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Some teachers teach the "rule of five" or the "five paragraph format" for writing compositions. This isn't a hard and fast rule, and you don't need to hold yourself to an arbitrary number like "5," but it can be helpful in building your argument and organizing your thoughts to try to aim for at least 3 different supporting points to use to hold up your main argument. These 3 points will all be addressed as a part of your thesis statement. Some teachers like their students to come up with: Introduction, in which the topic is described, the issue or problem is summarized, and your argument is presented Main point paragraph 1, in which you make and support your first supporting argument Main point paragraph 2, in which you make and support your second supporting argument Main point paragraph 3, in which you make and support your final supporting argument Conclusion paragraph, in which you summarize your argument In a good composition, your thesis is like a tabletop--it needs to be held up with the table-legs of good points and evidence, because it can't just float there all by itself. Each point you're going to make should be held up by two kinds of evidence: logic and proof. Proof includes specific quotes from the book you're writing about, or specific facts about the topic. If you want to talk about Mercutio's temperamental character, you'll need to quote from him, set the scene, and describe him in detail. This is proof that you'll also need to unpack with logic. Logic refers to your rationale and your reasoning. Why is Mercutio like this? What are we supposed to notice about the way he talks? Explain your proof to the reader by using logic and you'll have a solid argument with strong evidence. A common complaint from student writers is that they can't think of anything else to say about a particular topic. Learn to ask yourself questions that the reader might ask to give yourself more material by answering those questions in your draft. Ask how. How is Juliet's death presented to us? How do the other characters react? How is the reader supposed to feel? Ask why. Why does Shakespeare kill her? Why not let her live? Why does she have to die? Why would the story not work without her death? " One mistake that lots of student writers make is spending too much time using the Microsoft Word thesaurus function to upgrade their vocabulary with cheap substitutes. You're not going to trick your teacher by throwing a $40 word into the first sentence if the argument is thin as the paper it's written on. Making a strong argument has much less to do with your wording and your vocabulary and more to do with the construction of your argument and with supporting your thesis with main points. Only use words and phrases that you have a good command over. Academic vocabulary might sound impressive, but if you don't fully grasp its meaning, you might muddle the effect of your paper.
Think in fives. Back up your main points with two kinds of evidence. Think of questions that need to be answered. Don't worry about "sounding smart.