a five paragraph essay question

The Ultimate Guide to the 5-Paragraph Essay

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• M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
• B.A., History, Armstrong State University

A five-paragraph essay is a prose composition that follows a prescribed format of an introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph, and is typically taught during primary English education and applied on standardized testing throughout schooling.

Learning to write a high-quality five-paragraph essay is an essential skill for students in early English classes as it allows them to express certain ideas, claims, or concepts in an organized manner, complete with evidence that supports each of these notions. Later, though, students may decide to stray from the standard five-paragraph format and venture into writing an  exploratory essay  instead.

Still, teaching students to organize essays into the five-paragraph format is an easy way to introduce them to writing literary criticism, which will be tested time and again throughout their primary, secondary, and further education.

Writing a Good Introduction

The introduction is the first paragraph in your essay, and it should accomplish a few specific goals: capture the reader's interest, introduce the topic, and make a claim or express an opinion in a thesis statement.

It's a good idea to start your essay with a hook (fascinating statement) to pique the reader's interest, though this can also be accomplished by using descriptive words, an anecdote, an intriguing question, or an interesting fact. Students can practice with creative writing prompts to get some ideas for interesting ways to start an essay.

The next few sentences should explain your first statement, and prepare the reader for your thesis statement, which is typically the last sentence in the introduction. Your  thesis sentence  should provide your specific assertion and convey a clear point of view, which is typically divided into three distinct arguments that support this assertation, which will each serve as central themes for the body paragraphs.

Writing Body Paragraphs

The body of the essay will include three body paragraphs in a five-paragraph essay format, each limited to one main idea that supports your thesis.

To correctly write each of these three body paragraphs, you should state your supporting idea, your topic sentence, then back it up with two or three sentences of evidence. Use examples that validate the claim before concluding the paragraph and using transition words to lead to the paragraph that follows — meaning that all of your body paragraphs should follow the pattern of "statement, supporting ideas, transition statement."

Words to use as you transition from one paragraph to another include: moreover, in fact, on the whole, furthermore, as a result, simply put, for this reason, similarly, likewise, it follows that, naturally, by comparison, surely, and yet.

Writing a Conclusion

The final paragraph will summarize your main points and re-assert your main claim (from your thesis sentence). It should point out your main points, but should not repeat specific examples, and should, as always, leave a lasting impression on the reader.

The first sentence of the conclusion, therefore, should be used to restate the supporting claims argued in the body paragraphs as they relate to the thesis statement, then the next few sentences should be used to explain how the essay's main points can lead outward, perhaps to further thought on the topic. Ending the conclusion with a question, anecdote, or final pondering is a great way to leave a lasting impact.

Once you complete the first draft of your essay, it's a good idea to re-visit the thesis statement in your first paragraph. Read your essay to see if it flows well, and you might find that the supporting paragraphs are strong, but they don't address the exact focus of your thesis. Simply re-write your thesis sentence to fit your body and summary more exactly, and adjust the conclusion to wrap it all up nicely.

Practice Writing a Five-Paragraph Essay

Students can use the following steps to write a standard essay on any given topic. First, choose a topic, or ask your students to choose their topic, then allow them to form a basic five-paragraph by following these steps:

• Decide on your  basic thesis , your idea of a topic to discuss.
• Decide on three pieces of supporting evidence you will use to prove your thesis.
• Write an introductory paragraph, including your thesis and evidence (in order of strength).
• Write your first body paragraph, starting with restating your thesis and focusing on your first piece of supporting evidence.
• End your first paragraph with a transitional sentence that leads to the next body paragraph.
• Write paragraph two of the body focussing on your second piece of evidence. Once again make the connection between your thesis and this piece of evidence.
• End your second paragraph with a transitional sentence that leads to paragraph number three.
• Repeat step 6 using your third piece of evidence.
• Begin your concluding paragraph by restating your thesis. Include the three points you've used to prove your thesis.
• End with a punch, a question, an anecdote, or an entertaining thought that will stay with the reader.

Once a student can master these 10 simple steps, writing a basic five-paragraph essay will be a piece of cake, so long as the student does so correctly and includes enough supporting information in each paragraph that all relate to the same centralized main idea, the thesis of the essay.

Limitations of the Five-Paragraph Essay

The five-paragraph essay is merely a starting point for students hoping to express their ideas in academic writing; there are some other forms and styles of writing that students should use to express their vocabulary in the written form.

According to Tory Young's "Studying English Literature: A Practical Guide":

"Although school students in the U.S. are examined on their ability to write a  five-paragraph essay , its  raison d'être  is purportedly to give practice in basic writing skills that will lead to future success in more varied forms. Detractors feel, however, that writing to rule in this way is more likely to discourage imaginative writing and thinking than enable it. . . . The five-paragraph essay is less aware of its  audience  and sets out only to present information, an account or a kind of story rather than explicitly to persuade the reader."

Students should instead be asked to write other forms, such as journal entries, blog posts, reviews of goods or services, multi-paragraph research papers, and freeform expository writing around a central theme. Although five-paragraph essays are the golden rule when writing for standardized tests, experimentation with expression should be encouraged throughout primary schooling to bolster students' abilities to utilize the English language fully.

