Crafting Your Response


§ It is important to have (at a minimum) the following structure in your response:
I. Introduction - 1 Paragraph
a. Attention Grabber: Start by stating your opinion on the prompt or a quote that was given to you in the prompt, or by restating a quote you have memorized.

b. Connection to Something you Have Studied (Optional): Next, indicate how the given quote/statement (in prompt) relates to a story/person that you have known. This also serves as the reason why you support your thesis (and you will further elaborate on this topic later).

c. Transition to Thesis (Optional)

d. State Your Thesis

e. State Reasons (Optional only if reasons are stated in part b, above): Finally, explain the reason(s) why you support your thesis (these will be explained in your body paragraphs).
II. Body - 2 to 3 Paragraphs
a. Develop Story

b. Continue Story
III. Conclusion - 1 Paragraph
a. Close Out Story: Sum up your story/examples/studies/readings.

b. Show How Story Supports Thesis: Explicitly demonstrate how reading/studies support your thesis.

c. Paraphrase Thesis: Paraphrase the thesis you stated in your introduction.

d. Closing Sentence: Tidy and sum up your essay-end with something that may leave the reader wanting to read more (perhaps something that relates to your opening story).