Understanding the Essay

PHYSICS FINAL(Hard Versus Soft Water)

1.Briefly explain what hard water is. Ice.

2. What is a nitrate? Much cheaper than a day rate.

• is called the introduction.

• is where your claim (thesis statement) appears.

Paragraph One…• Your claim

(thesis statement) tells the reader what you will prove in your essay, or what point you will make.

• You cannot write an essay until the claim (thesis statement) is known.

The Claim…• is a sentence, rarely two, that

contains a subject and an opinion.• has one opinion that is specific, so

that it is easier to prove.• is your central argument, and every

word you write should be one that is helping to prove that opinion.

Think of yourself as a lawyer, and yourclaim is what you will prove tothe jury (your readers or audience).

Examples of Claims• [Subject] The large meat and dairy

corporations [Opinion] are doing much more harm to the food supply than good.

• [Subject] Sports drinks are promoted as healthy choices for athletes; [Opinion] however, they are not.

• Note: Keep “I think,” “I feel,” and “I believe” statements out of your essay.

“Fear of a Vegan Planet”

“Sports Drinks: Don’t Buy the Hype”

More Claim Examples• [Subject] Romeo and Juliet [Opinion] is a

play that demonstrates how hatred can destroy the things that one loves.

• [Subject] The Odyssey [Opinion] is an epic poem which symbolizes the journeys – both inner and outer – that one must undertake to achieve true and lasting happiness.

• Note: Keep “I think,” “I feel,” and “I believe” statements out of your essay.

An Introduction without Attention-grabbing Lead

Sentence• In Harper Lee’s classic novel,

To Kill a Mockingbird, many of the main characters display tremendous acts of courage. Many of these acts are so crucial to the story line that [CLAIM] it is clear Lee is making a statement about the importance of having courage, especially when a wrongdoing is occurring and needsto be righted.

So, it’s time to write an essay. Your topic is first

selected.

•1. What should you do next?

Answer: Write your claim.

Quick Quiz

Body Paragraph Needs

• Supporting facts, or details, that help prove your claim

• Explanations regarding the meaning of each piece of supporting evidence

• A minimum of three pieces of evidence.

• Each fact is a new and unique fact that supports – helps prove – your claim.

Reason(ing)!

Evidence

Evidence (Supporting Facts)

• Evidence is facts from your literary source (books, journals, research articles, etc.). They are the facts that support your opinion.

• Synonyms for evidence are: examples, descriptions, illustrations, support, proof, and quotes.

Claim[Subject] The novel Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck, [Opinion] is a story that implies that one can actually kill another out of love.

Your mission? Come up with one piece of evidence – a fact – that supports this claim.I’ll come around and check.

Evidence

Reason(Explaining the Evidence)

• Once you’ve written your evidence, you have to explain the fact’s significance. In other words, why is this detail important; what does it show in relationship to what you are trying to prove?

• After each piece of evidence, there should be at least two or three sentences to adequately explain the detail’s meaning: you know, break down each detail’s importance.

One Fact Typically Requires Two Reason(ing) Sentences

• I. First half of sentence explaining what the evidence shows.“This shows that…”

• II. Second half of sentence explaining WHY evidence shows what you have said it shows. “This shows that… because…”

• III. Second sentence is usually used to further explain why evidence shows what you

say it shows and to clarify your reason from your first sentence more specifically.

[Evidence] For example, Goodenow’s mother allowed him to sleep in the same bed as her until he was twelve-years old.

[Subject] The novel Bless the Beasts and Children, written by Glendon Swarthout, [Opinion] is a story that illustrates the dangers of poor parenting.

[Reason] This is an excellent example of poor parenting because when a mother allows a son to do this beyond the age of a toddler, she is unknowingly creating an overly dependent child, a child that will have difficulty separating himself from his mother. Further, such a dependency – as psychologists will tell you – causes the child to have great difficulty functioning in the world without the presence of his mother, thus crippling him when he tries to make it on his own.

What Have You Learned?

In an essay, what must the first paragraph have?

A formal claim

What two crucial items must your body paragraph contain? Briefly explain each.Evidence and Reason(ing) explaining the

Evidence. Evidence is the facts/supportivedetails. Reason(ing) explains what those factsMean in relationship to what you are trying toprove.

