E. Napp Date: a thought before writing
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| Essay Writing 911: Emergency Help for the Pen Shy
Global History and Geography I Name: _______________________ E. Napp Date: _______________________ A thought before writing: Imagine for a moment that there is a waitress in a restaurant. She approaches a customer and takes his order. The customer asks for a hamburger. After a few minutes, the waitress returns to the customer and hands him a slice of pizza. The customer is furious. “I asked for a hamburger and you brought me pizza.” The waitress smiles, “I don’t like hamburgers.” Now, obviously, the story is ridiculous. No waitress in the history of the world would act like this. Yet in essay writing, this happens quite a bit. The essay writer writes but does not answer the question. So, in order to avoid an embarrassing situation, let’s learn how to write the essay we are asked to write.  A Lesson from the World History waitress, “Write the essay that you are asked to write.”
So, let’s give it a try! Here is a Thematic Essay Question: Theme: Geography Geographic factors have affected the development of nations and regions. These factors have also promoted or hindered cultural diffusion.
Read the theme carefully. What is this essay about? Restate the theme in your own words: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Task: Select two different geographic factors and for each: Explain how the geographic factor affected the development of a specific nation/region. Discuss how that geographic factor promoted or hindered cultural diffusion.  Don’t forget: This is the hamburger you were asked to serve!
Relax. Don’t panic. Don’t even think about the answer. Just make sure you know what you are being asked to write about. How many factors does the customer want? What do you have to write about for each factor? How many geographic factors do you have to write about? _____________________________________________________________________ What do you have to do for each factor: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Now, look at the suggestions or think of examples of geographic factors: Deserts Rivers Mountains Plains Islands Irregular Coastlines Straits Climate Location Write a quick list of what you know about at least two of these factors: Deserts: __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ Rivers: __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ Mountains: __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ See. You do know something about the theme and the task. You’re going to be just fine. So, now, let’s organize our ideas to help us write this essay. Let’s give the customer what he ordered.
Now, the key to giving the customer what he ordered is to get organized. So, since you don’t have a cute little order book, you’ll have to make the box, the get organized box, or the outline. I’ll show you what I mean: First, make a big box. I’ll make a smaller sample. Divide the box. For this essay, the box will be divided into two parts because you must select two different geographic factors.
Don’t forget: This is the hamburger you were asked to serve!
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