Introduction
- Should provide a summary of your essay
- Consider writing it last—once you have a better idea of what your body paragraphs discuss
- Avoid general statements/generalizations. Stick to topic and text only.
- Thesis:
- Summary of your arguments
- 1 sentence per argument
- Each statement should answer how/why and consequence
- You can begin your thesis with “this paper will argue”
- Last three statements of introductory paragraph
Body Paragraphs
- 3 body paragraphs
- Topic sentence: States the argument of the paragraph answering how/why and consequences
- You should have three supporting statements
- Each supporting statement should be followed by analysis
- Analysis: Explaining why your supporting statement is significant and how it proves your argument
- Avoid plot summary
- Concluding sentence
- Last sentence in paragraph
- Must make direct connection to next argument (transition)
- Do not summarize
Quotes:
- Choose relevant quote
- No more than 2 in a paragraph
- You can choose which supporting statements should have a quote
- Quotes shouldn’t be longer than 5 lines
- Must cite according to MLA
Citations
- “________/________/________.” (Act, Scene, Lines)
- Act: Must be upper case roman numerals
- Scene: Must be lower case roman numerals
- Use “/“ to indicate a line change
- 1: I, i
- 2: II, ii
- 3: III, iii
- 4: IV, iv
- V, v
- 6: VI, vi
- 7: VII, vii
- Literary texts: (Author page#)
- You have to put the author’s name in the citation every time
- Embedded Citations
- Quotes longer than 3 lines must be embedded (indent on both sides and quote must be single spaced)
- (Author page#) goes on bottom of quote
- Secondary sources: Same way to cite, except (Author year) instead of (Author page#)
Conclusion
- Do not summarize your points
- You may re-state your thesis in different words at the beginning
- Must discuss further implications
- Connect to other ideas in the text
- What is the author’s message?
- What is he/she trying to convey/teach to the audience?
- Only place you can generalize
