SKILLS YOU NEED TO WRITE A GREAT ESSAY!

World History Pre-AP

Mrs. Franklin

Steps to make an essay

1. Rubric (How your essay will be graded)

2. Prompt (essay question)

3. Brainstorm/ chart

4. Research Timed essays: use information from the prompt, knowledge previously learned, any documents included with essay

Take home essay: Information from the prompt, previously learned information, any documents included with essay, and outside research (document these sources)

Essay Steps continued

5. Mapping out research logically

6. Outline essay

7. Rough draft of essay

8. Edit/ Peer edit/Edit

9. Final Draft

10. Cover page

11. Works cited page

Types of essays

On the AP exam there are three types of timed essays

Document Based QuestionComparative Change over time

In class you will have the three above in class and as take home essays

When they are take home you will be expected to do outside research. This will be stated in the prompt and in the grading rubric.

– FYI: You will have both in college in any required humanities course…..so get use to it now!!!!!!

Document Based Question Essay

You will be required to Group documents

You will be given a prompt and documents to answer the prompt.

Interpret the documents and group them into categories you will use in your essay.

Cite documents within your text. When you use an example do the following (Document 3) or when writing about a theme from a number of documents write (Documents 3, 4, 5, 7) see example handout

Comparative Essay

Comparison of similarities and differences of two topics in relation to an over arching theme Example:

The establishment of religion has always been a defining moment in the history of a developing culture. Discuss the major similarities and the differences of any TWO of the following religions as cultural development of a human society. JudaismHinduismBuddhismIslamChristianity

Change over time Essay

You will analyze, discuss, or examine a topic over a time period.

For Example: Discuss the roles of such cosmopolitan cities as Constantinople, Samarkand, Canton (Guangzhou), Timbuktu, Venice, Cordoba, Malacca, and Calicut as trade became more global from 1CE-1500CE.

Thinking Critically

Keep questioning and connecting what you know and what you are learning

Even if it is a simple connection, brainstorm about what you know about the topic.

You MUST be able to create great questions and answer them

Bloom’s Taxonomy (see handout)

Costa’s questioning sheet (see handout)

Using a Rubric

1. Read it!

2. Underline main points

3. If needed list out or use a thinking chart to organize what you will be graded on!

REMEMBER: The Rubric is how your essay will be evaluated…do NOT skip an area you will be evaluated on!

Using the Essay Prompt

1. Read it fully! If you skip anything you will not be answering the question and will not do well!

2. Annotate on the prompt!You will be able to write on the actual prompt…so do it! Write in the margin, make notes about what you know and might go with the question, Underline key words, circle important points…..make the question clear to you!

» Annotation activity

Continuing essay prompt/ Brainstorm

Make a list and check it twice!Round 1:Brainstorm for 1-2 minutes

list out everything you know/remember about the key terms/ concepts/question

Do not rule out anything, just list out as much as you can!!

Round 2: Brainstorm 2-3 minutesSort your information into a skeleton

Depending on the type of essay use the correct outline (see handout)

Research

Do not just go to Wikipedia!– Information is often incorrect!

1. Get a small pool of information Usually from your textbook, find main events, dates, people, ideas

– (See handout: taking notes from a textbook)

2. Research the researchResearch the those main events, dates, people using primary and secondary documents found in the library/ internet/textbook

Continuing to Research

3. Pool and compare all research Put your research together into a fluid understanding and compare information

– Put it all on the table and write a short summary/ thinking map or information (see handout)

You may find errors in sources or different opinions of writers.

– That is great, you want to see both sides…its great to get a ton of info…..but remember you may not use it all in your essay….don’t worry you want a lot of good info to choose from!

Document your sources

Make sure you document your source!

Document as you go on top of your notes page…this will make your citation page a breeze!

See documenting sources handout

Your teacher/ prompt will tell you what form of source documentation you must use!

Reading your research

Secondary SourcesBiographies, encyclopedia, text in textbookUse Alphabet soup handout

– Beware: writers have their own opinions and view points….even when they try not to…

» (window frame activity with handouts)

Primary SourcesAutobiographies, pictures, letters, etc.Use Alphabet soup handout SOAPSTone for documents, OPTIC for images

– Beware: Those who experience events first hand have a specific perspective

» (football game activity and Trial of the wolf)

Making an Outline

Skeleton Outline and chartOrganize your ideas!

Group information (GOPERSIA)

Use chart from handout

Outline for the appropriate essaySee handout of Document Based Question (DBQ), Change over time (COT), and Comparative essay outlines

Parts of an essay

Introductory paragraph Bring the Reader in, assume they no nothing of the topic. It is YOUR job to educate them. It includes the Thesis statement in the last two sentences, it should set your essay format up

Thesis(Counter argument); however, (Argument 2), (Argument 3), and most importantly (argument 1)…therefore, (restate position).

Topic sentence for body paragraphsConnect thesis to topic you are about to cover that will prove your thesis.

Concluding sentence for body paragraphs Sums up the paragraph concept, evidence, and ties all the mentioned to the thesis; thus, this shows blah is correct.

Concluding paragraph Restates thesisSummarizes the body paragraphs and their evidence Concludes and makes a

Rough Draft

Not an excuse to be sloppy!Do your best to write it well the first time around but…….

Allow yourself to writeDon’t keep deleting the first sentences write through it and go back to revise!

UnderlineMake notes to yourself, underline areas you might want to go back and revise later

When writing your essay

VocabularyUse terms from outside reading and higher vocabulary IN THE CORRECT CONTEXT!!!!!!!

100 Words you should know (handout)

http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/ booksellers/press_release/100words/

When writing your essay

Count the number of facts/ evidence you have included.

Make sure your facts aide in your paper

No Pronouns! Use factual names/terms/ information instead of He, She, I , It, etc.

Transitional words See grammar in a nutshell sheet!

Final Draft

Edit…..EDIT…EDIT AGAIN!!!!!

Title page

You must create a title for your essayWrite your essay and then your title

Staple your cover page over your essay

See example in your handout

Works cited page

If you write a DBQ, or certain types of essays you will cite within the text

See example in handout.

For essays you do not cite within the text you will write a works cited page

See examples in handout.

Order of essay

Cover page

Essay

Works cited

YOUR ALL DONE!!!