1. Objective: Students will learn the formal essay writing format. Bellwork: Why do you think it’s important to use a specific format when writing an essay?

2.  Coming up in class we will be writing an essay about Success, but first we need to learn how to write a formal essay.  Depending on your English level this may or may not be new material, but it’s good information for everyone.  Get out your notebooks and add these notes to the notes section for today.

3.  The key to a good essay is to clearly outline what your essay is about and what you are going to talk about.  Do not try to keep your audience in the dark and then spring it on them at the end.  All formal essay’s should have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.  The body of your essay should have a separate paragraph for each main idea.  All paragraphs… including the introduction and conclusion should have a minimum of 4 sentences.  Avoid speaking in the first person (I or my) in formal writing.

4. A minimum of 4 sentences:  1 st Sentence: Attention getting statement  ask a question, use a quote, something to get the audience attention  2 nd Sentence: Elaborate on your attention getting statement  answer the question, elaborate on the quote and why chosen, provide the reader with some more basic information.  3 rd Sentence: Continue from 2 nd sentence… if you are writing about a book or movie (like in English class) this is where you would mention the Author/Writer’s name and the Title.  4 th Sentence: Thesis Statement

5.  This is the final sentence of your introduction.  This single sentence is the MOST important part of your essay. It is the outline for your entire essay.  The thesis statement will provide the reader an outline for the paragraphing of your paper by:  Telling the reader the purpose of the writing  Telling the reader what the Main Idea of each Body Paragraph will be.

6.  A sample thesis statement:  To fully understand your laptop and how it operates it is important that you understand (tell the reader the purpose of the writing)  the hardware and software of your laptop, (paragraph 1)  the difference in input and output as relates to your computer, (paragraph 2)  and the storage options available to you. (paragraph 3)

7.  I’m going to give each of you a small slip of paper and I would like you to write a question you have about the Introduction or Thesis of the formal essay style.

8.  We are going to go down to the Library for a quick Orientation session.

10.  What do you know about study skills?  Get out a sheet of paper to complete the study skills pre test.  DO NOT WRITE ANSWERS ON THE QUESTION FORM, put your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

11.  Study Skills for People who Hate to Study

12.  Draw a line on your paper underneath your answers.  After watching the video I want you to answer the questions again, below the line.  Feel free to change any answers, or keep the answers the same.