Essay Outline Sheet: ENG 1DI The Hunger Games Name: __________________
This essay will be a formal, descriptive essay one of several topics presented. Once you choose your topic,
develop a thesis statement which outlines three main aspects of your argument on which you will
elaborate. Then, expand on each argument in the body paragraphs.
General
Considerations:
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Use present tense
Use third person
omniscient point of
view
Aim for coherence: use
transition words and
link ideas smoothly
Proof read essay and
edit carefully
See ResourceLines
pages 88-92 for
paragraph-writing
techniques and pages
108-115 for essaywriting techniques
Paragraph #1: The
introduction.
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Topic:
Write the essay title. (This might be the final step.)
Write paragraph #1 outline in point form.
Move from general to
specific
Create interest in the
reader with a strong or
controversial statement,
a provocative quotation
or an interesting fact or
statistic
Introduce the author,
the novel and essay
topic
Introduce the setting
and a one sentence
definition of the
author’s purpose or the
novel’s plot
Link the purpose (or
general statement of the
plot) to the thesis, the
final sentence in
introductory paragraph
Paragraph #1: The
thesis.
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In the spaces below construct the essay outline. Write the thesis statement and each topic
sentence in full. Use point form for the rest of the outline. For quotations and references,
indicate page number.
Write the THESIS STATEMENT in full. It should contain 3 specific areas that you
will elaborate on to prove your main argument.
State the main ideas or
opinion that will be
defended in the essay
Suggest the
development of the
essay – the order in
which ideas will be
presented
Body Paragraphs:
Body Paragraph 1 Topic Sentence: (first aspect of thesis to be discussed)
Begin your first body
paragraph with the first
aspect of your thesis that you
will develop.
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Each body paragraph
develops one aspect of
the thesis statement
Clearly state in the topic
sentence which aspect
will be developed
Each body paragraph
discusses several points
to establish one aspect
of the thesis statement
Each point must have
proof to back it up: use
quotations or specific
references
Link the final sentence
in the paragraph to the
next paragraph
Body Paragraph #1 Points:
Write down points to
develop the first aspect of
your thesis
Proofs:
Discussions:
Write down the page
numbers of quotations
or specific references
Comment on the significance
of each proof.
Quotations:
Remember to use a variety of
quotation styles:
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Incorporated:
Quotations of four or
fewer typed lines are
placed within quotation
marks and are
incorporated directly
into your text.
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Ellipses: To shorten
long quotations, use
ellipses (…) to indicate
that a word, phrase, line
or paragraph has been
omitted from the the
quoted passage.
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Set Off: Quotations of
more than four lines are
set off from the text,
double spaced, and
indented without
quotation marks.
 Paraphrased: You
may also wish to
paraphrase a quotation,
or put it in your own
words. You must still
acknowledge the
quotation with the page
number in parentheses.
Paragraph #4
Remember to use effective
transitions:
(see Resourcelines, pp.9091)
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To show an addition of
ideas: and, also, in addition,
besides, further, too, what is
more
To introduce examples or
illustrations: for example,
for instance, namely, that is,
to illustrate
To show contrast or
difference: although, but,
however, yet, in contrast,
nevertheless, on the other
hand, whereas
To show similarity: again,
likewise, similarly, in other
words
To show logical
connections: so, hence,
because, therefore, as a
result, consequently
To show emphasis: indeed,
in fact, chiefly, mainly,
primarily
Write body paragraph #2 topic sentence in full. (2nd aspect of thesis to be discussed)
Write body paragraph #2
points to develop the second
aspect of your thesis
statement.
Proofs: Write
down the page
numbers of
quotations or
specific references.
Write body paragraph #3 topic sentence in full. (3rd aspect of thesis to be discussed)
Write body paragraph #3
points to develop the third
aspect of your thesis
statement.
Proofs: Write down
the page numbers of
quotations or specific
references.
Transition from one
paragraph to the next:
Remember to conclude your
paragraph by rephrasing your
topic in a fresh new way, but also,
lead the reader into your next
paragraph’s topic using key
words.
Write concluding paragraph outline in point form.
Concluding Paragraph:
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Move from specific to
general
Restate the thesis in a
fresh and original manner
Consider concluding with
a brief summary and/or a
general statement about
the human condition that
relates to the essay topic
Discussions:
Comment on the significance of
each proof.
Discussions:
Comment on the
significance of each proof.