THE BIG MOMENT—FINALLY!!!
WRITING THE ROUGH DRAFT
BEFORE WE EVEN BEGIN WRITING,
YOU MUST REMEMBER THESE 2
THINGS!!!!
FIRST—SKIP LINES WHEN WRITING YOUR ROUGH DRAFT!!!
AND…GET YOUR IDEAS DOWN ON PAPER—DON’T TRY TO MAKE
THEM PERFECT IN THIS STEP OF THE PROCESS!!!!
WE WILL START WITH THE INTRODUCTION
 THE
INTRODUCTION STATES THE
TOPIC OF THE ESSAY/COMPOSITION
AND THE THESIS STATEMENT IN AN
INTERESTING AND INFORMATIVE WAY.
SOME THINGS TO DO:
 DO TELL THE READER WHAT YOU ARE WRITING
ABOUT—INTRODUCE YOUR TOPIC
 DO CAPTURE THE READER’S ATTENTION—BE
INTERESTING.
DO NOT…

DO NOT INTRODUCE YOURSELF AS THE
AUTHOR!!!!!
DO NOT BEGIN WITH “I AM GOING TO WRITE
ABOUT”!!!!
 Do NOT use the words “I think…”,
 Avoid using the pronoun “you.”

NOW…LET’S WRITE AN INTRODUCTION…
WE WILL BE USING OUR PARAGRAPH PLAN
WHICH WE HAVE ALREADY WRITTEN.
 YOUR INTRODUCTION COULD BE
REPRESENTED IN THIS WAY:

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH
INTRODUCE YOUR
SUBJECT—GENERALLY—
GET YOUR READER’S
ATTENTION
GRADUALLY
NARROW YOUR
SUBJECT DOWN—
LEAD THEM TO
YOUR THESIS
USE THE
THESIS
STATEMENT
FROM YOUR
PAPER
SO…HOW DO WE GET THE
READER’S ATTENTION?
HERE ARE A FEW METHODS…LET’S TRY
SOME!!
BEGIN WITH AN AMUSING TONE
START WITH A SIMPLE FACT THAT WILL BE IMPORTANT LATER
USE A STARTLING FACT
USE A CONFESSION
USE A QUOTATION
USE A HINT OF WHAT IS TO COME
OPEN WITH A BOLD OR CHALLENGING STATEMENT
OPEN WITH A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
BEGIN WITH HOW YOU FELT AT THAT MOMENT
NOW LET’S WRITE OUR INTRODUCTION.
REMEMBER:
START OFF WITH GENERAL STATEMENT
RELATED TO YOUR TOPIC
GET YOUR READER’S ATTENTION RIGHT AWAY
SLOWLY NARROW YOUR TOPIC DOWN TOWARD
YOUR THESIS STATEMENT
USE THE THESIS STATEMENT FROM YOUR
PAPER AS THE LAST SENTENCE OF YOUR
INTRODUCTION.
"A dog is man's best friend." That common saying may contain
some truth, but dogs are not the only animal friend whose
companionship people enjoy. For many people, a cat is their best
friend. Despite what dog lovers may believe, cats make excellent
housepets as they are good companions, they are civilized
members of the household, and they are easy to care for.
ONE POSSIBLE INTRODUCTION
Nietzsche says, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” Life
experiences, both painful and happy, combine to make each person
into the individual they are. Each scar is a story. Each experience, a
chapter. My ___________tells my story because I ____A_____,
___B_______, and ________C____.
THE BODY—OR—SUPPORTING PARAGRAPHS
REMEMBER—THERE ARE 3 PARAGRAPHS IN THE BODY
•THIS IS THE SAME NUMBER OF KEY POINTS IN OUR
THESIS STATEMENT….COOL, HUH?
•YOU HAVE ONE PARAGRAPH FOR EACH OF THE KEY
POINTS YOU PLANNED TO DISCUSS.
IN EACH PARAGRAPH YOU WILL DISCUSS ONLY THAT
TOPIC OR KEY POINT!!!
•THESE PARAGRAPHS SUPPORT AND EXPLAIN THE
THESIS STATEMENT OF YOUR COMPOSITION.
•THE BODY PARAGRAPHS MAY VARY IN LENGTH. WHAT IS
AN APPROPRIATE LENGTH FOR A PARAGRAPH?
THE BODY OF THE PAPER …
MIGHT LOOK LIKE THIS…
TOPIC SENTENCE BODY PARAGRAPH 1 –write
using the first key point in your thesis. Then add
supporting details.
TOPIC SENTENCE BODY PARAGRAPH 2 –write
using the second key point in your thesis. Then
add supporting details.
TOPIC SENTENCE BODY PARAGRAPH –write
using the third key point in your thesis. Then add
supporting details.
