Essay Writing
1. Take notes (if black the font is, write it fo shiz)
2. Complete “Your Turn!” exercises in your notebook
3. Ask questions as needed
4. If I go “too fast,” carry on ... This slideshow is available on the
mrlopesroom.weebly.com website
Opening Paragraph: The 4 “Ts”
• 4 “T” System (for argumentative papers)...
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Topic sentence
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Tell about it
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Two reasons
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Thesis statement
Topic Sentence
• Topic Sentence:
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Literally, what the paper is about
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Should have a “hook” to keep readers reading
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Good hooks are questions or startling facts
Topic Sentence Examples
Topic: Texting while driving
Question opening: Did you try to maim or kill somebody today? If
you texted while driving, you greatly increased your odds of
causing a car accident.
Startling opening: If you text while driving, you’ll want to have 911
on speed dial because you are far more likely to cause a car
accident than if you don’t text while driving.
“Tell about it” Sentence
• “Tell about it” Sentence:
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You provided the topic, they “bit,” now reel ‘em in
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Tell me about it; why should I care (i.e., keep reading)
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Make a facts-based claim or give a statistic
“Tell about it” Sentence Examples
Topic: Texting while driving
Logic-based claim: Reading, responding to, or sending texts while
driving takes focus off of operating the vehicle safely and the
things surrounding the vehicle, such as pedestrians and other
vehicles.
Statistic: A 2008 study in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology
revealed that drivers who read, responded to, or sent a text while
driving, were distracted so much that their reflexes and reaction
time were similar to those of a drunk driver or an elderly motorist.
“Two reasons” Sentence
• “Two reasons” Sentence:
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Each reason becomes the topic sentence of a body para.
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Don’t need cited facts, just logical claims/reasoning
FYI: An argumentative essay needs only two reasons
......because the third paragraph is a counter-claim
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“Three Reasons” Sentence Example
Topic: Texting while driving
Three reasons: Texting while driving is dangerous to the driver,
passengers, other motorists, and pedestrians, and it “hurts” others
by using police resources and raising auto insurance rates.
Reason 1: Danger to self and others
Reason 2: Indirectly hurts others
Essay Writing: “Thesis” Statement
• Thesis statement:
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Don’t need to write “I think...” or “I believe...”
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Mention the topic
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Get your point across plainly
Thesis Statement Example
Topic: Texting while driving
Thesis: Texting while driving is a selfish and dangerous choice with
sometimes deadly consequences; consequences made worse by
the fact that texting while driving is easily avoided without taking
away a cell phone user’s lifestyle choice or personal liberty.
Opening Paragraph Example
Here are the sample “4-Ts” on the same page...
(Topic) If you text while driving, you’ll want to have 911 on speed dial because you
are far more likely to cause a car accident than if you don’t text while driving.
(Tell about it) Reading, responding to, or sending texts while driving takes focus off
of operating the vehicle safely and the things surrounding the vehicle, such as
pedestrians and other vehicles.
(Two reasons) Texting while driving is dangerous to the driver, passengers, other
motorists, and pedestrians, and it “hurts” others by using police resources and
raising auto insurance rates.
(Thesis) Texting while driving is a selfish and dangerous choice with sometimes
deadly consequences; consequences made worse by the fact that texting while
driving is easily avoided without taking away a cell phone user’s lifestyle choice or
personal liberty.
TEXAS: T = Topic sentence
• Very similar to “topic sentence” in opening paragraph
• Remember the “two reasons” from earlier?
• Think: a five-paragraph essay has three body paragraphs...
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Opening
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Body (supports thesis)
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Body (supports thesis)
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Body (counterclaim)
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Closing
Counterclaim
• A “counterclaim” is, basically, the opposite point-of-view of your thesis
• Uses the TEXAS format, but the topic sentence is a counterclaim argument
• Review the thesis from earlier:
Texting while driving is a selfish and dangerous choice with sometimes
deadly consequences; consequences made worse by the fact that texting
while driving is easily avoided without taking away a cell phone user’s
lifestyle choice or personal liberty.
• Consider, and share with a neighbor: What is the author’s point-of-view in the
thesis above; what would be an opposite point-of-view to the thesis?
Breakdown
• Opening paragraph has “4-Ts”...
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Topic (hook for texting-while-driving topic)
Tell about it (share something you know without citing or arguing)
Two reasons (can injure or kill driver and/or others; hurts community
indirectly)
Thesis (dangerous and selfish because hurts others and can be avoided)
Breakdown
• Body paragraph #1 uses TExAS format...
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Topic (injure and kill)
Explain (texting while driving distracts the driver)
Example (published report; MLA cited)
Analysis (demonstrate that the cited report backs-up my explanation of
distracted driver = deadly driver)
Send-off (not only can the driver and any passengers be hurt, but it hurts the
community at large too)
Breakdown
• Body paragraph #2 uses TExAS format...
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Topic (hurts others indirectly)
Explain (police waste time ticketing texting drivers; insurance rates go up)
Example (published report; MLA cited)
Analysis (demonstrate that the cited report backs-up my explanation of police
time being wasted, and insurance rates going up for all drivers)
Send-off (not texting while driving does not mean not using a smart phone
while driving, there are safe alternatives)
Breakdown
• Body paragraph #3 uses TExAS format...
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Topic (counterclaim: it’s possible to use a smart phone safely while driving)
Explain (hands-free technology lets drivers use their phone while keeping
their attention on the road and driving the car)
Example (published report; MLA cited)
Analysis (demonstrate that the cited report backs-up my explanation of how
hands-free tech allows a driver to use their phone while paying attention to
the road and driving their car)
Send-off (If a driver is going to use their phone while operating a vehicle, they
need to make the responsible choice to use hands-free tech)
Your Turn!
• Write an argumentative introductory paragraph
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Prompt: In John Steinbeck’s novel, "of Mice and Men,” is friendship or
loneliness a more significant influence on character motivation?
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Discuss the prompt with a classmate before writing
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Think and ask: What drives or influences your behavior more, wanting to be
a friend or not wanting to be lonely?
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After you’ve decided your claim...
a) Find quotes from the book that back your argument (cite pg. #)
b) Think of the counterclaim to your claim
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BTW: Maddie and Eli are good writers, and they’d love to help you if you
need some advice!