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Writing ■ Creating the First Draft

Beginning ■ In your first paragraph, capture the reader’s interest and state your thesis. Jamaine introduced his topic with an anecdote. He then wrote his thesis statement following the formula below. The thesis statement gave Jamaine a focus for the remainder of his essay.

Thesis Statement Formula

Middle ■ Select an appropriate pattern of organization for your essay. Then develop the middle part of your essay. Be sure to expand on the key ideas with specific details—facts, definitions, examples, and so on. In his first middle paragraph, Jamaine explained the cause of gravity and spent the other middle paragraphs discussing its effects.

Ending ■ The ending paragraph should tie all the information together and close with a memorable final sentence. Jamaine reviewed all of gravity’s effects, ending with its universal importance.