The Introduction[An Outline]

• Attention-Getter [AG] (See Handout)• Response To Attention-Getter

[R2AG]Answer QuestionComment On Attention-GetterExplain Meaning Of AG

• Transition From AG To Claim [T]• Claim! [C]• Formula = AG + R2AG + T + C

Beginning the Body Paragraphs

1. Write down the three (3) concrete

details you will use to help prove

your thesis statement. Skip a few lines between each one.

2. Now, below each concrete detail,write two sentences that explainthe importance of the concretedetail and how it relates to yourthesis.

Pre-Writing Outline &Body Paragraph Extras

III. Pre - Writing

A. Select TopicB. Write ThesisC. Write IntroD. CD Selection E. CD CommentaryF. Outline

IV. Body Paragraph ExtrasA. Topic SentenceB. TransitionsC. Concluding SentenceD.Body Paragraph Visual

III. Pre-WritingF. Outline

[Main Idea] TKAM about importance of

courage when wrongdoing occurring

I. Courage displayed by Finch Family

A. Atticus representing Robinson

1. courage b/c of racist town,

2. And represents black man as he would have anyone

B. Jem protects Scout from Ewell1. courage b/c he could’ve

died,2. and overcomes fear to act

II. Courage displayed by other charactersA. Boo saves Jem & Scout from Ewell

1. Courage b/c rarely leaves safety of his own house,

2. and risked his life to aid anotherB. Mrs. Dubose kicks morphine

Pre-Writing Outline (Cont.)

IV - A. Topic Sentence

• is the first sentence of a body paragraph• provides bridge from previous

paragraph to next paragraph, makes change smooth

• is the sentence that you organize your entire paragraph around

Example: [Bridge] Though the Finch Familyprovides excellent examples of courage, [TS] there are others from the novel whogive us a splendid depiction of courage.

IV - B. Transitions• are the first part of your Concrete

Detail• help you to go smoothly from Topic

Sentence, or previous sentence, to Concrete Detail

• examples of Transition starters:Though, Consequently, Even so, In fact, Furthermore, In addition, For example, Therefore, Still, On the other hand, Of course, Moreover, Further

IV - C. Concluding Sentence

• is(are) the last sentence(s) in a body paragraph

• briefly summarizes your key pieces of evidence

• gives the paragraph that finished feeling

Example: Both Atticus and Jem respondedwith courage despite the fear-inducingobstacles that confronted them. In theirhearts, they wanted only to right what tothem was an obvious wrong.

IV - D. Body Paragraph Visual

1. Topic Sentence2. Transition3. Concrete Detail4. Two Sentences of Commentary5. Transition6. Concrete Detail7. Two Sentences of Commentary8. Concluding Sentence(s)

V. The Conclusion Paragraph

The Resolution to the Essay• Starts off with a Topic Sentence that

somehow connects back to the Introduction• Follow TS by briefly summarizing your

evidence (each Concrete Detail and the Commentary used to explain CDs relevance).

• After brief summary, quickly explain again how your evidence proves what you said you’d prove in your Thesis.

• Near the paragraph’s end, restate your Thesis. But, word it somewhat different from original.

VI. Reminders & Helpful Hints

• For each CD, your Commentary must explain how the CD helps prove your Thesis. For example, if you’re trying to prove that a character is courageous, start your CM sentence by saying, “This shows that the character is courageous because …” Or, for “TTT” essays: “This symbolizes childhood because …”

VI. Reminders & Hints(continued)

• Typically, you want to organize your CDs to make the most powerful piece of evidence occur last so it’s fresh in the readers mind at the essay’s end. Or…

• Organize CDs chronologically so they are in the order that they occurred in the text.

• What’s the most important thing to do after you’ve completed your essay? Read it out loud, at least twice. In this manner you will catch many errors, both grammatical/technical errors and errors in logic.

VI. Reminders & Hints(continued)

Reminders & Hints(continued)

• Finally, as you’re reading through your essay, ask yourself repeatedly if your CDs and CMs are connecting back to your Thesis. Are they helping to prove what you said you were going to prove in your Thesis?

• One More: Keep CDs short and specific, Write a TS that is broad in its scope.