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Knowing and mastering the five-paragraph essay are different things.  To earn an A on papers in high school (and then in college), you need to know some basic tips for introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions.  Here’s some keys to earning the grade you want:

-        Introduction—There are three parts to any successful introduction:  1) an attention grabber or contextualize statement, 2) the thesis and 3) an outline of your paper.

• An attention grabber is an opening quotation, fact, figure, or controversial statement that will spark the interest of your reader(s).  A contextualized statement, on the other hand, will open your paper with a noncontroversial statement that should be common knowledge to your reader.  Both are good ways to “bring your reader onboard” for the rest of your essay.
• Your thesis is the argument you’ll carry throughout your paper.  A good thesis statement must be clear, direct and arguable.
• An outline of your paper is as simple as listing your supporting evidence to back your thesis.  These examples will be very specific for a standard five-paragraph essay.  Once you move on to longer essay assignments, the outlined topics may become less precise.

-        The Body—Standard five-paragraph essays will have three body paragraphs.  The following are essential for each body paragraph:

• A topic sentence with a clear transition from paragraph-to-paragraph, making sure the idea of one paragraph flow smoothly to the idea of the next.  The first sentence must tell your reader what that paragraph’s about!
• The use of evidence from academic sources (e.g., .edu websites, reputable books, newspapers, magazines, etc).  Keep in mind that very few teachers/professors think Wikipedia is a reputable source!  Direct quotations, with introductions to each quote, are a must, too.
• You must also provide analysis of your evidence.  Make sure you tell your reader how it supports your thesis.  Never assume your reader will just “get” the connection.

-        Conclusion—The most important thing after making a first impression is making a lasting one!  In your conclusion, make sure you reiterate your thesis and the main points of your essay.  Then, end on a provocative note!  Take a chance!  Make your readers think about your essay for a long time to come.

Join a Grockit tutor for one-on-one help with essay writing using note-share technology for more tips on writing and revising essays.