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Curated OER
Thesis Statement + Projected Plan = Introduction
Set up your writers for writing strong introductions with a formula for putting together supported thesis statements. This reference page breaks the process down and provides an example of how to compose a thesis statement, develop a...
San José State University
Organizational Patterns for the Comparison/Contrast Essay
Organization is key in essay writing. The two organizational charts included in this resource model the block approach and the point-by-point approach to organizing a compare and contrast style essay. After examining the...
MENSA Education & Research Foundation
The Writer’s Toolbox: What You Need to Master the Craft
Strengthen your high schoolers' writing with a series of steps for writing successfully. With sections on organizing an essay, choosing a topic, crafting a thesis statement, and revising a draft, the instructional activity encourages...
San José State University
Essay Outline Template
Inspire essay organization with this handout and exercise about outlining. Writers read through a brief outline model and then practice writing their own outline by completing a second model. Scholars not only complete the outline, they...
Anchorage School District
“Dressing Up” an Introduction
Are your pupils ready to move beyond a thesis statement by adding additional detail to their introductory paragraphs? Provide this handout to give your class some ideas for spiffing up their work. The page includes a sample paragraph...
Waterford Union High School
Writing the Persuasive Essay
An excellent, in-depth resource would be an asset to your unit on writing an argument essay. It provides an explanation to each part of the essay as well as examples of transition words to strengthen your kids' writing. Additionally, the...
Curated OER
Persuasive Essay
Next time you assign your young historians to write a persuasive essay, use this document as a starting point and support them with a rubric, tips for writing a successful persuasive piece, and a general essay outline.
Odegaard Writing & Research Center
Strong Body Paragraphs
Here's a handy, seven-step guide to crafting good paragraphs in support of a claim. The steps are clearly explained and examples provided.
Cambridge Rindge & Latin School
Cambridge Rindge & Latin School: Writing a Thesis Statement
An excellent tip sheet for creating and perfecting a thesis statement. Also includes information about statement of purpose and examples.
Capital Community College Foundation
Guide to Grammar and Writing: The Thesis Statement
An explanation of a thesis statement and how it is used in an essay.
University of Sydney (Australia)
The Write Site: Constructing a Working Thesis
Students will find a thorough definition of a thesis. Non-examples of thesis statements are also provided.
Harvard University
Harvard College Writing Center: Developing a Thesis
Superbly written explanation of thesis development. Use the links on the right to work through the writing process.
Harvard University
Harvard University: Strategies for Essay Writing
This website provides a series of links to detailed information about each segment of how to write an academic essay from how to read the assignment to the final edits. Use the links to the right. W.9-10.1a claims/intro/org, W.9-10.2a...
University of Wisconsin
Univ. Of Wisconsin Madison: Writing Center: Thesis and Purpose Statements
Explains the thesis statement and distinguishes it from the purpose statement. Gives an example of a paragraph containing both. Be sure try the link at the bottom of the page, "Developing a Thesis Statement." This page goes into further...
University of Victoria (Canada)
The U Vic Writer's Guide: Writing Essays: The Statement of Your Thesis
Brief explanation of the thesis statement, followed by examples of faulty and improved thesis statements.
W. W. Norton
W.w. Norton & Company: Elements of the Essay: Thesis
An explanation and examples of interpretive claims and evaluative claims in a thesis statement. Click on list on the right for more information about elements of the essay.
Capital Community College Foundation
Guide to Grammar and Writing: The Five Paragraph Essay
Explains what each paragraph of the five-paragraph essay, should do. Then gives a side-by-side analysis of a sample essay, pointing out aspects of the introduction and thesis statement, the paragraph-by-paragraph development, and the...
City University of New York
College of Staten Island Library: How to Write an Essay
Resource defines what an essay is, the parts of an essay and their functions, and also discusses the editing process and how important it is to check a draft for completeness and high quality. Includes a link to an online guide to citing...
Online Writing Lab at Purdue University
Purdue University Owl: Expository Essays
An explanation of an expository essay and its structure: thesis statement, logic transitions, introduction, body, conclusion, support, and creativity.
Other
Livingston: Basic Guide to Essay Writing
This tutorial lists and discusses the steps to writing a good essay and provides a downloadable guide. It also allows you to view a sample essay. W.11-12.2a Intro/Format
W. W. Norton
W. W. Norton: Writing Process: Using Research to Refine and Test a Thesis
Information about using research to refine and test a thesis.
Capital Community College Foundation
Guide to Grammar and Writing: Principles of a Composition
Writing a Paper? Here at the Capital Community College is everything you could ever ask for while preparing your essay. This site includes the writing process, structure, thesis statement, transitions, the computer as a writing...
University of Sydney (Australia)
University of Sydney: Planning the Overall Structure
This resource discusses the steps in planning the structure of a student's argumentative essay. Page 4 of this article focuses on Thesis statement.
San Jose State University
San Jose State: Writing a Winning Statement of Purpose [Pdf]
How do you write a winning statement of purpose? This is a clear and comprehensive explanation of how to approach and write an essay from the San Jose State University. Practice exercises are given at the end.