [clause 3].

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Should parents encourage their children to wrestle alligators?

• Parents should encourage their children to wrestle alligators because…

• 1. children need physical exercise.• 2. children need to get closer to nature.• 3. children need to face challenges.

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Should parents encourage their children to wrestle alligators?

• Parents should not encourage their children to wrestle alligators because…

• 1. children might injure the alligator.• 2. children might catch an alligator disease.• 3. children are too young to understand

competition.

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Should parents encourage their children to wrestle alligators?

• Parents should encourage their children to wrestle alligators because…

• 1. children need physical exercise.• 2. children need to get closer to nature.• 3. children need to face challenges.

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Should parents encourage their children to wrestle alligators?

• Parents should encourage their children to wrestle alligators because children need physical exercise, children need to get closer to nature, children need to face challenges.

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Dream up a good opener

• Thesis: Parents should encourage their children to wrestle alligators because children need physical exercise, children need to get closer to nature, children need to face challenges.

• Opener: Parents often look for interesting and instructive activities for their children.

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Write a second sentence that explains, clarifies or enlarges the opener.

• Opener: Parents often look for interesting and instructive activities for their children.

• Explanation: Such activities often prepare children for life in the modern world.

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Write a third sentence that adds more explanation or that asks a question.

• Opener and explanation: Parents often look for interesting and instructive activities for their children. Such activities often prepare children for life in the modern world.

• More explanation: Children need to be prepared physically, emotionally, and mentally.

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Write a third sentence that adds more explanation or that asks a question.

• Opener and explanation: Parents often look for interesting and instructive activities for their children. Such activities often prepare children for life in the modern world.

• A question: What activities might best accomplish these goals and objectives?

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Write the explanation so that it leads smoothly to the thesis statement.

• Parents often look for interesting and instructive activities for their children. Such activities often prepare children for life in the modern world. Children need to be prepared physically, emotionally, and mentally. Thesis: Parents should encourage their children to wrestle alligators because children need physical exercise, children need to get closer to nature, children need to face challenges.

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Write the question so that the thesis statement gives the immediate answer.

• Parents often look for interesting and instructive activities for their children. Such activities often prepare children for life in the modern world. What activities might best accomplish these goals and objectives? Thesis: Parents should encourage their children to wrestle alligators because children need physical exercise, children need to get closer to nature, children need to face challenges.

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Introductory Paragraph

• Parents often look for interesting and instructive activities for their children. Such activities often prepare children for life in the modern world. What activities might best accomplish these goals and objectives? Parents should encourage their children to wrestle alligators because children need physical exercise, children need to get closer to nature, children need to face challenges.

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Add transitions, if necessary, to make Introductory Paragraph read smoothly.

• Parents often look for interesting and instructive activities for their children. Such activities often prepare children for life in the modern world. But what activities might best accomplish these goals and objectives? One good idea is that parents should encourage their children to wrestle alligators because children need physical exercise, children need to get closer to nature, children need to face challenges.

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Finished introductory paragraph:

• Parents often look for interesting and instructive activities for their children. Such activities often prepare children for life in the modern world. But what activities might best accomplish these goals and objectives? One good idea is that parents should encourage their children to wrestle alligators because children need physical exercise, children need to get closer to nature, children need to face challenges.

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Next, move on to the body.

• Write the first body paragraph.• Begin with the word “First,” followed by a

comma.• Borrow from the thesis statement, and

write the first “divided” clause.

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• Thesis statement: Parents should encourage their children to wrestle alligators because children need physical exercise, children need to get closer to nature, children need to face challenges.

• First divided idea: Parents should encourage their children to wrestle alligators because children need physical exercise.

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First body paragraph, topic sentence:

• First, parents should encourage their children to wrestle alligators because children need physical exercise.

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Next, write a sentence that explains, clarifies, or expands the topic sentence.

• Topic sentence: First, parents should encourage their children to wrestle alligators because children need physical exercise.

• Explanation: Children need to be healthy and physically strong whatever their daily tasks may be.

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Topic sentence with explanation:

• First, parents should encourage their children to wrestle alligators because children need physical exercise. Children need to be healthy and physically strong whatever their daily tasks may be.

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Next, add some evidence, usually beginning with “For example.”

• First, parents should encourage their children to wrestle alligators because children need physical exercise. Children need to be healthy and physically strong whatever their daily tasks may be. For example, a student in Singapore lost the use of his arms and legs because he studied all day and never got any exercise.

