Curated OER
Five Paragraph Essay
The components of a five-paragraph essay are outlined on these slides. Not much explanation is given, but you can use this as you lecture and help your learners write. Follow the outline for what each paragraph should contain, and...
Curated OER
Writing: Laying and Covering the Foundation
Your middle schoolers can become stronger writers with a lesson covering the basics. They compose effective thesis statements and introductions, discuss different ways to capture a reader's attention, and compare a poorly written...
Curated OER
Writing Persuasion Papers: Thesis Statement
Using a "Hamburger" essay outline and actual hamburger buns, you will demonstrate the role a thesis plays in a persuasive essay. This is a simplistic visual representation of how an argumentative paper should be composed and not an...
Curated OER
Structure and Support
Eighth graders read copies of The Declaration of Independence, United States constitution, and the Bill of Rights. They write an opinion about the document they feel is most important in the history of the united states. This is their...
Curated OER
Language Arts: Who Am I?
Twelfth graders write self-identity essays of three to five paragraphs in length. They include topic sentences, transition words, and concluding paragraphs in their essays, They read their essays to classmates.
Curated OER
Thesis Statement Exercises
In this writing worksheet, students identify what a thesis statement is and how to write one from three different essay questions. They identify the three main points for each questions and then, give it a title.
University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina: Writing Transitions
This University of North Carolina writing tutorial gives examples and how to use transitions and stresses the importance of organization. W.9-10.1c cohesion/clarity/reason, W.9-10.2c cohesion/clarity/trans, W.11-12.1c...
Boise State University
Paradigm Online Writing Assistant
This online writing assistance offers help in the writing process, grammar and mechanics, usage, and four different types of essays, as well as help on deciding what and how to document.
Other
Research Assistant: For Students: Purpose Statement
This site gives advice on how to write an effective purpose (thesis) statement. The summary is given as answers to four questions: what? why? when? how?.
Other
Indiana University of Pennsylvania: Writing Center: Determining a Thesis
The Indiana University of Pennsylvania Writing Center article provides information about the "thesis" of a paper. Examples of clear thesis statements are also provided.
SUNY Empire State College
Empire State College: Thesis and Shaping Information
This tutorial on writing essays contains several sections pertaining to the thesis. These include thesis definition, characteristics, analysis of thesis to gather and shape information, and topic sentences. Many examples given. W.9-10.2...
University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina: Constructing Thesis Statements
Readable, but thorough handout on the thesis statement. Covers what it is, why it's important, how to come up with one, examples, and how to evaluate. Bibliography included. W.9-10.2a Intro/org/graphics
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.
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Cause and Effect Papers: Thesis
This slideshow lesson focuses on how to write an effective cause and effect thesis; it reviews cause and effect writing, lists signal words for cause and effect papers, explains what is required in the thesis, and provides three examples...
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Revising Thesis and Topic Sentences
This tutorial focuses on revising the thesis and topic sentences using two videos and two slideshows. The first video discusses a 3-step revising process for making sure the thesis fits the paper; the second video focuses on what...
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Revising Thesis and Topic Sentences
A series of notes and lessons focused on writing thesis statements and topic sentences. The lesson begins with a four-page downloadable PDF containing information about the function and form of a thesis statement as well as how to...
Other
Umuc: Secrets of My Research Success
This 35-minute interactive tutorial models the research process via the story of Quentin, a UMUC student. It takes him through the various research process steps: understand how to locate background information on his topic by showing...
Other
Indiana University of Pennsylvania: Writing Center: Writing Strong Introductions
This Indiana University of Pennsylvania Writing Center article provides tips for writing a strong introduction for an essay. Using the following are discussed in these tips: anecdote, startling statement, famous ideas, question(s), first...
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: "How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay" [Pdf]
This is a nine-page PDF entitled "How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay" which explains in detail the parts of a literary analysis and how to write them.
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Choosing and Narrowing a Topic to Write About (For Research Papers)
This tutorial focuses on choosing a topic for research and then narrowing it down to a workable thesis statement. It starts with information about choosing a topic and the 3 steps involved and then provides 3 steps to narrowing the...
Sophia Learning
Sophia: I Just Got Assigned a Paper, Now What?
This lesson focuses on what to do after being assigned a paper; it provides the basic steps to writing a paper: brainstorm topics, organize your thoughts (Venn diagrams, tree diagram examples), conduct preliminary research, create a...
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...
Online Writing Lab at Purdue University
Purdue University Owl: Online Writing Lab
A great resource for middle-school, high-school, and college writers, with worksheets, articles, model papers, and presentations that will help you with research, grammar, style, job-search and professional writing, and more. Includes...
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway: Developing a Thesis and Introduction (English Iii Writing)
In this lesson, students will learn how to develop a thesis and an introduction for a research project. W.11-12.2a Intro/Format