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Structure of an Essay

Structure of an Essay. Every essay has a beginning, a middle, and an end. In a five-paragraph essay, the first paragraph is called the introduction . The next three paragraphs consist of the body of the essay . The fifth and final paragraph is the

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Structure of an Essay

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  1. Structure of an Essay Every essay has a beginning, a middle, and an end. In a five-paragraph essay, the first paragraph is called the introduction. The next three paragraphs consist of the bodyof the essay. The fifth and final paragraph is the conclusion. This structure is not written in stone, however. Look in a newspaper or magazine; you'll rarely see an essay that follows this exact formula. On the other hand, it's a good place for beginners to start. When you feel more confident, you can get more creative and break free of the five paragraph formula.

  2. Introduction Every essay has three parts: a beginning, a middle, and an end. The beginning is also called the introduction. The introduction has two main purposes: to draw the reader in and make him/her want to read more and to prepare the reader for the direction that the essay is going to take. The introduction usually has three parts: 1. Hook (or dramatic opener) consists of several sentences that pull the reader into the essay.2. Tansitional sentencesconnect the hook to the thesis statement.3. Thesis statement is one or two sentences that states the idea of the essay.

  3. Introduction: Hooks Hooks (dramatic openers) are used to grab your reader’s attention at the beginning of a paragraph or in a report or essay. QUESTION What is more valuable than gold? (essay on friendship) Possible closing: A man with many friends is rich.  AN IMPERATIVE Look into the heavens and count the stars if you can. (a command) (Report on outer space) Possible closing: We will always wonder about the size and greatness of our universe.

  4. Introduction: Hooks Cont… QUOTE:“Gold! Gold! Gold from the American River!” (Report on the Gold Rush ) Possible Closing: Many people during the Gold Rush thought they were going to get a lot of gold; instead, a lot received a new home instead! STATING A FACT In 1850, 92 percent of California was male. OR OPINION: (Report on the Gold Rush) Possible closing: Now a 160 years later, the gold is gone and so are the men who came to mine it. ANECDOTE:Bob Ellis was sad to leave his family in New York, but gold fever was strong in his blood. (Report on the Gold Rush) Possible closing: Bob Ellis didn’t win a fortune in gold mining, but he did earn enough money to bring his family to California.

  5. Introduction: Thesis Statement A thesis statement should do these three things: 1. It should clearly express what the essay is about.2. It should make a discussible point.3. It should indicate the structure of the essay. Thesis Statement: A dog would make a great pet for me because they are very loyal, they are easy to train, and they make good companions.

  6. Sample Introduction slide 8/14 The author Aldous Huxley once said, “To his dog, every man is Napoleon; hence the constant popularity of dogs.” As I consider the pet I would like to have share my life, it’s Huxley’s quote that sums up why a dog would be the best choice. Because of its sense of loyalty, its ability to protect you and its great companionship, a dog is the perfect pet. HOOK TRANSITION THESIS

  7. Poor intro example (what can be improved?): During all the years you have gone to school, you realize that education is something you need to learn, the reason you go to school is for education. But on the other hand, as you begin to grow up and years fly by, and before you know it your in middle school. You begin to get a little curious about whether you’ll be having recess that day or not. I think recess should be apart of a student’s life up until high school, and then recess should be transferred to study hall.

  8. Better intro example (what could make it great?): I’m all over the world, even in your classroom. Teachers say not to bring me, but I end up here anyways. Teenagers love me; some can’t even live without me. Wondering who I am? I’m an electronic. Electrons shouldn’t be allowed in school because of three main reasons: they are a big distraction, they ruin your education, and they cause chaos!

  9. Body of the Essay What is the body of an essay? The body of an essay is the part between the introduction and the conclusion. It contains the evidence. Each paragraph in the body of the essay contains the following sentences: TOPIC SENTENCE: This sentence tells the reader what the paragraph is going to be about. DETAIL SENTENCE: Your paragraph can have many detail sentences. The detail sentence tells your reader a little more about your topic. Each detail sentence must include an EXAMPLE. CONCLUDING/TRANSITIONAL SENTENCE: This sentence wraps up what you have already told the readers and gets them ready for the next paragraph.

  10. Conclusion: The End Just as every essay has a clear beginning, it should have a clear ending. The last paragraph, also know as the conclusion, should make your essay sound finished. The concluding paragraph typically has two parts: 1. summary statementis one or two sentences which restate the thesis in a fresh way to reinforce the essay's main idea. 2. clincheris a final thought which should create a lasting impression on the reader.

  11. Conclusion: The End Cont… The summary statement is an effective way to start your concluding paragraph because it helps to drive home the ideas you've expressed in your essay. Look at your thesis statement again and rework it in a new way. Avoid repeating key words and phrases from the thesis statement because you don't want the summary statement to sound boring or repetitive. Using a thesaurus is a good way to find new, interesting words. Here is an examples of thesis statements and summary statements: Thesis Statement: Many Americans are buying the Toyota Corolla because of its competitive price, fuel economy, and high resale value. Summary Statement: Reasonable pricing, low miles per gallon, and an attractive resale value have all contributed to the popularity of the Toyota Corolla in today's market.

  12. Conclusion: The End Cont… • The clincher, also referred to as the closer, is your last opportunity to connect with the reader. One way to make the most of this moment is to return to the technique you used for your hook. Here is a list of clinchers. • Complete the Anecdote (the story you told at the beginning. • Ask a final rhetorical question. • Use a new quotation or refer back to the opening quotation. • Continue the original description of a character, setting, or object. • Make a prediction or recommendation based on the facts you researched.

  13. Conclusion: The End Slide 13/14 Now let’s put it all together. Here's an example of a concluding paragraph for the "favorite pet" essay that uses a quotation as the clincher. Nothing can compare to a dog’s dedication, intelligence, and friendship. Because a dogoffers all these wonderful qualities and more,it is once again clear why people say that “a dog is man’s best friend.” Dogs not only make great pets but also wonderful companions. Summary Statement Clincher

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