M. Hoddinott Course Info - Home



Essay Review

| | |

|Types of Essays (know elements) |Styles of Writing (know elements) |

|Narrative |Argumentative – based on fact and statistics |

|Descriptive |Persuasive |

|Expository | |

| |Typical Question: Identify the style of the essay using at least two |

|Typical Question: Identify the type of essay using at least two |elements. Provide two specific references to the essay to prove this.|

|elements. Provide two specific references to the essay to prove this.| |

| | |

|Methods of Development |Emphatic Devices |

|Narrative Classification/Division |Includes: |

|Descriptive Process Analysis |Sentence length (ie. brevity, fragments) |

|Example/Illlustration Comparison/Contrast |Unusual punctuation (- ! ... “ ” : [ ] ) |

|Cause and Effect |Unusual font ( italics, bold, underline, color, size) |

| |Repetition of words or phrases |

|Typical Question: Choose two methods of development that are used in |Parallel structure ( lists of three) |

|this essay and show how they are used effectively. |Listing (numerical order, bullets, sequencing) |

| | |

| |Typical Question: Identify two types of emphatic devices used in this|

| |essay. For each, identify an example from the essay and say why it is|

| |effective (ie. what is it trying to emphasize and why?). |

| | |

|Coherence |Unity |

|Created through: |Created through: |

|Transitional words or phrases (logical, oppositional, chronological) |Repetition of key ideas (references from beginning, middle, end) |

|Repetition of key word or phrase from one sentence to next or between |Thesis statement and support by topic sentences in body paragraphs |

|paragraphs |Closure by return: reviewing main appoint and supporting arguments |

|Pronoun/antecedent reference | |

|Parallel structure |Typical Question: Using two of the elements of unity, show that this |

| |essay is unified. Use a specific example for each element discussed. |

|Typical Question: Using two elements of coherence, show how this | |

|essay is coherent. Use a specific reference for each element | |

|discussed. | |

| | |

|Effective Introduction and Conclusion |Effectiveness |

|A question may ask why or how introduction or conclusion is effective.|Know how to discuss why a word, phrase or sentence is effective. |

| |Usually that means it contains some literary element; know how it |

|Effective Introduction has: |develops that element. |

|Clear thesis statement | |

|Introduction of key points to be discussed |Effectiveness simply means what this adds to the essay – why its use |

|Begin with catchy anecdote, statistics, or fact |helps develop the author’s message. |

| | |

|Effective conclusion has: |Be able to identify and explain effectiveness of any literary device |

|Recap of thesis statement |studied, such as: |

|Review of main supporting points |Message Tone Allusion |

|Closure by return |Tone Hyperbole Any figurative language |

|Persuasive essay has a call to action | |

| | |

|Tone |Diction |

|The tone of an essay is the author’s attitude toward his/her subject. |Word choice – used purposely. |

|Specific options provided on handout. | |

| |Consider choice of: |

| |Hold vs. Caress |

| |Follow vs. Haunt |

| |Tease vs. Humiliate |

| | |

| |Typical Question: Identify and example of effective diction and show |

| |why it is effective. |

| | |

|Inference | |

|Ability to understand meaning of words that may be unfamiliar by | |

|considering how it is used in context. | |

| | |

|Denotation vs. Connotation |Thesis |

|Denotation: dictionary or literal meaning of word; |A sentence that states the main point of the essay. It is similar to |

|For example: teenager – person between 13 and 19 years of age. |the word “theme” of fictional writing. |

| | |

|Connotation: all other meaning that can be associated with the word; |Found in introduction of essay, usually in first or second sentence. |

|figurative meaning. | |

|For example: teenager – future, potential, hope, impressionable, ect.|Typical Question: Identify the thesis statement in this essay. Show |

| |how it has been developed throughout the essay. |

| | |

|Audience |Purpose |

|Who is the essay written for? |What is the essay meant to do? |

| | |

|Be specific when stating audience: |Must be specific; to inform is too general: |

|It is never the general public, too vague |To persuade |

|Returning soldiers from Afghanistan |To convince |

|Parents of children killed by drunk drivers |To criticise |

|Teens pressured into exploring drugs |To evaluate |

| | |

|Typical Question: Suggest who the audience is for this essay and |Typical Question: What is the purpose of this essay? Support using |

|support by making two references to the text. |two references from the essay. |

| | |

|Types of evidence |Dominant Impression |

|Authority figures | |

|Specific details |A feature of descriptive essays, but also of descriptive paragraphs. |

|Clear definitions | |

|Facts and statistics |Refers to a feeling created about the subject, similar to atmosphere |

|Anecdotes |in fiction. But the emphasis is not on the feeling created, as much |

|Personal observation |as how the object being described is interpreted. |

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download