Essay Writing

1. Take notes (if black the font is, write it fo shiz)

2. Complete “Your Turn!” exercises in your notebook

3. Ask questions as needed

4. If I go “too fast,” carry on ... This slideshow is available on the mrlopesroom.weebly.com website

Opening Paragraph: The 4 “Ts”

• 4 “T” System (for argumentative papers)...o Topic sentenceo Tell about ito Two reasonso Thesis statement

Topic Sentence

• Topic Sentence:o Literally, what the paper is abouto Should have a “hook” to keep readers readingo Good hooks are questions or startling facts

Topic Sentence Examples

Topic: Texting while driving

Question opening: Did you try to maim or kill somebody today? If you texted while driving, you greatly increased your odds of causing a car accident.

Startling opening: If you text while driving, you’ll want to have 911 on speed dial because you are far more likely to cause a car accident than if you don’t text while driving.

“Tell about it” Sentence

• “Tell about it” Sentence:o You provided the topic, they “bit,” now reel ‘em ino Tell me about it; why should I care (i.e., keep reading)o Make a facts-based claim or give a statistic

“Tell about it” Sentence Examples

Topic: Texting while driving

Logic-based claim: Reading, responding to, or sending texts while driving takes focus off of operating the vehicle safely and the things surrounding the vehicle, such as pedestrians and other vehicles.

Statistic: A 2008 study in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology revealed that drivers who read, responded to, or sent a text while driving, were distracted so much that their reflexes and reaction time were similar to those of a drunk driver or an elderly motorist.

“Two reasons” Sentence

• “Two reasons” Sentence:o Each reason becomes the topic sentence of a body para.o Don’t need cited facts, just logical claims/reasoningo FYI: An argumentative essay needs only two reasons ......because the third paragraph is a counter-claim

“Three Reasons” Sentence Example

Topic: Texting while driving

Three reasons: Texting while driving is dangerous to the driver, passengers, other motorists, and pedestrians, and it “hurts” others by using police resources and raising auto insurance rates.

Reason 1: Danger to self and others

Reason 2: Indirectly hurts others

Essay Writing: “Thesis” Statement

• Thesis statement:o Don’t need to write “I think...” or “I believe...”o Mention the topico Get your point across plainly

Thesis Statement Example

Topic: Texting while driving

Thesis: Texting while driving is a selfish and dangerous choice with sometimes deadly consequences; consequences made worse by the fact that texting while driving is easily avoided without taking away a cell phone user’s lifestyle choice or personal liberty.

Opening Paragraph Example

Here are the sample “4-Ts” on the same page...

(Topic) If you text while driving, you’ll want to have 911 on speed dial because you are far more likely to cause a car accident than if you don’t text while driving.

(Tell about it) Reading, responding to, or sending texts while driving takes focus off of operating the vehicle safely and the things surrounding the vehicle, such as pedestrians and other vehicles.

(Two reasons) Texting while driving is dangerous to the driver, passengers, other motorists, and pedestrians, and it “hurts” others by using police resources and raising auto insurance rates.

(Thesis) Texting while driving is a selfish and dangerous choice with sometimes deadly consequences; consequences made worse by the fact that texting while driving is easily avoided without taking away a cell phone user’s lifestyle choice or personal liberty.

TEXAS: T = Topic sentence

• Very similar to “topic sentence” in opening paragraph

• Remember the “two reasons” from earlier?

• Think: a five-paragraph essay has three body paragraphs...o Opening

o Body (supports thesis)

o Body (supports thesis)

o Body (counterclaim)

o Closing

Counterclaim

• A “counterclaim” is, basically, the opposite point-of-view of your thesis

• Uses the TEXAS format, but the topic sentence is a counterclaim argument

• Review the thesis from earlier:

Texting while driving is a selfish and dangerous choice with sometimes deadly consequences; consequences made worse by the fact that texting while driving is easily avoided without taking away a cell phone user’s lifestyle choice or personal liberty.

• Consider, and share with a neighbor: What is the author’s point-of-view in the thesis above; what would be an opposite point-of-view to the thesis?

Breakdown

• Opening paragraph has “4-Ts”...o Topic (hook for texting-while-driving topic)o Tell about it (share something you know without citing or arguing)o Two reasons (can injure or kill driver and/or others; hurts community

indirectly)o Thesis (dangerous and selfish because hurts others and can be avoided)

Breakdown

• Body paragraph #1 uses TExAS format...o Topic (injure and kill)o Explain (texting while driving distracts the driver)o Example (published report; MLA cited)o Analysis (demonstrate that the cited report backs-up my explanation of

distracted driver = deadly driver)o Send-off (not only can the driver and any passengers be hurt, but it hurts the

community at large too)

Breakdown

• Body paragraph #2 uses TExAS format...o Topic (hurts others indirectly)o Explain (police waste time ticketing texting drivers; insurance rates go up)o Example (published report; MLA cited)o Analysis (demonstrate that the cited report backs-up my explanation of

police time being wasted, and insurance rates going up for all drivers)o Send-off (not texting while driving does not mean not using a smart phone

while driving, there are safe alternatives)

Breakdown

• Body paragraph #3 uses TExAS format...o Topic (counterclaim: it’s possible to use a smart phone safely while driving)o Explain (hands-free technology lets drivers use their phone while keeping

their attention on the road and driving the car)o Example (published report; MLA cited)o Analysis (demonstrate that the cited report backs-up my explanation of how

hands-free tech allows a driver to use their phone while paying attention to the road and driving their car)

o Send-off (If a driver is going to use their phone while operating a vehicle, they need to make the responsible choice to use hands-free tech)

Your Turn!

• Write an argumentative introductory paragrapho Prompt: In John Steinbeck’s novel, "of Mice and Men,” is friendship or

loneliness a more significant influence on character motivation?

o Discuss the prompt with a classmate before writing

o Think and ask: What drives or influences your behavior more, wanting to be a friend or not wanting to be lonely?

o After you’ve decided your claim...a) Find quotes from the book that back your argument (cite pg. #)b) Think of the counterclaim to your claim

o BTW: Maddie and Eli are good writers, and they’d love to help you if you need some advice!