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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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