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Guide on How to Write a 5 Paragraph Essay Effortlessly

Defining What Is a 5 Paragraph Essay

Have you ever been assigned a five-paragraph essay and wondered what exactly it means? Don't worry; we all have been there. A five-paragraph essay is a standard academic writing format consisting of an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

In the introduction, you present your thesis statement, which is the main idea or argument you will discuss in your essay. The three body paragraphs present a separate supporting argument, while the conclusion summarizes the main points and restates the thesis differently.

While the five-paragraph essay is a tried and true format for many academic assignments, it's important to note that it's not the only way to write an essay. In fact, some educators argue that strict adherence to this format can stifle creativity and limit the development of more complex ideas.

However, mastering the five-paragraph essay is a valuable skill for any student, as it teaches the importance of structure and organization in writing. Also, it enables you to communicate your thoughts clearly and eloquently, which is crucial for effective communication in any area. So the next time you're faced with a five-paragraph essay assignment, embrace the challenge and use it as an opportunity to hone your writing skills.

And if you find it difficult to put your ideas into 5 paragraphs, ask our professional service - 'please write my essay ,' or ' write my paragraph ' and consider it done.

How to Write a 5 Paragraph Essay: General Tips

If you are struggling with how to write a 5 paragraph essay, don't worry! It's a common format that many students learn in their academic careers. Here are some tips from our admission essay writing service to help you write a successful five paragraph essay example:

• Start with a strong thesis statement : Among the 5 parts of essay, the thesis statement can be the most important. It presents the major topic you will debate throughout your essay while being explicit and simple.
• Use topic sentences to introduce each paragraph : The major idea you will address in each of the three body paragraphs should be established in a concise subject sentence.
• Use evidence to support your arguments : The evidence you present in your body paragraphs should back up your thesis. This can include facts, statistics, or examples from your research or personal experience.
• Include transitions: Use transitional words and phrases to make the flow of your essay easier. Words like 'although,' 'in addition,' and 'on the other hand' are examples of these.
• Write a strong conclusion: In addition to restating your thesis statement in a new way, your conclusion should highlight the key ideas of your essay. You might also leave the reader with a closing idea or query to reflect on.
• Edit and proofread: When you've completed writing your essay, thoroughly revise and proofread it. Make sure your thoughts are brief and clear and proofread your writing for grammatical and spelling mistakes.

By following these tips, you can write strong and effective five paragraph essays examples that will impress your teacher or professor.

5 Paragraph Essay Format

Let's readdress the five-paragraph essay format and explain it in more detail. So, as already mentioned, it is a widely-used writing structure taught in many schools and universities. A five-paragraph essay comprises an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion, each playing a significant role in creating a well-structured and coherent essay.

The introduction serves as the opening paragraph of the essay and sets the tone for the entire piece. It should captivate the reader's attention, provide relevant background information, and include a clear and concise thesis statement that presents the primary argument of the essay. For example, if the essay topic is about the benefits of exercise, the introduction may look something like this:

'Regular exercise provides numerous health benefits, including increased energy levels, improved mental health, and reduced risk of chronic diseases.'

The body paragraphs are the meat of the essay and should provide evidence and examples to support the thesis statement. Each body paragraph should begin with a subject sentence that states the major idea of the paragraph. Then, the writer should provide evidence to support the topic sentence. This evidence can be in the form of statistics, facts, or examples. For instance, if the essay is discussing the health benefits of exercise, a body paragraph might look like this:

'One of the key benefits of exercise is improved mental health. Regular exercise has been demonstrated in studies to lessen depressive and anxious symptoms and enhance mood.'

The essay's final paragraph, the conclusion, should repeat the thesis statement and summarize the essay's important ideas. A concluding idea or query might be included to give the reader something to ponder. For example, a conclusion for an essay on the benefits of exercise might look like this:

'In conclusion, exercise provides numerous health benefits, from increased energy levels to reduced risk of chronic diseases. We may enhance both our physical and emotional health and enjoy happier, more satisfying lives by including exercise into our daily routines.'

Overall, the 5 paragraph essay format is useful for organizing thoughts and ideas clearly and concisely. By following this format, writers can present their arguments logically and effectively, which is easy for the reader to follow.

Types of 5 Paragraph Essay 

There are several types of five-paragraph essays, each with a slightly different focus or purpose. Here are some of the most common types of five-paragraph essays:

• Narrative essay : A narrative essay tells a story or recounts a personal experience. It typically includes a clear introductory paragraph, body sections that provide details about the story, and a conclusion that wraps up the narrative.
• Descriptive essay: A descriptive essay uses sensory language to describe a person, place, or thing. It often includes a clear thesis statement that identifies the subject of the description and body paragraphs that provide specific details to support the thesis.
• Expository essay: An expository essay offers details or clarifies a subject. It usually starts with a concise introduction that introduces the subject, is followed by body paragraphs that provide evidence and examples to back up the thesis, and ends with a summary of the key points.
• Persuasive essay: A persuasive essay argues for a particular viewpoint or position. It has a thesis statement that is clear, body paragraphs that give evidence and arguments in favor of it, and a conclusion that summarizes the important ideas and restates the thesis.
• Compare and contrast essay: An essay that compares and contrasts two or more subjects and looks at their similarities and differences. It usually starts out simply by introducing the topics being contrasted or compared, followed by body paragraphs that go into more depth on the similarities and differences, and a concluding paragraph that restates the important points.

Each type of five-paragraph essay has its own unique characteristics and requirements. When unsure how to write five paragraph essay, writers can choose the most appropriate structure for their topic by understanding the differences between these types.

