Anchor Page 6 out of 6
FOCUS ON: STRUCTURE OF WORDS, SENTENCES, AND PARAGRAPHS
How many words are there total?
How many words per sentence?
How many sentences begin with the same word?
How often are the same words repeated in close proximity?
How many “ten dollar” words are used? Which ones?
How many different sentence structure patterns exist? How many paragraphs total?
How many sentences per paragraph?
How is the order of the paragraphs organized?
How is each paragraph introduced (topic sentence)?
How is each paragraph developed with details and elaboration?
STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS
FIRST PARAGRAPH – (Introduction Paragraph), Grabber, Background Information, Idea Development, Thesis Statement
SECOND PARAGRAPH – (Body Paragraph), First Main Idea, Transition, , Topic Sentence, Details/ Explanation/ Elaboration / Development
THIRD PARAGRAPH – (Body Paragraph) Secon Main Idea, Transition, Topic Sentence, Details/ Explanation/ Elaboration / Development
FOURTH PARAGRAPH – (Body Paragraph), Third Main Idea, Transition, Topic Sentence, Details/ Explanation/ Elaboration / Development
FIFTH PARAGRAPH – (Body Paragraph), Forth Main Idea, Transition, Topic Sentence, Details/ Explanation/ Elaboration / Development
SIXTH PARAGRAPH – (Conclusion Paragraph), Thesis Statement Reworded, More Backgorund, Commentary, Connection back to Self, Button or Punchline
STRUCTURE IN OUTLINE FORM
1. Introduction
a. Grabber
b. Background Information
c. Thesis Statement
2. Body – First Idea (Importance of Rooting For the Underdog)
a. Transition
b. Topic Sentence
c. Development
3. Body – Second Idea (Any Team Can Win)
a. Transition
b. Topic Sentence
c. Development
4. Body – Third Idea (Importance of Believing)
a. Transition
b. Topic Sentence
c. Development Everyone
5. Body – Fourth Idea Transition (Has a Chance)
a. Transition
b. Topic Sentence
c. Development
6. Conclusion
a. Restated Thesis Statement
b. Commentary and Stray Thoughts
c. Button / Punchline at the End
BREAKING DOWN THE WRITING PROMPT
• The prompt of an essay is your single, greatest tool to be successful.
• Being able to fully understand what the prompt is actually asking you to write about is extremely important.
• Smart writers break down the prompt into a series of questions, sort of a self-made checklist, to see if they fully answered the question. They can either do this in their imaginations, or on a sheet of scrap paper.
• When the smart writer is done, they go over the checklist to make sure that they stayed on topic, and included all of the information.
Example of Self-Made Checklist
_____ Did I stay on the topic about someone inspired me?
Location check: Is there a thesis statement at the bottom of the first, introductory paragraph that addresses a person who was inspirational?
Smart Writer Tip: Flip the prompt into a statement.
Prompt: “… a time when you were inspired or motivated by something someone did or said”
Becomes: “The Card inspired me in many ways; here are some of them.”
_____ Did I give specific details about the actions or words that caused me to be motivated?
Location check: Where in my essay do I explain EXACTLY what the actions or words were? This may be in a single location, or it may be in multiple locations – but it NEEDS to be somewhere.
Smart Writer Tip: Once you’ve picked the person that inspired you, ask yourself what was it about them that motivated you? Was it something they did? Something they said? Be as specific as possible. That answer should be part of your essay.
_____ Did the I fully explain the effect that the words or actions had on me?
Location check: Where in my essay do I explain how I was effected? Is it in one place, or is multiple places. Did I gloss over the way that I was effected, or did I take the time to flush out the effects with several different sentences and examples?
Smart Writer Tip: Break the body of the essay down to either being about three different paragraphs about how the writer was effected. Then, in each paragraph, explain that effect and connect it back to what the inspiring action or words were.
_____ Did I clearly explain how these effects were positive or negative?
Location check: Find exactly where you describe how you were effected. Is it clear, based upon what you wrote, that the effects were a good thing? Were they a bad thing? It needs to be obvious and very clear.
Smart Writer Tip: You don’t have to use the exact word “negative” or “positive,” but use word choices that make it obvious. Words like “successful” or phrases like “for the better” for positive effects, or words like “failure” or phrases like “worse off” for the negative.
_____ Did I use specific details to illustrate how I was inspired?
Location check: Locate in the essay where you wrote about how you were inspired. Make sure that you developed as many details, and as many ways that you were inspired as possible.
Smart Writer Tip: If you structured your body paragraphs around three or four different ways that you were inspired, then within those paragraphs there needs to be lots and lots of well-developed details. Don’t be skimpy. Don’t assume that the reader gets what you mean. Details matter -- the more specific, the better.
