4. Calendar
Thursday, March 19th
Get back reflective
essay with comments.
In-class writing: both
reflective essay and
combined essay
Week 12: Tuesday,
March 24th 4:00-5:00 pm
My office: F1-11
Turn in Portfolio essays
6. Get out Essay #4
You should have one clean copy with you today
7. What the committee looks for:
Clear organization
Well-developed, focused
paragraphs
Specific examples, details
Well-constructed sentences
Correct grammar and punctuation
8. Introduction Paragraph
Open with a Hook that grabs the attention of
the audience in the opening line.
approaches to consider: provocative statement,
short sentence, question, dialogue, description,
ironic opposite of thesis.
Connect the Hook to a brief summary of the
novel in a fluid way.
Introduce the title and author; add a short (one -
three sentences) summary of the novel, leading
to the thesis.
9. Thesis
A 1-3 sentence specific argument about the
novel that is the controlling focus of the entire
essay.
The Thesis should make an analytical and developed
connection between the character(s) analyzed in Paper
#2 and the literary or critical term discussed in Paper
#3. The Thesis is at the end of the Introduction
paragraph.
10. First Body Paragraph
PIE Paragraph: choose ONE of the literary terms
(metaphor, theme, conflict, setting, novel
structure/style) OR ONE critical term (systemic
oppression, internalized oppression, double-
consciousness) and turn it into a Point that connects to
your Thesis.
Find a Quote from the text as your Information.
Develop your E with critical thinking. At least 5
sentences of E are required.
11. Second and Third PIE Paragraphs
These two paragraphs should focus on an analysis of the
characters.
You can write the PIE paragraphs about different
characters or different ideas concerning the same
character; however, you must include a brief introduction
OR conclusion paragraph that makes an analytical
connection between your two PIE paragraphs.
12. Do you have the following in each
of your three PIE paragraphs?
A topic sentence that makes a point?
At least one quotation?
At least five sentences of explanation?
A connection between your point,
quotation, and explanation?
13. Check your Essay Cohesiveness
Does each paragraph Point
connect to the Thesis directly?
Is your paper in MLA format,
including in-text citing?
Do you have an engaging title?
14. MLA FormattingHeader:
½ inch from
the top
1” margins top
and bottom too!
Title Centered
No bold or italics
Indent
½ inch
Heading
Right
Margin
1”
Left
margin
1”
15. Find the four sentence types in
your paragraph!
Simple
Compound
Complex
Compound/Co
mplex
16. Simple
1. The Book of Unknown Americans
tells the story of the love between
a Panamanian boy and a
Mexican girl
17. Compound
1. Their daughter Maribel suffers a near-fatal
accident, so the Riveras leave México and
come to America.
2. Mayor Toro also lives in the Redwood
Apartments; he is a high school sophomore
whose family arrived from Panamá fifteen years
ago.
3. Mayor and Maribel grow closer; however,
violence casts a shadow over their futures in
America.
18. After settling at the Redwood Apartments,
they discover that Maribel's recovery will
not be easy.
Even though they try to fit in, every task
seems to confront them with language,
racial, and cultural obstacles.
Complex Sentences
19. Although Arturo and Alma keep a close
eye on Maribel, her budding romance
with Mayor grows, and their love gives
them both a new strength.
Compound Complex
Sentences
20. Homework
Revise Essay #4
Bring: one
clean copy of
your combined
essay to class.
Buy a folder to
use for your
portfolio
submission.
Bring it to class
