1. Introductions Introductions should provide context (some background information) for an essay and clarify its main point.

2. Overall Structure: Funnel General—context Specific—main point (thesis)

3. Methods Quotation Anecdote or short narrative Interesting fact Question Definition Description of ad

4. Quotation OPENING: “Danny Davis. Find out how it’s different on his mountain.” THESIS STATEMENT: The Mountain Dew advertisement effectively convinces young people that drinking Mountain Dew will give them the image and energy they need for their extreme lifestyle.

5. Anecdote or short narrative OPENING: Briefly describe the hypothetical (stereotypical) young person looking for something different in the drink aisle. THESIS STATEMENT: The Mountain Dew advertisement effectively convinces young people that drinking Mountain Dew will give them the image and energy they need for their extreme lifestyle.

6. Interesting fact OPENING: 170 calories, 46 grams of sugar, and 54 milligrams of caffeine all add up to extreme energy in a can. That’s Mountain Dew White Out. THESIS STATEMENT: The Mountain Dew advertisement effectively convinces young people that drinking Mountain Dew will give them the image and energy they need for their extreme lifestyle.

7. Question OPENING: What would make one soft drink stand out from the multitude of options available on the market today? THESIS STATEMENT: The Mountain Dew advertisement effectively convinces young people that drinking Mountain Dew will give them the image and energy they need for their extreme lifestyle.

8. Definition OPENING: A target market is a part of the population that advertisers focus on when they attempt to send a message about their product. THESIS STATEMENT: The Mountain Dew advertisement effectively convinces young people that drinking Mountain Dew will give them the image and energy they need for their extreme lifestyle.

9. Description or summary Description paragraph for Mountain Dew ad (or the ad you choose), followed by thesis statement

10. Conclusions Conclusions should reinforce the thesis and echo the introduction. What last impression do I want to make?

11. Comment or elaborate on some aspect of the introduction Comment on the opening quotation Answer the rhetorical question Finish the narrative Etc.

12. Discuss the larger significance of your topic and thesis Review the ad’s honesty, methods, and/or effectiveness Other effects of the ad (positive or negative, long-term or short-term) Discussion of application for reader (e.g. importance of awareness of advertising)