5 Paragraph Essay Example Topics

Here are some potential topics for a 5 paragraph essay example. These essay topics are just a starting point and can be expanded upon to fit a wide range of writing essays and prompts.

• The Impact of Social Media on Teenage Communication Skills.
• How Daily Exercise Benefits Mental and Physical Health.
• The Importance of Learning a Second Language.
• The Effects of Global Warming on Marine Life.
• The Role of Technology in Modern Education.
• The Influence of Music on Youth Culture.
• The Pros and Cons of Uniform Policies in Schools.
• The Significance of Historical Monuments in Cultural Identity.
• The Growing Importance of Cybersecurity.
• The Evolution of the American Dream.
• The Impact of Diet on Cognitive Functioning.
• The Role of Art in Society.
• The Future of Renewable Energy Sources.
• The Effects of Urbanization on Wildlife.
• The Importance of Financial Literacy for Young Adults.
• The Influence of Advertising on Consumer Choices.
• The Role of Books in the Digital Age.\
• The Benefits and Challenges of Space Exploration.
• The Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture.
• The Ethical Implications of Genetic Modification.

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General Grading Rubric for a 5 Paragraph Essay

The following is a general grading rubric that can be used to evaluate a five-paragraph essay:

Content (40%)

• A thesis statement is clear and specific
• The main points are well-developed and supported by evidence
• Ideas are organized logically and coherently
• Evidence and examples are relevant and support the main points
• The essay demonstrates a strong understanding of the topic

Organization (20%)

• The introduction effectively introduces the topic and thesis statement
• Body paragraphs are well-structured and have clear topic sentences
• Transitions between paragraphs are smooth and effective
• The concluding sentence effectively summarizes the main points and restates the thesis statement

Language and Style (20%)

• Writing is clear, concise, and easy to understand
• Language is appropriate for the audience and purpose
• Vocabulary is varied and appropriate
• Grammar, spelling, and punctuation are correct

Critical Thinking (20%)

• Student demonstrate an understanding of the topic beyond surface-level knowledge
• Student present a unique perspective or argument
• Student show evidence of critical thinking and analysis
• Students write well-supported conclusions

Considering the above, the paper should demonstrate a thorough understanding of the topic, clear organization, strong essay writing skills, and critical thinking. By using this grading rubric, the teacher can evaluate the essay holistically and provide detailed feedback to the student on areas of strength and areas for improvement.

Five Paragraph Essay Examples

Wrapping up: things to remember.

In conclusion, writing a five paragraph essay example can seem daunting at first, but it doesn't have to be a difficult task. Following these simple steps and tips, you can break down the process into manageable parts and create a clear, concise, and well-organized essay.

Remember to start with a strong thesis statement, use topic sentences to guide your paragraphs, and provide evidence and analysis to support your ideas. Don't forget to revise and proofread your work to make sure it is error-free and coherent. With time and practice, you'll be able to write a 5 paragraph essay with ease and assurance. Whether you're writing for school, work, or personal projects, these skills will serve you well and help you to communicate your ideas effectively.

Meanwhile, you can save time and reduce the stress associated with academic assignments by trusting our research paper writing services to handle the writing for you. So go ahead, buy an essay , and see how easy it can be to meet all of your professors' complex requirements!

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How to Write a Five Paragraph Essay

Last Updated: April 4, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Jake Adams and by wikiHow staff writer, Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA . Jake Adams is an academic tutor and the owner of Simplifi EDU, a Santa Monica, California based online tutoring business offering learning resources and online tutors for academic subjects K-College, SAT & ACT prep, and college admissions applications. With over 14 years of professional tutoring experience, Jake is dedicated to providing his clients the very best online tutoring experience and access to a network of excellent undergraduate and graduate-level tutors from top colleges all over the nation. Jake holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from Pepperdine University. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 523,836 times.

Five paragraph essays are a common assignment throughout your school career, especially in high school and college. Since any subject can include a five paragraph essay, you’ll want to be good at writing them. Luckily, five-paragraph essays are really easy to write if you know the expected format and give yourself the time you need to write it. To write your five paragraph essay, draft your introduction, develop three body paragraphs, write your conclusion, and revise and edit your essay.

Drafting Your Introduction

• For example, you could phrase your hook like this: Nature’s life cycle is often used as a metaphor to convey ideas about the passage of life.
• If you are writing a persuasive essay, don’t include your stance in your hook.
• Don’t say “In this essay” or “I am going to show.” Instead, use the “show, don’t tell” technique using descriptive language.
• It’s often easiest to come up with your hook after you write the rest of your essay. If you’re struggling to come up with one, use a basic placeholder and then create a better hook when you revise your essay.

• Don’t reveal your main points yet.
• For example, you could say something like this: While spring compares with birth, summer can symbolize maturity, with fall and winter showing a descent toward death.

• This sentence depends on what type of paper you’re writing. If it’s an argumentative paper, introduce both sides of the argument. In an informative paper, mention the central idea and focus.
• As an example, you could narrow your topic like this: Writers often use nature metaphors in their work to show themes about life, such as the blossoming of youth.

• For example, your thesis could read like this: In the poem “Raspberries,” the author shows youth through the ripening berries, summer blossoming, and blushing color of the fruit.
• Each of the three examples provided in the thesis will become the topic of a body paragraph. For the example thesis, you would have body paragraphs about ripening berries, summer blossoming, and the blushing color of the fruit.

