The Three Constituent Parts of a Successful Essay Outline (AKA: Essays According to Josh) 1) Thesis Statement Formulae An argumentative

thesis statement: [Phenomenon X] is the result of [___a___], [___b___] and [___c___]. An exploratory thesis statement: [Phenomenon X] is has been shaped by many factors, including [___a___], [___b___] and [___c___]. An example from Joshs second year history course: A case study of the [My Lai] massacre demonstrates how [A improper recruit training], [B anti-Asian sentiment], [C Cold War containment policy], and [D the realities of modern warfare] all contributed to [PHENOMENON-X the massacre within the larger and more problematic context of racism as historically integral to the US Military]. 2) Arguments and Themes The second part is the thematic grouping of your supporting arguments (which you uncovered during your rewarding and fruitful research). This is a nice, tidy, organized way to outline your paper for all of your arguments. It can also help you decide which arguments to include, and which to remove. Continuing with Joshs My Lai Massacre example: Theme: [A improper recruit training] Arguments (from research, pointing to your various sources): I. Troops on ground revealed to be unfamiliar Geneva Conventions II. Insufficient training time III. Instructors were diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder IV. Troops taught to regard all orders as law, regardless of consequences 3) P.E.E. on Your Paper: The goal of any successful essay writer is to P.E.E. all over it. The acronym P.E.E. stands for Point, Explain, and Expand. Structure each paragraph with each component and youre on your way to a well-argued and coherent essay. Make one (or more) of these for each of your arguments in each theme and your essay will flow beautifully.

I. The Point component is the topic sentence and outlines what the paragraph will be
about.

II. The Explain component is supplies the actual argument supporting the point (e.g.,
statistical data, research findings of others, etc.) and can be several sentences long.

III. The Expand component comes at the end of your paragraph and may serve two
functions; i) first, to reiterate the significance of your Point and ii) second, to provide a transition point into your next paragraph and argument. The Skeleton of a Well Organized Paper 1) Introduction Broadly outline what were talking about. Set the stage for our topic (i.e., the phenomenon under examination). Thesis Statement: [Phenomenon X] is the result of [___a___], [___b___] and [___c___]. e.g., A case study of the [My Lai] massacre demonstrates how improper recruit training, anti-Asian sentiment, Cold War containment policy, and the realities of modern warfare all contributed to the massacre within the larger and more problematic context of racism as historically integral to the US Military. 2) Body of Essay Theme A: (e.g., improper recruit training) Argument 1: Point: e.g., During the investigations of the Peers Commission, many troops reported being unable to remember being trained in the Geneva conventions of war) Explain: e.g., Instead, troops noted the emphasis during training was placed on learning to regard orders as law, and not to make legal or ethical evaluations. When questioned about whether he was ever instructed to make a determination about the illegality of an order, Calley responded, No, sir, I was never told that I had a choice I was [trained] to carry it out and come back and make my complaint (Foner, 2007, p. 134). Expand: Despite the issuance of wallet-sized cards to soldiers containing the Geneva Conventions and rules for humane handling of enemy combatants (see Anderson, 1979, p. 139), the racist attitudes prevalent throughout the training process caused many troops to discount the importance of the Geneva Conventions. Theme B: Argument 1: Point: Explain: Expand: REPEAT THIS STRUCTURE UNTIL YOUVE ADEQUATELY EXPLICATED YOUR THESIS STATEMENT

3) Conclusion