1. Essay Architect
Definitions

2. Title
The name of your essay
Should capture your audience’s interest

3. Introduction The first paragraph of an essay
Includes grabber, focus statement and thesis statement

4. Grabber The first sentence of an essay
Should grab the reader’s attention
Can be a question, exclamation or powerful statement

5. Focus Statement
The topic or subject of your essay in complete sentence form
Must be written in the form of a statement

6. Thesis Statement Your opinion on the topic
Must be written in the form of a statement

7. Thesis Support A brief phrase that supports your thesis
Used in the planning stages
Eventually become topic sentences for body paragraphs

8. Topic Sentence Thesis support in sentence form
The first sentence of a body paragraph
Introduces the focus of the body paragraph

9. Body Paragraph A paragraph of support for the thesis
Must have topic sentence and details or examples

10. Details
Facts, statistics, sensory details, incidents, and examples that support the topic sentence of the body paragraph

11. Conclusion The last paragraph of an essay
Includes a modified thesis and a challenge to the reader

12. Modified Focus A restated focus statement in the concluding paragraph
Should remind readers of the original topic

13. Modified Thesis A restated thesis statement
Should remind readers of your opinion on the topic

14. Challenge
A question, quotation, vivid image, warning or suggestion to the reader
Leaves the reader thinking about your essay

15. Bridge A transition word, phrase, or sentence connecting paragraphs
Designed to help essay flow smoothly

16. Audience
The reader(s) of your essay

17. Formality
Determined by the audience, the level by which you choose your words for an essay

18. Tone The “attitude” of the essay
Word choice and word arrangement determine the tone

19. Purpose The reason you are writing your essay
To express yourself, to inform your readers, to entertain or to describe

20. Organization
The order in which your paragraphs and/or details are arranged

21. Flow The efficiency of an essay
Good flow means that the essay is easy to read and paragraphs and ideas are well-connected