Writing an Essay - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

1 / 36
About This Presentation
Title:

Writing an Essay

Description:

When we write an essay the flow of information can be fit into a diagram that ... Marilyn Monroe was a natural brunette. Marilyn Monroe was in some movies. ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

Number of Views:6824
Avg rating:5.0/5.0
Slides: 37
Provided by: edt77
Category:

less

Transcript and Presenter's Notes

Title: Writing an Essay


1
Writing an Essay
Click here to get started
Created by Jennifer Davis
2
The Diagram
  • When we write an essay the flow of information
    can be fit into a diagram that looks something
    like this

You will find out what fits into all of these
shapes. For now lets start at the beginning.
Think about the way that you would start an essay.
3
The Introduction
  • When we start a project we usually start at the
    beginning. Keeping this in mind, where do you
    think the introduction is found in the essay?
  • Click on the section in the essay to the right
    where you think the introduction would be found.

4
  • Try again.
  • Hint You use the introduction to let the reader
    know what the topic of your paper will be. They
    would read this information first.

Click here to try again.
5
Great!
  • The introduction is that paragraph that is used
    to introduce the writer to the essay. Therefore,
    it is the first paragraph in the essay.
  • For the essay diagram the introduction looks like
    this

6
To Format an Introduction . . .
  • The first sentence of an introduction should
  • be about the main theme of your essay.
  • After the first sentence the information is
  • narrowed until the thesis is reached.

Broad Sentence
Thesis
7
  • Click on the sentence below that you think
  • would make the best first sentence for an
  • introduction for an essay on the topic of
  • your favorite singer.

I am going to talk about my favorite singer in
this essay. Frank Sinatra is a great
singer. Working hard often helps to add
character to a person.
8
  • Not Quite.
  • Remember the first sentence should not be too
    specific and it should include a broad topic that
    you will address in your essay.

9
Right!
  • The first sentence of an introduction is broad.
    So using the sentence
  • Working hard often helps to add character to a
    person.
  • means that you will focus on how your favorite
    singer worked hard to become successful.

10
The Thesis
  • This is the most important sentence in your
    essay!
  • A thesis is a sentence that tells the reader what
    your paper is about. It also provides some main
    points for your paper.

Click here for an example
11
For example. . .
  • If you were writing an essay on Marilyn Monroe,
    your thesis might say
  • Although Marilyn Monroe suffered a tragic end,
    she had survived a traumatic childhood to become
    one of the most well-known actresses of all time.
  • If this was your thesis you would have 3 main
    points in your paper
  • Marilyn Monroe suffered a tragic end.
  • Marilyn Monroe had a traumatic childhood.
  • Marilyn Monroe is one of the most well-known
    actress of all time.

12
  • Think of your thesis as an umbrella for your
    essay. All of the information in your essay
    should fit under the umbrella.

13
Going back to the example
  • Although Marilyn Monroe suffered a tragic end,
    she had survived a traumatic childhood to become
    one of the most well-known actresses of all time.
  • All of the information in your essay will fit
    under this umbrella. It will need to fit under
    one of the three main points.

Marilyn Monroe survived a traumatic childhood.
She is one of the most well-known actresses of
all time.
Marilyn Monroe suffered a tragic end.
Supporting Information
Supporting Information
Supporting Information
Supporting Information
14
Back to those 3 main points
  • Marilyn Monroe suffered a tragic end.
  • Marilyn Monroe had a traumatic childhood.
  • Marilyn Monroe is one of the most well-known
    actress of all time.
  • Based on the three main points listed above,
    click on the sentence that would make good
    supporting information in your essay.
  • Marilyn Monroe was a natural brunette.
  • Marilyn Monroe was in some movies.
  • Marilyn Monroe seemed to shine on camera.

15
  • Try Again.
  • Hint Read the three main points and try to
    determine which sentence could fit under the
    umbrella.

16
Correct!
  • That sentence fits under the umbrella of the main
    point
  • Marilyn Monroe is one of the most well known
    actresses of all time.

17
  • The thesis is the last sentence of your
    introduction.
  • It is found here on the diagram

The Introduction
Thesis
18
The Body of the Essay
  • The body of the essay is where all of the
    supporting information is located. This is the
    middle section of the essay.
  • Its section on our essay diagram looks like this

The body portion is the longest part of an essay.

19
What information fits here?
  • Click on the group of information below that you
    think would fit the best into the body portion of
    an essay.
  • Name
  • Date
  • Hour
  • Topic sentence
  • Quotes
  • examples
  • Thesis
  • Restatement of thesis
  • A list of the works cited in the essay.

20
  • Not Quite!
  • Hint The body portion of the essay contains all
    of the information needed to support the thesis.
  • What kind of information would you use to back up
    what you wrote in your thesis?

Click here to try again
21
Correct!
  • In the body portion of the essay we use items
    like quotes and examples to back up what was
    stated in the thesis sentence.
  • Each body paragraph is also started with a topic
    sentence.

Click here to learn about topic sentences
22
Topic Sentences
  • A topic sentence
  • is located as the first sentence of each body
    paragraph
  • provides the main idea for each paragraph
  • shows how the information in that paragraph will
    connect to the thesis
  • Ties together information in the paragraph

Topic Sentence
Supporting Information
A Body Paragraph
23
Click on the first word of the topic sentence in
the paragraph below.
Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn love
adventure. For example, Tom convinces Huck and
their friend, Joe, to go to Jacksons Island with
him to pretend that they are pirates. Later Tom
and Huck explore a haunted house in search of
treasure. The boys seem to thrive on the
adventures that they encounter.
24
  • Try again.
  • Remember The topic sentence is like an
    introduction to
  • a body paragraph. Think of where an
  • introduction is located.

Click here to try again
25
Right!
  • The topic sentence introduces the paragraph and
    fits in with one of the main ideas in your
    thesis. It also connects the ideas in a
    paragraph.

26
The Conclusion
  • The conclusion of a book or movie comes at the
    end. Click on the part of the essay diagram
    below that you think is the conclusion.

27
Yes!
  • The conclusion of the essay is the last section.
  • The conclusion is used to
  • Restate the thesis
  • Give a finished feel to the essay
  • Leave the reader with a final thought

28
  • Not quite.
  • The first section is called the introduction.
    It is used to introduce the essay and provide the
    main points.

Click here to try again
29
  • Not quite.
  • This is the body of the essay. It is used to
    provide supporting information for the thesis.

Click here to try again
30
  • Now think back to the shape of the introduction.
    The conclusion is like the introduction, but it
    is flipped upside down.
  • Click the place in the diagram of the conclusion
    where you think you would restate the thesis.

31
Right!
  • The thesis is stated at the point of the
    triangle. After the thesis is restated the
    conclusion moves on to some final thoughts.

32
  • Try again.
  • Remember that in the introduction the thesis was
    the last sentence. It was found at the point of
    the triangle.

Click here to try again
33
Remember. . .
  • The base of the triangle in the diagram shows us
    where a broad statement belongs. We started the
    essay with a broad statement, now we end with one
    at the base of the conclusion triangle.

Broad Statement
34
A Review
  • Which format is correct for an essay?

35
Great Job!
  • Youre off to a great start for writing your
    essay!

36
  • Not quite.
  • Hint Remember the thesis is located at the
    point in each triangle. It is the last sentence
    of the introduction and the first sentence of the
    conclusion.

Click here to try again
Write a Comment
User Comments (0)
About PowerShow.com