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It is VERY important you don’t just start writing without any prior thought process.

 Choose an essay topic that you know well and feel comfortable writing about in your five paragraph essay.

Your thesis is the statement that your entire essay will make. Your thesis should outline the main idea of the paper. If you have trouble coming up with a thesis statement use this thesis formula[1]: Three-point Thesis Statement Formula = Topic + Opinion + Three Discussion Points. For example, Volunteering in high school teaches self discipline, cooperation, and leadership. The topic is volunteering, the opinion is that it leads to self discipline, cooperation, and leadership, and the three discussion points are self discipline, cooperation, and leadership.[1]

 Make sure that you have enough meat in your thesis to support an entire essay. If your can't find enough evidence in your brainstorming session to support your essay, rethink your thesis. Here are two brainstorming techniques.  Try clustering. Write your thesis in the middle of a blank sheet of paper and draw a circle around it. Everytime you think of an idea to support it, draw an arm off of the center idea and write it out.  Try freewriting. Write your thesis at the top of a piece of paper and write down whatever ideas come to your mind. Don't think, just write.

 Parameters are used to prove your thesis. For example, if the thesis is "Paul West was a dynamic character and the leader of the group," choose three traits that Paul West displays that prove he is a dynamic character and the leader of the group.  Write down your parameters.  Be sure you can show evidence to support your point.

 Write your thesis at the top of a sheet of paper.  List your three supporting paragraph topics.  List 2-3 examples that support your paragraph topics within each paragraph.  Order your examples from best to worst.

Once you have a solid plan you’ve got to write the thing!

This is the sentence that draws the reader in before the thesis statement, which is usually the second sentence of the first paragraph. For example, "Paul West was one of fourteen boys who became stranded on a deserted island in the Caribbean." Your thesis should be next. "Paul West is a dynamic character and the leader of the group."

 Each paragraph should support your thesis.  Include examples of why each topic supports your thesis. Again, use your strongest examples first.

 Each paragraph should be connected through a transition sentence.  For example, "Not only was Paul West the leader of the group because people adored him, but his followers were also scared of him."

 Your conclusion should restate your thesis and 3 parameters.  For example, "From these examples it is clear that throughout the novel Paul's once shy, honest, and naive nature changes, proving he is a dynamic character."

This is the difference between an A and a C if done properly.

Check to see if the essay flows well, specifically looking for good transitions between paragraphs.

 Make sure that each paragraph supports your thesis and doesn't go off- topic.