Writing

• Indicate a clear subject heading

• Begin the email with Dear, Hello, Good morning, Good afternoon (For instance: Dear Ms. Finlay, …)

• Spell check

• Be concise

Tips- Be professional. Treat this like a business letter. Do not use emoticons or use slang or informal words (such as “hey”, etc). Do not expect an immediate response. Teachers will do their best to reply as quickly as possible.

How to write a paragraph

1. Create a topic sentence that summarizes the main idea for the paragraph.

2. Create supporting ideas that follow a logical order of understanding.

3. CER - make a claim, provide evidence and give reasoning. Expand on your supporting ideas.

4. Conclude your paragraph with an emphasis on the main idea, and finish with a leading sentence to your next paragraph.

Tips - Do not ramble. Be concise – keep your sentences relevant to the main idea.

• A thesis statement tells your reader what your argument is

• Make a claim that needs to be proved/argued, not a statement about the general topic of your essay

• A thesis is included in the first introductory paragraph and is stated concisely in one or two sentences

• Your points stated in your thesis will help guide your writing and keep your argument focused

Tips- Here is a checklist for writing a thesis:

1. Does it address the terms of the assignment? Be sure to read through your rubric carefully to ensure you are meeting expectations.

2. Does it make a clear and specific claim about your topic?

3. Does it convey your position/stance on the subject?

4. Is it limited to only one precise and strong claim?

See your teacher and the Research process page for further details. Below are some basics

How to write a Basic Essay

• Title (potentially include a title page if your teacher requires it)

  • Professional/academic essay title will announce your topic, suggest your thesis, include the subject/author/work of literature your paper discusses, and grab your reader’s attention

• Introduction

  • Introductions attract and prepare the reader by laying out the paper’s structure. Summarize the argument that the body of the paper will explore.

  • Try writing last after you have completed your paragraphs and have a complete understanding of the direction of your paper.

  • The first sentence grabs your reader’s attention. This is your chance to be creative, yet still relevant.

  • Topic sentence(s) - What will you be discussing? What is your subject matter?

  • State your discussion points (two-three). This will serve as a lead up to your thesis statement

  • State your thesis

• Body

  • Your reader must be able to follow your ideas. There must be a logical flow from paragraph to paragraph, sentence to sentence, phrase to phrase.

  • Effective transitions and topic sentences

• Conclusion

  • Your conclusion will summarize and make further explanations/explorations of what is particularly significant about your position/idea with regard to the bigger picture – how is your argument/idea significant historically, culturally, geographically, etc.

  • Prove to your reader that your thesis is important