Remember: Writing a successful essay is all about learning and applying a FORMULA - - just like in math class. Leave something out of the formula, and you won’t get the right answer.

Writing the Introduction 1.Begin with a hook that relates to the purpose/argument of your essay. This can be a statement, a quotation  whatever it is, it must be MEANINGFUL and RELEVANT. (Watch length of hook! Avoid “In today’s society…”) 2.Transition from the hook into introducing book and author under discussion. Use author’s full name (spelled correctly) and the title of the book (spelled correctly, Italics ONLY) 3.Provide necessary contextual (background) information for the reader to understand your topic. **This is where many of you may use your secondary sources** 4.Link this information to contextual information about the book (again, ONLY information that is necessary for your topic. DO NOT SUMMARIZE the book). 5.End with your thesis/preview of points (arguments that you will use to prove the thesis)

Other Notes A clear, well-organized thesis is VITAL in setting up a clear, well-argued essay. DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INTRODUCTION. Watch your length – while you may have a double paragraph introduction, your essay is only 5-7 pages - - most of that should be for developing arguments. Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt. Margins: 1” Spacing: Double Indent all paragraphs Formal (no personal pronouns or contractions) Watch tense: when speaking historically (things that happened in the past) use past tense; when discussing literature, use present tense whenever possible.

The Cost of Knowledge: Scientific Advancement in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Throughout history, humankind has been hungry for the possession of knowledge. While this hunger has caused great advancements, this hunger has also led to disastrous consequences. Mary Shelley illustrates man’s fall when he becomes consumed with knowledge in her novel Frankenstein. The 1800s was a period of great scientific advancements that were propelling the world into a new age. [Describe using secondary sources]. This scientific progress and its effects are seen in Victor Frankenstein’s pursuit of knowledge. [Describe necessary information from novel]. Clearly, the pursuit of knowledge comes only at a great cost. This is seen in the treatment of the Creature, the death of Victor’s loved ones, and Victor’s own demise.

ARGUMENT #1 Begin with a topic sentence. Think of this as a “mini thesis statement.” It needs to be a clear argument that connects to the thesis. Everything that follows is used to prove this statement (and, thus, will prove the thesis). Follow the same organizational pattern you gave in your intro (thesis/preview of points). Example: Victor’s obsession with knowledge causes the isolation and vengeance of the Creature.

Writing the Argument Victor’s obsession with knowledge causes the isolation and vengeance of the Creature. Point: (What is the first point you will make to prove this?) Proof: (Use textual evidence – direct and indirection quotations – to provide support) **All quotations must be embedded and in correct MLA format** Discuss: (“So what?” Link P, P to overall argument) Repeat as many times as you have KEY points to make (again, watch length).

Textual Support You need to incorporate textual support (proof) in your essay. This should come in the form of indirect and direct quotations. Direct quotations MUST be used throughout the essay. If you follow the Point, Proof, Discuss method, you will ensure you are not over or under quoting. If it doesn’t come from your brain or common knowledge, it must be cited in the body of the essay using parenthetical citation, and appear in the works cited. Otherwise, you are at risk of plagiarism. (FYI: A copy of each essay will be submitted to Turnitin).

Textual Support Quotations must be incorporated/embedded into your text. No floating quotations. Use proper MLA format. If it is clear where the quotation comes from, only the page reference is needed. If unclear, add the author’s last name. Example: (Shelley 125). If no author, use title. Shorten the title if it is long. If quoting from an article, place title of article inside quotation marks. If quoting from book, italicize the title of the book. Example: Original Title of Article: “Scientific Advancement in the 1800s” Shortened Title of Article (used in parentheses): “Scientific Advancement”

Examples of Embedded Textual Support Example 1: It is at this moment the Creature turns into a monster, swearing “vengeance to all mankind” (125). Example 2: The 1800s were “a period of sweeping scientific change” (Howzer 23). Some of these changes “pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable” (“Scientific Advancement).

ARGUMENT #2 Transition + begin with a topic sentence (same as #1). Point Proof Discuss Example: Not only does Victor’s quest for knowledge destroy the Creature’s life, it also destroys the lives of those Victor loves. (A word about transitions: try to avoid first, secondly, thirdly)

More on Quotations (Continued) A quotation that is longer than 4 lines of YOUR TYPED TEXT is called a block (long) quotation. It is formatted very differently than an regular in-text quotation. (In the Owl Purdue MLA search, type in “long quotation” and it will show you how to format this.) Avoid long quotations (or more than 1) in short essays or you could be over quoting. If you change (emend) a quotation, or need to provide clarification, you need to indicate any changes with square brackets (again, you should not be overdoing this – if you are, try to quote in a different way). Example: This is evident when Clara “chooses to attend [the party] on her own” (65). Example: This is evident when Clara “chooses to attend” the party “on her own” (65).

CONCLUSION Consider the conclusion like the introduction in reverse (if that helps). Remember: a conclusion should never be “slapped on” in a few minutes. Always end strong and do your paper justice to wrap it up well. Begin by restating thesis in a new way to remind reader of argument. Review key points made to prove thesis throughout the paper. End with “food for thought” – circle back to idea(s) presented in hook for a nice ‘close by return.’ Do not introduce new ideas, textual evidence, et cetera. Avoid beginning with “In conclusion,...”

Works Cited Your book + minimum of 2 secondary sources must be cited ACCORDING TO MLA GUIDELINES. Proper citation is crucial. Learn how to do it properly. Great source is the OWL PURDUE link on our ClassNet site. See sample: 12/ 12/ Your Works Cited is due tomorrow for editing.

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