Writing your definition essay
What is a hero?
Introduction
 Introduction:
 Hook: Get your reader’s attention with this
sentence
 Bridge: 1 sentence summary of your book to
tie together your hook and thesis
 Thesis: Answer the question: What is a hero?
 Preview: State your 3 main points that you will
explain in your body paragraph.
Function Paragraph
 Body Paragraph 1:
 Topic sentence: How is a hero described?
 NOUN
 Text evidence from an outside source
 VERB
 Text evidence from an outside source
 ADJECTIVE
 Text evidence from an outside source
 Conclude and transition into the next paragraph
Example Paragraph
 Body Paragraph 2:
 Topic sentence: How is the protagonist a hero?
 Text Evidence from the novel
 Inference
 Inference Elaboration
 Text Evidence from the novel
 Inference
 Inference Elaboration
 Conclude and transition into the next paragraph
Negation Paragraph
 Body Paragraph 3:
 Topic sentence: Describe who is not a hero?
 Text Evidence from the novel
 Inference
 Inference Elaboration
 Text Evidence from the novel or an outside source
 Inference
 Inference Elaboration
 Conclude and transition into the next paragraph
Conclusion
Conclusion
Review your main points (3 sentences)
Restate your thesis in different words
Leave your reader with a thought
about your subject
Editing
 All formal MLA writing rules
 Check your quotes to make sure that they are
all cited with (author-last-name page-#).
 (Hinton 23).
 Run spell check
 Did you use 5 vocabulary words?
Revise
 Ensure that you have a mixture of complex,
compound and simple sentences for coherence
 CHECK FOR DEPENDENT WORDS!
 Do you use transition words for coherence? Pg. 74
 Check your content
 Do you use accurate text evidence?
 Do you inferences align with your thesis?
 Do you elaborate your inferences for clarity
Transitioning into your quotes: Building
them in
 Not built in:
 Esperanza is a hero in the novel Esperanza Rising. “I
knew I had to do something to help. I need to save
all of my money” (Ryan).
 Built in:
 Esperanza is a hero in the novel Esperanza Rising.
After emigrating to America, Esperanza wanted to
help her grandmother as well so she thought, “I
knew I had to do something to help. I need to save
all of my money” (Ryan).
Transitioning Between Paragraphs
 Between paragraphs, use key words to transition in your
essay.
Esperanza is a hero in the novel Esperanza Rising.
After emigrating to America, Esperanza wanted to help
her grandmother as well so she thought, “I knew I had to
do something to help. I need to save all of my money”
(Ryan). This shows that she is putting aside her own
selfishness in order to help others. Not all the characters in
Esperanza Rising are heroes.
Tio Luis is Esperanza’s uncle, and he is everything
that a hero should not be.
Read your essay aloud to a partner!
Have a pencil or pen in your hand so
that every time you find a mistake, you
correct it on the paper.
After your partner reads, give them a
compliment and a critique