Grammar Boot Camp

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This workshop will teach you to

• D. Write Your Draft
• Create a Structure for Your Essay
• Establish a Thesis Topic Sentences
• Build Body Paragraphs
• Write an Introduction Conclusion

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The Writing Process

• When writing, follow these steps
• A. Analyze the Assignment
• B. Brainstorm
• C. Create an Outline
• D. Write Draft Topic of this Workshop
• E. Edit for Content, Grammar Mechanics

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Structure Your Essay
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Structure Your Essay

• Grab readers attention
• Introduce topic
• Present thesis statement

• Establish main points
• One main point per paragraph
• Explain main points

• Conclude thoughts
• Restate thesis/main points
• Echo your intro

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Establish Your Thesis 

• Q What is a Thesis?
• A Its the Main Idea of your essay.
• Characteristics of a Thesis
• 1. Defines the central idea of your essay
• 2. Asserts a specific idea about your topic
• 3. May suggest the organization of your essay

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Establish Your Thesis

Sample Thesis Statement
While McDonalds and Arbys are both fast-food
restaurants, they differ in selection, style, and
price.
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Establish Your Thesis

• Lets test this thesis
• 1. Does it defines the central idea of the essay?
  
• YES, the differences between McDonalds and
  Arbys is the main idea.
• 2. Does it assert a specific idea about the
  topic?
• YES, it focuses on the differences only.
• 3. Does it suggest the organization of the essay?
  
• YES, it lists three areas of contrast.

While McDonalds and Arbys are both fast-food
restaurants, they differ in selection, style, and
price.
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Establish Your Topic Sentence

• Q What is a Topic Sentence?
• A Its what the paragraph is about.
• Characteristics of a Topic Sentence
• 1. States the topic of the body paragraph
• 2. Supports the thesis statement
• 3. Emphasizes one aspect of the thesis statement

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Establish Your Topic Sentence

• Body Paragraph

Sample Topic Sentence Although they both serve
fast-food, McDonalds and Arbys have very
different menus.
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Establish Your Topic Sentence

• Lets test this topic sentence
• 1. Does it state the topic of the body paragraph?
  
• YES, the topic is the different menus.
• 2. Does it support the thesis statement?
• YES, it focuses on the differences.
• 3. Does it emphasize one aspect of the thesis?
• YES, it focuses on the menu selection only.

Informal language style
Although they both serve fast-food, McDonalds
and Arbys have very different menus.
Thesis Reminder
While McDonalds and Arbys are both fast-food
restaurants, they differ in selection, style, and
price.
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Build Body Paragraphs with Major Support

• Q What is a Major Support?
• A Its a leg of the topic sentence.
• Characteristics of a Major Support
• 1. Supports the topic sentence
• 2. Explains one aspect of the topic sentence

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Build Body Paragraphs with Major Support

• Body Paragraph
• Sample Major Support
• While McDonalds focuses on hamburgers, Arbys
  serves a greater variety of sandwiches.

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Build Body Paragraphs with Major Support

• Lets test this major support

While McDonalds focuses on hamburgers, Arbys
serves a greater variety of sandwiches.
1. Does it support the topic sentence? YES, it
explains the differences in the menu. 2. Does it
explain one aspect of the topic sentence? YES, it
mentions the types of sandwiches served.
Topic Sentence Reminder
Although they both serve fast-food, McDonalds
and Arbys have very different menus.
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Build Body Paragraphs with Minor Support

• Q What is a Minor Support?
• A It explains the major support.
• Characteristics of a Minor Support
• 1. Clarifies major support
• 2. Elaborates on major support
• Statisticnumerical data to prove a point
• Anecdotea story to illustrate a point
• Examplea specific representation of an incident
  or occurrence
• Definitionclarify the meaning of a term
• Quotationcite an appropriate and reputable
  source

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Build Body Paragraphs with Minor Support

• Body Paragraph
• Sample Minor Support
• For example, while McDonalds is famous for Big
  Macs and Quarter-Pounders, Arbys is known for
  roast beef sandwiches.

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Build Body Paragraphswith Minor Support

• Lets test this minor support sentence
• For example, while McDonalds is famous for Big
  Macs and Quarter-Pounders, Arbys is known for
  roast beef sandwiches.
• 1. Does it explain the major support?
• YES, it tells the difference between the two
  menus.
• 2. Does it elaborate on the major support?
• YES, it gives an example of the differences.

Major Support Reminder
While McDonalds focuses on hamburgers, Arbys
serves a greater variety of sandwiches.
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A Good First Impression The Introduction

• Characteristics of an Introductory Paragraph
• 1. Attract your readers attention
• Ask a rhetorical question
• Tell a brief story (anecdote)
• Share a statistic or quotation
• 2. State your topic
• 3. Provide background information
• 4. Present your thesis

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A Good First Impression The Introduction

• Would you like fries with that? For most
  Americans, this phrase is synonymous with the
  countrys many fast-food restaurants.
• McDonalds is the most popular and
  well-known, from its
• Happy Meals to Big Macs. Another popular
  fast-food chain
• is Arbys, serving drive-threw meals
  every day. On the
• surface, it would appear that
  McDonalds and Arbys
• have much in common.

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A Good First Impression The Introduction

• Lets test this introduction
• 1. Does it start with an attention grabber?
• YES, it quotes a familiar phrase.
• 2. Does it state the topic?
• YES, it introduces fast-food restaurants in the
  second sentence.
• 3. Does it provide background information?
• YES, it describes the two restaurants.
• 4. Does it present the thesis?
• YES, it is stated at the end of the introduction.

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Providing Closure The Conclusion

• Characteristics of a Concluding Paragraph
• 1. Restate your thesis
• 2. Echo your intro
• 3. Explain significance of topic

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Providing Closure The Conclusion

• Despite the obvious
  similarities,
• McDonalds and Arbys are two
  distinct
• restaurant establishments. The
  food is
• served fast at both, but the type of
  food that
• is served differs. Not only that, but
  the style and
• prices vary as well. Therefore, whether one
  chooses to
• have fries with ones meal or not, it is
  helpful to be aware
• of the different choices between fast-food
  restaurants.

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Providing Closure The Conclusion

• Lets test this conclusion
• 1. Does it restate the thesis?
• YES, the first sentence re-states the thesis.
• 2. Does it echo the intro?
• YES, it refers to the opening question found in
  the introduction.
• 3. Does it explain the significance of the topic?
• YES, it emphasizes the importance of making
  informed choices.

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Congratulations!

• You have successfully completed Session Two of
  Essay Boot Camp!
• For more information on how to start your essay,
  visit a friendly, professional tutor at the Stone
  Writing Center.
• SW 104, East Campus 698-1364
  www.delmar.edu/engl/wrtctr