Thinking Skills Essay Writing

Thinking skill 03 18 2015

Organizing a longer essay

basic part

Introduction

Body

Conclusion

Introduction

Hook the reader-get them interested

Give important background information

Give your main opinion

Introduction should tell the reader "in this essay, I am going to..."

It should state your intended area of research and what you intend to prove/show by the end of the essay

body paragraphs

this is the where we spend most of the time explaining our ideas

Key points:

one main idea per paragraph

State the main idea in the TOPIC SENTENCE- the first sentence of the paragraph

Then explain is with DETAILS- here is where you use your research

Technique

Explain

give reasons

1st sentence- what are you explaining

Rest of the sentences: how it works- REASONS

Key:good connecting words

How do all these parts fit together?

Describe telling what it is like

Paint a picture in the reader's mind

1st sentence- what are you describing, and the main parts.

Key: good vocabulary

Make sure you are using precise words to create your picture

Compare

Show two things are similar

Example. Two sources have the same ideas

1st sentence:show the two things you are comparing clearly

Keys

Make sure each thing being compared is always identified clearly

Use strong connecting words (similarly, just like A; B...; in the same way...

Contrast

Show how two things are different

Two sources, for example

1st sentence: show the two things you are contrasting clearly

Keys

Making sure each thing being contrasted is always identified clearly

Use strong connecting words( oppositely, on the other hand ...)

Analyze

Show what you think about something

Your feeling on the source

1st sentence: identify the thing being analyzed and your opinion on it

Keys

always make the difference between the source and your ideas clear