Thesis Essay Outline
1) Introduction
a) Author and Title in the opening sentence
b) General background information on literature piece
i) Examples include short plot summary, character development, description of theme(s), and
relation to other topics
ii) Should be relatively brief and concise: 5 to 7 sentences
iii) Should relate to thesis statement
c) Thesis statement placed in final sentence of introduction
2) Body Paragraphs
a)
Topic Sentence should relate specifically back to one aspect of your thesis statement, not the
whole thesis
b) Need to prove your thesis through specific examples and quotes
i) Direct quotes: any quotation taken word for word from the text
(1) “Minister Dimmesdale stepped upon the scaffold for the first time” (p. 172).
(2) Ma Joad was very desperate when she faced off against the family by saying, “We ain’t
a-breaking the fambly up” (p. 234).
(3) “’Richard, get in here this minute!’ Granny yelled at me when I hid underneath the bed
from Grandpa” (p. 97).
ii) Indirect quotes: used when you reference a scene or event from the work in detail without
using direct quotes (summarizing)
(1) Huck and Tom attempted to free Jim from the shed by having Jim write notes on rocks,
saw through the bedpost, dig under the shed, and face the snakes and rats Tom through
into the shed (p. 23-27).
iii) Block quotes: used when direct quotes are more than three typed lines
(1) No quotation marks are needed; the blocked quote is single spaced and indented two tabs
from left margin; page number(s) still needed
c) Clincher Statement should relate to topic sentence and so also thesis
3) Conclusion
a) Restate thesis in first sentence
b) Summarize each main point of thesis in one or two sentences
c) Conclude the essay
i) Restate thesis again
ii) Link to current events
iii) Link to other literature
iv) Link to personal lives
4) Title Page/Type Specs
a) Title Page should include title, name, date, and class and can include a picture or graphic
b) Essay should be size 12 type, Arial, Courier, or Times font, double spaced, and have standard
margins (1.25” and 1” respectively)