How to Write a Great Essay

1. How to Write a Great Essay AP English Language/ English IV April 1- 7, 2011

2. Writing is a Process • Break down the prompt and organize your general response graphically • Collect evidence • Craft a thesis statement (and focus on defending it) • Create an outline • Collect more evidence Free powerpoint template: www.brainybetty.com

3. Writing a Process (continued) • Draft the essay • Re-structure and elaborate • Trim away the fat • Craft your sentences • Proofread! Free powerpoint template: www.brainybetty.com

4. Intro paragraph starring…your Thesis! • The introductory paragraph sets up your essay. Make it catchy. • Present the thesis statement. It should… • Tell the reader how you will interpret the text and the themes and philosophies attached to it. • Serve as a road map for the essay • Directly answer the questions presented in the prompt. • Come as the result of a lengthy thinking process • The one you started with is a “working thesis”. You’ll revise it after you’ve done lots of reading and collecting evidence.

5. Sample Thesis Statements • In the characters of Tom, Daisy, and Gatsby himself, Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby presents a distorted view of The American Dream • Sinclair Lewis’ 1922 novel Babbit relies on the author’s use of satire to critique the ignorance, mediocrity and conformity of the American middle class

6. Body Paragraphs • Each body paragraph should begin with a topic sentence where you clearly state the premise that you will be discussing. • There must be a point to your topic sentence. If you say “‘Cinderella’ is about a girl becoming a princess” you are correct, but your paper will not be particularly interesting. Instead you might say “‘Cinderella’ shows how good triumphs over evil; though Cinderella was given all the chores, which could have made her ugly, she was the most beautiful.” This makes your main point be about good triumphing over evil, specifically through her physical beauty (http://teachingcollegeenglish.com) Free powerpoint template: www.brainybetty.com

7. After each topic sentence… • Then you should give examples from various parts of the novel to show that this is true. You need a minimum of two, though three would probably be better. Four would be okay, but five would be too many and overburden your paragraph and your reader. (http://teachingcollegeenglish.com) Free powerpoint template: www.brainybetty.com

8. Transitions • End each body paragraph by tying the evidence and topic sentence together, and then leading in to the next paragraph. • Ex. Although Fitzgerald’s depiction of Tom Buchanan’s fixation with wealth suggests that this was common for males, he banishes any suspicions that this was an exclusively male flaw with his presentation of the equally-tortured wife, Daisy.

9. Conclusion – End Strong • Your conclusion doesn’t just restate your thesis (contrary to popular belief). It takes the original thesis and expands it with a universal truth to show the reader that your body paragraphs led you to a realization. • About the author • About mankind (usually some subcategory of society like “the wealthy” or “young women”) • About life

10. End Strong • Take the time to fully develop your conclusion. Too often, students rush the conclusion which results in a sloppy-sounding essay. • Play the “so what” game. Ask yourself what this body of evidence means as a whole. • Avoid trite phrases like “in conclusion” or “in summary”. • Avoid presenting a new point (premise) in the conclusion. It will sound like an afterthought thrown in at the last minute.

11. Conclusion template • It is often said that _____, but after considering ____, one begins to wonder whether _____. Fitzgerald (or Gatsby, Nick, Daisy, etc) thought ______________. The truth is ______. (insert strong, non-cliché parting thought here)