H - Hook: (quote, strong statement, question, witty anecdote)

O - Offer a Background/bridge: (make a connection from the Hook to the Thesis giving pertinent information necessary for context and general comprehension of your essay)

T - Thesis statement including three points (what you are arguing, and three ways you are going to prove it)

Body Paragraphs

M - Main Idea – (Topic sentence: introduce first of three points and support thesis)

E - Evidence (cite a specific incident that supports your main idea)

A - Analyze the evidence (explain how the evidence supports the thesis and Main Idea)

L- Link (concluding sentence to re-emphasize the Main Idea)

* In order to make a short paper into a long paper, you either add more "EA"s, or you add more body paragraphs. It's that simple!