ESSAY PLANNER
INTRODUCTION (Paragraph 1)
The introduction must be at least 4 sentences, but it may be more. You may decide you need more than one
sentence to explain the hook or relate it to your thesis. That’s fine.
Sentence 1: A hook that grabs the reader’s attention.
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Sentence 2: Explain the hook._______________________________________________
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Sentence 3: Relate the hook to your thesis._____________________________________
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Sentence 4: Thesis statement – a sentence that clearly states your main purpose for
writing the essay. This sentence must have a specific subject narrowed down to 3
different focus areas.
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BODY (Paragraphs 2-4)
Your body paragraphs must be at least 6 sentences. You must have a minimum of two details to support
your topic sentence; you must have at least one sentence of development for each detail. You may have
more details and more development.
Transition + Topic Sentence (the first focus area of the thesis statement).
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Detail #1 ________________________________________________________________
Development for detail #1 __________________________________________________
Detail #2 ________________________________________________________________
Development for detail #2 __________________________________________________
Detail #3________________________________________________________________
Development for detail #3_________________________________________________
Concluding Sentence______________________________________________________
Transition + Topic Sentence (the second focus area of the thesis statement).
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Detail #1 ________________________________________________________________
Development for detail #1 __________________________________________________
Detail #2 ________________________________________________________________
Development for detail #2 __________________________________________________
Detail #3________________________________________________________________
Development for detail #3_________________________________________________
Concluding Sentence______________________________________________________
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Transition + Topic Sentence (the third focus area of the thesis statement).
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Detail #1 ________________________________________________________________
Development for detail #1 __________________________________________________
Detail #2 ________________________________________________________________
Development for detail #2 __________________________________________________
Detail #3________________________________________________________________
Development for detail #3_________________________________________________
Concluding Sentence______________________________________________________
CONCLUSION (Paragraph 5)
Transition + Summary Statement. Paraphrase and summarize your thesis and main
points. Consider this your topic sentence for the conclusion.
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So What? Explain to the reader why he should care about what you wrote. Why is this
important?
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End with a clincher statement (Use a quote, return to the idea you brought up in your
introduction, make a statement about the future, make a statement about how your topic
relates to the reader or society in general, refer back to the hook).
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