Essay Basics

Introduction to
Essay Basics

Setting Up an MLA Paper

Hi Everyone!
Be sure to Watch the video of Me setting up a Paper in MLA Format.

Use This Link For A Great MLA Formatting Guide!

MLA Format: Everything You Need to Know Here

You Can Click Here to See a Sample MLA Paper!

MLA Sample Paper

Parts of an Essay

Here Are The Main Parts that Every Essay Needs To Have.

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Ways to Outline a Narrative

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One:
1.     Introduce the story
2.     Describe the setting and people
3.     Tell about what happened
4.     Say how the conflict was resolved
5.     Say something about the significance

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Two:
1.     Start in the middle of the action, giving enough information to provide an
overview of what happened
2.     Fill in details: setting, people, specific actions
3.     Make clear how the situation was resolved
4.     Say something about the significance

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Three:
1. Start by telling how the story ends up: then introduce the subject.
2. Go back to the beginning of the story, telling what happens chronologically
and describing the setting and people
3 Conclude by saying something about the story’s significance

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Structure and Arc in a Personal Narrative

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This video reviews topic sentences, narrative arc, and transitions in a Personal Narrative.

Choosing A Title

How To Pick A Title for Your Paper

Important Things to Remember When Choosing and Writing Your Title:

-Your title should be in MLA format

-It should not be formatted differently than the rest of your paper. This means no bolding, underlining, italicizing (unless you have a book title in your paper title).

Writing An Introduction

The Introduction should do THREE things:
1. Hook your reader
2. Background/ Bridge
3. Establish your THESIS

Be sure to check out this video that looks at how to write an introduction!
Also look at the handout linked below!

Example:

Writing an introduction to a Personal Narrative.docx

Hook

“Your grandfather is in the hospital.” my mother calmly yet shakily said to me. It was as if my heart stopped. My grandfather endured five strokes, an aneurysm on his heart, and open-heart surgery all within the same month. He was seventy-four years old at the time and despite the devastating events occurring, he refused to give up. He refused to stop fighting and would not let anyone take care of him. He did not want this to take his life away. My grandfather has proven to me that with enough desire and determination, success is possible.

Background

Thesis

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Providing a Hook for Your Essay

1. Dialogue
       “ Hurry or you’ll be late!” called my mother from the bottom of the stairs. “Today of all days you want to be on time.” If I had only know what that day would bring, I would have stayed in bed.

2. A Question
       Have you ever had a day when you wished you had stayed in bed? As I rushed to catch the bus on what seemed to be a perfectly normal day I had no idea what was ahead of me.

3. A Vivid Description
       The sun was warm on my back as I raced toward the waiting yellow school bus. As I nestled into the worn leather seat I was greeted by the friendly voices of other excited children. The look on my face was one of confidence and contentment. With a jerk the bus rumbled down the road and I was on my way into one of the worst days of my life.

4. An Interesting Fact
           Shock has been known to kill ten year olds. It can cause their brains to explode and their heart to stop dead still. These facts raced through my mind as I stood dumbfounded in front of my fourth grade classmates. I wish I had stayed in bed!

5. Sound Effects
       “Buzzzzzz!” The sound of my alarm clock droned in my ears as I struggled to come awake. With a start I sat straight up in my bed. This was my big day and I had to be on time.

Providing a Hook for Your Essay

1.      Inverted-Triangle Introduction
Like an upside-down triangle, is broad at the top and pointed at the base.

2.      Narrative Introduction
Opening with a short narrative, or story, is a strategy many writers use successfully to draw readers into a topic.

3.      Interrogative Introduction
An interrogative introduction invites readers into the conversation of your essay by asking one or more questions, which the essay goes on to answer.

4.      Paradoxical Introduction
A paradoxical introduction appeals to readers’ curiosity by pointing out an aspect of the topic that runs counter to their expectations..”

5.      Minding-the-Gap Introduction
A minding-the-gap introduction says, in effect, “Wait a minute. There’s something missing from this conversation, and my research and ideas will fill in this gap.”

6.      Review the Controversy
You can use your introduction to immediately give specific details on the controversy surrounding your topic.

7.      Quotation
Starting with the words of others offers many points of departure for your paper: you can agree with the quotation.

9.      Start with a Statistic

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Writing A Thesis

Your Thesis is the most important part of your Essay!

•Usually one sentence

•A statement, not a question

•Establishes the subject of the paper

•Takes a stand, rather than just announcing a subject

•Your entire paper builds around supporting your thesis statement

This is a great video that shows some bad thesis statements and then some really great ones!