ARGUMENT-CENTERED
WRITING
Response to Literature
Expository
Persuasive
Narrative
Use with permission: Kelly Hillesland. khillesl@fcusd.org
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS…
Step 1:
 Read and understand the prompt!
 Circle words that tell you what to do.
 Underline key words and phrases.
 Think about what the prompt is REALLY asking.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS…
Develop ESSENTIAL questions (one or two) based on
what the prompt asks you to do. Write the
question(s) next to the prompt and then add WHY?
Be sure to be specific to the reading and writing at
hand! Think about questions that can be argued,
where there is not a right or wrong answer. Stick to
the specific, MOST important, deeper level
questions.
RESEARCH
Step 2:
Before answering the questions from the prompt, discover what you think!
 Response to Literature
Re-read passages. Use your pen to circle words, ask questions, write
notes and your own ideas in the margins.
Pay attention to word choice, images, specific details. Figure out what
the author thinks and how he/she uses characters, setting or plot!
 Expository / Persuasive
Read informational pieces. (Be sure what you are reading is credible!)
Brainstorm information you know. Think about things you’ve learned
from history or current events, literature, or personal experience.
Take notes. Use graphic organizers to organize information.
 Narrative
Brainstorm personal experiences. Think about what you learned from
the experience. Take notes on your ideas. Be concrete, descriptive and vivid
as you brainstorm.
RESEARCH
Research with the “body paragraph” and
evidence in mind!
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
HISTORY/CURRENT EVENTS/FACTS
LITERATURE
WRITE THESIS
Step 3:
Now that you know what you think, it’s time to
ANSWER your questions. This answer becomes your
working THESIS.
THESIS:
A one-sentence answer to the question(s) asked.
(It will be a LONG sentence—probably a compound,
complex sentence, maybe with a semi-colon!)
WRITE BODY PARAGRAPHS
Step 4:
Topic Sentence

Introduces new topic.

Makes an assertion: one point to help prove your thesis.

Transitions from previous paragraph.
Evidence/Examples



2-4 Sentences
History/Current Events (factual information)
Literature
Personal Experience
One, two or even three examples!
Commentary

1 Sentence
2-3 Sentences
Explain. Explain, Explain!
Explain/develop each example!
Tie back to thesis
1 Sentence
EVIDENCE/EXAMPLES
Summarize: Well known, general, factual information
General story lines from a book
Events in a narrative
Paraphrase: Specific ideas or events from a text
Specific factual information
Quote:
Well-said ideas
Quotable language or words
Paraphrasing and quoting must have a parenthetical citation!
Paraphrasing and Quoting!
Paraphrasing or quotations should be offered with SPEAKER and/or CONTEXT
before the paraphrase or quote!
ALWAYS introduce speaker and context before examples!
Example:
Romeo believes that fate, and not free will, is responsible for his situation; he screams,
“Damn thee stars!” to curse his ill-fated love with Juliet.
It provides much better fluidity than:
Romeo believes that fate, and not free will, is responsible for his situation. “Damn thee
stars” he says to curse his ill fated love.
Worse yet:
“Damn the stars.” Romeo believes fate, not free will, is responsible for his situation.
Basically, if a sentence begins with a quotation mark, and you aren’t writing dialogue,
something is wrong! SPEAKER AND CONTEXT!
WRITE INTRODUCTION
Step 5:
Now that you know your essay, it will be easier to introduce it!
Response to Literature
Start with…



a quote from the text (remember speaker/context) that captures the theme and subject of your
essay.
a quote from a famous person or another text (remember speaker/context) that captures the theme
and subject of your essay.
an interesting fact, statistic, historical event surrounding the theme and subject of your essay.
Then…
Bridge from opening to introducing the TITLE, AUTHOR, SUBJECT of the text. Make a strong bridge
that doesn’t make your reader LEAP…have it attach logically and clearly from the opening to the text.
Offer brief summary, definitions or background of topics you will introduce later.
Offer your thesis. Be sure it makes sense and fits with your introduction. Revise it if necessary to fit
smoothly into your introduction.
WRITE INTRODUCTION
Narrative
Start with…


the middle of your story. Take us right into the action!
what you felt/thought/believed before the event.
Then…
Give more details of your narrative/story.
Offer your thesis. Be sure it makes sense and fits with
your introduction. Revise it if necessary to fit smoothly
into your introduction.
WRITE INTRODUCTION
Expository/Persuasive
Start with…



