The Outline: Your Recipe for a Great Essay!

1. The Outline: Your Recipe for a Great Essay!

2. Chefs follow recipes to make sure they don’t leave anything out of a great meal. Missing one ingredient could turn great dish into a definite dud.

3. Same thing goes for a good outline. So once you make one – STICK WITH IT!

4. The first thing we’ll need is an outline … How about one for the next Quest writing assignment: “What is Worth Fighting For Speech”

5. I. Introduction • Quote • Explain quote • Support explanation • Thesis Statement • III. Main Topic 2 • a. Analogy • b. Support analogy • c. Support/Evidence • d. Support/Evidence • e. Support/Evidence • f. Support/Evidence • g. Support/Evidence • h. Disprove counter argument • j. Restate quote or make your own quote • II. Main Topic 1 • Repetition • Support/evidence • Support/evidence • Support/evidence • Support/evidence • Repetition • Support/evidence • Support/evidence • support/evidence • Support/evidence • Repetition • Transition to Main Topic 2

6. Now, let’s take that outline and add our own flavor (ideas).

7. Remember to be brief. Save the sentences for your essay! Abbreviate or use short hand. NO: a. Humor is an exercise of intelligence; you can’t make a good joke about a topic you are not informed about. • YES: • Humor is exercise of intelligence • OR • Humor = intelligence

8. Introduction • Bill Cosby quote • Said this because he believed humor was worth preserving • People must learn to laugh at themselves • Thesis: some people think certain issues not laughing matter – humor is worth fighting: used for exhibiting intelligence & pointing out social injustices • Main Topic I – intelligence • Knock knock – humor. Who else? Intelligence • Humor is an exercise of intellect • Must have knowledge to make good joke • Even simplest joke are exercises in language expertise • Not talking about fart jokes, although … timing • Knock, knock – humor. Who else? Dedication • Comedians spend hours, days and months to create material • Humor not afterthought • Humorists/comedians dedicated to craft • Comedians believe in humor • Knock, knock – humor. Who else? Understanding • Along with exhibiting intelligence, humor also helps create understanding

9. III. Main Topic II – understanding • loss of a loved one – remember things that made us laugh • easier to remember happy times • also true about social issues • many comedians joke about serious issues • we laugh at our own absurdities, but also question them • chris rock/dave chappelle joked about racial prejudice to show it still existed • bill hicks joked about drug issues to show their absurdity • bill cosby joked about his family to show that love was still the core • People who think jokes inappropriate – don’t understand purpose • knock knock – humor. A cause worth fighting for.

10. But anyone can MAKE an outline – the hard part is sticking to it. Let’s take our outline and turn it into an essay ingredient by ingredient …

11. Introduction • Quote: Bill Cosby : “Once you find laughter …” • Said this because humor is important • Jokes have many purposes • Humor is worth fighting for Take … a. Quote: Bill Cosby: “Once you find laughter …”

12. … and add it to your essay as a sentence. a. Quote: Bill Cosby: “Once you find laughter …” Bill Cosby said, “Once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it.”

13. Now add all the other sentences: c. People must learn to laugh at themselves b. Said this because humor is important d. Thesis: Humor is worth fighting for Bill Cosby said, “Once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it.” The famous comedian said this to remind people about the importance of a good sense of humor. It is not easy, but all people must learn to laugh at themselves or they will never see the error of their ways.Although some people believe certain issues are not a laughing matter, humor is worth fighting for because it can be used for everything from exhibiting intelligence to pointing out social injustices.

14. Give it a try: • Use the strips of paper to match the outline phrases • with the sentences. • Keep them in order!

15. II. Main Topic I – Exhibit Intelligence • Knock knock – humor. Who else? Intelligence • Humor is an exercise of intellect • Must have knowledge to make good joke • Even simplest joke are exercises in language expertise • Not talking about fart jokes, although … timing • Knock, knock – humor. Who else? Dedication • Comedians spend hours, days and months to create material • Humor not afterthought • Humorists/comedians dedicated to craft • Comedians believe in humor • Knock, knock – humor. Who else? Understanding • Along with exhibiting intelligence, humor also helps create understanding

16. Now try and write sentences for the last paragraph.

17. III. Main Topic II – Understanding Social Injustice • loss of a loved one – remember things that made us laugh • easier to remember happy times • also true about social issues • many comedians joke about serious issues • we laugh at our own absurdities, but also question them • chris rock/dave chappelle joked about racial prejudice to show it still existed • bill hicks joked about drug issues to show their absurdity • bill cosby joked about his family to show that love was still the core • People who think jokes inappropriate – don’t understand purpose • knock knock – humor. A cause worth fighting for.