Name Date Period NINTH GRADE LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION UNIT 1 ESSAY OUTLINE INTRODUCTION PARAGRAPH Hook Grab your reader s attention with a general statement about the topic. (1 to 2 sentences) Information Provide basic and relevant information about your text and author, and provide a brief summary of the short story. (3 to 5 sentences) Thesis Opinion/attitude about the topic (claim) and then a list of at least three short story elements (subpoints) that are presented in the order that they will be discussed. In other words, a road map telling the reader where the essay will go. (1 sentence) BODY PARAGRAPH 1 statement of what the point of the paragraph will be. For your first body paragraph, your topic sentence should introduce the first short story element that you listed in your thesis statement. Treat the thesis statement as the map for your essay. (1 sentence)
Explanation: Explain and discuss how the evidence that you provided proves your point/proves that your topic sentence is a true statement. A Link: Conclude this paragraph by providing a summary of this paragraph s point. This sentence should clearly indicate that you are moving onto your BODY PARAGRAPH 2 statement of what the point of the paragraph will be. For your second body paragraph, your topic sentence should introduce the second short story element that you listed in your thesis statement. Treat the thesis statement as the map for your essay. (1 sentence) Explanation: Explain and discuss how the evidence that you provided proves your point/proves that your topic sentence is a true statement. A
Link: Conclude this paragraph by providing a summary of this paragraph s point. This sentence should clearly indicate that you are moving onto your BODY PARAGRAPH 3 statement of what the point of the paragraph will be. For your third body paragraph, your topic sentence should introduce the third short story element that you listed in your thesis statement. Treat the thesis statement as the map for your essay. (1 sentence) Explanation: Explain and discuss how the evidence that you provided proves your point/proves that your topic sentence is a true statement. A Link: Conclude this paragraph by providing a summary of this paragraph s point. This sentence should clearly indicate that you are moving onto your
CONCLUSION PARAGRAPH: Overall, your conclusion should provide a sense of completeness and closure. Restate your thesis in a new way: Do not simply rewrite it; come up with a fresh way to remind your reader about your essay s claim and subpoints. (1 sentence) Summarize: Summarize the essay s main points by revisiting some of the evidence you provided and the points you made in your body paragraphs. (2 to 3 sentences) So what? : Address the greater significance of your topic and claim. (2 to 3 sentences) REMINDERS 1. Use third person point of view only: Don t use the following words: I, me, my, myself, you, yourself, us, we 2. Identify the author and characters properly: Introduce the author by his first and last name, and then use only the last name for the remainder of the essay. Refer to the characters the same way that the author does. 3. Avoid obvious statements: Don t use phrases like, This essay will be about... or I read many short stories in my English class... 4. Avoid opinionated comments: Don t use statements like, I don t like General Zaroff s character. Try, Many readers find General Zaroff s character to be creepy. 5. Use a persuasive tone: Your essay should be a clear claim in favor of reading one of the short stories.