1. Mr. Wilson - LMAC

2. Where to begin?  So, we have covered Lit Elements and Author’s Techniques; we have talked about Thesis Statements; we have discussed the MLA format…  Now what?

3. The First Questions  How are you being evaluated?  When is it due?  When do you do your best writing?  Did I get all the information from the text?

4. Now you should be ready to start

5. Writing an Introduction  What are the elements of a good introduction?  An attention grabber – or a hook (this should probably be your first sentence).  Necessary information – author’s name, title of the work and either a brief mention of the theme or summary of the story (ONE sentence).  THESIS STATEMENT (one sentence).  Maybe a brief description of what you are going to cover (one sentence).

6. Introduction information: Hook or lead, author and title. THESIS Topic sentences: what are your paragraphs going to focus on

7. Next: Formulate your paragraphs.  Your paragraphs should flow in a natural order.  You can write as many paragraphs as you want.  But they should be self-contained (i.e.: with their own beginning, middle and end).  Like your conclusion, save the most interesting stuff for your last paragraph.

8. Want to get really fancy?  Good writing FLOWS.  If you have picked a natural order for your ideas and your paragraphs, then your ideas should…  CONNECT from one paragraph to another (this is not as easy as it sounds).

9. Transitional and Linking Words used in multiple paragraph essays 100 transition words Academic Essays – by Adam Kissel

10. Individual paragraphs  Each paragraph is like a mini-essay:  It has an introduction and a point  It provides evidence to support or disprove that point.  It has a conclusion  If it is less then 3 sentences or more then 8…something is up.

11. Plagiarism  What is it?  Passing off someone else’s ideas as your own.  Why should you avoid it?  Plagiarism is one of the worst forms of cheating.  It will remain on your academic record forever.  Why is it so easy to catch high school students?  Because you are not very good at it.  It is probably just easier to cite everything!

12. Editing and Style  Never hand in a paper that has not be read by someone else.  Try reading your work out loud – if it sounds weird, then it will not makes sense to me either.  The last, and the most painful, is to practice practice practice practice practice. (Reading also helps a lot!)

13. (Sir! Are you serious!) Yes – this means writing your paper more then 24 hours in advance!

14. Conclusion  Your conclusion is exactly that – a short summary of what you have already spoken about, so yes, it will be repetitive.  Many times, I have written my conclusion and I have had to go back and change my thesis! Be flexible!  This should be the BEST WRITTEN and MOST INTERESTING part of your essay – so make it count!

15. (and yes – I am a very hard marker…heh heh heh.)