Developing Three Body Paragraphs

• You should include three body paragraphs, one for each supporting point.

• Your topic sentence is like a mini-thesis for just that paragraph.
• Use a quote related to your thesis and analyze it in the body paragraph. If you use a topic sentence, put the quote next.
• For example, your topic sentence could look like this: Ripening berries show youth in the poem “Raspberries” by reaching maturity and becoming ready for picking.

• Each paragraph should contain two to three examples or pieces of evidence.
• If you use research, cite your sources in the appropriate format that your instructor specifies.

• Include two to three sentences of commentary for each example or piece of evidence.
• Depending on the type of evidence or examples, it’s often best to alternate your evidence and commentary throughout the paragraph. For example, provide one example, then provide the commentary.

• For example, you could wrap up your paragraph like this: As the girl plucks the ripe raspberries from the bush and eats them, her actions represent her own youth and readiness to be “plucked” by someone.

Drafting Your Conclusion

• For example, you could restate your thesis like this: The poem “Raspberries” provides an allegorical representation of youth through a metaphor of ripening berries, summer blossoming, and blushing color of the fruit.
• If you're a beginning writer, it's okay to start your conclusion with "In conclusion." However, if you're an advanced writer, avoid starting your conclusion with statements like “In conclusion,” “To conclude,” or “In the end.”

• Use an authoritative tone as you restate your arguments so that your reader walks away knowing that you are correct.

• Include a call to action.
• Provide a warning about what could happen if your stance is ignored.
• Create an image in the reader’s mind.
• Include a quote.
• Make a universal statement about life.

Revising and Editing Your Essay

• Always reread your sentence to make sure that the word processor is suggesting the right word. If you’ve misspelled a word that is similar to another word, then it’s possible that your spell check could suggest the wrong spelling, such as “then” instead of “than.”

• Look for errors that your spell checker missed.
• If you can, ask someone else to proofread your paper. They will usually spot errors that you overlooked.

• Combine choppy sentences.
• Breakup long, convoluted sentences into shorter sentences.
• Rewrite fragments and run-on sentences.

• If you have cited sources, make sure that you include a reference page in the style chosen by your instructor.

Expert Q&A

• Never plagiarize an essay, which means copying someone’s work or ideas without giving them credit. Your teacher will deny you credit for the essay, and you may also get a discipline consequence. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ Jake Adams. Academic Tutor & Test Prep Specialist. Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/five-paragraph-essay/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/college-writing/
• ↑ https://www.bucks.edu/media/bcccmedialibrary/pdf/FiveParagraphEssayOutlineJuly08_000.pdf
• ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4789530/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/ending-essay-conclusions
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/proofreading/proofreading_suggestions.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/proofreading/steps_for_revising.html

About This Article

To write a five paragraph essay, start with an introductory paragraph that includes a hook to capture your audience’s attention, and a thesis that explains the main point you’re trying to make. Then, use the next 3 paragraphs to explain 3 separate points that support your thesis. As you explain each point, use evidence from your research or examples in the text you’re discussing. Finally, conclude your essay with a paragraph summing up the points you’ve made and telling the reader how those points support your thesis. For tips on how to revise your essay to improve the flow and formatting, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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This form of writing goes by different names. Maybe you've heard some of them before: "The Basic Essay," "The Academic Response Essay," "The 1-3-1 Essay." Regardless of what you've heard, the name you should remember is "The Easy Essay."

Once you are shown how this works--and it only takes a few minutes--you will have in your hands the secret to writing well on almost any academic assignment. Here is how it goes.

Secret #1—The Magic of Three

Three has always been a magic number for humans, from fairy tales like "The Three Little Pigs" to sayings like “third time’s a charm.” Three seems to be an ideal number for us--including the academic essay. So whenever you are given a topic to write about, a good place to begin is with a list of three. Here are some examples (three of them, of course):

Topic : What are the essential characteristics of a good parent? Think in threes and you might come up with:

• unconditional love 

Certainly, there are more characteristics of good parents you could name, but for our essay, we will work in threes.

Here's a topic that deals with a controversial issue:

Topic : Should women in the military be given frontline combat duties?

• The first reason that women should be assigned to combat is equality. 
• The second reason is their great teamwork. 
• The third reason is their courage.

As you see, regardless of the topic, we can list three points about it. And if you wonder about the repetition of words and structure when stating the three points, in this case, repetition is a good thing. Words that seem redundant when close together in an outline will be separated by the actual paragraphs of your essay. So in the essay instead of seeming redundant they will be welcome as signals to the reader of your essay’s main parts.

Finally, when the topic is an academic one, your first goal is the same: create a list of three.

Topic: Why do so many students fail to complete their college degree?

• First, students often...
• Second, many students cannot...
• Finally, students find that...

Regardless of the reasons you might come up with to finish these sentences, the formula is still the same.

Secret #2: The Thesis Formula

Now with your list of three, you can write the sentence that every essay must have—the thesis, sometimes called the "controlling idea," "overall point," or "position statement." In other words, it is the main idea of the essay that you will try to support, illustrate, or corroborate.

Here’s a simple formula for a thesis: The topic + your position on the topic = your thesis.

Let’s apply this formula to one of our examples:

Topic: Essential characteristics of a good parent Your Position: patience, respect, love Thesis: The essential characteristics of a good parent are patience, respect, and love.

