How To: The Essay (Helpful Advice)

(Money actually does grow from trees.) The blank Word document sits in front of you. Staring you down waiting for your first move. After thinking and thinking you have an idea. You put it on the page and find yourself not able to write anything sophisticated. Now there's me here to the rescue with the best way to format your idea. I'll tell you how to help you improve your essay's intro, body paragraphs and conclusions

First thing, you want (wanna) to perfect is your introduction. (Don't worry about your spelling and grammatical errors usually teachers overlook them.) The best way to do that is to start with your hook statement, it has to get someone's attention. (The best part is it usually doesn't need to be related to your topic because once you have their attention they usually keep reading. After that all you have to do is say what your gonna write about.)  Start with something interesting or surprising then move into your topic. It's important your thesis is clear so people know what you're going to talk about. (Once you have your thesis literally make it clear by changing the text color to white and it should get you a good score.)Usually the quality of your introduction sets the stage for the rest of your essay.  

After you've got the introduction next you have to work on the body paragraphs. (These are just the "filler" paragraphs, so to "fill" these all you have to do is write down anything and literally anything you find on your topic.) But in these paragraphs you need to make sure you have a few specific things to improve you score. I'll explain these things based off our writing rubric at ASA Clark. For improving your idea development and content it says you need to make connections and show analysis. (To do this you're going to need one of those boards with string that they use in movies for the CIA. Take everything that is somewhat related to your topic and place it on the board and connect it randomly and you should be good. After you will have to "analyze" the board otherwise meaning look at it for a long time.) Next skill to emphasize is the voice aspect, make it sound original like you're talking in real life. (You want to make you voice independent or different, usually if you capitalize things randomly it gives it the feeling of yelling {Note: only use this on the important information!}). Finally to improve word choice and sentence fluency you need to use different sentence techniques and use vivid language to make the essay come to life. (Basically make your sentences short and long to add variety and use long words to act like you know what your talking about.) 

Your conclusion takes everything from the introduction and body paragraphs and sums it up in a few sentences. (Just copy and paste a few sentences from your other paragraphs and you should be fine) What you're going to do is restate your thesis go over the ideas of your essay and leave the audience with a thought. (Again copy and paste)   The point of your conclusion is to either go over what you've wrote in the body paragraphs, leave the reader thinking about your essay, or agreeing with your opinion. (To get someone to keep thinking about your essay all you do is give them something they like thinking about, usually food.) Your conclusion is also one of the deciding factors that makes or breaks your essay.

The blank document has now full, conquered by you along with your sidekick, me and my helpful tips. Your grades will be sky high if you just follow my tips. Now go write, go make me proud. (Mmmm Pizza sounds good right now)