TIPS FOR WRITING SUPPORTING PARAGRAPHS
TRANSITIONS—REMEMBER TO USE THEM—THEY
SHOW HOW IDEAS RELATE TO EACH OTHER. THEY
BRIDGE IDEAS WITHIN A PARAGRAPH OR FROM ONE
PARAGRAPH TO ANOTHER.
MAKE SURE THAT YOUR SENTENCES AND
PARAGRAPHS “FLOW”. THEY SHOULD CONTAIN
DETAILS AND EXPLANATIONS.
NOW LET’S LOOK AT SOME 5 PARAGRAPH ESSAYS
AND TRY TO FIND THE ELEMENTS WE HAVE BEEN
DISCUSSING.
"A dog is man's best friend." That common saying may contain some truth, but dogs are not the
only animal friend whose companionship people enjoy. For many people, a cat is their best friend.
Despite what dog lovers may believe, cats make excellent housepets as they are good
companions, they are civilized members of the household, and they are easy to care for.
In the first place, people enjoy the companionship of cats. Many cats are affectionate. They will
snuggle up and ask to be petted, or scratched under the chin. Who can resist a purring cat? If
they're not feeling affectionate, cats are generally quite playful. They love to chase balls and
feathers, or just about anything dangling from a string. They especially enjoy playing when their
owners are participating in the game. Contrary to popular opinion, cats can be trained. Using
rewards and punishments, just like with a dog, a cat can be trained to avoid unwanted behavior or
perform tricks. Cats will even fetch!
In the second place, cats are civilized members of the household. Unlike dogs, cats do not bark
or make other loud noises. Most cats don't even meow very often. They generally lead a quiet
existence. Cats also don't often have "accidents." Mother cats train their kittens to use the litter box,
and most cats will use it without fail from that time on. Even stray cats usually understand the
concept when shown the box and will use it regularly. Cats do have claws, and owners must make
provision for this. A tall scratching post in a favorite cat area of the house will often keep the cat
content to leave the furniture alone. As a last resort, of course, cats can be declawed.
Lastly, one of the most attractive features of cats as housepets is their ease of care. Cats do not
have to be walked. They get plenty of exercise in the house as they play, and they do their business
in the litter box. Cleaning a litter box is a quick, painless procedure. Cats also take care of their own
grooming. Bathing a cat is almost never necessary because under ordinary circumstances cats
clean themselves. Cats are more particular about personal cleanliness than people are. In addition,
cats can be left home alone for a few hours without fear. Unlike some pets, most cats will not
destroy the furnishings when left alone. They are content to go about their usual activities until their
owners return.
ONE POSSIBLE INTRODUCTION AND BODY
Nietzsche says, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” Life
experiences, both painful and happy, combine to make each person
into the individual they are. Each scar is a story. Each experience, a
chapter. My ___________tells my story because I ____A_____,
___B_______, and ________C____.
Rewrite topic A into a sentence. Now continue talking about that topic.
Stick with topic A all through this paragraph. Remember, if you change
topics, you must begin a new paragraph.
Rewrite topic B as a sentence. Continue talking about Topic B. If you
didn’t introduce an idea in the thesis statement, don’t start adding it in
now.
Rewrite topic C as a sentence. Continue talking about topic C. This is
the last paragraph of your body. Make sure that all sentences are
meaningful and interesting.
WRITING THE CONCLUSION
THE CONCLUSION SHOULD:
oRESTATE THE MAIN IDEA
oSIGNAL AN END TO THE READER.
oHAVE YOU EVER READ SOMETHING THAT ENDED
ABRUPTLY—OR SEEN A MOVIE WITHOUT A GOOD
ENDING?
oYOU PROBABLY FEEL LET DOWN—OR EVEN
CONFUSED.
MANY BEGINNING WRITERS FAIL TO WRITE
CONCLUSIONS. THEY PRESENT THEIR IDEAS AND
THEN STOP WRITING. THE READER SENSES THAT THE
WRITER HAS FAILED TO SAY WHAT THEY REALLY
WANTED TO SAY.
WRITING THE CONCLUSION—”DO” THESE
1. RESTATE YOUR THESIS
2. BROADEN SUBJECT OUT TO MORE GENERAL
IDEA—OR LOOK TO THE FUTURE—WHAT
DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE? WHY SHOULD WE
CARE?
3. SUM UP IN A GENERAL, BUT INTERESTING
WAY—A “ZINGER”
4. THE INTRODUCTION AND THE CONCLUSION
SHOULD TIE TOGETHER. LET’S LOOK AT A
REPRESENTATION OF THE CONCLUSION OF
THE ESSAY.
THE CONCLUSION>>>>
RESTATE MAIN
IDEA—YOU DO
NOT NEED TO
INCLUDE YOUR 3
KEY POINTS
BROADEN BACK OUT TO
GENERAL—LEAD YOUR
READERS OUT OF PAPER—
REMEMBER YOUR 2
PURPOSES…
END WITH A POWERFUL
CLINCHER…SIGNAL THAT IT IS THE END
OF THE PAPER…LEAVE THE READER
WITH A STRONG IMPRESSION.
