The Five-Paragraph Essay: Template for College Writing - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The Five-Paragraph Essay:Template for College Writing

Dr. Harold William Halbert

• Who taught it to you?
• What were the major elements?
• What good was it?

• Introduction
• Body Paragraph (Claim 1)
• Body Paragraph (Claim 2)
• Body Paragraph (Claim 3)
• Conclusion

EXPANDEDOUTLINE

• Introduction
• A “Hook” (whatever that was)
• Background Information on subject
• Thesis (the argument you are making)
• Preview of 3 Pieces of Evidence or Claims
• Springboard (restatement of thesis)
• Body Paragraph (Claim 1)
• A transition
• A central claim
• 3 details to flesh out claim
• Conclusion to paragraph
• Body Paragraph (Claim 2) SAME
• Body Paragraph (Claim 3) SAME
• Conclusion
• Summation transition (“In Conclusion”)
• Restatement of thesis
• Review of 3 pieces of evidence
• Synthesis of claim + evidence applied to broader issue

• English class essay (book reviews, short arguments, etc.)
• In-class essay exams
• SAT Writing assessment
• Some editorial or newspaper column pieces

• Easy template to American academic writing expectations
• Easy to teach
• Easy to grade
• Easy to remember
• Easy to finish

• Instead of thinking “paragraphs,” think “sections”
• Instead of thinking “five,” think “Introduction--Body--Conclusion”
• Better still, think

“Context/Claim, Evidence, Synthesis”

Five-Paragraphs are just a template: