The Essay Algorithm-

How to use a Plan and a Pattern to make every essay

amazing!

The Basic 5-Paragraph Essay

Introduction with Thesis

Body Paragraph 1

Body Paragraph 2

Body Paragraph 3

Conclusionleaves your reader thinking

You have probably been hearing about the “5-paragraph essay” since middle school. Using its same basic principles, we can stretch and modify this model to be used effectively for any college level essay assignment. Today, we’re going to analyze how these five parts actually function together to present a strong argument in written form.*

The Essay Prompt

• A Prompt is:

The Essay Assignment or “the problem” to be solved in your writing.

• Your instructors have usually put a lot of time and thought into creating their essay prompts.

• Follow this prompt carefully; plan your whole essay around the requirements specified in it. Use it to start mapping your essay plan.

The Outline – Your essay plan

• USE ONE to plan your paper!

• This is an essential step to begin planning and writing your essay.

• Every paper, presentation, or project is a product of planning and organization. Life is full of patterns, and humans love them! Our brains always look for patterns even from earliest infancy when we look up at our loved ones and study the pattern of the human face. During the making of this Power Point, I had to decide what was the best pattern for this presentation. Should I present the Outline here or after the “essay algorithm”?*

• I like this model because it makes suggestions about what to do at every stage of the drafting process.

Outline Template for Academic Essays I. Introduction

a. General Background Information i. Attention grabbing intro ii. Who, What, When, Where – establish topic, introduce author, and

main book

b. Summarize Body Paragraph Sub-points / Arguments

i. Present arguments in order in which they appear

c. Write your Thesis Statement

i. An arguable sentence, which is debatable and worth proving

II. Sub-topic/ Claim-Argument ONE / Topic Sentence (linked to thesis):

a. Supporting Point/Argument:

i. Proof/Evidence (quotes, examples, statistics, anecdote, etc.) ii. Explanation of proof (effects? significance? How does this

prove your thesis?)

b. Supporting Point/Argument: i. Proof/Evidence

ii. Explanation of proof (effects? significance? How does this

prove your thesis?)

c. Supporting Point/Argument:

i. Proof/Evidence

ii. Explanation of proof (effects? significance? How does this

prove your thesis?)

d. Concluding statement (linked to thesis; transition to next paragraph)

III. Sub-topic / Claim-Argument TWO/ Topic Sentence (linked to thesis):

a. Supporting Point/Argument: i. Proof/Evidence

ii. Explanation of proof (effects? significance? How does this

prove your thesis?)

b. Supporting Point/Argument: i. Proof/Evidence

ii. Explanation of proof (effects? significance? How does this

prove your thesis?) c. Supporting Point/Argument:

i. Proof/Evidence

ii. Explanation of proof (effects? significance? How does this

prove your thesis?) d. Concluding statement (linked to thesis; transition to next paragraph)

Terms - Why do instructors use different terms for the same things?

• Thesis > Focus, Claim, Purpose. This is the thing that the essay is trying to prove.

• Support > Claim, or Supporting claim, Evidence, Body paragraph, Development. This is the information or research you are using to “support” your thesis. It is the bulk of the essay.

• Audience > Reader. This is the person or group to whom you’re writing, who you want to hear your message. Think of your “audience” as you consider your writing from a reader’s perspective.

• Voice > Style, Diction, Tone, Word choice. This is how you want your writing to “sound” to your reader. How will you make your point of view known to your audience? Are you questioning? Authoritative? Analytical? Objective (just the facts)?

• Mechanics > Conventions, Grammar, Formatting. This refers to how well you have edited your essay for proper sentence structure, wording, spelling, and grammar. • Formatting refers to layout and how well you use quotations, citations, and document your

sources. MLA is the formatting guide for most Humanities assignments (English, Cultural Studies, Foreign Language, etc.). APA is the formatting guide for most Social Sciences (Psychology, Economics, Social Justice, etc.).

What this workshop isn’t about…

• This workshop is not going to tell you how to:

• do research,

• analyze a text,

• choose the best examples to prove your points,

• know when you need to do more research,

• find facts, quotations, or statistics to support your points

The Essay Algorithm Basic*

Introduction Thesis with your opinion about Point A, Point B, and Point C and why this is important.

Point A Support paragraph 1

Point B Support paragraph 2

Point C Support paragraph 3

Conclusion, answers the “So what?” and confirms to your reader why this is important.

Let’s look at a very basic essay to see how the Essay Algorithm might look in practice.

Basic Example of the 5- paragraph essay pattern:

Topic: Good Teachers

Introduct ion ending with a thesis-

Thesis: A good teacher respects students, has a personal

interest in them, and mot ivates them to do their best.

Body of the Essay- I. Topic Sentence 1 - A good teacher respects her students.

Ex A. She is considerate of her students.

She gives them tact ful, construct ive crit icism. She does not ridicule them or embarrass them.

She is patient with them.

She never patronizes her students.

Ex B. She t reats her students fairly.

She is f lex ible and open- minded.

Her tests are fair.

She grades object ively and consistently.

She does not have favorites.

Ex C. She shows that she values the contribut ions of

everyone in the class.

She compliments her students on their work.

