Suggested Outline for Concept Essay
Remember that your essay will be graded using the basic features of a concept essay:
(1) A focused explanation: Do you understand your concept? Have you thought about it thoroughly?
(2) A clear, logical organization: Is your essay organized logically and does each paragraph have one main idea?
(3) Appropriate explanatory strategies: Do you choose appropriate examples from the book to explain your concept? Do you clearly and thoroughly explain how your examples work to illustrate the concept?
(4) Smooth integration of sources: Do you use quotation sparingly and paraphrase when necessary? Do you use in-text citation properly? Do you establish the credibility of your sources?
*As always, grammar and mechanics will be part of your grade, as will the entire contents of your folder.
1st Paragraph
One way to begin your essay is to write your own definition of the concept you are analyzing. Perhaps you could do this with a short anecdote from your own personal life that illustrates the concept.
Anecdote:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
My own definition of the concept:
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2nd Paragraph
Next, you can look online for another definition of the concept. It is important that you paraphrase (summarize in your own words) for this part of your essay. It is also important that you establish the credibility of your source: in other words, explain that this definition of the concept came from a respectable scholar, dictionary, or organization.
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Body Paragraphs (You will probably need four or five lengthy body paragraphs).
Topic Sentence: Bradbury illustrates ___________________(concept) when…______________________________________________________________________________________
Explanation and reasoning: how does the character, action, scene, or language illustrate the concept?
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Topic Sentence: Bradbury illustrates ___________________(concept) when…______________________________________________________________________________________
Explanation and reasoning: how does the character, action, scene, or language illustrate the concept?
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Topic Sentence: Bradbury illustrates ___________________(concept) when…______________________________________________________________________________________
Explanation and reasoning: how does the character, action, scene, or language illustrate the concept?
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Topic Sentence: Bradbury illustrates ___________________(concept) when…______________________________________________________________________________________
Explanation and reasoning: how does the character, action, scene, or language illustrate the concept?
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Conclusion:
In your conclusion, you may explain how you have seen this concept illustrated in real life or in popular television and/or films.
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