Accelerated Level Essay Writing Handout
Thesis Statements:
A thesis statement is a sentence that expresses the MAIN FOCUS of your paper. It is the road map for
the paper. It lets the reader know what they are going to read about and what you are trying to
prove throughout the course of your paper. It directly answers the question asked of you.
Your thesis statement should be a claim about your topic that you will support with evidence in your
paper. It is usually a single sentence that is the last sentence of the introduction.
A good thesis statement is broken into three sections:



Your claim or argument
The reasons/evidence that will support this claim.
The order in which you will present the evidence.
Examples of Thesis Statements:




Ronald Reagan obtained many Democratic votes in the presidential election of 1980, because
he communicated his strong moral values under the public eye during a time of fear under the
Cold War.
Theater, as a prominent art form between 1450 and present-day, has and always will display
symbolic truths and assertions of humanity through dramatic performances.
While both Northerners and Southerners believed they fought against tyranny and
oppression, Northerners focused on the oppression of slaves, while Southerners defended
their own right to self-government.
Through its contrasting river and short scenes, Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to
find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave ‘civilized’ society and
go back to nature.
Well-Developed Sentences:
A well-developed sentence for a historical essay includes specific factual information and explanation
and analysis of the information. Specific historical information means people, events, dates,
statistics, primary source quotes, etc….A well-developed sentence should provide a thorough
explanation of how and why. A well-developed sentence does not leave the reader with questions.
They are compound sentences that require more punctuation than a period at the end of the
sentence.
Examples of Well-Developed Sentences:



During the Renaissance in Western Europe from 1400 to 1600AD, Humanists began to
rediscover the teachings and words of ancient Greeks and Romans and applied them to the
secular principle of enjoying life and the belief that all individuals have value and worth.
By 1500AD, between 10 to 20 million copies of 40,000 titles of books were published due to
the development of movable type print by Johann Gutenberg and a new ready supply of
paper becoming available.
The Humanist belief in the importance of education as a natural right to develop one’s
potential is exemplified by the quote, “To each species of creature has been allotted a peculiar

and instinctive gift. To horses galloping, to bird flying, comes naturally. To man only is the
given desire to learn.”
The Renaissance Florentine writer, Niccolo Machiavelli, wrote The Prince in 1513 as a
guidebook for rulers to wield their power based upon the analysis of past Roman, Medieval,
and Renaissance politics; his conclusion was the ends justifies the means.
Introductions:
Introductions act as a bridge that transports your readers from their own lives into the place of your
analysis. By providing an introduction that helps your readers make a transition between their own
world and the issues you will be writing about, you give your readers the tools they need to get into
your topic and care about what you are saying.
You never get a second change to make a first impression. The opening paragraph of your paper will
provide your readers with their initial impressions of your arguments, your writing style, and the
overall quality of your work. A vague, disorganized, or boring introduction will create a negative
impression. On the other hand, a concise, engaging, and well-written introduction will start your
readers thinking highly of you, your analytical skills, and your writing.
Your introduction is an important road map for the rest of your paper. Your introduction conveys a
lot of information to your reader. You can let them know what your topic is, why it is important, and
how you plan to prove it. Be straightforward. AVOID STATEMENTS LIKE “IN THIS PAPER, I WILL
PROVE”, ETC…It should be between five to eight well-developed sentences.
Format for an Introduction:
1.
Your introduction starts with a hook designed to get the reader’s attention. Possible hooks
appropriate for high school students are:
a. An intriguing example: A white slave owner who initially teaches Frederick Douglass,
but then cease her instruction as she learns more about slavery.
b. A shocking statistic: The number of slaves at its highest point in American History.
c. A provocative quotation: Douglass wrote that “education and slavery were
incompatible with each other.”
d. A puzzling scenario: Frederick Douglass wrote of slaves that “Nothing has been left
undone to cripple their intellects, darken their minds, debase their moral nature,
obliterate all traces of their relationship to mankind; and yet how wonderfully they
have sustained the mighty load of a most frightful bondage, under which they have
been groaning for centuries!” Douglass clearly asserts that slave owners went to great
lengths to destroy the mental capacities of slaves, yet his own life story proves that
these efforts could be unsuccessful.
2. Introduce the topic.
a. This is when you provide the background information on your topic.
b. Here you provide a concise summary of the 5 Ws and How on your topic.
c. This acts as a transition from your hook to your thesis statement.
3. Your thesis statement is what should close your introduction.
Body Paragraphs:
You need to consider the arrangement of your body paragraphs and what will best support your
thesis statement. It can be done in chronological order, in order of importance, in order of climax
building towards a conclusion, or by similarity/difference. To help facilitate this, you should use
transitional words and phrases to help the flow.
Format for a Body Paragraph:
1. It starts with a Topic Sentence. This is to state the main point of the paragraph. It is to
give the reader a sense of direction, and it summarizes the paragraph’s main point.
2. You then explain the main point by doing any of the following:
a. Add examples
b. Discuss a process
c. Compare and contrast
d. Use an analogy
e. Discuss cause and effect
f. Define terms.
3. You then give historical evidence to support the main point. Historical evidence refers to:
a. Specific people
b. Specific events
c. Specific beliefs
d. Dates
e. Statistics
f. Use an anecdote or story
4. You then tie in the historical evidence to your main point.
5. It is good then to follow this up with a primary source quote.
6. You then explain the primary source quote and how it supports the main point.
7. You then tie in the main point of the paragraph to the thesis statement. This is how you
close the paragraph.
When Do You Begin a New Paragraph:
The basic rule of thumb with writing paragraphs is to keep one idea to one paragraph. A welldeveloped paragraph should be a minimum of FIVE strong sentences. A paragraph should not be
longer than TEN strong sentences. Follow the Proof Sandwich Analogy.
1. When you are switching to a new idea or different point---it should be only one main idea per
paragraph.
2. To highlight an important point
3. To show a change in time or place
4. To emphasize a similarity or contrast
Conclusions:
Your conclusion is your opportunity to wrap up your essay in a tidy package and bring it home for your
reader. It is your chance to have the last word on the subject. The conclusion allows you to have the
final say on the issues raised in your paper, to summarize your thoughts, to demonstrate the
importance of your ideas, and to persuade the reader to see your point of view. The conclusion
paragraph starts with a transition topic sentence that clinches or closes your argument. The sentence
often offers a universal truth or may pose a question that gives the reader pause to think. The next
sentence should summarize your main points by rephrasing them, but not repeating word for word.
YOU DO NOT INTRODUCE ANY NEW IDEAS IN THE CONCLUSION. Then you restate your thesis
statement. And you then close with a reference to the hook you used in the introduction to get the
reader’s attention.
Transitions for Conclusion Paragraphs:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Ultimately
In the final analysis
In conclusion
To sum up
All in all
It should be clear that
It is evident that
In retrospect, it seems clear that
Example of a Conclusion Paragraph:
Though serving on a jury is not only a civic responsibility, as well as an interesting experience into the
lives of others, many people still view jury duty as a chore. It is seen as an unnecessary interruption
to their jobs, family, and routines of their lives. However, juries are a part of America’s attempt to be
a free and just society. Thus, jury duty challenges us to be interested and responsible citizens. And if
people continue to try to shirk this democratic obligation, America is failing to live up to the standards
and expectations as set by our founding fathers in the Preamble to the Constitution.
(The introduction began with a quote from the Preamble as the hook.)