Organizing an Essay

1
Organizing an Essay

• First Timed Writing Wednesday, October 7th

2
Framework of an AP Essay

• Assertion-?Evidence and Application-?Conclusion
• AssertionIntro. Paragraph which includes the
  full thesis with the answer in it (topic
  opinion about topic elements that will
  support/prove opinion)

3

• Evidence concrete details, examples, reasons,
  facts from the work (quotes, paraphrase, etc.)
• Application commentary on how the assertion and
  evidence connect/are appropriate/work in the
  literary piece (Commentary is the heart of the
  paper because its there that students
  demonstrate their understanding of the literature
  and their analytical skills.)

4

• Conclusion insightful, strong ending made up
  entirely of commentary definitely NOT a boring
  summary of the literary work itself or of the
  essay
• Concrete Detail (CD) specific details that prove
  or support the point of your body paragraph.
  Other common names for concrete details are fact
  and, most often, examples.
• Commentary (CM) your opinion or comment on a
  subject or point. It is not a concrete detail.
  Other common names for commentary are opinion,
  insight, and analysis.

5
(No Transcript)
6
Thesis

• Thesis a sentence with a subject and an opinion
  that usually comes at the end of the introductory
  paragraph it also conveys the point of the
  entire written piece.
• An effective thesis statement has two parts. One
  part presents your papers limited subject the
  other presents your point of view, or attitude,
  about the subject.

7
Writing a Thesis Statement

• 1983 Open-Ended Essay Prompt From a novel or
  play of literary merit, select an important
  character who is a villain. Then in a
  well-organized essay, analyze the nature of the
  characters villainy and show how it enhances
  meaning in the work.

8
Example Thesis Things to Include

• Literary Work The Scarlet Letter
• Villain Chillingsworth
• Nature of villainy secretive, deceitful,
  vengeful
• Meaning/theme Hidden guilt destroys public
  penance purifies
• How enhances He contrasts Hester echoes
  Dimmsdale
• Thesis Statement In Hawthornes The Scarlet
  Letter, Chillingsworth, who is secretive,
  deceitful and vengeful, contrasts Hester and
  echoes Dimmsdale to show that hidden guilt
  destroys and public penance purifies.

9
(No Transcript)
10
Building the Essay

• Carefully read the prompt.
• Underline words which give specific, direct,
  important instructions/topics to address.
• Pull out and bullet words/directions underlined.
• Brainstorm answers for the bullets.
• Use these answers to develop the thesis.
• Based on the prompt, you decide how many
  paragraphs to use to address the prompt.
• Pre-write (no more than 10 minutes)
• Begin Writing

11

• Introduction
• Includes an attention grabber and a thesis
  statement
• Make sure you include the name of the work and
  the name of the author.
• Body Paragraph
• Topic Sentence
• Concrete Detail 1-Commentary-Commentary
• Concrete Detail 2-Commentary-Commentary
• Concrete Detail 3 (optional)-Commentary-Commentar
  y
• Concluding Sentence- the point of this sentence
  is to go back and wrap up the point of the topic
  sentence without repeating the same words
  reiterate the subject.

12
(No Transcript)
13

• Conclusion
• Use all commentary. Keep it short.
• Address a real world application with a broader
  sentence. DO NOT REPEAT THESIS!
• Do not use Shakespeare is a great author,
  This essay uses great diction, I have told
  you all about, etc.

14
Pre-writing

• The process of getting your concrete details down
  on paper before you organize your essay into
  paragraphs. There are many types bubble map,
  outline, columns, or listing.

15
(No Transcript)