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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.
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.
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.
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:
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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
1.
Alfred Brooks is able to overcome substance abuse.
2.
Alfred Brooks is able to overcome high drop out rates or
unemployment.
3.
Alfred Brooks is able to overcome negative peer pressure.
Think of your thesis
as an umbrella for
your essay. All of the
information in your
essay should fit under
the umbrella.
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.
Supporting
Information
Supporting
Information
Supporting
Information
Supporting
Information
Back to those 3 main points
1.
2.
3.
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.
Try Again.
Hint: Read the three main points and try to
determine which sentence could fit under
the umbrella.
Correct!
That sentence fits under the umbrella of the
main point
Alfred Brooks is able to overcome negative peer pressure.
The thesis is the last sentence of your
introduction.
It is found here on the diagram:
The Introduction
So What Would Our
Introduction Look Like
Working hard often adds character to a person. Nowhere is
that more apparent then in Robert Lipsyte’s The 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.
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.
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.
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
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
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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
Not quite.
This is the body of the essay. It is used to
provide supporting information for the
thesis.
Click here to try again
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.
Right!
The thesis is stated at the point of the
triangle. After the thesis is restated the
conclusion moves on to some final
thoughts.
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
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.
A Review
Which format is correct for an essay?
Great Job!
You’re off to a great start for
writing your essay!
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