Essay Writing Worksheet DECIDE ON YOUR TOPIC

1. Essay Writing Worksheet • DECIDE ON YOUR TOPIC • There are basically two types of application essays. One is the open-ended that allows you to write creatively. The other type asks you to describe yourself and your reasons for wanting to attend college or receive their scholarship. What is your topic – write it on the line below. Cats are good house hold pets __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. PREPARE AN OUTLINE OR DIAGRAM OF YOUR IDEAS: • Using the following diagram: • In the top box write your main topic • In the three boxes below the main topic write the main ideas that support your topic or the three main points you want to make. You may have more than three main ideas – just draw in more boxes. • If you are persuading someone write your best argument ideas • If you are explaining a process write the steps you would want to follow • If you are trying to inform, write the major categories your information could be divided into. • If you are having trouble with this step look at your main topic and add the word ‘because’ at the end – for example, if your main topic is ‘I would like to be a nurse’ add the word because at the end ‘I would like to be a nurse because…’ now write the three reasons you would like to be a nurse in the main idea boxes. • In the boxes titled supporting information write the facts of information that support the main idea. You may have more than three supporting pieces of information for each main idea – just draw in more boxes. • If you are having trouble with this step look at your main idea box and add the word ‘because’ at the end – for example, if one main idea is that you are good with sick people then say to yourself - ‘I would like to be a nurse because I am good with sick people because….’ now write the three reasons you are good with sick people in the supporting information boxes. • Use examples if at times if possible

3. Main Topic Cats are good house pets Main Ideas Main Ideas Main Ideas Cats can be good companions Cats can be civilized in a house Cats are easy to take care of in a house Supporting Information Supporting Information Supporting Information Cats are affectionate Cats do not bark Cats do not have to be walked Cats are playful Cat’s do not have accidents Cats take care of their own grooming Cats do have claws so have to watch for them Cats can be trained Cats can be left for hours without worrying about them.

4. WRITE YOUR THESIS STATEMENT: • Your thesis statement has two parts; first what will the essay be about, and second what your points will be. Your topic is what the essay is about. Look at your diagram and that will tell you what points you will be making. What do the main ideas and supporting ideas say about your topic? • First part of your thesis statement tells your topic (what’s your topic – review your diagram): • _________________________________________________________________________ • _________________________________________________________________________ • _________________________________________________________________________ • Second part of your thesis statement tells the point of the essay (review your diagram of main ideas and supporting ideas) – if all else fails this could be a list of the three main ideas you will discuss: • ____________________________________________________________________________ • ____________________________________________________________________________ • ____________________________________________________________________________ Cats make good house pets. One people enjoy the companionship of cats. Two cats are civilized members of the household. Three one of the best features of cats as house pets is their ease of care.

5. WRITE THE BODY OF YOUR ESSAY: • This is where all your previous work will come together. You will now discuss, explain, argue your chosen topic. Each of the main ideas you wrote on your diagram will be one of the body paragraphs and the supporting ideas will be the body of the paragraphs. If you have three main ideas you will have three body paragraphs. • First write down one of the main ideas, in a sentence form. • Second write down each of the supporting ideas for that main idea but leave several lines between each supporting idea. • Third in the space between the supporting ideas you will describe, explain or discuss that idea. • Main Idea in a sentence form: • _________________________________________________________________________________ In the first place, people enjoy the companionship of cats. Supporting idea 1 in a sentence form ______________________________________________________________________ May cats are affectionate. Explain, discuss or describe idea 1 ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ They will snuggle up and ask to be petted, or scratched under the chin. Who can resist a purring cat?

6. Supporting idea number 2 in a sentence form _____________________________________________________________ If they are not feeling affectionate, cats are generally quite playful. Explain, discuss or describe idea 2 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ They love to chase balls and feathers, or just about anything dangling from a string. They especially enjoy playing when their owners are participating in the game. Supporting idea number 3 in a sentence form ____________________________________________________________ Contrary to popular opinion, cats can be trained. Explain, discuss or describe idea 3 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ Using rewards and punishments, just like a dog, a cat can be trained to avoid unwanted behavior or perform tricks. Cats will even fetch!

7. Continue the same process for paragraph two and three.

8. WRITE THE INTRODUCTION: • The introduction should ‘grab’ the reader’s attention and he/she an idea of the essay’s message. An attention grabber could be: • A startling fact – information needs to be true and verifiable but does not have to be new to the reader. It could be a fact that describes the point you will make. Make sure you explain your starting fact in a couple sentences. • Anecdote – this would be a story that illustrates your point. Keep your story short, to the point and relevant about your topic. • Dialogue – be careful using dialogue. Your reader needs to understand this is an exchange between two people and only use a few exchanges. Make sure you explain your dialogue in a couple sentences • Summary Information – this could be a few sentences explaining your topic and each sentence should be a little more specific in content, until you reach your thesis sentence at the end of the paragraph. • If your attention grabber is only a couple of sentences you need to add a couple more sentence to direct the reader from the grabber to the thesis statement. • Your thesis statement is your last sentence in the introductory paragraph.

9. Introduction ___________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ “A dog is man’s best friend”. That common saying may contain some truth, but dogs are not the only animal friend whose companionship people enjoy. For many people, a cat is their best friend. Despite what dog lovers may believe, cats make excellent house pets as they are good companions, they are civilized members of the household, and they are easy to care for.

10. WRITE THE CONCLUSION • This is the big ending of your essay. This is the paragraph where you will sum up your points or provide your final thoughts and ideas about your topic. • The conclusion needs about three to five strong sentences. Review your main points but do not restate them the same as you wrote them. You could describe your feelings about the topic or even end with an anecdote. Cats are low maintenance, civilized companions, people who have small living quarters or less time for pet care should appreciate these characteristics of cats. However, many people who have plenty of space and time opt to have a cat because they love the cat personality. In many ways, cats are the ideal house pets. _______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________