The Amazing
Multi-Paragraph Essay
featuring your Friendly Neighborhood Spider,
SPIDERMAN!
• Getting Started
– Pre-Writing
• getting your ideas and
concrete details down
on paper before you
put your essay
together in paragraph
form.
• Spider Diagram (or
Web Diagram) are
used at this stage.
Beginning your essay can be
daunting. It is important to break
the process down into simple
steps.
• What is a thesis
statement?
• The MOST IMPORTANT
SENTENCE in your
paper
• Lets the reader know the
main idea of the paper
• Answers the question:
“What am I trying to
prove?”
• Not a factual statement,
but a claim that has to be
proven throughout the
paper
It’s Spiderman’s combination of having
fantastic powers mixed with having human
needs and weaknesses that make him the
most compelling comic book character
ever invented.
• Role of the thesis statement
• Be careful with the thesis
you choose
• Think about why you
chose that thesis
• If it is too narrow you will
get frustrated finding
information to write about
• If it is too broad your
essay will sound
scattered
In the case of this essay, you are arguing that
Spiderman is the greatest hero ever created. You
must stay focused on proving that goal.
Mentioning that Spiderman has teamed up with
President Obama might be a good place to start!
• Web Organizer
• Put your thesis in the
middle bubble
• Branch three other
bubbles off of the
center bubble. It
should look like this:
Thesis
• Web Organizer
– Topic Sentences
Topic Sentence
• Topic sentences are what
that whole paragraph is
going to be about
• Branch three other
bubbles off from the each
topic sentence bubble.
Thesis
Topic sentence
Topic Sentence
• Concrete details must relate to
the topic sentence
•
•
Concrete details are very
specific
They can be a quote if you are
writing a literary analysis, or
factual information if you are
writing a book report
Concrete Detail
Concrete Detail
Concrete Detail
Concrete Detail
Topic Sentence
Thesis
Topic Sentence
Concrete Detail
Concrete Detail
Topic sentence
Concrete Detail
Concrete Detail
Concrete Detail
• Finishing Your Web
Concrete Detail
Concrete Detail
Topic Sentence
Concrete Detail
• Each grouping of one
TS and three CDs is a
body paragraph
• The next step is to add
two commentaries to
each concrete detail NOT IN THE BUBBLE
CLUSTER
The Amazing
Multi-Paragraph
Essay PART II
featuring your Friendly Neighborhood Spider,
SPIDERMAN!
• Writing Your
Introduction
• Acquaints the reader
with the topic and
purpose of the paper
• Generates the
audience’s interest in
the topic
• Offers a plan for the
ensuing argument
From scientist to superhero, Peter
Parker is transformed into the
powerful Spiderman through a freak
accident and becomes the greatest
of all heroes in the process.
• Introduction Format
• Sentence #1: all
commentary. Starts with
general information about
the subject and your
opinion.
• Sentence #2: Explains
sentence #1 in more
detail (or offers more
details. Is all
commentary.
• Sentence #3: The
thesis. The specific
argument you will be
focusing on in your
essay.
• There is no concrete
detail in this paragraph.
• Body Paragraphs and
Topic Sentences
Peter Parker has many of the same
stresses that all people must deal with
in their lives. He has to support his
Aunt May, and he to balance being a
super hero with being a boy friend to
Mary Jane. These responsibilities make
Spiderman easy to identify with for
people.
• Body paragraphs
build upon the claims
made in the
introductory
paragraph(s)
• Organize with the use
of topic sentences
that illustrate the main
idea of each
paragraph.
• Add your commentary
(opinions) to fill in your
paragraph
• Here is the pattern for a body
paragraph:
• Writing your body
paragraphs
Concrete Detail
Concrete Detail
Topic Sentence
Concrete Detail
• The last item added to the pattern is the
concluding sentence, which transitions
the reader to the next paragraph
TS - topic sentence
CD - concrete detail
CM - commentary
CM - commentary
CD - concrete detail
CM - commentary
CM - commentary
CD - concrete detail
CM - commentary
CM -commentary
CS - concluding sentence
• Conclusion -- The Big
Finale
• Your conclusion should
reemphasize the main
points made in your
paper.
• Restate the thesis and
major points within the
essay with new words.
• You may choose to
reiterate a call to action or
speculate on the future of
your topic, when
appropriate.
• Avoid raising new claims
in your conclusion.
Spider Man’s own self doubts, combined with amazing
abilities are what distinguishes him as being different than
other picture-picture heroes like Superman.
• Conclusion Format
• Sentence #1:
Reemphasize main points
from body paragraphs
• Sentence #2: Restate
thesis using new words
• Sentence #3: Give a
finished feel to the essay
by doing one of the
following:
– Call to action (a challenge)
– Question (a thought to
ponder)
– Or Speculation (a guess)