The Six Traits

How to Write an Effective Essay

Mrs. Esterline8th Grade Language Arts

PLMS

FCAT Scoring Guide U-6U—Unscorable, Invalidated1—Incomplete, Little to no work2—Off topic, Incomplete, Full of conventions errors3—Loosely organized, Little supporting detail, Many errors in conventions4—Clear beginning, middle, and end with some supporting details and scattered conventions errors5—Fully organized with detailed support and few errors in conventions6—Nearly perfect paper with elaborate supporting detail and no conventions errors

1. IdeasBrainstorm 6-8 interesting topics or themesChoose a topic that is unique to youProvide good supporting details to support the topic you select: HELPS, FRIES, or SEXYUse multiple examples per paragraph to support your main ideaHold your reader’s attention throughout

2. OrganizationInclude a clear beginning, middle and end—introduction, body, conclusionUse transitions to show how ideas connect—for example, additionally, thereforeChoose a form or structure that matches your theme—essay, narrative, letterSequence your ideas in a chosen order—chronological order, flashback, predict

3. VoiceDecide who your audience will be Let your readers see how you feel about the topicLet your personality shine through your wordsKeep them interested with your own unique perspective

4. Word ChoiceChoose words that make your meaning clearUse language that is natural, not forcedChoose verbs that are interesting and excitingChoose words and phrases that catch the reader’s attentionMake sure to spell upper level vocabulary words correctly and use in the right context

Say what?How many different words can you think of for the word “say?”

5. Sentence FluencyMake your writing fun and easy to read aloudBuild sentences that make meaning clearShow connections between thoughts by using the proper conjunctions (and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so) and punctuation (. , ; : ).Vary sentences in length and structureStart sentences in a variety of ways

6. ConventionsSpelling—if you do not know how to spell a word, sound it out or choose a similar word that you do know how to spellCapitalization—always capitalize the first letter of a new sentence and Proper NounsPunctuation—Check for end marks to eliminate run-on sentencesParagraphing—Remember to indent each new paragraph no larger than an inch, or the length of your first two fingersGrammar and Usage—Check for commonly misused words

Commonly Misused Words

There—Location

The folder is over there.

To—A destination

I walked to my desk.

Who—Subject (he, she, we)

Who made the cake?

Their—Possession

Their folders are green.

Two—Number

I sit at desk two.

Whom—Object (him, her, us)

Whom are you going to invite?

They’re—They are

They’re (They are) going to buy new folders tonight.

Too—Also, in addition to

Mary sits with me too.

Whose—Possession (his, hers, ours)

Whose invitation is this?

Introduction ParagraphsThe

Beginning

Introduction ParagraphsEvery introduction paragraph should contain

three main elements:

1. Creative Hook—Something unique that grabs or hooks your reader’s attention

2. Re-Statement of the Prompt—Telling the reader exactly what you will be writing about by including KEY WORDS from the prompt in the introduction

3. Thesis Statement—One or more sentences that gives your reasons for writing

Four Types of Creative Hooks1. Anecdote or Story2. Quote3. Question4. Extraordinary Re-

definition

Creative Hooks1. Anecdote or Story:

Heroes come in many forms, including firemen and police. As I watched a fireman run into my burning apartment building to rescue my beloved cat, Nala, I realized just how heroic firefighters can be.3. Question:

What qualities does a hero possess? Is it bravery, compassion, loyalty? The answer is, yes, yes, and yes! A hero must be all of these things and more.

2. Quote:

An unnamed philosopher once said, “God created heroes to walk unrecognized as saviors among men.” My interpretation of this quote means, that heroes are everywhere and can be anyone.4. Extraordinary Re-definition:Old ladies, toddlers, clergy, public servants: no matter your age, race, color, creed, or religion, you can be a hero. Heroes come in many forms, and walk among us daily.

Sample Introduction Paragraph

An unnamed philosopher once said, “God created heroes to walk unrecognized as saviors among men.” My interpretation of this quote means, that heroes are everywhere and can be any one. The task of defining a hero can be challenging, since most people have their own definition in mind. My definition of a hero is a savior that can present himself in any form, an activist who upholds human rights, and a compassionate being that puts the safety of others before his own.

Body ParagraphsThe Middle

Body ParagraphsEvery body paragraph should contain three

basic elements:1. Transition—A smooth change from one idea to the next2. Supporting Detail(s)—One or more detailed example to

support your reason for writing as indicated in the thesis statement

3. Justifier—A transition word plus wrap-up sentence that sums up your body paragraph

Your paper should have one body paragraph for each reason presented in your thesis statement!

Common Transitions and Justifiers

Transitions• To begin with• Additionally• For example• Furthermore• In conclusion• To sum things up

Justifiers• As you can see• Hence• Therefore• Thus• As proven• However

Three Ways to Add Supporting Details

1. H-E-L-P-S

2. F-R-I-E-S

3. S-E-X-Y

Ideas=Supporting Details=High Score

I-HELPS yourself to a high score!

Do you want FRIES with that?

Hate writing? Think SEXY!

Information

Historical

Entertainment

Literary

Personal anecdote, story or quote

Statistic

Fiction

Research

Investigation

Expert Testimony

Stance

Statement

Explanation

eXample

Your Opinion

Sample Body ParagraphWhile it has been established, that a

hero can be a savior who can present himself in any form, it is also imperative that a hero be an activist for those he saves. For example, former slave, Fredrick Douglass, became a hero to many African-Americans after the Civil War. Douglass championed that newly freed slaves receive the benefits they were due. By becoming the activist voice of his people, Douglass also became a hero to those he rallied for. As you can see, being a hero also means being an active participant in the lives of those you save.

Conclusion

ParagraphsThe End

Conclusion ParagraphsAll conclusion paragraphs should contain

three common elements:1. Closing Transition Word or Phrase—In conclusion, To

Conclude, To wrap things up2. Re-Statement of the Thesis3. Tie-in to the Hook or Call to Action (Persuasive Only)

The conclusion should mirror the introduction and summarize the key

points of your writing.

Sample Conclusion Paragraph

As proven, a hero can be many different things to many different people, including: a savior, an activist, and a selfless, compassionate human being. While I may, or may not, possess the greatness to walk among the masses as a hero myself, I pray that my savior will one day be walking beside me, in my hour of need.

Writing a Definition Essay

A definition essay is writing that explains, or defines what a topic meansWhen writing a definition essay, use these strategies of definition:• Function Strategy—demonstrates how the concept

functions or operates in the real world• Example Strategy—Uses examples, often from texts, to

help the reader understand your definition• Negation Strategy—Explains what something is by

showing what it is not; using negation to contrast your definition with others’ definitions

Embedded Assessment 1:

Writing a Definition Essay

• Write a multi-paragraph (at least five) essay that defines your concept of heroism

• Use various strategies of definition to explain your unique opinion on the concept

• All papers must follow the six traits of writing

• Examples should include a variety of supporting details (HELPS, FRIES, and SEXY)

• Essays must be neatly hand-written and double-spaced

• Due Friday, Sept. 20—No late credit will be given

• See page 55 of the SpringBoard book for scoring guide