Basic Essay Organization and Ideas

1. Basic Essay Organization and Ideas OCHS English

2. The First Sentence: Introducing the Reader to our World • We have to introduce the topic in a way that doesn’t freak the reader out, and that is appropriate for the content. Methods include using a: • Question, especially a rhetorical question. • Hook—grabs the reader’s attention and that is somewhat related to your topic. • “Quote” that is interesting or by someone famous/pertinent. • If the topic is interesting we can just lead with it. • Consider our audience—who is reading this essay? • Avoid being trite—overused, or boring.

3. Writing Introductions • Overall, a good introduction does two things: • 1) Introduces the topic—we have to tell the reader what it is, exactly, that this essay is going to be about. • 2) Introduces the primary claim/thesis—in other words, what is it that you are going to say in this essay; what is your position in relation to your topic. This is usually the final sentence in your first paragraph. • NOTE: Not every argumentative essay has to have a thesis in the first paragraph—depending on how you construct your essay, it is possible to introduce your primary claim at a later time.

4. Introductions: Tone and Writing Style • A key point to remember when writing anything, is to keep in mind: • A) Who is the audience? What kind of tone and style is going to appeal most to this audience? • B) What is the topic? What kind of tone and style is most appropriate for the topic? • For example, the writer’s tone when writing an essay about banning guns will be very different than an essay about why you like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

5. Formula for Writing Body Paragraphs: Topic Sentence • A) Topic Sentence—begin each body paragraph with a topic sentence; this sentence should include the following information: • 1) The topic for this paragraph. • 2) An argument/claim/opinion that supports the primary argument/thesis laid out in the introduction. • Example Topic Sentence: Another reason that peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are so amazing, is that they can be made with a surprising variety of additional ingredients.

6. Body Paragraph: Evidence • B) Following the topic sentence, the writer should provide evidence that supports the argument in the topic sentence. • Example Topic Sentence: Another reason that peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are so amazing, is that they can be made with a surprising variety of additional ingredients. • Example Evidence Support Sentence: For instance, one could add bananas, cheddar cheese, or even pickles, to bring complexity and/or different flavors to the classic PB and J.

7. Body Paragraph: Analysis • C) Analysis: Next, provide some analysis of why your evidence matters/is important. In other words, why should the reader be convinced of your argument? • Example Evidence Support Sentence: For instance, one could add bananas, cheddar cheese, or even pickles, to add complexity and/or different flavors to the classic PB and J. • Example: Because the sandwich itself is built on such a solid foundation of savory, salty, and sweet, it can be easily modified depending upon each individual’s taste and sense of style.

8. Body Paragraphs: Concluding/Transition Sentence • D) Concluding/Transition Sentence: • Example: Because the sandwich itself is built on such a solid foundation of savory, salty, and sweet, it can be easily modified depending upon each individual’s taste and sense of style. • Thus, the bitter creaminess of cheddar cheese, or the sweet nuttiness of banana, is accentuated by the holy trinity of ingredients that is the peanut butter and jelly sandwich; even better, each of the base ingredients can be found in a variety of styles and flavors. • Note: this final sentence naturally leads into the next paragraph, which will be about one of the key ingredients of the might PB and J.

9. Writing a Conclusion: Sentence by Sentence • A) Re-introduce, or remind the reader of your primary claim/argument/opinion—what is this paper really about? • B) Remind the reader of some of the examples, evidence, and arguments you’ve used to support this claim. • C) Expand the scope of your essay—how does your claim relate to the reader’s world? • D) Feed your reader—in the last sentence or two, leave your reader with something to chew on, whether it’s a philosophical question, or a provocative or interesting idea that’s related to your essay.

10. Writing a Conclusion • Example: • A) Thus, while it is often looked down upon as a sandwich for kids, the peanut butter and jelly sandwich is truly a titan. • B) Not only is it one of the easiest and cheapest sandwiches a person can make, but there are a myriad of ways to tweak it, by altering the core ingredients and/or including delicious additives. • C) Indeed, it’s a wonder that so many adults give up on this sandwich; once again, it seems kids, as usual, know what they’re talking about. • D) So, next time you brown-bag it, trust me: don’t pack boring old turkey—slap some cheddar cheese on a PB and J, kick back, and enjoy.