As you see, all we did was combine the topic with our position/opinion on it into a single sentence to produce the thesis: The essential characteristics of a good parent are patience, respect, and love.

In this case, we chose to list three main points as part of our thesis. Sometimes that’s a good strategy. However, you can summarize them if you wish, as in this example:

Topic: Women in combat duty in the military Your Position: They deserve it Thesis: Women deserve to be assigned combat duty in the military.

This type of thesis is shorter and easier to write because it provides the overall position or opinion without forcing you to list the support for it in the thesis, which can get awkward and take away from your strong position statement. The three reasons women deserve to be assigned combat duties--equality, teamwork, courage--will be the subjects of your three body paragraphs and do not need to be mentioned until the body paragraph in which they appear.

Secret #3: The 1-3-1 Outline

With your thesis and list of three main points, you can quickly draw a basic outline of the paragraphs of your essay. You’ll then see why this is often called the 1-3-1 essay.

• Supporting Evidence for Claim 1    
• Supporting Evidence for Claim 2
• Supporting Evidence for Claim 3

The five-paragraph essay consists of one introduction paragraph (with the thesis at its end), three body paragraphs (each beginning with one of three main points) and one last paragraph—the conclusion. 1-3-1.

Once you have this outline, you have the basic template for most academic writing. Most of all, you have an organized way to approach virtually any topic you are assigned.

Our helpful admissions advisors can help you choose an academic program to fit your career goals, estimate your transfer credits, and develop a plan for your education costs that fits your budget. If you’re a current UMGC student, please visit the Help Center .

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Five Paragraph Essay Outline

10 May, 2020

7 minutes read

Author:  Tomas White

The five paragraph essay exists as one of the most commonly assigned essays, especially for high school students. In fact, the five paragraph essay format is so popular, it is often used not only in the classroom but for exams and admission essays as well. If you’ve never written a five paragraph essay, or find that you simply need a good refresher, you’ve come to the right place! We have thrown out all the useless information and boiled it down to the essential info you need to both understand what a five paragraph essay is and how to write one to earn the grade you want.

What is a Five Paragraph Essay?

Unlike some misleading names, the five-paragraph essay is exactly what it sounds like: an essay that consists solely of five paragraphs. This type of essay is strictly about the structure. That’s what matters much more than the topic or questions to be discussed in the essay. The paragraphs in the essay paragraphs follow a very specific outline.

This kind of essay was separated from all other types with a sole purpose – teaching students about the concept of the essay by practicing it’s most basic structure variant. Even though any kind of essay can have five paragraph – from a  definition essay to story-based narrative essay ; five paragraph essay is never limited to the approach. It might look like any other essay, but the structure is the king here.

Meet the Five Paragraph Essay Outline

This type of essay contains three distinctly different kinds of paragraphs including (in order):

• Introduction paragraph
• Three body paragraphs
• Conclusion paragraph

While all three types of paragraphs follow traditional grammar and syntax conventions, what goes into each paragraph varies based on its purpose.

Let’s take a look at what makes each of these paragraphs unique:

Introduction

The introduction paragraph should have three key parts: an attention getter , background information , and a thesis statement . These elements should appear in this order; the thesis statement typically appears as the last sentence in the introduction because it acts as a transition to the body paragraphs which each work to support the argument outlined within the thesis. Let’s say that the topic of your five paragraph essay is the best type of pet to own. After doing some research, you decide to write about cats. The attention getter sentence should capture the audience’s attention and make them want to read more about cats. Attention getter sentences often fall into one of four categories:

• An interesting fact
• An engaging statistic
• A relevant quotation
• A personal anecdote

It’s important to note that a personal anecdote or story from your own life may not be appropriate for all types of essays — especially if an instructor has noted that no personal pronouns be used in the paper.

Related post: How to write an Essay introduction

After gaining the audience’s interest, the next few sentences, anywhere from 3 to 10 sentences, depending upon the essay, should be about background information. Such information may define specific vocabulary or generally provide background information relevant to the topic.

In a five-paragraph essay about cats, relevant background information could include when cats became domesticated, how many breeds of cats are available today, and where individuals can find cats as pets.

Finally, the last part of the introduction paragraph should be the thesis statement. A well-written thesis statement should include an argument and a roadmap on how to prove it.

In this case, a simple yet effective thesis statement could be: “Cats make the best pets because they are intelligent, friendly, and sociable.” The first part, “cats make the best pets” is the argument while the second part, “intelligent, friendly, and sociable” is the roadmap. This is called a roadmap because it outlines the ideas that will guide the paper in the body paragraphs.

According to this thesis statement, there will be a body paragraph that provides evidence that cats are intelligent, another proving that cats are friendly, and a third proving that cats are sociable.

Stuck on writing your outline? Our essay writer will help You!

Body Paragraphs

A typical body paragraph is anywhere from six to twenty sentences; the length of a body paragraph depends upon the amount of research, analysis, and discussion needed in each paragraph to support the argument set forth in the thesis statement. Typically, a body paragraph will follow an organization such as this:

• Topic sentence
• Background sentence(s)
• Explanation

There could be more sentences if you have more quotations from research to include. Additionally, some topics may require several background sentences while others only require one.

