CRAFTING YOUR ESSAY: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Henderson

KNOW YOUR PROMPT!

ANALYZE the PROMPT! Underline all the key concepts and

demands of your essay prompt. Check for understanding by rephrasing

the prompt in your own words.

PRE-WRITING

While your initial steps for pre-writing may vary (searching through the text and your notes, free-writing, listing), your formal pre-writing document will be a cluster diagram.

CLUSTERING

Place your central argument in the center bubble

Write your supporting arguments in the outer bubbles; these may become your main ideas (topic sentences)

Write supporting ideas on the “branches”. These will likely be drawn from plot points or specific character traits.

FINDING EVIDENCE

For each “branch”, search the text for IDEAL, APPLICABLE quotations.

Record potential quotations (with page numbers) in your notes or on a separate sheet of paper.

COLOR CODE your quotes (using highlighters, markers, post-its) based on their validity.

The color codes should indicate strong, adequate, and weak textual support.

Alternatively, you may follow this process by flagging your text.

CRAFTING YOUR THESIS STATEMENT

So now you have your “raw materials” in the form of ideas and evidence. Time to construct an argument!

Incorporate all demands of the prompt in your statement.

For 90% of essays, the thesis statement can be established in one sentence.

VALID THESIS STATEMENTS

Since the thesis is the central argument of your essay, it is concerned with a BIG IDEA (not to be confused with a BROAD idea).

Thesis statements address the text’s meaning and the author’s purpose & techniques.

Remember the Goldilocks Effect: a strong thesis is not too broad and not too narrow – it is just right!

EVALUATING THESIS STATEMENTS

Decide whether the following thesis statements are too broad, too narrow, or just right.o In To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem has to grow up.o To Kill a Mockingbird deals with innocence.o In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee argues

that innocence is always lost.o Through her use of symbolism and

juxtaposition in To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee argues that innocence is lost when ideals are corrupted.

CRAFTING YOUR MAIN IDEAS

Look back at the “outer bubbles” in your cluster diagram.

Rephrase the arguments in those bubbles so that they serve as “mini-thesis statements”: They will read like thesis statements, except that

they will deal with a more specific aspect of the text

They will address an idea that is clearly related to your thesis

I prefer the term “main idea” to “topic sentence” because it connotes an argument, but it’s the same thing, really. Don’t get all confuzzled.

EVALUATING MAIN IDEAS

Consider our sample Mockingbird thesis from earlier. Decide which of the following main ideas strongly and specifically supports the thesis.o The concept of innocence – and its fragility in a

corrupt world – is best symbolized by a mockingbird.o Many characters have their innocence corrupted.o Early in the novel, Atticus instructs Jim not to shoot a

mockingbird.o In the beginning of the novel, Scout and Jem are

innocent characters.o A study in character contrasts reveals the process by

which characters lose their innocence in the novel.

INTERMEDIATE STEP: LINE DIAGRAM

This is a handy way to organize your clustered ideas before beginning your formal outline.

OUTLINING

Once you have your thesis statement and main ideas established, you can start mapping out those components and supporting details in a formal outline.

The outline will not cover ALL the components of your essay, but it will organize all the key parts of your argument and essay structure.

A FORMAL OUTLINE

Access the blueprint for your formal essay outline on my Wiki.

BUILDING YOUR BODY PARAGRAPHS

Plug in all the components of your outline on a word document.

Add context for your quotations (don’t forget to weave!)

Add transitions between and within your paragraphs.

** Keep your thesis at the top of the page as your cognitive focal point! **

ELUCIDATING LITERARY ELEMENTS

Plot Exposition, rising action, climax,

denoement Conflict

Internal vs. external; four types Genre

Adherence to/departure from genre conventions

Theme Tone

ELUCIDATING LITERARY ELEMENTS

Character Flat, static Round, dynamic Protagonist, antagonist Hero, antihero/heroine Foil Chorus

DELINEATING LITERARY DEVICES

Metaphorical devices Simile, metaphor, and extended metaphor Symbol and motif Allusion Allegory

Diction Dialect Slang, idiom, colloquialism

DELINEATING LITERARY DEVICES

Devices of sound Alliteration, consonance, assonance,

onomatopoeia Denotation vs. connotation Contradictions

Paradox, antithesis, dichotomy, oxymoron

TRANSITIONS

For showing contrast/exceptions

but, however, in spite of, on the one hand ... on the other hand, nevertheless, nonetheless, notwithstanding, in contrast, on the contrary, still, yet

For showing cause and effect

accordingly, consequently, hence, so, therefore, thus

For emphasis & additional info

additionally, again, also, and, as well, besides, equally important, further, furthermore, in addition, moreover, then

For setting up analysis (verbs)

Suggests, establishes, illustrates, reveals, underscores, juxtaposes, symbolizes, characterizes, embodies, expresses, demonstrates

For opening and closing

Whereas, because, although, while, equally, more/lessUltimately, in brief, ultimately, on the whole, thus

INITIATING YOUR ESSAY: INTRODUCTION

You should already have the most important part of your introduction securely placed in its sacred spot at the end of the paragraph (ahem, your THESIS).

In the lead, establish the title, author, and topic of your essay. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, a

racially charged crisis shatters the innocence of a sleepy, southern town.

INITIATING YOUR ESSAY: INTRODUCTION Next, look to your body paragraphs for

main plot points and ideas. Use this material to write a 5(ish)-

sentence synopsis. (In other words, retell the story with your perspective in mind. Make general points along the way.)

Establish the issue/problem/focal point that will serve as the reason for your thesis.

INITIATING YOUR ESSAY: SAMPLEIn Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, a racially charged

crisis shatters the innocence of a sleepy, southern town. Two white children, Jem and Scout, are denied the blissful ignorance of their youth when they witness a rape trial which ends the life of an innocent black man. Through the ordeal, Jem and Scout learn that adults’ motives are not always pure and that the arc of the universe does not always bend toward justice. Such a complex idea is made accessible to the children (and Lee’s audience)through accessible symbols and the juxtaposition of benign and malicious characters. Through her use of symbolism and juxtaposition in To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee argues that innocence is lost when ideals are corrupted.

CLOSING YOUR ESSAY: CONCLUSION

Remember that the purpose of the conclusion is to repackage – to restate in a succinct way – the argument that you have taken pages to develop.

Follow the REVERSE of your intro paragraph: Loosely restate your thesis Loosely restate your main ideas and

arguments Final thought on the significance or lasting

impression of the text

HONEY BADGER SAYS DON’T…

Forget the 80/20 rule! Open a paragraph

with a quotation! Follow a quotation

with “This quote means”; “In this quote”; “In other words”!

Begin your conclusion with “In conclusion”!

Write in first or second person!

REVISING SENTENCE STRUCTURE

To improve clarity, voice, and fluency, consider using the following sentence constructions: Compound sentences with semicolons Complex sentences Modifiers with colons and dashes Interrupting phrases Subordinating conjunctions Periodic sentences to emphasize a point

EDIT FOR GRAMMAR!

Is your grammar a turd in the compositional punch bowl? Subject-verb agreement Pronoun-antecedent

agreement Run-ons & comma

splices Fragments Dangling/misplaced

modifiers Homophones

CITING YOUR SOURCES

Formatting and citations must be in accordance with MLA standards.

All secondary sources must be valid and authoritative.

ANY presentation of another writer’s IDEAS as your own is considered PLAGIARISM.

DONE! HOOTIE SAYS HI.