She praises them for their involvement even when

she disagrees with them.

l l. Topic Sentence 2 – Secondly, a good teacher will show her

students that she has a personal interest in them.

Ex A. Primary support. Secondary support . Explanat ion

Development

Ex B…..

Ex C….

l l l. Topic Sentence 3 – Finally, another quality of a good

teacher is that she mot ivates her students to do their best .

Ex A. Primary support. Secondary support . Explanat ion

Development

Ex B….

Ex C….

Concluding idea: A good teacher will show that she values her

students by consistently behaving fairly and considerately

toward them.

The Essay Algorithm with added variables Introduction Thesis with your opinion about Point A, Point B, and Point Cand why this is important.

Point A1 Support paragraph 1*

Point A2 Support paragraph 2

Point B1 Support paragraph 3

Point B2 Support paragraph 4

Point C1 Support paragraph 5

Point C2 Support paragraph 6

Conclusion, answers the “So what?” and confirms to your reader why this is important.

*Key: Use transition words and phrases within paragraphs and between paragraphs to signal to your reader your organizational pattern and the flow of your argument.

Another important aspect of good teachers is…

Furthermore, good teachers respect their students by…

A personal interest in students can also be shown by…

The Essay Algorithm with added variables* Introduction Thesis with your opinion about how Character, Plot, and Settingaffect gender and why this is important.

Character 1 talks about the character of Jo and gender (Pgh. 1)

Character 2 talks about the character of Kris and gender (2)

Plot 1 discusses one plot event that relates to gender (3)

Plot 2 discusses another plot event that relates to gender (4)

Setting 1 shows how one setting symbolizes gender (5)

Setting 2 shows how another setting symbolizes gender (6)

Conclusion, answers the “So what?” and confirms to your reader why this is important.

Key: Use transition words and phrases within paragraphs and between paragraphs to signal to your reader your organizational pattern and the flow of your argument.

The author explores anotheraspect of gender in the character of Kris…

As the plot moves on, an additional event that explores gender is when Jo escapes from prison…

The Essay Algorithm with developed variables Introduction Thesis with your opinion about climate change in coast range, basin, and plateau and why this is important.

Geological region 1 Coast Range Composition and Characteristics

Geological region 2 Basin Composition and Characteristics

Geological region 3 Plateau Composition and Characteristics

Conclusion, answers the “So what?” and confirms to your reader why this is important.

Key: Use transition words and phrases within paragraphs and between paragraphs to signal to your reader your organizational pattern and the flow of your argument.

Additionally, climate change has affected the Coast Range in terms of its characteristics…

In the same way that composition is affected, the characteristics of the plateau are also influenced by climate change…

The Essay Algorithm with two major support points and several subpoints within those areas of support

Introduction Thesis with your opinion about the topic including Point A and Point B and why this is important.

Point A1 Support paragraph 1

Point A2 Support paragraph 2

Point A3 Support paragraph 3

Point B1 Support paragraph 4

Point B2 Support paragraph 5

Point B3 Support paragraph 6

Conclusion, answers the “So what?” and confirms to your reader why this is important.

*Remember your transition words within and between paragraphs to keep your reader with you.

In your breakout rooms:

• Share a recent essay assignment you worked on or are working on now.

• Identify how you “solved” the essay problem (how did you answer the prompt)?

• What supporting points, claims, evidence did you use to solve the essay problem? These points are your body paragraphs.

• What would be the most effective essay pattern or “algorithm” to use to map out your essay?

• Come back prepared to share solutions and problems.

Patterns and Problems

• How did it go?

• Were you able to identify your key areas of support?

• Were you able to organize your support into a pattern that supports your thesis?

• What questions came up?

Where do we go from here?

• The next step in the writing of your essay is to flesh out and develop your body paragraphs. This may require additional research. You may have to look for more or better supporting facts, quotes, or examples.

• Always check back that your “variables” or supporting evidence (Point A, Point B, and Point C) are still proving your thesis.

• Be sure you’re using transition words and phrases when you move to a new idea or continue to develop a related idea.

Writing a Solid Thesis Statement

Video link:

• How to Write a Leveled Thesis

Introductions and Conclusions

• Introductions examples

• Conclusions examples

• Note! If these files don’t download from this saved presentation, there are many websites offering models and explanations of Introduction and Conclusion styles. Try new things and get creative with your intros and conclusions; your instructors will appreciate it!

Thank you for joining!

• Please get in touch if you have further questions or need help planning an essay:

Louise Laemmlen

llaemmlen@dvc.edu

• DVC NetTutor and Academic Support Center (ASC)

Transition Words and Phrases

Indicating Importance:above all, in fact, more important, most important, best, in particular, most, worst, especially

Signaling examples:for example, for instance, for one thing, one reason

Signaling Additions:additionally, and, as well as, furthermore, in addition, also, another, moreover

Signaling Contrast:although, however, nevertheless, still, but, in contrast, on the other hand, yet, even though, instead

Signaling Causes or Results:as a result, finally, so, therefore, because

Indicating Time: after, as, before, finally, during, later, as, first, meanwhile, at last, eventually, last, next, now, since, then, when, while, second, soon

Indicating Space:above, below, near, beside, beyond, opposite, next to, across, behind, under, where, at the top, at the bottom