Remember: value your time and your teacher’s time; skip writing sentences to pad the length of your paper and ask yourself if each sentence contributes to proving the argument outlined within the thesis. If the sentence doesn’t, get rid of it!

The conclusion paragraph should be the final paragraph in the paper. It is often the shortest paragraph. Its purpose is to review the main points and prove to the audience that the writer has successfully argued his or her point. A conclusion paragraph should never introduce any new information. Most teachers prefer students to skip obvious phrases such as “In conclusion” or “Before ending” because these statements are understood by the reader.

Related post: Cause and Effect essay outline 

Following the conclusion paragraph, you will likely need to create a “Works Cited” and/or a “Bibliography” page if you included any type of research within the five paragraph essay outline. After each quotation or paraphrase in the essay should be a parenthetical citation, and each parenthetical citation should be referenced in the Works Cited and/or Bibliography page. Your teacher or professor should clearly communicate their preference; a Works Cited page exists as a reference for all the works quoted in the essay whereas the Bibliography page lists every source you consulted during the research process.

Tips and Tricks

If writing isn’t one of your favorite requirements of academic life, check out these 10 tips and tricks to navigate creating a five paragraph essay smoothly:

• Begin early
• Make an appointment with the teacher to discuss your ideas/progress and get feedback
• Take good notes, and cite the sources as you go
• Create a sentence outline before the draft
• Edit the essay twice: once for content, once for grammar
• Get at least one other person to provide constructive criticism
• Make an appointment at the Writing Center if your campus has one
• Hire a professional editing service to catch pesky grammar errors
• Review the final essay against any provided rubric item by item
• Check the paper’s formatting for spacing, margins, and headers/footers

Writing assignments are never sprints, but they don’t have to be marathons either — try to find a happy medium!

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Students obtaining degrees in fine art and art & design programs most commonly need to write a paper on art topics. However, this subject is becoming more popular in educational institutions for expanding students’ horizons. Thus, both groups of receivers of education: those who are into arts and those who only get acquainted with art […]

How to Write a Five Paragraph Essay

Written by tutor jackie d..

Have you ever opened up a document to sit and stare at the blank pages for awhile, not even knowing how to start writing a five-paragraph essay that’s due soon? Most of us have. Essay writing can seem overwhelming at times, but breaking it down into sections helps most people write a great essay. Let’s see how.

First, figure out what subject matter will be about. Is this an assignment your teacher gave you with a specific topic, or do you have to find a topic of your own?

When you decide on the topic, ask yourself the following five W questions: Who is this about? What is this about? When and where did this happen? Why is it important? And, last but not least, how did it happen?

Second, research facts that backup your thesis, the argument or point of your essay. Research facts and figures, as well as anecdotal, or interesting supplemental, material that will bring life to your essay.

Third, start the actual writing process by creating a simple outline. This will help you organize your thoughts so writing will be all the easier for you. This is where you can figure out how much information you have researched, as well as determine how you want to go about fleshing out your essay’s argument.

For instance, an outline would look similar to this one I used in writing this essay:

I.     Tips on how to write a five-paragraph essay A. Research topic:

i. Read what other Wyzant tutors have written about this topic ii. Read what other writers have written about this topic online iii. Start jotting down my own tips that I’ve used to teach other students about writing essays B. Determine thesis: i. Writing a five-paragraph essay is not difficult once the writer has streamlined his or her research and thoughts C. Write outline i. This is my outline! D. Write essay

i. Introduction – one paragraph introducing the subject and why it’s an important topic for the reader. It establishes

the who, what, when, and where.

ii. Body – three paragraphs backing up the introduction. This part establishes the how and the why. iii. Conclusion – one paragraph tying together the essay’s argument.

Introduction of the Essay

I recommend writing a brief introduction to start. This sets the stage for your essay. For the first draft, your introduction does not need to be spectacular. It only needs to answer three of the four W questions, who, what, where and when. You can elaborate more with the introduction after writing the body.

Body of the Essay

The body is sometimes the easiest part of the essay to write. In the body, it’s throwing in all the research you’ve found. Thankfully, with Microsoft Word and other related programs, you can throw in all the research you’ve done and then move around sentences that make a better. Think of it as throwing all the ingredients in a stew, and then adding, removing, and mixing ingredients as you need.

The key for writing the body is to think of it in three separate parts. The first paragraph should explain one or two facts with backup research. The second paragraph should pick one or two more related facts. The third paragraph follows the same recipe.

To start with the first body paragraph, pick a fact or statement that seems most important for your essay’s thesis. This is one that you feel most passionately or strongly about, one that makes complete sense to you. This is one that’s usually easiest to write because you have somehow connected with this fact or statement and know it to be true for the purpose of your essay.

Write one or two sentences about this fact, then provide evidence in two more sentences that back up the introduction and provide a simple yet effective argument. Do the same for the second and third paragraphs. But in this case, the second argument should contain the second most important argument or point, and the third paragraph the third most important argument or point. By this time, you will have completed the body of your essay.

Pretty simple, right?

Conclusion of the Essay

The concluding paragraph is little more than a revised version of your introduction. It should not make any new statements, but instead only serve to reaffirm or re-strengthen your thesis statement that you made in the introduction. The conclusion is the place to make one last effort to explain your thesis and sum up the points you made in the body of your essay. The last sentence should be a very concise and simple statement that puts a point at the end of the essay. It may even be something like a call to action in a persuasive essay like this one here.

