Writing
an Essay in Response to an Article/Reading
*You may
bring this sheet to the midterm
I. Intro
A. Summary of the
article in its own ¶
1. Title in quotes
2. Author's
full name
3. Author's
main idea: State in your own words
*These
three should appear in the first sentence!
4. Author's
main points:
·
State in your own words
·
Include only main
points; no examples
*Citation
is not required (entire piece; already cited author)
B. Transition:
Smoothly lead the reader from the writer’s topic to yours (Ex: While Richie makes valid points about who
needs to participate in the rape dialogue, her method of doing so alienates the
male reader, the very audience she is trying to reach. Particularly offensive is her statement that
all men are biologically predisposed to be rapists. She offers no support for this, making a
blatant assertion without any solid evidence.)
C. Thesis:
Strong and focused; stated as fact!
Ex: Despite Richie’s claims, there is nothing to
suggest that rape is anything more than an individual tendency, not an inherent
male one.
II. Body:
Main points: Each w/ its own ¶, topic sentence &
support
·
Have at least 2-3 main
point body ¶s.
·
Include specific
examples to support your point.
·
Add your own
explanations/reflections re: evidence
III. Conclusion:
Leave the reader
thinking w/o introducing new ideas.