Reading and Annotating

Read the article provided and write detailed annotations on the handout. If you have never done annotations, look at the following example: 

* As you can see, you will want to take notes as you read the

article carefully. Include notes on the following:

- vocabulary

- things that you understand

- things that you need clarification to fully understand

- underline and take notes on sentences that you will

later use as quotes in your 5 paragraph essay

When you are finished, please hand your article to the teacher for approval. Once your warm up has been approved, you

will be given an article and can move on to Part 2.

Essay

Use the step by step guide below to guide you through your essay

Write the proper MLA heading and create a titIe

Introduction paragraph:

1. Grab the attention​ of your audience: Start by asking an interesting question or make a bold statement (1-2 sentences).
2. Give background info​. Fully explain and set the stage for your topic. This could be by defining important words, giving historical context or introducing important facts. (2-3 sentences)
3. Introduce the main points of your essay (ALL in your own words) (2-3 sentences)
4. Write your thesis statement: What are you trying to prove? The thesis statement is your argument​. Underline the complete thesis statement/ sentence.

Body paragraph:

1. Write a topic sentence to introduce what your first paragraph will be proving.
2. In your own words, introduce your first point​/ subtopic (1-2 sentences).
3. Support your first point with evidence: Use a direct quote, evidence, proof, example or data. Must use citation​. Ex: Research proves, “blah blah blah” (Jones 3).
4. In your own words, analyze, explain, evaluate, elaborate or comment​ on the relevance of your evidence from step 3. 
5. Explain why this evidence is meaningful to your thesis (3-5 sentences).
6. Transition​ into your next point. (Ideas: In addition, Likewise, On the other hand, Similarly, In contrast, As a result, etc.) (Only a few words and combines with step #6)
7. In your own words, introduce your second point​/ subtopic (1-2 sentences).
8. Support your second point with evidence: Use a direct quote, evidence, proof, example or data. Must use citation​. Ex: New York Times article, “The Future of the Children” demonstrates that blah blah blah (Garvy 22).
9. In your own words, analyze, explain, evaluate, elaborate or comment​ on the relevance of your evidence from Step 8. Explain why this evidence is meaningful to your thesis (3-5 sentences).
10. Conclusion​: Use a clincher to end the argument in a powerful way.

Conclusion paragraph:

1. Grab the attention​ of your audience: Start by asking an interesting question or make a bold statement which ties back to your overall essay (1-2 sentences).
2. Restate the main points of your essay (ALL in your own words) (5 sentences)
3. Write a clincher​ - This is your final argument! Make it strong (1-2 sentences)

MLA Format Guide

1. Create your own title, centered above essay

2. Indent each paragraph

3. MLA in-text citations =

a. If you have an author, use: Author’s Last Name and pg # (Jorges 3).

b. If you don’t have an author, use: Title of article and pg # (“The Children” 2).

Formal Writing Tips

1. No contractions: (can’t, don’t, won’t, etc.)

2. No first or second person (I, me, my, us, you, we, our, ours, ourselves, yourself, mine, yours)

3. Be respectful: don’t call authors by just first name (use first and last or just last)

4. Keep formality and avoid redundancy. Avoid words like: very, stuff, a lot, thing(s), really, etc.