When you break down how to write the essay, it will no longer seem as overwhelming to write. It’s just about taking the time to collect not only your thoughts, but also the research and the outline, of your paper. A blank page is only the start of the writing process. Think of it as a canvas to paint your words. It’s about expressing yourself through writing in a very practical yet easy manner. You can do it, so now let’s get to it!

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Structuring the Five-Paragraph Essay: Examples of Five-Paragraph Essays

• Examples of Five-Paragraph Essays

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Sample of a Persuasive / Argumentative Five-Paragraph Essay

A cat is a man's best friend.

This model essay is a good example of an Argumentative (or Persuasive) Essay. 

• A Cat is a A Man's Best Friend Compare & Contrast / Argument (Persuasive) Essay

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5 Paragraph Essay Introduction

The introduction is one of the most crucial parts of the 5 paragraph essay. This is where you are. Get the chance to hook the reader onto what you are saying. So you must pay the most attention to getting the reading hooked here.

Start by saying something intriguing that makes them want to keep going. This can be anything, maybe a piece of information they would find interesting. It can even be something like a question, the answer they will see once they read your essay.

Think of it this way- how many times have you continued to read an article that didn’t hook you when you started reading it? Rarely any, right? This is why you must get the reader thinking here so that they want to continue writing further.

Your introduction needs to introduce the topic in the best way that you can think of. It is more like a mini-outline for your essay. So you must ensure that the reader knows what will be discussed in the essay’s main body; it is in some way similar to a five paragraph outline , read here to learn more.

At the end of the introduction, you must add a transition that makes them want to go to the next part of the essay. Remember that writing is an art. As a student, you must show this art to the examiner in the first paragraph to make them want to keep going.

Using Strong Evidence in Your 5 Paragraph Essay

If you are wondering how to write a 5-paragraph essay , it is essential to use authentic information. It is important to add weight to what you are saying during the writing process so that the examiner trusts you. So how do you do that?

You first need to look for credible sources that give you the information you want. You should go for sources like Wikipedia that users can alter. It is always best to go for journal articles. The information you get there is always the best because it is peer-reviewed.

Apart from that, one other crucial thing you should be doing is cross-verify your information from different sources. This is very important. This helps you check the authenticity of the data. It also lets you be sure of the information you include in the essay.

Remember that the examiner does want to know your viewpoint, but at the end of the day, the information you base your work on truly adds to the essay’s main matter. You may also read what some good transition words to start a new paragraph are.

You must also cite your sources at the very end once done. It is best to know if you must use a specific referencing style. Once you know, you can use just that to make sure that the examiner can also refer back to those sources if they have to check the information you used for that.

Crafting a Compelling Body Paragraph for Your 5 Paragraph Essay

In the essay’s main body, you will discuss the crux of the essay. You will discuss the main parts you wish to shed light on. Remember that this is the main part you built up in the introduction. So you need to give this your best. In addition, you have to make sure you plan following what you had in mind to do a sound job on this.

Break the main body into three paragraphs and have a separate agenda in mind for each paragraph. Introduce a new idea, then describe it to the best of your abilities. Remember that your words should add value to the reader’s knowledge bank and develop five paragraph essay tips . That is when they will find the information you are giving worth reading.

The first paragraph of the main body should focus on a specific point you wish to pay attention to. You should start with a topic sentence, and then you should continue building on that. This paragraph can be anywhere between seven to nine sentences long .

It would help if you did the same thing for this body section’s second and third paragraphs. You should pay the most attention to this part of your essay. The five paragraph essay provides a comprehensive framework for organizing and developing your ideas in a structured manner. You have to do justice to this part as the main essence of the essay.

5 Paragraph Essay Conclusion

Once you have worked on the introduction and the main body, it is time to conclude the essay. This is where you are wrapping up. So you go back to the main points you made throughout the essay and worked towards ensuring that you summarize those points. To explain better, the reader should be able to know what you talked about in the whole essay when they read the conclusion.

Therefore, it is important to summarize the essay coherently, which is what the concluding paragraph allows you to do. Also, you can order an essay and get professional help from our writers.

Remember that as part of being a student, this is something that you will be required to do throughout. With an understanding of the structure of the five-paragraph essay example , you will be better able to work on what you have decided. Remember that you must have ample know-how before starting to work on it.

Before you start, have a 5 paragraph essay format right ahead of you so that you know exactly what is expected of you and what you have to include in every paragraph. Still have doubts, you can order your 5 paragraph essay and get a reference example.

In conclusion, the five-paragraph essay structure is a helpful model for organizing an essay. It provides a clear and logical framework for presenting the main points of an argument and supporting them with specific examples.

Following this structure, writers can effectively communicate their ideas and persuade readers to take a particular course of action. Additionally, the five-paragraph structure can be modified and expanded to fit the needs of longer or more complex essays.

Overall, the five-paragraph essay is a valuable tool for organizing and presenting ideas clearly and concisely, so follow the five paragraph essay format while writing five-paragraph essays and get the highest grades.

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Laura Orta is an avid author on Writing Metier's blog. Before embarking on her writing career, she practiced media law in one of the local media. Aside from writing, she works as a private tutor to help students with their academic needs. Laura and her husband share their home near the ocean in northern Portugal with two extraordinary boys and a lifetime collection of books.

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Five paragraph essay outline and example 📚.

