Before starting your writing, be sure to organize your thoughts and ideas before creating a detailed outline. Remember, this is the brainstorming phase. There are NO bad ideas! Throw your ideas out there.
This is usually one of the longest steps of the writing process. This step could take 1 hour or more. It could even take multiple days! When you're done, you'll be ready to write.
Not sure how to write your thesis/claim? Start here! Input your ideas, and this generator will help you turn them into a thesis/claim!
*After collecting evidence and analyzing your ideas, you may need to adjust your claim, but a working claim should:
Be relevant to the prompt and answer ALL parts of the prompt.
Reread the prompt.
Use language from the prompt in your claim.
Be specific.
Could you reword your claim to be more specific?
Be arguable.
Is your claim a fact or an opinion?
It should be possible for someone to argue the opposite of your claim.
Use "because" in your claim.
Be well-supported.
Do you have 2-3 supporting reasons?
Is there enough evidence in the text to prove your claim?
Be original.
Try to avoid using cliché phrases, like "love is blind."
I annotated this version of a graphic organizer with helpful explanations & suggestions!
For the blank version: Essay Organizer
You know you're ready to write when you have:
a "working claim"
your ideas in at least 3 distinct groups
evidence from the text connected to each group