Structure
This is often considered the most important part of the paragraph, where the writer explains how the evidence proves the point.
The is analysis or explanation
This is the part of the essay in which the writer restates the thesis and offers a prediction, a suggestion, or an opinion.
Conclusion
What is Plagiarism?
When you put a source's idea into your own words, you are doing this; however, you still need an in-text citation.
Name four common mistakes with thesis statements?
●Too vague
●Too broad
●No direction
●Too confusing
This essay type uses sensory details and figurative language to create a vivid picture of a person, place, or object.
A Descriptive Essay
What is the purpose of a link sentence?
To show how the paragraph's main point connects to the thesis statement or the next paragraph.
This is the part of the essay in which the writer tries to get the reader's attention.
Hook
What is a Signal Phrase
A writer use a short phrase to introduce a quote or give some context before introducing a quote.
It helps avoid "dropped quotes".
List three things a good thesis statement will have.
specific, clear, arguable,
The primary goal of this essay type is to provide information or explain a complex process in a neutral, factual way.
An Expository or a Discursive Essay
In a good essay, a writer should avoid simply summarizing the evidence and instead focus on...
Show how the evidence supports or proves the argument (main idea of the paragraph).
Interpretation
This is the first sentence of each body paragraph in which the writer establishes the main idea of the paragraph.
Topic Sentence
Which kind of citation is this?
Coxhead notes, in addition to English, these learners must master the subject being taught as well as navigate a foreign school system (Coxhead, 229).
Paraphrasing
In academic writing, why is relying on standard transitional phrases (e.g., furthermore, however, consequently) sometimes considered a mechanical weakness, and what is the preferred alternative?
Relying solely on "signpost" words can create a "beads-on-a-string" effect where sentences are linked superficially rather than logically.
The preferred alternative is conceptual transitioning. This ensures the argument flows from the inherent meaning of the prose rather than from a pre-packaged list of connectors.
This essay type requires the author to take a definitive stance on a debatable issue and use logic to persuade the reader.
An Argumentative Essay
What is context, within a paragraph or introduction?
Context provides the reader with some history, previous research or "background" to help them better understand the topic or the importance of the argument.
This is the part of some essays in which the writer includes information from another source in order to strengthen a point or an idea.
Citation
Which method of citing a source would you use if you were writing an essay about technology in the medical profession?
APA or American Psychology Association
How does a "pivotal" topic sentence differ from a "standard" topic sentence in terms of its mechanical placement and purpose within a paragraph?
A standard topic sentence usually sits at the very beginning to introduce a new idea. A pivotal topic sentence often appears after a "turn" in the paragraph (frequently following a counter-argument or a concession). Mechanically, it serves to redirect the paragraph's momentum.
In an Argumentative essay, this specific paragraph is used to "look at the other side" before proving why that side is incorrect.
The Counter-argument (or Rebuttal)
What should your thesis statement contain?
Your main point/s and a summary of your body paragraphs.
This is the part of an essay that leads up to the thesis statement and provides the reader with information and detail about the topic.
Background Information or Connecting Information
Which method of citing a source would you use if you were writing about books that are used in classrooms in Philadelphia?
MLA or Modern Language Association
Why is "dropped quotation" (or "hit-and-run quoting") considered a failure of essay mechanics, and what is the "sandwich" method required to fix it?
A dropped quotation occurs when a writer inserts a quote without introducing it or explaining its relevance, disrupting the essay's voice. The mechanical fix is the quotation sandwich:
The "Signal Phrase" that introduces the speaker and provides context.
The quoted material itself (often integrated into the writer's own sentence structure).
The analysis that explicitly links the quote back to the paragraph's specific claim. Mechanically, this ensures the quote serves the argument rather than interrupting it.
When writing an introduction for a literary essay, the context must include these three "TAG" elements.
Title, Author, and Genre