ESSAY STRUCTURE TEXT RESPONSE IN ORDER TO WRITE

ESSAY STRUCTURE: TEXT RESPONSE

IN ORDER TO WRITE A TEXT RESPONSE ESSAY, YOU NEED… • • Knowledge of the text’s structure and storyline Knowledge of key events and their signifiance Understanding of characters and their motivations Knowledge of themes (or ‘big ideas’) Ability to recognise and interpret symbols Understanding of how to select and incorporate evidence Awareness of the TEEL structure

The Text Response Essay Intro Body Conclusion

The Text Response Essay Intro Body Conclusion T E E L

The Text Response Essay Intro Body Conclusion T E E L Topic Sentence Elaboration of Argument Evidence Link back to Contention

The Text Response Essay Intro L I E S Body T E E L Topic Sentence Elaboration of Argument Evidence Link back to Contention Conclusion

The Text Response Essay Intro L I E S Link your opening sentences to the topic Indicate the author and title Establish a contention Signal/signpost your arguments Body T E E L Topic Sentence Elaboration of argument Evidence Link back to contention Conclusion

The Text Response Essay Intro L I E S Link your opening sentences to the topic Indicate the author and title Establish a contention Signal/signpost your arguments Body T E E L Topic sentence Elaboration of argument Evidence Link back to contention Conclusion R R R

The Text Response Essay Intro L I E S Link your opening sentences to the topic Indicate the author and title Establish a contention Signal/signpost your arguments Body T E E L Topic Sentence Elaboration of argument Evidence Link back to contention Conclusion R Restate contention Restate arguments Round off essay

BEYOND T. E. E. L. • Each paragraph should be a discussion of ideas, as opposed to a list of examples • You do need a topic sentence, however from there, provided your paragraph contains the elements of TEEL, you have creative freedom • Discuss your ideas, give examples to support your ideas and makes a link back to the overall topic • You need to find your voice

STEP 1: BRAINSTORMING • The best way to start is to brainstorm the topic and ensure you completely understand what it means • Write the topic on an A 3 piece of paper. Underline the key words or phrases in the topic • Off each of these words, draw branches and write any and every idea that comes to mind • These might be definitions, examples from the text, questions, quotes, notes about characters/themes/symbols etc. • Do this for each key word. Be as detailed as possible • Basically, your task is simply to understand the topic, and link it in every way possible to the text

STEP 2: GROUPING IDEAS • Once you have thrown your ideas/examples/questions down on paper, you need to decide what your strongest ideas are, and group them together • Aim for 3 -4 key ideas • These ideas will form your paragraphs • One key idea for each paragraph > topic sentence

EXAMPLE Pino and Teresa Amitrano are more to be pitied than condemned. Do you agree?

PRACTISE ESSAY TOPIC: Michele learns that loyalty and trust are far more valuable than money or objects. Do you agree?