We have changed our privacy policy. In addition, we use cookies on our website for various purposes. By continuing on our website, you consent to our use of cookies. You can learn about our practices by reading our privacy policy.

ShmoopTube

Where Monty Python meets your 10th grade teacher.

Search Thousands of Shmoop Videos

Writing Elements and Process Videos


Play All
Choosing a Topic
1733 Views

Choosing a topic can be extremely difficult—even more difficult than deciding which Ben & Jerry's flavor to try next. No, scratch that. Nothing w...

Escritura no Fácil
246 Views

No busque una palabra negativa. Sino una palabra que pueda ser positiva. Tales son "no se caiga", " no molestes a tus maestros" "no se coma toda...

How to Avoid Repetition in an Essay
940 Views

Reading repetitive essays can bore teachers to death because the essays repeat the same ideas repetitively. You don’t want your teacher to get bo...

How to Write A Killer Thesis Statement
62235 Views

Without a thesis statement, you don't have a paper. Watch this video, and get the inside scoop on how to write a killer thesis statement.

Outlining
7820 Views

We recommend carrying a copy of your outline with you wherever you go. You never know when someone will ask you to organize your thoughts.

Plagiarism
11896 Views

If you copy this video description in its entirety and paste it somewhere else on the Internet, we will be none too pleased. And trust us—we will...

Transitions
5835 Views

This video talks about transitions—why are they important for your essay? What do they do? What are the two major types of transition?

What Voice Should I Use in My College Application Essay?
559 Views

As much as everyone compliments you on your dead-on Al Pacino impression, your college application is neither the time nor the place to let it out....

Writing a Killer Conclusion
13295 Views

Conclusions are key. Without them, we feel incomplete, unfinished, and lonely. Okay, that might be a little dramatic, but you get the idea: everyth...

Top 10 Essay Writing Don'ts
4156 Views

This video covers the top ten things to definitely not do in an essay and provides some tips for how to avoid them. Plagiarism and disorganization...

Citation Methods
1951 Views

Because the world is working hard to make sure that your brain hurts, there is more than one way to cite an outside source within an essay. You can...

Compare and Contrast
8642 Views

To find similarities and differences between two topics, just compare and contrast. This video explains the difference between comparing and contra...

Cause and Effect
4625 Views

Cause: You watch this video. Effect: You’ll be our best friend 4EVA. (We promise we don’t say that to everybody.)

Inductive vs. Deductive Reasoning
3136 Views

Deductive reasoning? Brilliant, Watson.

Ethos, Pathos, Logos
25286 Views

There are some tricks of the trade you can use when trying to bring readers around to your point of view. And none of them involve dangling a watch...

Both Sides of the Story
1807 Views

When presenting an argument in an essay, you may want to play devil’s advocate. Don’t play it with the devil himself, though. That guy always w...

Writing a Good Transition Sentence
5395 Views

Transitioning smoothly from one sentence to the next can be tough. With a little bit of our help, your teacher will be calling you Mr. or Ms. Suave...

Writing Grabby Intro Sentences
3130 Views

We'll teach you how to create a touchy-feely first sentences that'll capture your reader from the get-go, but don't get too carried away. You don...

What Not to do in an Introduction
32971 Views

This video offers some rules of thumb for writing a good introduction. It covers everything from tone (confidence is key!) to phrases and clichés...

What Not to do in a Conclusion
7001 Views

Even the best essays can go wrong in the conclusion—this video covers what not to do in a conclusion to help avoid any essay-ending problems. The...

Using Citations Effectively
3763 Views

You want to be as picky with your citations as Goldilocks was with her porridge—not too many, not too few... juuust right. You want to prove that you did your homework but that you're also capable of forming original thoughts.

Wordiness
15168 Views

Want even more deets on wordiness? Click here to review. Or take a look at our entire grammar section for all the goods.

Tenses
4986 Views

Want even more deets on tenses? Click here to review. Or take a look at our entire grammar section for all the goods.

Run-on Sentences
6519 Views

Want even more deets on Run-on Sentences? Click here to review. Or take a look at our entire grammar section for all the goods.

Sentence Fragments
5941 Views

Want even more deets on Sentence Fragments? Click here to review. Or take a look at our entire grammar section for all the goods.

Sentence Types
10667 Views

Want even more deets on Sentence Types? Click here to review. Or take a look at our entire grammar section for all the goods.

Parallel Structure
16054 Views

This video defines parallel structure and analyzes what makes it powerful (spoiler alert: sticking to a consistent part of speech, like infinitives, gerunds, or adverbs). How do you spot parallel structure and how do you fix it if something’s not quite right?

How to Know If Your Thesis Sentence Is Actually a Thesis Sentence
2355 Views

We'll teach you how to get your thesis statement to stand on its own two feet instead of wobbling around like a newborn Rudolph. No stumbles allowed, but glowing noses are certainly encouraged.

How to Know What Kind of Essay You're Writing
1033 Views

You should probably know what kind of essay you're writing before you actually start writing it. Just like you should probably know where you're going before you start driving. But shhh…don't tell Dad.

How to Make Anything Sound Narrative
4141 Views

How do you make an essay sound narrative? Check out this video for some helpful advice on everything from point of view to tone to conflict. With these tips, anything can sound exciting and engaging.

How to Write a Concluding Sentence With a Punch
1693 Views

This video gives key tips for writing punchy concluding sentences, plus advice on when to use them. Making a joke, taking a step back, and bringing your argument full circle can all be great ways to conclude a paragraph—and they’re all discussed in this video.

Long vs. Short Sentences
2896 Views

Want even more deets on grammar? Click here for all the goods.

How a Thesis Statement Fits With the Rest of the Essay
2141 Views

The London Bridge may be falling down, falling down, falling down....but your essay will be one stalwart structure that stands the tests of time.

How to Ask Good Questions in an Essay
535 Views

We like to say that the first step toward asking a good question is marinating in your thoughts. Uncle Bob's BBQ chicken isn't any good unless it has spent some time juicin' up—what makes you think your thoughts are any different?

Excessive Verbiage
358 Views

Want even more deets on grammar? Click here for all the goods.

Chicago Style
515 Views

No, this video will not teach you how to imitate the fashionistas struttin' down the streets of South Side. But you will learn the tools you need to get in tight with those trendy intellectual types.

Can My Essay Be in First Person?
439 Views

Well, if you're crafting a formal exposé on the accomplishments of Abraham Lincoln, you probably shouldn't use first-person pronouns. You don't really belong there. However, writing about your latest hike up Mt. Everest might be difficult without a few I's and me's.

Clichés
481 Views

This video discusses clichés, overused sayings that should be avoided at all costs when writing your college application essay (and most other things too). It also gives tips for rephrasing so you can communicate the same idea without resorting to those pesky clichés.

Freytag's Pyramid / Plot Analysis
4957 Views

Despite their differences, most stories follow the same basic outline. Yep, even works of fiction such as Twilight and The Odyssey can be compared and contrasted according to plot structure. We can't fathom why you would be asked to write such an essay, but you get the point.

Can My 5-Paragraph Essay Have 6 Paragraphs?
1087 Views

If five paragraphs is simply not going to cut it, then take six and throw in that extra example You'll want to ask your teacher first, but how many do you think will actually deny you the right to put in more effort?

Load More Videos