I.
Step 1: Choose a Topic
A.
Choose a topic (example: Nigeria and the U.S.)
B.
Narrow your topic (example: Differences in attitudes and resulting practices regarding courtship and marriage, family structure, and food
(or clothing worn).
II.
Step 2: Prewriting
A.
Brainstorming (Unit 1)
B.
Using a Checklist to get ideas (who, what, when, where, how, why)
Example: Courtship:
 dating customs
 customs and beliefs behind the practice)
 marriage ceremony
 clothes worn in ceremony
 where it takes place
 who participates other than bride and groom
 who pays for it
 is there music
 are there gifts
 what takes place before, during and after the ceremony and so on…..
C.
Visualizing, sketching and listing (p. 79)
D.
Using lists to generate categories (p. 108)
E.
Using a spoke diagram (p. 136)
F.
Using your eyes as a camera (p. 160)
G.
Searching for information to support an argument (p. 191)
III.
Step 3: Planning
A.
Outlining: Example
I.
Introduction a.
Hook: Quotation: “If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home” (James A. Michener, U.S. novelist and short story writer). b.
Transition into thesis sentence: An American visiting my country would find it very dissimilar from what they are used to, but I would hope that he or she would

appreciate the differences, rather than fear, ignore, or reject them. c.
Thesis sentence: Our attitudes about the treatment of women, as evidenced in our customs regarding courtship and marriage, the roles of parents and children, as evidenced by our family structure, and our attitudes regarding modesty, as evidenced by the clothing we wear in public, are some of the ways we are distinguishable from Americans.
II.
Body Paragraph 1: a.
Treatment of Women in general b.
Courtship practices c.
Marriage ceremony d.
How it’s different in the U.S.
III.
Body Paragraph 2: Family structure a.
Role and duties of husband and wife b.
Role of children, parents, grandparents c.
Discipline of children d.
How these are different in the U.S.
IV.
Body Paragraph 3: Food a.
Markets b.
Storage c.
Preparation d.
Most popular dishes
V.
Conclusion a.
Summary (in different words) of main points. b.
Closing statement (for example: an opinion related to your subject, or a revelation from the experience of the two cultures).
B.
Using a Tree Diagram (p. 52)
C.
Making a Flow Chart (p. 79)
D.
Using a T-Diagram (p. 108)
E.
Creating a Chart (p. 139 and p. 161)
F.
Synthesizing information (p. 191).
IV. Step 4: Write first draft
V. Get feedback for organization, unity and coherence.
VI.
Edit and write second draft.
VII.
Get feedback for organization, unity, coherence.

VIII.
Edit and correct for sentence structure, usage, mechanics, and form.
IX.
Finish final draft, proofread and correct all errors.
I.
Classification
A.
Unity: Classify into categories
B.
Coherence: Transitions words to create unity (one, another, third, etc.)
II.
Comparison/contrast
A. Unity: Make a chart on Venn Diagram to show differences and likenesses.
B. Coherence: Transition words to create unity (on the contrary, on the other hand, however, similarly, conversely, although, etc.
III. Process
A. Unity: Make a list of the steps of the process.
B. Coherence: Transitions: First, second, next, then, etc.
IV. Cause and Effect
A. Organization and Unity: Write cause, list effects; write effect, list causes.
B. Coherence: Transitions: Because, therefore , consequently, thus, as a result, etc.
V.
Argumentative
A. Organization and Unity: (See p. 171).
B. Although it may be true that, despite the fact that, certainly, surely, etc.
Additional types of essays not covered:
Description
Narration
Reaction (Blueprints)
Introductions: Note the types of “hooks” (pp. 15-17)
1.
Interesting or controversial question
2.
Funnel method
3.
Relevant question
4.
Startling or dramatic observation, or describing a scene in a dramatic, humorous, or otherwise interesting way.
5.
Turning an argument on its head

Examples of Essay Topics: (Note: None of these will be on your final; You will have three new topics to choose from, but they will be in three of these 5 categories.)
Classification:
1.
Classify your friends.
2.
Classify the types of greetings in your country (to adults, to the elderly, to friends, to different family members, to employers).
3.
Classify the different types of students.
4.
Classify the most prevalent types of crime in your country.
Comparison and Contrast:
1.
Compare and Contrast two family members
2.
Compare or contrast the cultural practices in your country with those of the
United States.
3.
Compare the sentence structure (word order), verb formation, adjective and adverb formation, plurals and possessives, puctuation, use of articles, with your native language.
Process:
1.
Explain how to make or do something.
2.
Explain how something works.
3.
Explain how something happens.
4.
Explain how the legal process works in your country if someone is arrested.
5.
Explain the steps one must go through to get married (divorced) in your country.
6.
Explain the process of adjusting to a new county.
Cause and Effect:
1.
Explain the causes of poverty (or hunger, unemployment, underdevlopment, crime, discrimination, traffic jams, lack of educational opportunities, etc.) in your country.
2.
Explain the effects of any of the above.
3.
Explain the effects of corporal punishment.
4.
Explain the effects of smoking, drug abuse, divorce, abortion, etc.
Argumentation:
1.
Argue for or against corporal punishment.
2.
Argue for or against abortion.
3.
Argue for or against making English the official language of the U.S.
4.
Argue for or against school dress codes.
5.
Argue for or against online classes.