It was quite the whirlwind summer having a baby in June and working on a multi-month writing project. Getting back into blogging has been a goal for awhile. I am going to start small. Here is an announcement I just wrote for my American Literature online course. I was trying to be funny! :)  Pictures and kindergarten updates coming soon....I hope!

I like to think of writing a paper as a lawyer making a case in court...

Sample Essay Outline

I. Introduction Paragraph
  A. Attention getting statement
  B. 3-5 sentences of relevant background information
  C. THESIS  The point the lawyer is trying to prove, cut down to one clear sentence. If the juror (reader) remembers nothing else, this is it! "My client did not vandalize the school!"

II. Body Paragraph #1
  A. Topic sentence: This should state Reason #1 that the thesis is true. "The first reason my client is innocent is that she was working at the time of the crime."
  B. Example #1 from the text that this topic sentence is true.  Lawyer gives judge a copy of the client's time card from that work day as Evidence A.
  C. Explanation of Example #1 - Why does this prove the point?  Lawyer reminds jury that her time card would not have been initialed by her boss if she hadn't shown up that day. 
  D. Example #2 from the text that this topic sentence is true.  Lawyer calls co-worker to the witness stand who says that client was at work that day. 
  E. Explanation of Example #2 - Why does this prove the point? Lawyer reminds jury that her co-worker would have twice as much work to do if the client had not come to work, so there would be no reason for her to lie.
  F. Clincher sentence restates the idea from the topic sentence. "The time card and the testimony of the co-worker clearly indicate that my client was working and could not have been toilet papering that night."

III. Body Paragraph #2
  A. Transition and Topic sentence: This should state Reason #2 that the thesis is true. "In addition to the fact that she was working, the second reason my client was not toilet papering the school is because she wanted to stay eligible for the basketball team."
  B. Example #1 from the text that this topic sentence is true.  Lawyer gives judge a copy of the school's athletic handbook.
  C. Explanation of Example #1 - Why does this prove the point?  Lawyer explains to the jury that the athletic handbook clearly states that a student-athlete caught toilet papering would be suspended from 3 weeks of practices and games.
  D. Example #2 from the text that this topic sentence is true.  Lawyer calls basketball coach to the witness stand who says that client was the star of the basketball team and a very dedicated player. 
  E. Explanation of Example #2 - Why does this prove the point? Lawyer reminds jury that dedicated athletes have sports as a top priority in their lives.
  F. Clincher sentence restates the idea from the topic sentence. "Fear of being suspended from the basketball team would have prevented my client from toilet papering the school."
IV. Body Paragraph #3
  A. Transition and Topic sentence: This should state Reason #3 that the thesis is true. "If the fact that she was working and the fact that she wanted to stay eligible for the basketball team is not proof enough that my client is innocent, the strongest argument that my client was not toilet papering that night is that she was that she had pulled her hamstring muscle the day before."
  B. Example #1 from the text that this topic sentence is true.  Lawyer gives judge a copy of the sport's trainer's log.
  C. Explanation of Example #1 - Why does this prove the point?  Lawyer explains to jury that she went to see the trainer the day before, complaining of intense pain in her back right thigh, and the trainer diagnosed the problem as a pulled hamstring which requires weeks of rest and ice. 
  D. Example #2 from the text that this topic sentence is true.  Lawyer calls expert sports medicine doctor to the stand who has never met the client before. 
  E. Explanation of Example #2 - Why does this prove the point? Lawyer questions doctor so that he reveals to the jury that no one with a pulled hamstring muscle could possibly run across the school property to evade the cops.
  F. Clincher sentence restates the idea from the topic sentence. "My client's pulled hamstring muscle proves that she was not toilet papering the school that night."
V. Conclusion
  A. Restate your thesis (in different words)  "We know that my client did not toilet paper the school that night because she was working, she wanted to stay eligible for the basketball team, and she had a pulled hamstring that prevented her from running."
  B. Summary of main points One sentence reminder of the importance of each of the three main points. "Her time card and co-worker indicate that she was working that evening. We know that she was extremely dedicated to her basketball team and aware that toilet papering could make her ineligible for three weeks. And we know that she was dealing with a painful muscle injury that would have prevented her from running from the cops."
  C, Closing thought   "While we are wasting our time here with my client, there are students out there who did get away with this egregious crime - go after them!"