TOMORROW and WEDNESDAY You will need a blue pen, a black pen, and a red pen. Make sure you bring...
Transcript of TOMORROW and WEDNESDAY You will need a blue pen, a black pen, and a red pen. Make sure you bring...
TOMORROW and WEDNESDAY
• You will need a blue pen, a black pen, and a red pen.
• Make sure you bring paper.
• Bring your notes from today!
The Schaffer Writing Method
Learning to Writea Structured Essay
Essay
• A piece of writing that gives your thoughts (commentary) about a subject.
Introduction
• Also called the introductory paragraph
• The first paragraph of the essay
• Includes the thesis (which is usually at the end of the introduction)
Body Paragraph
• Where all of the important stuff is
• A middle paragraph in an essay
• It develops the point you want to make that supports your thesis
Concluding paragraph
• Also called the conclusion
• The last paragraph in your essay
• It may sum up your ideas, reflect on what you said in your essay, say more commentary about your subject, or give a personal statement about the subject.
Do’s and Don’ts of Conclusions
• A concluding paragraph DOES:– Include only commentary– Gives a finished feeling to your essay
• A concluding paragraph does NOT:– Include concrete detail (facts and
examples)– Repeat key words from your essay– Restate your thesis– Sound like your introductory paragraph
Thesis
• 1-2 sentences containing the topic of your essay and your position or opinion on the topic
• Usually comes as the last sentence in your introduction
Prewriting
• The process of getting your main points down on paper before you organize your essay into paragraphs
How is a paragraph like a cheeseburger?
Topic Sentence• Like the top bun on your hamburger.
• Topic Sentence = TS
• The first sentence in a body paragraph
• It must have a subject and opinion (commentary) for the paragraph all wrapped up into one tiny sentence
• It does the same thing to a paragraph that a thesis does for the whole essay – it tells you what that specific paragraph will be about
Concrete Details
• Like the meat of your cheeseburger
• Concrete details = CD
• The specific facts, examples, or details that form the backbone of your body paragraphs.
• These are NOT things that you make up. They are evidence.
Synonyms for Concrete Details
• Facts• Specifics• Examples• Descriptions• Illustrations• Support• Proof• Evidence• Quotations
Commentary
• Like the toppings on your cheeseburger
• Commentary = CM
• Your opinion or comments about the concrete detail.
• Why does that concrete detail prove my point? What does the statistic show? What does the example mean?
Synonyms for Commentary
• Opinion• Insight• Analysis• Interpretation• Personal
response• Feelings
• Reflection• Explanation• Evaluation• Inference
Concluding Sentence
• Concluding Sentence = CS
• The last sentence in a body paragraph
• It is ALL commentary and does NOT repeat key words.
• It should give a finished feeling to the paragraph.
Shaping the Essay
• The step after prewriting
• This is done BEFORE writing the first draft of your essay– You are still mixing the ingredients of your
hamburger – you aren’t ready to write your essay just yet
• You make an outline of your thesis, topic sentence, concrete details, and commentary ideas.
First Draft
• The first version of your essay (rough draft)
Final Draft
• The final version of your essay (after ALL revisions have been made)
Peer Response• Written responses and reactions to your
partner’s paper.
• What did they do well?
• What could they improve?
• ALWAYS KEEP IT POSITIVE, but don’t be afraid to give suggestions. Be specific and accurate.
• Have a good attitude when someone corrects your essay.
Chunk
• The smallest unified group of thoughts you can write in a paragraph.
Chunk = topic sentence + 1 concrete detail (CD) + 2 commentaries (CM)
EVERY body paragraph should have at least one chunk.
Ratio
• The number of commentaries for every concrete detail.
• Your ratio should be 1 part concrete detail (CD) and 2 parts commentary (CM).
• This is how you will be graded!!!!!
Word Count
• The minimum length per paragraph
• Your body paragraph should NEVER have less than three sentences (1 CD + 2 CM)