Title:
Title: A title should be attention-getting and relevant. Highlight one of the following styles and then use it to create a title for your essay.
Style Example Titles
Borrow a sentence from your essay An Essay Without a Title is Not Worth Reading Write a question How can a catchy title improve your essay?
Use imagery from your essay Your Title: A Black and White Snapshot of Your Essay Begin with a verb Win More Readers With Creative Titles
Write a lie about the essay (If your title is a lie about your essay, you must explain this to the reader in your introduction!)
Titles Are a Waste of Space
Use a familiar saying, lyric, or the title of a book, song, or movie
What’s in a name?
Create a pun from a familiar book, song, lyric, movie, or expression
It Was the Best of Titles, It Was the Worst of Titles: How can a title make or break your essay?
Your Title:____________________________________________________________________________
Introductory Paragraph:
Hook: A hook should be an attention-getting first sentence. Highlight one of the following styles and then use it to create a hook for your essay. If you include a fact, statistic, quote, paraphrase, or summary, you must include an in-text citation!
Style Example Hooks
Use a quote Ms. Norris insists, “Hooks are critical to the success of your essay” (Norris).
Share the problem and victim Neglecting to begin an essay with a hook is a mistake that keeps many writers from becoming popular.
Offer a fact or statistic Did you know that 20% of essays are never published because they do not contain a hook (Norris 1)?
Offer a description If you write a hook that is funny enough to make readers laugh until they cry, they will not be able to put your essay down.
Begin with a metaphor, simile or analogy An essay that begins with a compelling hook is as attention-getting as a movie that begins in the middle of a chase. State and correct a common assumption Many believe an essay should begin with a thesis, but this is
not the only way to begin an essay.
Begin with a question Do you want to know how successful writers get their readers’ attention?
State the unknown and then the known No one knows why students don’t begin their essay with hooks, but we know students get better grades if they do. Name the main antagonist Getting readers’ attention is the biggest problem your essay
your essay is read years after it is published.
Find common ground with your audience We all want our writing to be appreciated, so learning how to write a proper hook is something writers must master.
Your Hook: ___________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________
Warrant: A warrant is where writers make a case for why their argument is necessary. Warrants span several sentences and sometimes appeal to pathos to get an emotional response from readers. In your warrant, you must prove that your solution is necessary. Highlight one of the following styles and then use it to create a warrant for your essay. If you use background information, something provocative, or an anecdote, you may need to include an in-text citation!
Style Example Warrants
Provide background information What most people do not know about warrants is that the sooner they appear in an essay, the more effective they will be. Your warrant gives readers a reason to keep reading. If you don’t tell a reader why they should keep reading until the end, they might not make it to the end.
Connect with your readers No one wants to spend half an hour reading something unimportant. If you want to be heard, is imperative that you give your readers a reason to believe what you have to say is important. You must learn how to write a proper warrant.
Start with something provocative Every year, millions of essays go unread. No matter how interesting the topic is, no one will read an essay if it comes across as trivial. You must quickly convince readers your text is indispensable by crafting a well-articulated warrant. Start with an anecdote Last year, a local student named Dave spent a month
working on an essay. He thought it was his best work, but he earned a low grade on it and was absolutely devastated. He claimed his topic was very relevant, but his paper never proved his topic was relevant, so most of his paper was deemed off-topic (“Fictitious Students” 4). To make sure this does not happen to you, consider taking the time to include a warrant in the introduction of your papers.
Your Warrant: _________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________
Thesis: Your thesis will be the LAST sentence of your introductory paragraph. In your thesis, 1) state what your issue is and 2) the best solution to the issue. Your thesis should be one flowing sentence.
Your Thesis: __________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Refine your thesis by making sure it flows, is not a run-on, and has no unnecessary words or
by explaining how it proves your solution is best.
Evidence: Find evidence from a database that proves the solution you have chosen is the best. The evidence is not your opinion; it is the research or opinion of an expert, so you must include in-text citations! You may paraphrase or directly quote your source. This section should be 2-3 sentences long. _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Analysis of the Evidence: Immediately after presenting your evidence, explain how it supports your solution. Tell your readers how the evidence proves that your solution is best. This section should be 2-3 sentences long.
Body Paragraph 2: Provide a counterargument (criticism), then refute it with evidence. Counterargument: To make your essay stronger, you must address criticism of the solution you are proposing. Think of or look up a criticism of your solution. If you have to look up a criticism of your solution, you will need to include an in-text citation! This section should be 1-2 sentences long.
_____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________
Evidence to refute the counterargument: Present evidence from a database that proves the criticism of your solution is unfounded, incorrect, or not important enough to negate your solution. The evidence is not your opinion; it is the research or opinion of an expert, so you must include in-text citations! You may paraphrase or directly quote your source. This section should be 2-3 sentences long.
_____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Analysis of the Evidence: Immediately after presenting evidence that refutes the counterargument, explain how it proves that the criticism is unfounded, incorrect, or not important enough to negate your solution. Finish this paragraph by re-stating why your solution is so important and is the best. This section should be 2-3 sentences long.
analyze the evidence by explaining how it proves your solution is best.
Evidence: Find fresh evidence from a database that proves the solution you have chosen is the best. The evidence is not your opinion; it is the research or opinion of an expert, so you must include in-text citations! You may paraphrase or directly quote your source. This section should be 2-3 sentences long. _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________
Analysis of the Evidence: Immediately after presenting your evidence, explain how it supports your solution. Tell your readers how the evidence proves that your solution is best. This sections should be 2-3 sentences long.
Concluding Paragraph: Summarize your main points and build upon your argument by explaining why your issue must be solved. Finish with a concluding statement.
Summary: Your concluding paragraph should begin with a summary of your thesis, evidence, and analysis. It should span 2-3 sentences.
Summary:____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Concluding Statement: Your essay should end with a concluding statement that asserts why your issue must be solved. If you use a quote, you must include an in-text citation! Highlight one of the following styles and use it to conclude your essay.
Style Example Concluding Statements
Call out a misperception of your topic Many people end their essay with summary, but now you know that is not a memorable or effective way to leave your readers.
Ask an insightful question about your topic
Now that you know how to write a concluding statement, what question will you leave your readers with?
Make a prediction Since you are now an expert on writing concluding statements, the next essay you write will be your best yet. Call to action Use the tips from this essay to end your essays in style from
now on.
Use a quote Ms. Norris says, “If you want to leave your readers with a last bit of wisdom about your topic, quote the leading expert on your topic” (Norris 1).