 The first paragraph of your essay is the…?

 The Hook ◦ Historical Review ◦ Anecdotal ◦ Surprising Statement ◦ Famous Person ◦ Declarative Statement

 Background Information ◦ What the reader needs to know to understand your essay.

 Thesis Statement ◦ Scope ◦ Flexibility ◦ Placement

 Transition ◦ Never a “phrase” ◦ Compound sentence  Mentions the previous topic and introduces the next topic

 Claim ◦ Presents the topic of the paragraph

 Evidence ◦ Supports your thesis statement ◦ Relates this topic to your argument

 Reason ◦ Also known as the “warrant.” ◦ Relates the topic of the paragraph to the thesis of the essay through a clear connection.

 This should summarize your essay. ◦ Restate the main idea of your essay, or your thesis statement ◦ Summarize the subpoints of your essay (body paragraph topics) ◦ Leave the reader with an interesting final impression

Getting a better job is a goal that I would really like to accomplish in the next few years. Finishing school will take me a long way to meeting this goal. To meet my goal, I will also prepare my résumé and search for jobs. My goal may not be an easy one to achieve, but things that are worth doing are often not easy.

Restate the main idea of your essay. Don’t simply repeat the thesis statement. Find a creative way to say it that will make a lasting impression on your reader.

Getting a better job is a goal that I would really like to accomplish in the next few years. Finishing school will take me a long way to meeting this goal. To meet my goal, I will also prepare my résumé and search for jobs. My goal may not be an easy one to achieve, but things that are worth doing are often not easy. Summarize the subpoints of your essay (body paragraph topics). Avoid making a list.

Getting a better job is a goal that I would really like to accomplish in the next few years. Finishing school will take me a long way to meeting this goal. To meet my goal, I will also prepare my résumé and search for jobs. My goal may not be an easy one to achieve, but things that are worth doing are often not easy. Leave the reader with an interesting final impression. This is sometimes referred to as the “Call to Action” where the writer tells the reader to take action. In a persuasive essay, tell the reader what you want him to do.