Statement

Examples

Commentary

Spicy Sentences

Your introduction should have a hook or grabber (a statement about or related to the topic of your paper that draws in the reader), a citation (the title and author of a book) if you are doing a literary analysis, some brief background information on both the topic and the text, and your thesis statement.

WRITING A THESIS: Your thesis is what you are trying to prove. It is the answer to a question. It is not something that everybody already knows – it should be insightful and, most importantly, DEBATABLE. You can consider it an “I think” statement with the “I think” removed. You can also make it more complex in order to set up the structure of your argument.

BODY PARAGRAPHS

Use SECS (see above)

CONCLUSION:

-Restate thesis statement

– Explain how the examples you provided showed this to be true (do this without saying exactly what you said before – offer new insight, don’t be redundant)

– End by explaining why the topic as a whole is important to literature (or whatever subject) as well as life.

Determine writing perspective (1st,2nd,3rd person?) you

will assume.

Create overall essay basic outline.

Proactively state the challenge (purpose of topic).

Proactively state popular opposing viewpoints.

State why these ideas are good and what could be better.

Answer this question emphatically with your view with as

much supporting detail as possible. Sell, sell, sell. Entertaining with humor, quotes, etc. help; but try not to stray

from topic/view. Hold the readers interest. Think “what does

the reader need to hear. Keep it simple and clear and positive.