a quote from a famous person or text (remember speaker/context) that captures
the theme and subject of your essay.
an interesting fact, statistic, historical event surrounding the theme and subject
of your essay.
a personal connection to the topic. Be careful with this one. Be specific—give
specific details, and tell a short story. Don’t say, “One time I gave into peer
pressure.” Instead, say, “My friends talked me into sneaking out of the house, but
my heart was beating so loudly that my dad must have heard it because when I
opened the front door, there he was.”
Then…
Offer definitions, further explanation of the topics you introduce later.
Offer your thesis. Be sure it makes sense and fits with your introduction.
Revise it if necessary to fit smoothly into your introduction.
WRITE CONCLUSION
STEP 6:
Turn the thesis upside-down and restate it!
 Explain final, concluding ideas.
 Offer brief concluding statement—what should “we” learn from
this experience, subject, topic?

DO NOT tell the reader what to do or think! Do not use “you.”
 DO NOT bring up a new topic!

Get out without hurting anyone!
REVISE & EDIT
STEP 7:
Use revision/edit checklist!
PUBLISH IN MLA FORMAT
 STEP 8:
MLA Format
 All papers must adhere to MLA format. MLA (Modern Language
Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite
sources within the liberal arts and humanities.
General Guidelines
 Type your paper on a computer and print on white 8.5 x 11-inch paper.
 Double-space the text of your paper, and use Times New Roman font.
 Leave only one space after periods or other punctuation marks.
 Set the margins of your document to 1 inch on all sides. Indent the first
line of a paragraph one half-inch (press tab once) from the left margin.
PUBLISH IN MLA FORMAT
Formatting Paper
 Do not make a title page for your paper.

In the upper left-hand corner of the first page, list your name, your instructor's name, the
course, and the date (European format: 15 August 2007.) Again, use double-spaced text.

Double space again and center the title. Don't underline or bold your title or put it in quotation
marks; write the title in Title Case, not in all capital letters.

Use quotation marks and underlining or italics when referring to other works in your title, just
as you would in your text:


Romeo and Juliet: Free Will?
Human Weariness in "After Apple Picking“

Double space between the title and the first line of the text.

Create a header in the upper right-hand corner that includes your last name, followed by a
space with a page number; number all pages consecutively, one-half inch from the top and flush
with the right margin. (Note: Your teacher may ask that you omit last name/page number
header on your first page. Always follow his/her guidelines.)
PUBLISH IN MLA FORMAT
For more help with MLA:
Google: The Owl at Purdue MLA
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/5
REVISION CHECKLIST
Overall…
 Read your essay aloud. If something “sounds” wrong, it probably is!
 If you stumble as you read, explain what you want to say (aloud),
and then go back and “fix” the parts of the essay that need fixing.
 Check each topic sentence—does it transition from the last
paragraph or does it leap to a new topic?
 Be sure your thesis is, indeed, what you ended up proving! Is it the
focus of your paper? It may be easier to change your thesis than
your entire paper.
 Check MLA format!
REVISION CHECKLIST
In each body paragraph…
 Do you offer assertions (points that help prove your thesis) in your essay?
 Do you offer examples or evidence?
 Do you offer a speaker and context before paraphrasing or quoting?
 Do you cite sources when paraphrasing or quoting?
 Do you offer well-developed commentary where you really explain how
everything ties together?
 Do you offer a concluding sentence that ties directly back to the thesis?
REVISION CHECKLIST
Try…
Combining sentences in each body paragraph:
Use a conjunction (and, but, or, yet)
Use a semi-colon
Use appositives for further information
Varying sentence structures. Start sentences with:
An infinitive (to+a verb)
“To leave, Romeo crept through the window.”
A gerund (-ing noun)
“Leaving, Romeo crept through the window.”
A past-tense verb
“Saddened, Romeo crept through the window.”
Although
“Although he was sad, Romeo crept…”
As, if, when
“As Romeo crept through the window, he was…”
Using alternatives to “says”
Offers, allows, comments, argues, articulates, asserts, utters, conveys, declares, expresses, vents, shouts, states,
affirms, alleges, negates, avows, holds
Using alternatives to “shows”
Illustrates, displays, exposes, depicts, discloses, indicates, confirms, renders, endorses, establishes, delineates,
parades, validates
Using strong, active verbs in place of “to be” verbs (rather than “He was upset.” use “He pouted.”)