The Essay

Kuny/Borys 2009

English 20-1

The Introduction

1) The Motivator– Is your first sentence and should

therefore grab the reader’s attention.– It should touch on the topic to be

discussed, but not give away your argument.

– It must relate to the topic – It can be a quote, joke, question,

definition, statistic, shocking statement, accusation, etc.

2) Transition- This is meant to explain, clarify, or extend

your motivator.– Is still a general statement and does not

mention the literature to be discussed.– Does not give away your thesis.– Should express how the topic is relevant to

ALL PEOPLE or provide an explanation of your motivator.

3) Synopsis– Is meant to provide a brief summary of

the piece of literature that you will be discussing.

– Focus your summary on the topic you will be addressing, but do not give away the key idea in your thesis

4) Blueprint– Is meant to present the reader with

your main arguments in the order in which you will present them. Be brief.

5) Thesis– This is the most important sentence

of your entire essay!– It should guide your entire essay.– It should directly answer the question

presented in the topic.

Body Paragraphs!

Topic Sentence– Is meant to tell the reader

what/who the paragraph will be about.

– Should be straightforward and specific about what the focus of the paragraph will be.

Developing Sentences

– Develops the topic and provides more detail.

– Gives appropriate, DETAILED examples to support your thesis.

– Explains evidence in great detail and connects EXPLICITLY to your thesis.

Q

• You must back up ideas with evidence.

• Evidence is a direct quote from literature or paraphrased statement of a specific episode within the literature.

• Avoid summarizing the literature. Remember that the reader has read the literature you are discussing.

Evidence

Concluding Sentence

- meant to remind your reader of the topic discussed in the paragraph

– similar to your topic sentence, but in different words

– reconnect to your thesis…that is the idea you should be focused on throughout your writing

– Your concluding sentence should sum up what you have written and also make the transition into the next paragraph.

.

Conclusion

Restate Thesis

– meant to remind the reader of the statement you made in your essay about the topic you were assigned

– must be in different words than the thesis in your introduction

Summarize Main Ideas

– meant to give a brief overview of the way you supported your thesis

– describe briefly how each of the three examples you discussed in your essay serve as to prove that your thesis was, in fact, correct

Reference to Motivator

– meant to tie everything in your essay together, from the first sentence to the last

– reread your motivator and make a comment that repeats the key words you used

– do not repeat the motivator word for word

Clincher– Is meant to leave your reader with

a final, profound thought – Is a general statement about the

topic, the world, mankind. – Do not end with a question– Be insightful and leave the reader

thinking.

Integrating Quotations

Each of the following slides will have a quotation integrated in a different way. Your task is to write this down and determine the rules for each manner of integration.

Technique #1The town of Maycomb did not approve of the Radley family: “The Radleys, welcome anywhere in town, kept to themselves, a predilection unforgivable in Maycomb” (8).

Introduce the quotation with a complete sentence and a colon (:)

Technique #2• According to Scout, “Mrs.

Dubose was plain hell” (10).

Use an introductory or explanatory phrase, but not a complete sentence, separated from the quotation with a comma.

Technique #3• The mention of “nothing to buy and no

money to buy it with” (6) suggests that this is a time of economic depression.

• Boo Radley is described as a “malevolent phantom” by the narrator.

Make the quotation a part of your own sentence without any punctuation between your own words and the words you are quoting.

Final Advice– Avoid contractions (don’t, won’t, can’t)– Use the Present Tense– Avoid dead words (get, got, nice, very, just, a

lot, lots, bad, fine, good, so, fun, well, stuff, things etc…)

– DON’T EVER USE: I, You, We, Your, My,– Be specific! Say what you mean with

sophisticated vocabulary. Avoid repetition.– Titles of novels and films are either underlined

or italicized.– Every paragraph must be indented and there

should be no spaces between paragraphs.

Quoting Shakespearean Text

• Lady Macbeth expresses her guilt while she sleepwalks: “Out, damned spot! out, I say!” (5.1.34-35).

• In 5.1, Lady Macbeth’s guilt is evident. • Macbeth’s evil ambition is now alarmingly

out of control: “Seize upon Fife; give to the edge of the sword / His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls / That trace him in his line” (4.1.150-53).

http://drmarkwomack.com/mla-style/how-to-quote/quote-shakespeare/

Quoting Shakespeare Continued

• Lady Macduff and her son discuss the departure of Macduff:Lady Macduff: Yes, he is dead: how wilt thou do for a father?Son: Nay, how will you do for a husband? (4.2.38-39).

• Macbeth’s evil ambition is now alarmingly out of control:

The castle of Macduff I will surprise; Seize upon Fife; give to the edge of the sword His wife , his babes, and all unfortunate souls That trace him in his line (4.1.150-53).

http://drmarkwomack.com/mla-style/how-to-quote/quote-shakespeare/