1. Essay Outlines- a debriefing
Top 5 outline mistakes
Thesis statement too vague, short, or did not respond to the prompt
Body paragraph main points did not correspond to something in the thesis statement
The prompt was misunderstood entirely
The quotes were irrelevant to the main point/seemingly chosen at random
Too literal of an understanding of the text
Just because Romeo says he’s in love, doesn’t mean he is. Notice what he talks about the most!

2. How to make your essays better
1. Start with your thesis statement- make sure it gives your answer to the prompt, plus all your reasons why
Ex: It is obvious that Romeo isn’t truly in love with Juliet or rosaline because reason 1, reason 2, and reason 3.
2. Your reasons why then transform into the main point of each individual body paragraph
Reason 1 from your thesis now becomes the main point of body paragraph 1, and so on…
3. Find a quote that actually proves the main idea of each paragraph
If you say that romeo truly loves Juliet, find a quote which proves it. Don’t quote how he was talking about her hands or lips.
4. In your commentary, explain the quote and tie it back to your main point. (Think of each body paragraph as a sar)
Just like a sar, you have to explain your reasoning. You can’t let your quote explain for you.

3. A note about introductions…
Your introduction is critical to your essay’s success– it’s the first impression your reader (me!) has of your writing. First impressions are important!
What makes a good introduction:
Hook
Grab your reader’s attention. Use a surprising quote from the text, a startling fact or statement about something related to the play, or ask a thought-provoking question to get your reader’s attention.
Context
If you start with a surprising quote– go on to explain it. Introduce the text to your readers. Ex: “Juliet said this very quote in Shakespeare’s popular play, Romeo and Juliet. .. If you ask a question, don’t answer it, but speculate on how many people might. Pro-tip: don’t use the word “YOU” in your essay!
Thesis
This should be the last sentence or so. It should have your full answer to the prompt and all your reasons why. HiNT: You can use creative punctuations to make a longer sentence grammatically correct. Don’t be afraid to use semi-colons!