After the Working Thesis Statement
Now it is time to brainstorm!
Look for examples that will support your thesis statement.
Specific examples that support your thesis statement add detail, depth, and substance to your essay.
This is the step where the EACH chart is very helpful!
Entertainment
Characters and stories from books and movies; lyrics from songs; virtual situations from video games--all of these, and more, can be inspiration for you. When you need to find specific examples to support your thesis statement, consider the things you know from the wide world of entertainment.
Anecdotes
A personal anecdote, or story, can be useful in expository essays....sometimes. Make sure your anecdote is clearly connected to your thesis statement, and that it is unique and compelling enough to be included in your essay.
Current Events
You can often find current events, news stories, that relate to essay topics. You might read an article in a news magazine for kids; hear a news story on the radio; or, read Tweets on Twitter. You might have a class discussion in advisory or social studies about something that is going on in the world today, whether it is local, national, or international news. Any of these stories might provide you with stories of people going through extraordinary events that might serve as examples to support your thesis statement.
History
Using what you know about people, places, and events from history--Texas, United States, and World History--you can find many examples that will support your thesis statement in an expository essay.
After the brainstorming, take another look at your thesis statement.
Now it is time to make sure you have a clear, controlling idea--a thesis statement--that will be the reader's road map to your essay. During brainstorming, while adding ideas to your EACH chart or gathering ideas you have already put there, you should fine tune and revise your working thesis statement until you get your final one.
Make a commitment to your thesis statement, and then move ahead with developing your essay by selecting detailed examples that will support and prove it in the body paragraphs of your essay.