A persuasive essay is defined by two purposes: to convince the audience to agree with the speaker’s position on a debatable issue and to inspire listeners to take action. In order to succeed, the speaker must forge a relationship with …
Author: Wesley Matlock
Writing an Introduction in Six Steps
What Is an Introduction? As the first paragraph in your essay, a successful introduction grabs the readers’ attention, gives them the background information needed to understand the essay’s topic, and ends with the essay’s thesis statement. Writing a strong introduction …
5 Steps to Writing a Thesis Statement
What is a thesis statement? Simply put, the most important statement in an essay is your thesis. It is often the first and last sentence you work on, tinkering and revising throughout the writing process. It must be specific enough …
6 Writers to Emulate With Your Quarantine Looks
Maybe it’s no longer technically “quarantine” (or maybe it is—who can keep track!) but we’ve certainly been keeping (socially) distant for a while at this point. And while perhaps you’ve maintained your stylish look and mastered cutting your own hair, …
Deep Dive: Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens was a prolific writer who transformed his own life experiences into vibrant, imaginative fiction and became one of the most beloved authors in the Western literary canon. A Few Facts at a Glance Charles Dickens was born in …
Most Popular Questions about the September 11th Terrorist Attacks
Today marks the 19th anniversary of the September 11th (commonly referred to as “9/11”) terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States. Our hearts continue to be with those who sacrificed so much on the day of those …
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Teacher Resources: An Annotation Lesson Plan
An Introductory Lesson to Annotation The first time I heard the word “annotate,” I think I was in college. Back in high school, my teachers just told us to “mark up the text.” It’s funny, because I remember all of …
3 Teaching Mantras for Winter Break
It’s time to plan on how we’re going to come back in January stronger and better prepared than ever!