Paragraph #1-Introduction 1. Your introductory paragraph should begin with a(n) attention grabber/hook that engages your reader from the get-go. 2. Next comes background information, including author and title of the text you are writing about. Include information relevant to your topic, but don’t summarize the text(s)-rather, introduce key ideas. 3. The final piece of your introduction is your thesis statement. This should clearly and succinctly state the main topic of your essay. Avoid simply stating, “The subject of this essay is….” Also make sure you write this as a statement, not a question.

Paragraphs #2-4-Body Paragraphs 4. Body paragraphs develop your thesis and provide facts and examples that support your main idea. You should always start your body paragraphs with a topic sentence that clearly states the main idea of that particular paragraph. All information in the paragraph should clearly relate back to this main idea. 5. Next comes your supporting details/examples/quotations. Each body paragraph should include a minimum of three supporting facts/details/quotations. Make sure everything clearly relates back to your topic sentence and is properly cited. 6. Don’t forget to explain all of your examples/quotations-don’t just “list” your points. I will not assume you know how your facts/quotations develop your thesis-you must prove it! 7. If you are writing an argumentative paper, you will also include your counterargument. 8. Don’t forget to transition to your next paragraph!

Final Paragraph: Conclusion 9. Your conclusion paragraph should wrap up your ideas and leave the reader with a final question or thought. 10. Do not introduce any new information in your conclusion. This will just make it sound like a body paragraph and confuse your reader. 11. You should restate your thesis and main points, but don’t simply rewrite them.   Make sure your paper clearly comes to a conclusion and does not leave the reader hanging!