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You do not have to be a wizard
to learn to write excellent five-paragraph essays. You do need some
basic skill and practice.
Because the five-paragraph
essay is a chosen vehicle for measuring a student's writing
proficiency, it is essential that each master this patterned format
writing to score well. As part of that patterned process, the
student needs to develop specific thinking and organizational
patterns that will aid in the timed creation of an essay that state
and other testing is demanding. To help the teacher and to aid the
student to succeed in this form of writing is the purpose of this
site.
Proficiency in writing the
five-paragraph essay is not only important to pass the test; it is
essential first-tool-basic for research papers for all levels of
schooling, and a simplified mainstay basic in writing reports within
the professional world.
STEP 1:
CREATE A THESIS STATEMENT
Thesis
statement = TOPIC + SPECIFIC
ASSERTION
Quiz 1: Create
a thesis statement
Read the following
questions and come up with a thesis statement for each. See
below for a hint.
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Discuss the influence that
advertising has had on your life or the lives of your friends.
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How does a person make a good first
impression in an interview? Discuss.
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It has been said that computers are
taking over our lives. Do you agree or disagree? Explain.
-
Discuss the influence that a
relative (other than a parent) has had in your life.
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If you could influence the way
products are advertised in the United States, what
recommendations, if any, would you make? Discuss.
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How has the women's movement
affected relationships between men and women? Discuss.
Hints
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Discuss the influence that
advertising has had on your life or the lives of your friends.
Hint: Note the word OR. Choose to talk about advertising
effects on you or on your friends, but not both.
Advertising has
had a significant influence on my life.
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How does a person make a good first
impression in an interview? Discuss.
Hint: Note that you don't list all the steps to make a good
impression in your thesis statement. Just write a general
statement that answers the question and use your topic sentences
to state the ways to make a good impression.
Example: By
following a few simple steps, anyone can make a good first
impression in an interview.
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It has been said that computers are
taking over our lives. Do you agree or disagree? Explain. Hint:
You can always narrow the question. An essay about how you're
being affected by your computer could be easier to write than an
essay about computers taking over the lives of everyone.
Example: My computer is
taking over my life.
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Discuss the influence that a
relative (other than a parent) has had in your life.
Hint: Make sure you read the question carefully so you don't
write about a parent. In addition, don't list the ways in
the thesis; write a general statement and save the ways for your
topic sentences.
Example: My
husband has influenced my life in several ways.
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If you could influence the way
products are advertised in the United States, what
recommendations, if any, would you make? Discuss.
Hint: When you choose a hypothetical question, begin your thesis
with if.
Example: If I could
influence the way products are advertised in the United States,
I would make several recommendations.
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How has the women's movement
affected relationships between men and women? Discuss.
Hint: You should narrow the topic. This is waaaaaaaay too
broad!
Example:The women's movement has affected the way men
and women date.
Quiz 2: Find the thesis
statement
Paragraph 1
Since the beginning of rock and roll in the 1950s, Americans have
protested the distribution, promotion, and broadcast of popular
music. People have suggested that government agencies, record
companies, and radio stations edit or ban objectionable music. They
believe that these measures would maintain core American values in
our society and prevent the influence of popular music on young
people. Some have acted on these suggestions and presented their
complaints about popular music to the government, who has
consequently forced radio stations to edit songs and pressured the
Recording Industry Association of America to place Parental Advisory
labels on controversial releases. These forms of censorship,
however, violate First Amendment rights and promote the same types
of music that some find objectionable.
Paragraph 2
As reporters of information to the general public, journalists must
accurately represent the people and events of which they write. To
achieve this objective in their writing, journalists learn
techniques and rules regarding style, grammar, and objectivity that
their editors expect them to follow. Unfortunately, not all
journalists adhere to these standards, and some publications do not
correct their errors. Containing stylistic problems, grammatical
deficiencies, and subjective opinions, a 2001 Rolling Stone
article entitled "Britney's Just Like A Woman But She Breaks Just
Like A Little Girl" exemplifies these journalistic issues, and it
shows how they can degrade the integrity and authority of a
publication.
STEP 2:
CREATE AN OUTLINE
Once you
have your thesis, come up with two or three points that will
serve as the topic sentences in your essay. You might create
them as a cluster or as an outline.
Consider
the question, "How do you expect your college education to
change the rest of your life? Discuss."
THESIS: My
college education will change my life in several ways.
POINTS: 1)
improved communication skills, 2) increased self-worth, and
3) working in chosen career
FORMAT
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Introductory paragraph:
introduces reader to topic.
a. hook
b. background info
c. thesis statement
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Topic sentence (Use Transitional
word)
a. supporting detail
b. supporting detail
c. supporting detail
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Topic sentence
a. supporting detail
b. supporting detail
c. supporting detail
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Topic sentence
a. supporting detail
b. supporting detail
c. supporting detail
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Conclusion
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In a well developed essay, discuss the reasons a cat makes a
good pet--or not.
Cats are the ultimate narcissists. You can tell this
because of all the time they spend on personal grooming.
Dogs aren't like this. A dog's idea of personal grooming is
to roll on a dead fish. ~James Gorman
Your cat will never threaten your popularity by barking at
three in the morning. He won't attack the mailman or eat
the drapes, although he may climb the drapes to see how the
room looks from the ceiling. ~Helen Powers
"A dog is man's best friend." That common
saying may contain some truth, but dogs are not the only
animal friend whose companionship people enjoy. For many
people, a cat--not the dog--is their best friend.
Helen Powers argued that "your cat will never threaten your
popularity by barking at three in the morning. He
won't attack the mailman or eat the drapes, although he may
climb the drapes to see how the room looks from the
ceiling."
Despite this one
problem noted by Powers, cats do make excellent house pets.
In the first
place, people enjoy the companionship of cats.
Many cats are
affectionate. They will snuggle up and ask to be
petted, or scratched under the chin. Who can resist a
purring cat?
If
they're not feeling affectionate, cats are generally quite
playful. They love to chase balls and feathers,
or just about anything dangling from a string. They
especially enjoy playing when their owners are participating
in the game.
Contrary to popular opinion, cats can be trained.
Using rewards and punishments, just like with a dog, a cat
can be trained to avoid unwanted behavior or perform tricks.
Cats will even fetch!
In the second
place, cats are civilized members of the household.
Unlike dogs, cats
do not bark or make other loud noises. Most cats
don't even meow very often. They generally lead a quiet
existence.
Cats
also don't often have "accidents." Mother cats
train their kittens to use the litter box, and most cats
will use it without fail from that time on. Even stray cats
usually understand the concept when shown the box and will
use it regularly.
Cats do have claws, and owners must make provision for
this. A tall scratching post in a favorite cat
area of the house will often keep the cat content to leave
the furniture alone. As a last resort, of course, cats can
be declawed.
Lastly, one of
the most attractive features of cats as house pets is their
ease of care.
Cats do not have
to be walked. They get plenty of exercise in the
house as they play, and they do their business in the litter
box. Cleaning a litter box is a quick, painless procedure.
Cats also take
care of their own grooming. Bathing a cat is
almost never necessary because under ordinary circumstances
cats clean themselves. Cats are more particular about
personal cleanliness than people are.
In addition, cats
can be left home alone for a few hours without fear.
Unlike some pets, most cats will not destroy the furnishings
when left alone. They are content to go about their usual
activities until their owners return.
Cats are low maintenance, civilized companions. People who
have small living quarters or less time for pet care should
appreciate these characteristics of cats. However, many
people who have plenty of space and time still opt to have a
cat instead of a dog because they love the cat personality.
In many ways, cats are the ideal house pet. |
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