AP LANG ESSAY BASICS

College Level Essay Diagram

College Level Essay Diagram

College Level Essay Diagram

College-Level Essays To excel as a college-level writer, one must score well in the following areas: Content and Ideas – all paragraphs are fully developed, and all ideas/main points are adequately explained with appropriate details and examples See the “Extended Paragraph Guidelines” handout Form and Organization (covered in previous diagram)– essays have a powerful introduction, clear thesis statement, proper and extended body paragraphs, and a conclusion that matches the introduction in wording, style, and power Do not look at this merely as a five paragraph essay

Paragraph Structures Methods of Introduction Generalizations: an opening sentence that states something about the essay’s subject in very broad, generalized terms. Original Definition: providing your own definition of a topic that will be explored throughout the essay (not the dictionary definition!) Anecdotes: a brief story that illustrates the main idea. Anecdotes can be made up by you or drawn from real life experience. Analogy/Comparison: take the main idea and compare it to something else, pointing out the common elements.

Paragraph Structures Methods of Introduction Quotations: find one that relates to your subject and start with it, making sure to identify who said it. These can be from famous individuals or anonymous nobodies. DO NOT quote the dictionary. Surprising Statements, Facts and Statistics: Startling facts and/or statistics that are related to your main idea. Irony or Humor: Opening with a humorous tone or stating the opposite of what you really mean can be effective if appropriate. Rhetorical Questions: Be careful with these. If you open an essay with a question, be sure it does not have an obvious answer. Also, be sure to explore the answer throughout the essay.

Paragraph Structures Introductions to avoid Don’t apologize for your argument (in my opinion…, I may not be an expert, but I feel…) No dictionary definitions Don’t announce the purpose of the paper (In this essay, I will argue how…)

Extended Paragraph Structure Look at the “Extended Paragraph Structure” handout This outlines standalone paragraph responses as well as body paragraph style

Paragraph Structures Extended Body Paragraphs Sentence 1 - State your paragraph topic (topic sentence – main point). Sentence 2 - Provide your first detail about your paragraph topic. Sentence 3 - Provide specific support statement, example, and/or elaboration about your first detail. Sentence 4 - Provide a second specific support statement, example, and/or elaboration about your first detail. Can be a continuation of your idea in Sentence 3. Sentence 5 – Include a mid-paragraph transition! Provide a second detail about your paragraph topic. Remember to use transition words/phrases to move from the first detail to the second. Sentence 6 - Provide a specific support statement, example, and/or elaboration about your second detail. Sentence 7 - Provide a second specific support statement, example, and/or elaboration about your second detail. Can be a continuation of your idea in Sentence 6. Sentence 8 - Close your paragraph discussion by restating your paragraph topic and your two details in one fluent statement (concluding sentence).

Sample extended paragraph… One would be hard pressed to find anyone who hasn't heard that fruit is the perfect snack for children and adults alike. People often choose fruit, versus other sugary snacks, to eat because it provides various vitamins that the human body needs. An important vitamin found in many fruits, such as berries and citrus fruits, is vitamin C, which is instrumental in fighting off illness. In addition to vitamins that keep humans physically healthy, some fruits, like bananas, also provide nutritional sustenance for emotional well being because they are packed with various stress-fighting vitamins and minerals. Another reason that fruit makes the perfect snack is the fact that there is little preparation needed to eat it. Most fruits can be eaten raw and without any utensils. This means they are easy to pack into school lunches, take to work, or grab on the go and eat en route to one's destination. It is easy to see why, when looking for a quick and healthy snack to eat, people would naturally think about fruit.

Paragraph Structures Conclusions In general, conclusions must #1 – restate the thesis, #2 – summarize the main points of the body, and #3 – end with final thoughts. If done well, the final thoughts portion should mirror your method of introduction (see slide #6) Conclusions may also end by recommending a course of action or by providing a prediction that follows logically from your body paragraphs.

Paragraph Structures Conclusions to avoid Repeat the exact words of your thesis and listing your main points. End with a cliché, empty phrase (“This just goes to show that you can never be too careful”). Include new ideas, information, quotes from research, etc.