Essay Writing Resources
Table of Contents:
Essay Prompts
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5-Paragraph Essay Assignment for ALC English Points
(Open and page through)
Essay Structure
Outlines and Samples
What's in Each Paragraph
Outlines and Samples
What's in Each Paragraph??
Introduction Paragraph
1. Attention-Getter (ask a question, include a startling fact, quote your text...)
2. Background (1-2 sentences where you lay out the broad view of the topic...)
3. Thesis Statement (Your ONE SENTENCE main idea of the whole essay...everything else relates back to this!)
4. Preview of Points (1 sentence where you summarize the topic sentences that are to come.)
Body Paragraphs
1. Topic Sentence (usually first sentence, but can show up last, and occasionally in the middle of the paragraph).
2. Evidence/Support (a quotation, paraphrase, statistic...)
3. Explanation (why does your evidence support your topic sentence and thesis? This part is the majority of your paragraph).
Conclusion Paragraph
1. Summary of main points. (Re-word your preview of points!)
2. Restatement of thesis (different wording, same idea).
3. Clincher ending (often relates to attention-getter).
Thesis Statements & Quoting
How to write a Thesis Statement from a Topic
ICE Method of Using Quotations
How to write a Thesis Statement from a Topic
ICE Method of Using Quotations
Modes of Writing
By Purpose (expository, persuasive, descriptive, narrative)
By Purpose and Audience ( to inform, to persuade, to entertain, to explain a process)
Academic Text Structures (comparison/contrast, cause & effect, process/sequence, problem/solution)
By Purpose
(expository, persuasive, descriptive, narrative)
Types of Essays/Speeches, by Purpose
Personal Essay (or speech)
The Personal Essay (definition, examples, other links, from thought.co)
How to Bring Your Voice to Life in Personal Essays (Writer's Digest)
College Application Tips: Tackling the Personal Essay (ABC News)
Literary Essay
How to write a Literary Analysis Essay (involved, but good, from Bucks.edu)
Parts of a Literary Essay (great outlines from udc.edu)
Persuasive Essay (or speech)
Persuasive Essay Examples (AcademicHelp)
How to Write a Persuasive Essay (Time4Writing)
How to Write a Persuasive Essay (WikiHow)
Expository Essay (or speech)
Expository vs. Persuasive Writing (PPT from Midland ISD)
Expository Essays (OWL at Purdue)
Expository vs. Persuasive Writing (PPT from GwinnettK12)
Process Essay (or speech)
How to Write a Process Essay (WikiHow)
By Purpose & Audience
Purpose & Audience
(to inform, to entertain, to persuade, to tell a story, to explain a process, etc.)
Purpose and Audience PPT (Slideshare)
Academic Text Structures
Academic Writing Text Structures
Excellent overview of all text structures: START HERE (Adolescent Literacy)
Problem and Solution (Persuasive)
Proposition and Support (Persuasive/ Argumentative Essay)
Read, Write, Think Persuasion Map
(GREAT resource...makes your outline for you!)
How to Write a Persuasive Essay (Wikihow)
Persuasive Essay: The Basics (Hamilton.edu)
The Persuasive Essay (Essayinfo...great, simple resource)
Persuasive Essays (SUPERB comprehensive resource from Time4Writing)
Cause and Effect
Comparison and Contrast
4 Ways to Write a Comparison/Contrast Essay (WikiHow, with great graphics)
Two Methods for C/C Papers: Block or Point-by-Point (712 Educators)
Sequence/Process