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Next, add some evidence, usually beginning with “For example.”• First, parents should encourage their children to wrestle

alligators because children need physical exercise. Children need to be healthy and physically strong whatever their daily tasks may be. For example, a student in Singapore lost the use of his arms and legs because he studied all day and never got any exercise. Another student who played basketball for an hour each day received a perfect score on the TOEFL test, and graduated from Harvard in six weeks. A BYU Hawaii student said, “I always feel happy to study because I dance in the night show” (Niutupuivaha, 2006).

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Next, add a conclusion, if necessary.• First, parents should encourage their children to wrestle

alligators because children need physical exercise. Children need to be healthy and physically strong whatever their daily tasks may be. For example, a student in Singapore lost the use of his arms and legs because he studied all day and never got any exercise. Another student who played basketball for an hour each day received a perfect score on the TOEFL test, and graduated from Harvard in six weeks. A BYU Hawaii student said, “I always feel happy to study because I dance in the night show” (Niutupuivaha, 2006). All in all, evidence seems that vigorous exercise, including wrestling alligators, is good for one’s health.

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• Second, parents should encourage their children to wrestle alligators because wrestling alligators helps children get close to nature. Because alligators usually live far from the city in swamps and rivers, children who look for alligators to wrestle will unavoidably expose themselves to a natural environment. Roger Pinhead, age nine, for example, traveled to the Amazon River basin to wrestle the Brazilian Body-Chopper, one of the most active—and sometimes most dangerous—alligators in the world. “I remember sitting outside enjoying the fresh air,” Roger said, “as the natives tried to re-attach my leg. It was great” (as quoted in Perez, 2009, p. 15)! From this testimony, it appears that wrestling alligators truly is a great way to experience nature.

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• Finally, parents should encourage their children to wrestle alligators because children need to face challenges. Sitting at home, going to school, and playing video games often do not challenge youngsters the way that wrestling alligators does. The case of Brenda Smileyface is a good example. She wrestled alligators in Thailand for six years, starting when she was 10. “My experience with alligators prepared me well for the challenges of the mission field,” she said (Smileyface, 2010, p. 675). Children will all face challenges, and wrestling alligators is a good way for them to prepare.

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Finally, add a concluding paragraph to the essay.

• In conclusion, from the evidence above, it is easy to see that wrestling alligators is good for children. When children wrestle alligators, they get good exercise, they interact with nature, and they learn to face life’s challenges. Parents who are concerned for the well-being and development of their children should consider enrolling their children in a good alligator-wrestling program in their community. Their children will be better for it.

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Whole essay: (Introduction)

• Parents often look for interesting and instructive activities for their children. Such activities often prepare children for life in the modern world. What activities might best accomplish these goals and objectives? Parents should encourage their children to wrestle alligators because children need physical exercise, children need to get closer to nature, children need to face challenges.

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Whole essay (Body 1)

• First, parents should encourage their children to wrestle alligators because children need physical exercise. Children need to be healthy and physically strong whatever their daily tasks may be. For example, a student in Singapore lost the use of his arms and legs because he studied all day and never got any exercise. Another student who played basketball for an hour each day received a perfect score on the TOEFL test, and graduated from Harvard in six weeks. A BYU Hawaii student said, “I always feel happy to study because I dance in the night show” (Niutupuivaha, 2006). All in all, evidence seems that vigorous exercise, including wrestling alligators, is good for one’s health.

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Whole essay (Body 2)

• Second, parents should encourage their children to wrestle alligators because wrestling alligators helps children get close to nature. Because alligators usually live far from the city in swamps and rivers, children who look for alligators to wrestle will unavoidably expose themselves to a natural environment. Roger Pinhead, age nine, for example, traveled to the Amazon River basin to wrestle the Brazilian Body-Chopper, one of the most active—and sometimes most dangerous—alligators in the world. “I remember sitting outside enjoying the fresh air,” Roger said, “as the natives tried to re-attach my leg. It was great” (as quoted in Perez, 2009, p. 15)! From this testimony, it appears that wrestling alligators truly is a great way to experience nature.

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Whole essay (Body 3)

• Finally, parents should encourage their children to wrestle alligators because children need to face challenges. Sitting at home, going to school, and playing video games often do not challenge youngsters the way that wrestling alligators does. The case of Brenda Smileyface is a good example. She wrestled alligators in Thailand for six years, starting when she was 10. “My experience with alligators prepared me well for the challenges of the mission field,” she said (Smileyface, 2010, p. 675). Children will all face challenges, and wrestling alligators is a good way for them to prepare.

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Whole essay (Conclusion)

• In conclusion, from the evidence above, it is easy to see that wrestling alligators is good for children. When children wrestle alligators, they get good exercise, they interact with nature, and they learn to face life’s challenges. Parents who are concerned for the well-being and development of their children should consider enrolling their children in a good alligator-wrestling program in their community. Their children will be better for it.