Dr. Bordelon's English II On Campus

Writing a competent essay takes work – and writing a good essay takes even more work. The steps below should help make the process easier.

Organization
Here you'll work on planning out your ideas.

  1. After choosing question, re-read story
  2. Type out quotes that seem related to your question/topic and group them down into categories, labeling each group with a key word or phrase
  3. Looking over the quotes you've chosen and/or your notes, write a list of different reasons which support your answer, and then look for evidence (quotes) to support these reasons. Take your time: work through choosing the quotes to make sure they support your point.
  4. Construct thesis statement (see Thesis and Topic Sentences) to organize your thoughts and guide readers through your argument, and then construct an outline (see below) with reasons and evidence.
  5. Arrange the information: several options here
    1. Outlining
    2. Making a list
    3. Concept Mapping: Idea Tree: see Basics of mind/concept mapping for more.

Drafting

  1. Using your rough outline, start drafting essay. Start with the thesis statement and then develop your body paragraphs using the examples/arguments from reasons and evidence sheet to back up your topic sentences.
Remember you can start your draft anywhere: once your thesis is set, you can dive right into your body paragraphs and come back later for your introduction.
  1. Remember to form your body paragraphs around topic sentences (see Thesis and Topic Sentences) that make a claim (use your reasons as topic sentences), and then work from quotes to back up your assertion (I often type out the quotes I may use separately, then insert them as needed).
  2. Your purpose is to explain the quotes in detail: not summarize what they literally say, but how specific, individual words (and their connotations), convey the point you are trying to make.

Explaining Yourself

  • After writing down quote, tell readers how it supports the topic sentence/thesis by explaining – out loud – exactly how and why it does indeed back up your argument.
  • Break down an important quote into parts and describe how the connotations/meanings of individual words support your reading of the passage, and compare it to other patterns/ideas or quotes in the story.
  • Discuss how the tone (angry, sad, amused, sarcastic) of a particular passage contributes to the meaning.
  1. Write introductory paragraph: answer the question "what are you talking about?" Remember to include author's name and story title – underline novels and long short stories, use quotation marks for short stories.
  2. Write conclusion paragraph: answer the question "what's it all mean?".
  3. Come up with five possible titles, and choose the best one. Make title a reflection of your own focus.
  4. You're done: take a break. When you come to class we'll start on revisions.

 Yes this is formulaic; yes it can help; your call.

 

© David Bordelon