NOW LET’S LOOK AT THE
CAT VS. DOG ESSAY AGAIN…
PLEASE LOOK FOR THE WAY
IN WHICH THE CONCLUSION
WAS WRITTEN
"A dog is man's best friend." That common saying may contain some truth, but dogs are not the only animal friend whose
companionship people enjoy. For many people, a cat is their best friend. Despite what dog lovers may believe, cats make
excellent housepets as they are good companions, they are civilized members of the household, and they are easy to care
for.
In the first place, people enjoy the companionship of cats. Many cats are affectionate. They will snuggle up and ask to be petted,
or scratched under the chin. Who can resist a purring cat? If they're not feeling affectionate, cats are generally quite playful. They
love to chase balls and feathers, or just about anything dangling from a string. They especially enjoy playing when their owners are
participating in the game. Contrary to popular opinion, cats can be trained. Using rewards and punishments, just like with a dog, a cat
can be trained to avoid unwanted behavior or perform tricks. Cats will even fetch!
In the second place, cats are civilized members of the household. Unlike dogs, cats do not bark or make other loud noises. Most
cats don't even meow very often. They generally lead a quiet existence. Cats also don't often have "accidents." Mother cats train their
kittens to use the litter box, and most cats will use it without fail from that time on. Even stray cats usually understand the concept
when shown the box and will use it regularly. Cats do have claws, and owners must make provision for this. A tall scratching post in a
favorite cat area of the house will often keep the cat content to leave the furniture alone. As a last resort, of course, cats can be
declawed.
Lastly, one of the most attractive features of cats as housepets is their ease of care. Cats do not have to be walked. They get
plenty of exercise in the house as they play, and they do their business in the litter box. Cleaning a litter box is a quick, painless
procedure. Cats also take care of their own grooming. Bathing a cat is almost never necessary because under ordinary
circumstances cats clean themselves. Cats are more particular about personal cleanliness than people are. In addition, cats can be
left home alone for a few hours without fear. Unlike some pets, most cats will not destroy the furnishings when left alone. They are
content to go about their usual activities until their owners return.
Cats are low maintenance, civilized companions.
People who have small living quarters or less time for
pet care should appreciate these characteristics of cats.
However, many people who have plenty of space and
time still opt to have a cat because they love the cat
personality. In many ways, cats are the ideal house pet.
WRITING THE CONCLUSION…
REMEMBER TO FOLLOW THE PYRAMID
FORMAT WHEN WRITING YOUR
CONCLUSION.
REMEMBER TO LEAVE YOUR READER
WITH A STRONG IMPRESSION.
YOU CAN TRY TO SUMMARIZE YOUR
INFORMATION, TAKE ONE FINAL SHOT AT
CONVINCING YOUR READER OF
SOMETHING, OR EMPHASIZE AN
IMPORTANT POINT.
ONE POSSIBLE INTRODUCTION, BODY, AND NOW
CONCLUSION
Nietzsche says, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” Life experiences, both painful
and happy, combine to make each person into the individual they are. Each scar is a
story. Each experience, a chapter. My ___________tells my story because I
____A_____, ___B_______, and ________C____.
Rewrite topic A into a sentence. Now continue talking about that topic. Stick with topic A
all through this paragraph. Remember, if you change topics, you must begin a new
paragraph.
Rewrite topic B as a sentence. Continue talking about Topic B. If you didn’t introduce an
idea in the thesis statement, don’t start adding it in now.
Rewrite topic C as a sentence. Continue talking about topic C. This is the last paragraph
of your body. Make sure that all sentences are meaningful and interesting.
Each scar, like each story, is unique. My scars have made me into the person I am
today. We all have events that have form us; pieces of a life that create the whole. We
must remember that without knowing a person’s history, we can’t know the person. They
too have a story to tell. They too have experiences we do not know of. They too have
been made stronger by living that story.
THE ESSAY—PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
INTRODUCTION
BODY PARAGRAPH 1
BODY PARAGRAPH 2
BODY PARAGRAPH 3
CONCLUSION
NOW THE ACTUAL ROUGH DRAFT
USING THE PARAGRAPHS YOU HAVE WRITTEN
OUT IN YOUR COMPOSITION NOTEBOOKS
WRITE AN ACTUAL ROUGH DRAFT OF THIS
ESSAY.
MAKE SURE TO SKIP LINES. DON’T WORRY
TOO MUCH ABOUT SPELLING, PUNCTUATION,
PERFECT WORD CHOICE ETC. AT THIS POINT.
YOU WILL HAVE TIME FOR REVISION AND
EDITING LATER.