Essay Structure

Literary Canon – How to Reach 7-8 Pages
Writing Directions: Refer to the writing prompt.
Research Information: Before you sit down to write, you will need to spend a significant amount
of time conducting research about your topic. You should spend a few hours each day
researching. Here are the research requirements and regulations:
 You must use at least 6 credible sources. Gale is an awesome research tool to use;
you may also use Google Scholar, though some articles aren’t available for public
use.
 You may use electronic resources (i.e. web pages, online journals, magazines,
etc.) as long as you can be certain that the website is credible.
o A general rule for online resources: if the website gives credit to other
sources of information in a professional, correct way, it may be better than
websites that have no citations for where it received its information.
Search for works published by credible organizations (i.e. universities,
professional study groups, corporate organizations, etc.)—this information
can usually be found at the bottom of a webpage. Use professional
judgment for what counts as “credible” sources.
o NO Wikipedia or Blogs of any nature.
o If you type what you’re researching into a Google search followed by
:EDU, it will come up with material published by universities—this is the
best way to research for credible information.
 You may also use: interviews, television news reports, movies and encyclopedias
(see “The Owl at Purdue” website for how to properly site these)
 The school library may have excellent info. Also, consider other libraries.
o Public libraries are easily accessible with a great deal of info.
o UCR has several libraries that have a great deal of information. I can give
you information about UCR if you’re interested in researching there. It’s a
good way to get familiar with the research resources at colleges.
 Important research requirement: BRING FLASHCARDS!!!
o When researching, information overload is common, which makes it tough
to figure out how to organize your information into a paper.
o Bring flashcards to write down information on one side, and the
bibliographic (or “Works Cited”) information on the backside of the card.
o When sitting down to write, put your flashcards in order by paragraph,
then put the flashcards in the order that you want to put them in the
paragraphs. It’s writing made easy!
Writing Guidelines: Here’s how you will be required to organize your essay:
 Section 1: Introduction (2 paragraphs)

o Hook: Give a catching statement or startling scenario that grabs your readers’
attention and that connects with the topic you’re writing about.
o Explanation: Explain your hook by discussing why you presented that scenario or
gave that statement.
o Bridge: Connect your hook to your thesis in a clear way.
o Thesis (last sentence of your introduction): Clearly give your argument for why
the texts you’ve decided to include are important to the literary canon.
 Section 2 (2-3 paragraphs)
o Give a synopsis of the research you have done. What have other scholars said
about your topic. Put yourself in conversation with those people.
 Section 3: Argument (2-3 paragraphs)
o Topic sentence: State the first reason why others should agree with your position
(a reason you can prove in the rest of the paragraph).
o Explain: Explain your topic sentence.
o Evidence: Provide a piece of evidence from your research that supports your
reasoning.
o Explain: Explain your research.
o Evidence: Provide a second piece of research evidence to support your topic
sentence.
o Explain: Explain your research.
o Wrap-up: Explain how your research proves your thesis.
 Section 4: Argument give a different “reason” (2-3 paragraphs)
 Third body paragraph: Counterargument
o Topic sentence: What two or three reasons might people have to disagree with
you?
o Explain: Explain topic sentence.
o Counterargument 1: Explain why the first opposing argument is false
o Evidence: Provide research evidence to support your first counterargument
o Counterargument 2: Explain why the second opposing argument is false
o Evidence: Provide research evidence to support your second counterargument
o Counterargument 3: To make your defense stronger, provide a third
counterargument and research evidence to support your counterargument.
o Wrap-up: Connect this body paragraph to your thesis.
 Section 5: Conclusion (2 paragraphs)
o Restate your thesis (in different words)
o Review: Review the main points that you made in this essay.
o Apply what you talk about in this essay to the outside world
 Why is it important that others be aware of this information?
o What final statement or thought would you like to leave your reader to ponder?
Grading Information: You will be graded on the following:

1) quality/quantity of research (all cited properly according to MLA guidelines)
2) correct use of MLA format
3) organized writing
4) well-developed essay
5) addressing the prompt
6) writing style and editing
Checklist before turning in your final persuasive research paper (to assure a good grade):
 MLA format: Are the following correct (see MLA handout to make sure):
o ____Margins
o ____Font
o ____Spacing (throughout the entire essay)
o ____Proper heading
o ____Proper title
o ____Proper header
o ____Correct in-text citation
o ____Properly documented “Works Cited” page
 Research: Check that you have:
o ____At least one book, magazine, journal, newspaper citied in research paper
o ____Reliable sources of information
o ____AT LEAST five resources total
o ____All research is clearly connected to the paper that you are writing
o ____All research is clearly and appropriately cited within the essay with
parenthetical citations (see MLA handout)
o ____All research is clearly and appropriately cited on the works cited page (see
MLA handout)
 Organization: Did you…
o ____Include five, indented paragraphs with the correct information in each
paragraph?
o ____Follow the organization format for each paragraph?
o ____Make sure that all parts of the essay flow well?
o ____Double-check that you never get off-topic?
 Development: Have you…
o ____Made sure that you have at least two pieces of research in each body
paragraph?
o ____Clearly and thoroughly explained each piece of evidence in your own words
(with at least one sentence)?
 Prompt: Does your essay…
o ____Meet the page requirements?
o ____Address an ethical issue?
o ____Take a clear stand on an ethical issue?
 Writing style: Make sure that
o ____Research is smoothly incorporated into writing (never leave a quote by itself;
always introduce a quote with your own words)
 You do not have any sentences like this where the quote is left alone:
“Soldiers must prepare with training through practice with obstacle
courses, field exercises, foot marching and rifle use.”
 Instead, you combine research quotes with your own words, like this: The
training that soldiers go through includes preparation with “obstacle
courses, field exercises, foot marching and rifle use.” (bold= the writer’s
lead into the research)
o ____No personal opinions are present (paper is research-based, with no “I”, “me”,
“my”, “you”, “your”)
o ____Paper is edited multiple times to guarantee NO spelling/grammatical errors
o ____Overall style of writing is mature and easy to read
Turning it in: The essay can be turned in two ways:

1) Print out a copy for me on the due date
2)If you will be absent, please send it to my email: [email protected]
Deadlines: The final essay will be due Friday, June 3, 2016.

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Literary Canon – How to Reach 7-8 Pages

Writing Directions: Refer to the writing prompt.

 Section 1: Introduction (2 paragraphs)

Grading Information: You will be graded on the following:

Turning it in: The essay can be turned in two ways:

Deadlines: The final essay will be due Friday, June 3, 2016.

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