RESEARCHED ILLUSTRATION

ESSAY(a.k.a. Example Essay)

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2012 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

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ASSIGNMENT• Write a journal on AYK regarding your

presidential candidate.

• Then, research that particular person.

• Research = – official Web sites– our college library’s databases – (NO Wikipedia, about.com, blogs)

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ASSIGNMENT• Then, in a Classic Illustration/Example

Essay, you will argue for your assigned candidate.– For whom should you vote?–Why should Americans vote for ___?

• Specifics on the format are below.

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CANDIDATES

Governor Mitt RomneyPresident Barack Obama

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OFFICIAL Web sites• http://barakobama.com

• http://www.mittromney.com/

• http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/candidates/

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DATABASES• Britannica Online

• Biographies Plus (Wilson Web)

• CQ Researcher

• Opposing Viewpoints

• EBSCO

• History Reference

• Lexis-Nexis

• Ethnic Watch

• Gender Watch

depts.luzerne.edu/library

OUTLINE• INTRODUCTION– ends w/Thesis

• REASON #1– Name, Explain, Illustrate, Reiterate

• REASON #2• REASON #3 **–most important reason

• CONCLUSION– repeat + Clincher

• WORKS CONSULTED

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ESSAY FORMATINTRODUCTION

• Introduce your subject.– Generalization *– Quotation– Question– Quip– Statistic

• Get us on the topic of the 2012 presidential elections.– Lately, no matter where we turn, we are

inundated with coverage of the 2012 presidential elections.

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ESSAY FORMATINTRODUCTION

• Narrow towards your thesis:– “some” – “others”– Some Americans are ignoring the issues, the

candidates, and the election process as a whole.

– However, other citizens are quite involved with the election process, either actively campaigning for someone or passively following the coverage.

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ESSAY FORMATINTRODUCTION

• End with a strong thesis statement:– topic + main idea + support (3 reasons)– clearly and succinctly state your claim or

argument (What is your position?)– clearly and succinctly announce your 3 reasons

• For whom to vote and why.

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ESSAY FORMATBODY

• 3 Body paragraphs

• 1 reason per paragraph

• 1 (at least) example per reason

• Emphatic Order

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ESSAY FORMATBODY

1) NAME the reason: – Topic + Main Idea + Reason #?

2) EXPLAIN the reason:– “That is” or “In other words”

3) ILLUSTRATE the reason:– specific examples to illustrate this reason

4) JUSTIFY the reason: – “warrant statement” (“thus” or “therefore”)

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ESSAY FORMATBODY

• Begin each Body paragraph with a Topic Sentence:– refer to the previous reason (s) as you segue to this

reason– repeat 2/3 of your thesis statement + this reason

• “name the reason”

– “Another reason to vote for Candidate X is…”– * “In addition to her experience and effectiveness, the

most important reason Candidate X should be President of the United States concerns ….”

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ESSAY FORMATBODY

• Then, briefly explain the reason:– re-word it, clarify it– “explain the reason”– “In other words” or “That is to say”– the naming and the explaining should consist of

no more than 2-4 sentences– so...be brief

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ESSAY FORMATBODY

• Support that 1 reason with specific and relevant examples (It is the Example essay!):– be specific:

• somebody doing something• concrete details

– be relevant:• examples should be clear, • pertinent, germane, related to the reason/point

– “illustrate the reason”– TRANSITIONS: “For example” or “For instance”

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ESSAY FORMATBODY

• End each Body paragraph with a Warrant Statement:– “Thus,” “Therefore”– relate the evidence back to your point, to your

topic sentence

– justify this example: • Why is it relevant to your point? • How does it help prove your reason? • SO WHAT?!

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ESSAY FORMATCONCLUSION

• Refer to your opening.

• Repeat your thesis and main points.

• Discuss where this issue is to go from here.

• End with an appropriate Clincher Sentence.

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ESSAY FORMATWORKS CONSULTED

• proper header – last name-page number

• Works Consulted:

–centered

–NOT underlined, italicized, bold-faced

–not ALLCAPS

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ESSAY FORMATWORKS CONSULTED

• Follow the proper MLA format as described in your handbooks.

–Pay especial attention to the MLA format regarding databases and Web sites.

–Databases: original publishing information AND database information

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ESSAY FORMATWORKS CONSULTED

• Alphabetically arrange all sources.

• Reverse Indent all sources.

• For longer URLs to fit on the lines, hit “enter” after a slash.

• For database URLs, stop after the “.com.”

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ESSAY FORMAT• Consult the “Outline Template”

• available on my Web site

• under the “Researched Illustration” page

• <http://academic.luzerne.edu/shousenick>

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REMINDERS• Argue only ONE side of a particular issue. –Make a claim. • For whom to vote.• Support that claim with your 3 best (more persuasive,

significant) reasons.

– Back up those reasons with specific examples.• Quotes, statistics, incidents, examples, plans

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REMINDERS• Example Essay = “reasons”:– No “history lessons” in the Body paragraphs.

This is the place for your reasons only.– This is not a “types” essay:• Classification: types of mental illnesses, of STDs, of

rape…

– Rather, it is a “reasons” essay.

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REMINDERS• Do not end a paragraph with another’s

words or ideas. – This is your essay.– Thus, you are using researched evidence to

support your ideas.– You are not summarizing the issue or the

research.

– Always end with a “warrant statement.”

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REMINDERS• Lead-in verbs should be in the present

tense:– claims, asserts, points out– NO “says” because of the print medium

• Put “quotation marks” around direct quotes.

• Use direct quotes or paraphrase—do not “ride the fence.”– Either quote the original in its entirety OR put it

completely in your own words.

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REMINDERS• PARENTHETICAL CITATIONS :– * the purpose is to get the reader to your Works Cited

page• so do not interfere with the flow of the essay• so keep it short

– *the 1st item on the bibliographic line: author, article– *and the page number or “subheading”

– period comes after the parentheses– if the author’s name is not in the sentence, put it in the

(Smith 89)– if no author’s name is given, then attribute the article to

“the unnamed” or “the anonymous” author– as part of your lead-in, mention the credentials of your

source (Ethos)

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REMINDERS• PARENTHETICAL CITATIONS:– if your source is an online article or Web site (note the

spelling!), put in the ( ) the “subheading” or “subtitle” under which your information appears.

– only a space between the author and the page number or “subheading” (no punctuation)

– truncate:• only the author’s last name• shorten long titles• no URLs

– (Smith 89) or (Smith “Smoking: Effects”) or (“Smoking: Effects”)

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REMINDERSCITE

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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CANDIDATESDEMOCRAT

President Barack Obama

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CANDIDATESREPUBLICAN

Governor Mitt Romney