History students:

I'm reading your Plato essays and decided to take a break to remind you about some points in essay writing. If you are a younger student or someone new to me this year, let me encourage you to write an outline before you begin your essay. Many of the essays I've examined so far followed the multiple questions asked in the book rather than an essay format. Remember that when you write an essay you will do best if:
1. You write an outline;
2. You make strong topic sentences. You make these sentences strong by writing what you intend to discuss in that paragraph. Make your verbs and nouns do the work.
3. Use specific evidence to back your arguments. In this case, you would draw the evidence from Plato or from your experience, depending on which question you answered. But it must be evidence supporting your argument, not loose opinions.
4. Focus on making a conclusion that 1)briefly summarizes your arguments and 2)gives the reader some point to ponder, however minor.