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Essay
Development
(Is
there a general format to follow?)
I.
Introductory Paragraph (40+
words; relatively short, 3-4 sentences)
A.
Attention-Getting
sentence
B.
Sentence
that elaborates attention-getter and serves as a
transition to the thesis.
C.
Thesis statement with
clear subject, opinion, and information as to why the subject and
opinion re important/relevant.
1.
open
thesis statement:
The
media plays an influential role in criminal court trials,
perhaps too influential.
2.
closed
thesis statement: Installing street lights at least ten feet
high is a good idea because they light up a wider area, are more difficult to
vandalize, and they don’t
block people’s view.
II - IV
Body Paragraph Pattern (write as many
as needed; 7-8 sentences per body paragraph):
A.
Topic
Sentence (must
relate back to thesis)
1. Point
(concrete detail, quote, point)
a.
support, elaboration,
further detail, examples, explanation of point
b.
support, elaboration,
further detail, examples, explanation of point
2. Point
(concrete detail, quote, point)
a.
support,
elaboration,
further detail, examples, explanation of point
b.
support,
elaboration,
further detail, examples, explanation of point
3.Sentence
of summary, or a transition to next paragraph
(optional, may not be needed
depending on how tightly the paragraph ties to thesis)
V.
Conclusion (short paragraph summing up the paper; one
last chance to convince the readers of your thesis/opinion):
A.
Begins
with a restatement of the thesis (but use new
words to avoid repetition)
B. Ends
with more general statements (reverse
of intro. paragraph). Sheridan Baker explains that a successful conclusion satisfies the reader because it
“conveys a sense of assurance
and repose, of business completed.”
Sources:
THE PRACTICAL STYLIST by
Sheridan
Baker, Longman Publishers, 1997;
College Board AP English Language Summer Institute,
Wake
Forest
University
, 1997;
WRITING THE MULTI-PARAGRAPH
ESSAY by Jane Schaffer, College Board AP Presenter, 1999.
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