1 2 Academic Reading and Writing

Essay Format
Introduction
Thesis Statement
Body
Conclusion
Introduction
0 First part of an essay
0 Try to capture the reader’s attention
Introduction Format
0 1. Attention getter
0 2. State your problem
0 3. Bridge or transition sentences
0 4. Thesis statement (always at the end)
Ways to Start Your Introduction
0 Strategy 0 Examples
0 Provide some interesting 0 Today’s gnome owners become
background about the topic in the tomorrow’s leaders.
form of a general statement
0 Use a thought-provoking quotation 0 “Gnomes are creatures to be loved,

not feared!”
Dr. S. Rosner
0 Why don’t many people like

0 Ask a question about your topic gnomes?
0 In 1693, the first gnome was

brought to America.
0 State a surprising fact or a puzzling
statement 0 Little Susie looked out her window,
only to see her precious gnome,
0 Start with a short story Willard, was being stolen….
Ways to Start Your Introduction
0 Strategy 0 Examples
0 State a common misconception 0 People don’t learn bad habits from
gnomes.
0 Describe a problem
0 Everyone knows what a problem
gnome-napping has become in our
society.
0 Give an analogy
0 Gnomes are just like children.
0 Show how the topic is related to

0 Most people know how difficult it is
the reader’s experience to take care of garden gnomes.
Introduction
0 Make a bridge to connect the attention getting sentence(s) to
your thesis statement
0 Common way to make a bridge is to explain why the topic is
important.
0 This bridge is often a few sentences long.
0 Conclude introductory paragraph with the most important
idea of the essay-THE THESIS STATEMENT
The Parts of a Thesis Statement
3
Topic Opinion
Reasons
The Functions of a Thesis Statement
To announce the topic to the reader
To reflect a judgment about the topic
To provide the reader with a blueprint

of what is to come in the paper
WHAT DO EFFECTIVE THESIS STATEMENTS
LOOK LIKE?
0 An Effective Thesis: An effective thesis should be an argument, not a fact; it should be
limited, not too broad; and it should be sharply focused, not too vague.
0 Too Factual: The first polygraph was developed by Dr. John A. Larson in 1921.
0 Revised: Because the polygraph has not been proved reliable, even under controlled
conditions, its use by private employers should be banned.
0 Hint: If it sounds like a Wikipedia or Encyclopaedia entry, it is too factual.
0 Too Broad: Being overly materialistic will cause many problems.
0 Revised: Being overly materialistic will cause many problems because you lose sight of
what matters to you. .
0 Too Vague: Many of the hip-hop songs are disgusting.
0 Revised: Many hip-hop songs are sexist because they make women look like pretty
pictures with no substance.
Example of an Introduction
0 Example
Gnome-Phobia in America
1. In 2004, the Gnome Liberation Front (GLF) was created. This group of people believes that gnomes
should be free, not prisoners of their owner’s garden. 2. The GLF has now begun gnome-napping, the act
of stealing gnomes and “freeing them” in the wilderness; however, the law is unwilling to do anything. 3.
Many police state that the gnomes are not a serious enough offense to deal with and that they have
larger crimes to deal with. This is not acceptable. The law should be taking the gnome-napping more
seriously because people are committing a crime. 4. Gnome-napping is stealing personal property, and
is illegal, morally wrong, and disrespectful.
0 1. Attention getter
0 2. State your problem.
0 3. Bridge or transition sentences
0 4. Thesis statement
0 **NOTE: This doesn’t mean your intro is 4 sentences long. It just has 4 parts.
The Body
0 The body is a set of paragraphs that develop the idea expressed in the
thesis statement.
0 Make a list of main ideas that support the thesis statement. Each
main idea becomes the main idea sentence for a body paragraph.
0 Arrange the main ideas in logical order (time, place, importance)
0 Plan out each body paragraph by listing major details that support
each main idea
0 Order the details within each paragraph in a logical way. Each body
paragraph may end with a concluding sentence.
Example Essay Outline
Thesis Statement
Gnome-napping is stealing personal property, and is illegal, morally wrong, and disrespectful.
Body Paragraph 1
Topic Sentence: Gnome-napping is stealing someone’s personal property, and stealing is illegal.
Main Points: 1.
2.
3.
Body Paragraph 2
Topic Sentence: It is morally wrong to take anyone’s property, whether it is a gnome or a car.
Main Points: 1.
2.
3.
Body Paragraph 3
Topic Sentence: The GLF is incredibly disrespectful because they take items that don’t belong them.
Main Points: 1.
2.
3.
The Writing Stage
0 After planning and arranging your main ideas and major details, begin
writing your body paragraphs.
0 The number of paragraphs depends on the topic’s complexity,
inclusiveness, and your purpose for writing.
0 Usually a short essay contains 3 to 5 body paragraphs, plus an
introduction and conclusion
0 Remember to use signal words to make smooth transitions between
sentences and paragraphs.
Signal/Transition Words
0 For examples: For example, for instance, to illustrate
0 For organization or chronological order: The six steps are…,
next, finally first, secondly, third
0 For additional points: Furthermore, in addition, also, moreover
0 For opposing ideas: On the other hand, in contrast, although,
however
0 For similar ideas: Likewise, similarly, in comparison
Signal/Transition Words
0 For exceptions: However, nevertheless, but, yet, still
0 For emphasis: Above all, finally, more importantly
0 For understanding: In other words, in essence, briefly
0 For summarizing: In conclusion, to sum up, for these reasons,
in a nutshell
0 For exams: Remember this, this is important, this could be on
the test
Conclusion
0 Leave the reader thinking about your topic. Leave an impression on
them!
0 No new information in conclusion
0 Be sure to recap your ideas
0 Should follow logically from the body of the essay
0 Restate your thesis statement in different words
0 You might want to have your reader do something after reading
(“call to action” – Example: Go write your Senator about this
problem.)

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Essay Format

0 Use a thought-provoking quotation 0 “Gnomes are creatures to be loved,

0 Why don’t many people like

0 In 1693, the first gnome was

0 Show how the topic is related to

To announce the topic to the reader

To reflect a judgment about the topic

To provide the reader with a blueprint

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