The best ones have frames or extended metaphors guiding them. Often these metaphors are the symbols in the mask. (Props to those of you who are doing this!)
- What is the frame or metaphor guiding your essay's content?
THESIS STATEMENTS!!!! When in doubt, let it occur at the end of a cleverly crafted intro that hooks your reader! Most often, you should incorporate your frame or extended metaphor into the thesis.
- What is your essay's thesis statement?
STRONG TOPIC SENTENCES. These should dictate your paragraph's content. Each paragraph should address ONE subtopic. And then you steep your TEA. If you need to, outline first (or reverse outline if you are already drafted out. Use this outline template if it helps.
- What are your subtopics? Can you craft strong and clear topic sentences for each?
SENTENCE CRAFT. The marks of quality sentences are conciseness and clarity. Please work to eliminte wordiness. It may help if you read your essay out loud or have someone read it to you. And for the love of language, PROOFREAD!!!!
- Where can you improve your sentences?
SETTING UP QUOTATIONS. Use the handout to reviseyour quote set-up or add some material from the Sociology content.
