 M=Main Idea  “Answers” the question  Sets up the paragraph  The first sentence of the paragraph

 E=Evidence or Examples  Information from sources such as books, lectures, readings, etc. that support your main idea  The “stuff” you learned or found out about the topic  Evidence can be quotes, statistics, facts  Evidence that is common —anyone can use it or find it

 L-Link  Links the evidence you used to the key idea in your topic sentence  Explains how the evidence supports your topic  The link is what you think or how you relate the evidence to the topic  Your link is unique—it shows your through process and why you chose the evidence you chose

 CON=Concluding Statement  The last sentence of your paragraph which summarizes your answer, you evidence  Mentions your three pieces of evidence again in a new, short way

 Don’t forget to use transitions!!!  Separates each of your pieces of evidence  Organizes your paragraph and makes it easy for the reader to follow  Even more importantly  A great example is  The first good reason is  Moreover  One good example is  A second quote is  Third but most important  A final good example is

Step One  Answer the question with a statement  Do not start with “I think” or “I feel” or “I believe”  Do not start with YES or NO  Example: Should high schools require all students to wear uniforms? Why or why not?  High schools should require all students to wear uniforms.  THIS BECOMES YOUR MAIN IDEA: THE M in M EL-Con

Step Two  Identify the key idea that you will link your evidence to with your link/explanation  This is the key idea of what you are trying to prove or explain  High schools should require all students to wear uniforms.  NOW—for each example you give, you must link it back to the fact that high school students should be required to wear uniforms

Step Three  Identify your first example that you think supports this  To begin with, uniforms would save parents money. Step Four  Link your example back to your key idea  An easy way to do this is like this:  For example, parents could simply buy two or three inexpensive uniforms. They wouldn’t feel any pressure to spend money on designer jeans, name-brand shoes, or other high-priced clothes.

Step Five  Repeat the previous two steps and find another example and link it Step Six  Make sure you use transitions between each example  To begin with, uniforms would save parents money. Step Seven  End your paragraph with a concluding statement to wrap up your ideas  So, it is clear that all high school students should have to wear uniforms. Uniforms can save families money, enable students to focus more on learning, and help students to get along.

High schools should require all students to wear uniforms. To begin with, uniforms would save parents money. Parents could simply buy two or three inexpensive uniforms. They wouldn’t’ feel any pressure to spend money on designer jeans, name-brand shoes, or other high-priced clothes. Also, students wouldn't have to worry about what to wear. They would get up every morning knowing how they’d be dressed for school. Their attention, then, could be more on learning than on making a fashion statement. Last of all, uniforms would help all students get along. Rich students wouldn’t be able to show off by wearing expensive clothes, and poor students wouldn’t have any reason to feel shabby. When rich and poor wear the same uniforms, there’s a sense that everyone is equal. So, it is clear that all high school students should have to wear uniforms. Uniforms can save families money, enable students to focus more on learning, and help students to get along.

 In the “School Uniforms” paragraph:  Circle the main idea (M)  Underline each piece of evidence (E)  Put a box around each link (L)  Highlight each transition word  Circle the concluding statement (Con)  Repeat with the rest of the example MEL-Con paragraphs

 The LINK in your MEL-Con paragraph is the most important part  The LINK explains how your example or evidence supports your Main Idea  The LINK is what you think or how you think

 Identify the key word in your main idea (usually an adjective or a verb)  Example : The best restaurant in Rolling Meadows is Pappadeaux.  Key Word: BEST  Use your key word (or a synonym) to begin your link  This makes the restaurant the best in the area because…

 Identify the key word in your main idea (usually an adjective or a verb)  Example : In the book The Lord of the Flies, Jack and Ralph have very different styles of leadership.  Key Word: DIFFERENT  Use your key word (or a synonym) to begin your link  In this example, the difference between the two is evident because…

 Identify the key word in your main idea (usually an adjective or a verb)  Example : Romeo, even though he is older than Juliet, proves to be very immature in Shakespeare’s play.  Key Word: IMMATURE  Use your key word (or a synonym) to begin your link  In this scene Romeo shows how immature he is by acting like…