Model Essay Outline

Information

• You need to convince the reader to read on.

Hook

• catchy, interesting beginning
• could be a surprising fact, example, question, quotation.

Topic

• description of subject
• sets the scene, provides background
• defines the scope of the problem

Thesis

• must be arguable, provable and worth providing

Body

• each paragraph must have a topic sentence
• organize paragraphs logically to develop the thesis
• begin and end with strong arguments, saving the best for last
• use transition signals to introduce each sub-topic
• integrate details, facts, figures, quotations and statistics as proof

Conclusion

• your final thoughts on the topic
• recall key ideas for the reader
• should not add new information
• offer a solution
• should not restate your thesis verbatim
• your final sentence should end with a bang.