Instruction
.MLA HEADINGYour NameProfessor’s NameCourseDate of SubmissionTentative TitleTHESIS: Full sentence that will appear at the end of the Introduction of the essay with clear stand and key points to develop in the essay; the thesis can change and strengthen as you write the paper. It is not a quotation or question, but your position statement. You may not know your introduction just yet, but you need a thesis in prewriting to direct your thinking. BRAINSTORMING LIST(not a formal outline or paragraphing) OF MAJOR POINTS ORGANIZED EMPHATICALLY: Opposition(you can mention the opposition in the Introduction or the first body paragraph), then least to most important points that counter to develop three body paragraphs. The points can change and re-organize as you write the paper.CLOSURE/CLINCHER POINT: You may not know your conclusion yet, but in the final draft it is the most important part of the essay after the thesis and clarifies the major points, leaving the reader agreeing or at least thinking about your position.>>NOTE: As you write the paper, try developing the body first; then go back and write the introduction and conclusion. Often, we don’t know exactly how to open and close an essay until we have written the body. Do not worry about editing while you are writing the first draft; keep writing, then edit and revise, reading your paper out loud and consulting my grammar tips/the Seagull handbook; also take your paper to the writing lab upstairs. They will assist with grammar; we have already gone over the thesis, logic, and organization. Remember: if you use any sources for quotations or paraphrased background, you must provide works cited page and cite the sources in the paper.
EXAMPLE: Student’s NameProf. SamuelsonEnglish 130215 February 2018Saving the World’s Endangered SpeciesThesis: If we don’t save elephants, big cats, and other species on threatened or endangered lists, it is possible future generations may never see these animals; more importantly, the loss of these animals would endanger the delicate balance of nature and the environment.Opposition: Many people and groups think there is no issue; that this is just alarmist talk, and that animals need to be culled for their own good and to feed humansBeginning Argumentsfor three body paragraphs[continue brainstorming]People who think there is no problem are not paying attention to the declining populations of these animals people who consider this an alarmist position may be in the business of hunting these animals for trophiesand not feeding populations of humansThough there may be some argument for culling(example maybe deer), that is not true for endangered animals these animals have a right to live on the planet; humans do not own the planetThey provide beauty and delight for humansThey teach us lessons about courageand survivalIf these animals become extinct, that upsets the chain of being/balance of nature throughout the planet(maybe include the butterfly effect)Future generations have a right to enjoy these animals, and we don’t have the right to deny them thatIf we do not protect animals and the rest of the environment, we will lose the charm and beauty of the planet. If we don’t protect, we endanger the planet’s survival. The clincher: Humans should be guardians of the planet, wildlife, and domestic animals, and the environment, or we endanger ourselves and our own future. MLA format