This week, you will begin writing your first of four essays of the semester. This essay will be worth 100 points.  When you submit it, you will get a grade with feedback. Always be sure to click on "feedback" when essay is returned.

Before you start writing, you should remember how to write the essay from what was practiced in Module Two, Week Two (Cell Phone essay).

Feel free to review those pages for a few minutes before moving on.

Your topic will be described in detail on the next page. The topic will have something to do with adversity in your own life around making a big change in your life (like Dorothy did in Hidden Figures). You'll be writing about the Causes OR Effects of making that change. More later.

The process: Once you get the topic, here are the steps:

1. Brainstorm for ideas by writing down short phrases or words on your topic. You can write them down in a list, or use a visual map with bubbles and connecting lines;

2. Create a Draft Outline of Major Points with short phrases describing supporting details;

3. Use the Outline to write your Paper which will contain the following:

•  Clear Introduction with Thesis Statement at end
•   Three Body Paragraphs of Major Points, starting with Topic Sentence
•   At least three (4-5) details supporting each point
•  Clear Concluding paragraph that ties into Thesis

REMINDER: During the first draft stage, you can always go back and change, add, or delete items in Outline - or rearrange order of details - to match your essay. Once all major points and details are in proper order, you should proofread both outline and essay for errors. Then when ready, submit outline and essay.

Watch Professor Ray's video below discussing How to Start Getting your ideas down. Remember too what you did for your first Low-stakes writing on the Cell Phone: brainstorm for ideas, write an Outline, write an essay.  (See Module Two.)

Make notes listening to her video. Watch it more than once if necessary.

In the next pages, we will be examining Cause and Effect essays in our textbook Great Writing 5. You will be reminded about how to write a good Introduction with a "hook" and how to write a clear Thesis. After Professor Ray's video, we'll look at some of those in our textbook. Good luck.