The following are notes that will assist you in the essay writing process. Use these in preparation for your Civil War test and every paper hereafter.
The essay assignment typically comes in two forms -- a question or a directive.
For example:
What was the most significant cause of the Civil War? (question)
Discuss the most significant cause of the Civil War. (directive)
The most important thing to remember when writing the essay is to make sure you understand the question and answer the question directly.
Below you will find the objectives we discussed for the introductory paragraph (in order of importance - NOT appearance):
1. Answer the question (thesis statement)
2. List of supporting ideas (evidence which will serve to prove your thesis)
3. Introductory statement (this is the first sentence in your essay)
Next, you will find the objectives for the body paragraphs (in order of appearance):
1. Topic sentence (from your list of supporting ideas and relates to thesis)
2. Supporting details (logically prove why the thesis is true... between 5-7 sentences)
3. Transition sentence (make the connection from the present supporting idea/topic to the next supporting idea/topic)
Finally, the conclusion has one simple objective:
1. Expand on the thesis and provide some original thought regarding the position you are trying to prove.
