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PLANNING YOUR ESSAY
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SECTION
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Brainstorming
Brainstorming is the technique we use. The aim is to produce as many ideas as possible on your topic, so that when you come to plan your essay properly, you have emptied your head of all the possibilities.
^ The first step in preparing to write is to come up with ideas on your topic.
Brainstorming: the rules:
n Write down all your ideas o Don’t scrub anything off p Even whacky ideas matter q Capture ALL your ideas – so if one thing you write makes you think of something else, WRITE that down too. Here’s an example of a brainstorming mind map for a question on Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. The question was: Choose a major character from a play you have studied, explain what type of person he or she was, and show how the writer has shown development or change in the character. Juliet is Capulet’s Life of exile in
daughter
Mantua Remains faithful
Falls for Juliet
From gloomy to mature
Provoked by
Romeo
Tybalt
He is generous The Capulet’s Ball
In love with
Meets Juliet
Rosaline Rosaline does not respond 24
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Romeo changes
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Brainstorming Mind Map
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For reading Pages 30 Write That Essay: High School Edition
My Question:
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Pick your three best ideas, and list them here:
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Collecting Evidence
Activity
Having a sheet of paper that lists some good evidence about your text can really help your writing. You will have clear, accurate things to say, and won’t fall into the trap of writing lots of general stuff, that doesn’t get you good grades. Using the text you are studying, see how many of the following you can compile as you gather your evidence. Remember, be specific and detailed:
n Name three things unique to the setting of the text. o Name two main characters in the text and describe each of them. p Write a short quote from each character that illustrates who they are as characters or something important to them.
q What do you admire the most about the leading character? Why? r What is the message of the text? s Jot down two scenes
in the text that powerfully reveal the message. How do they show it?
t Name three language
features that the writer uses to reinforce his/her message.
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Be brief but make some notes to help you remember
Each box represents on paragraph
Your Essay Box Plan
My Question is:
Introduction:
Paragraph 1:
Paragraph 2:
Paragraph 3:
Make a strong statement in your conclusion
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Conclusion: