English 20-1
The Essay
Kuny/Borys 2009
The Introduction
1) The Motivator
–
–
–
–
Is your first sentence and should therefore
grab the reader’s attention.
It should touch on the topic to be
discussed, but not give away your
argument.
It must relate to the topic
It can be a quote, joke, question,
definition, statistic, shocking statement,
accusation, etc.
2) Transition
- This is meant to explain, clarify, or extend
your motivator.
– Is still a general statement and does not
mention the literature to be discussed.
– Does not give away your thesis.
– Should express how the topic is relevant to
ALL PEOPLE or provide an explanation of
your motivator.
3) Synopsis
–
–
Is meant to provide a brief summary of
the piece of literature that you will be
discussing.
Focus your summary on the topic you
will be addressing, but do not give away
the key idea in your thesis
4) Blueprint
– Is meant to present the reader with
your main arguments in the order in
which you will present them. Be brief.
5) Thesis
– This is the most important sentence of
your entire essay!
– It should guide your entire essay.
– It should directly answer the question
presented in the topic.
Body Paragraphs!
Topic Sentence
– Is meant to tell the reader
what/who the paragraph will be
about.
– Should be straightforward and
specific about what the focus of the
paragraph will be.
Developing Sentences
– Develops the topic and provides more
detail.
– Gives appropriate, DETAILED examples
to support your thesis.
– Explains evidence in great detail and
connects EXPLICITLY to your thesis.
Evidence
Q
• You must back up ideas with
evidence.
• Evidence is a direct quote from
literature or paraphrased statement of
a specific episode within the
literature.
• Avoid summarizing the literature.
Remember that the reader has read
the literature you are discussing.
Concluding Sentence
- meant to remind your reader of the topic
–
–
–
.
discussed in the paragraph
similar to your topic sentence, but in
different words
reconnect to your thesis…that is the
idea you should be focused on
throughout your writing
Your concluding sentence should sum
up what you have written and also
make the transition into the next
paragraph.
Conclusion
Restate Thesis
– meant to remind the reader of the
statement you made in your essay
about the topic you were assigned
– must be in different words than
the thesis in your introduction
Summarize Main Ideas
– meant to give a brief overview of
the way you supported your thesis
– describe briefly how each of the
three examples you discussed in
your essay serve as to prove that
your thesis was, in fact, correct
Reference to Motivator
–
–
–
meant to tie everything in your essay
together, from the first sentence to the
last
reread your motivator and make a
comment that repeats the key words
you used
do not repeat the motivator word for
word
Clincher
– Is meant to leave your reader with a
final, profound thought
– Is a general statement about the
topic, the world, mankind.
– Do not end with a question
– Be insightful and leave the reader
thinking.
Integrating Quotations
Each of the following slides will have a
quotation integrated in a different
way. Your task is to write this down
and determine the rules for each
manner of integration.
Technique #1
The town of Maycomb did not
approve of the Radley family: “The
Radleys, welcome anywhere in town,
kept to themselves, a predilection
unforgivable in Maycomb” (8).
Introduce the quotation with a
complete sentence and a colon (:)
Technique #2
• According to Scout, “Mrs. Dubose
was plain hell” (10).
Use an introductory or explanatory phrase,
but not a complete sentence, separated
from the quotation with a comma.
Technique #3
• The mention of “nothing to buy and no
money to buy it with” (6) suggests that this
is a time of economic depression.
• Boo Radley is described as a “malevolent
phantom” by the narrator.
Make the quotation a part of your own
sentence without any punctuation
between your own words and the words
you are quoting.
Final Advice
– Avoid contractions (don’t, won’t, can’t)
– Use the Present Tense
– Avoid dead words (get, got, nice, very, just, a lot,
lots, bad, fine, good, so, fun, well, stuff, things
etc…)
– DON’T EVER USE: I, You, We, Your, My,
– Be specific! Say what you mean with
sophisticated vocabulary. Avoid repetition.
– Titles of novels and films are either underlined
or italicized.
– Every paragraph must be indented and there
should be no spaces between paragraphs.
Quoting Shakespearean Text
• Lady Macbeth expresses her guilt while she
sleepwalks: “Out, damned spot! out, I say!”
(5.1.34-35).
• In 5.1, Lady Macbeth’s guilt is evident.
• Macbeth’s evil ambition is now alarmingly
out of control: “Seize upon Fife; give to the
edge of the sword / His wife, his babes, and
all unfortunate souls / That trace him in
his line” (4.1.150-53).
http://drmarkwomack.com/mla-style/how-to-quote/quote-shakespeare/
Quoting Shakespeare
Continued
• Lady Macduff and her son discuss the departure of
Macduff:
Lady Macduff: Yes, he is dead: how wilt thou do for a father?
Son: Nay, how will you do for a husband? (4.2.38-39).
• Macbeth’s evil ambition is now alarmingly out of control:
The castle of Macduff I will surprise;
Seize upon Fife; give to the edge of the sword
His wife , his babes, and all unfortunate souls
That trace him in his line (4.1.150-53).
http://drmarkwomack.com/mla-style/how-to-quote/quote-shakespeare/