Five Paragraph Essay Outline and Example - Crafting a well-structured essay is essential for effective communication. One popular format is the five-paragraph essay.

Are you struggling to write a great 5 paragraph essay? In this article, we'll guide you through each step of the process, from introduction to conclusion, so that you can write a stellar 5 paragraph essay that impresses your teacher or professor.

How to Write a 5-Paragraph Essay?

How to Write a 5-Paragraph Essay: writing a five-paragraph essay may seem daunting, but it's a fundamental part of academic writing. Whether you're in high school or college, you'll likely encounter this type of essay throughout your academic career. The basic structure consists of an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. In this guide, we'll take you through each step of the process, from planning and outlining to writing and editing.

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5.2: 5 Paragraph Essay Discussion

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I want you to discuss the merits and downfalls of the Five Paragraph Essay, as you see them being, now that you have read the proceeding document.  Please consider all of the following in your response:

• instances where you have used it before and whether it was useful or detrimental to your writing abilities.
• the viability of such a structured style at the college/university level (for all assignments) versus high school.
• the two terms I referenced at the close of the proceeding document: audience and purpose…what importance should they play in the formation of quality writing?
• whether you believe you will use the Five Paragraph essay, or elements of it, in this course and where they would likely come into play.

Lastly, please post your response and reply to at least two other posts as well .

• 5 Paragraph Essay Discussion. Authored by : Jason Brown. Provided by : Herkimer College. Project : AtD OER Course. License : CC BY: Attribution

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Deadly Chicago traffic stop where police fired 96 shots raises serious questions about use of force

Plainclothes Chicago police officers fired nearly 100 gun shots over 41 seconds during a traffic stop that left one man dead and one officer injured, according to graphic video footage a police oversight agency released Tuesday.

This 2019 photo provided by Porscha Banks, shows Dexter Reed, center, along with his mother Nicole Banks and sister Porscha Banks. Reed died March 21, 2024 after Chicago Police officers shot him during a traffic stop. Plainclothes Chicago police officers fired nearly 100 gun shots over 41 seconds during a traffic stop that left Dexter Reed dead and one officer injured, according to graphic video footage a police oversight agency released Tuesday, April 9. (Porscha Banks via AP).

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In an image taken from aerial video from WFLD - FOX 32, shows the scene of a shooting during a traffic stop March 21, 2024, in Chicago. A deadly traffic stop where plainclothes Chicago police officers fired nearly 100 shots in under a minute has raised serious questions about the use of force and role of tactical officers in police departments. Family and community members are mourning the shooting death of 26-year-old Dexter Reed and a police oversight agency and Cook County prosecutors are investigating. (WFLD-FOX 32 via AP)

CHICAGO (AP) — A deadly traffic stop where plainclothes Chicago police officers fired nearly 100 shots in under a minute has raised serious questions about the use of force and role of tactical officers in departments.

As family and community members mourn 26-year-old Dexter Reed , a police oversight agency and Cook County prosecutors are investigating.

Here’s a deeper look:

‘GRAVE CONCERNS’

Videos and documents released this week by the Chicago Office of Police Accountability paint a harrowing picture of what happened during the March 21 traffic stop.

But about a week ago, the oversight agency’s leader expressed “grave concerns” about the officers’ actions in a letter to Police Superintendent Larry Snelling.

Officers in an unmarked police car stopped Reed for not wearing a seatbelt, according to COPA. But things devolved quickly as he appeared to refuse officers’ commands and didn’t immediately leave the SUV, according to video.

Reed fired first, according to COPA, leaving an officer with a wrist injury. Then four officers fired 96 shots in a span of 41 seconds, including after Reed exited the vehicle, fell to the ground and lay motionless. One officer alone fired 50 shots.

“Based on the totality of the available evidence, COPA has grave concerns about the officers’ ability to assess what is a necessary, reasonable, and proportional use of deadly force,” COPA Chief Administrator Andrea Kersten wrote in an April 1 letter obtained through a records request.

The American Civil Liberties Union also criticized the officers’ actions, including for immediately drawing guns and making profanity-laced commands.

“From the moment they all jump into the vehicle to chase the car, you can feel the adrenaline rush,” said ACLU of Illinois spokesman Ed Yonka. “There were no efforts at de-escalation.”

THE OFFICERS

The officers are on 30-day administrative leave during investigations by COPA and the Cook County state’s attorney.

In her letter, Kersten recommended reevaluating the four officers’ assignments and relieving them of police powers during the investigation.

State’s Attorney Kim Foxx said her office was investigating the possibility of criminal charges.

The officers were part of a “district tactical unit,” according to COPA. Chicago police say tactical officers have been part of each district’s patrol for years. They’re generally sent to areas with high crime patterns, working in uniform and sometimes in street clothes.

Earlier this year, Snelling halted a similar citywide unit, formed during unrest in 2020, that came under fire for sending officers into unfamiliar police districts, among other things.

Elsewhere in the country, elite units of plainclothes officers have faced scrutiny, particularly following the beating and death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis. While police say such units can respond to increased crime, advocates have called out aggressive tactics and traffic stops to search for larger crimes.

Chicago has been under a far-reaching plan for court-supervised reforms since 2019. The U.S. Justice Department had found a long history of racial bias and excessive use of force after police killed teenager Laquan McDonald .

Community activists called the officers to be fired immediately.

Chicago police have declined to comment on the investigation.

Doubts have been raised about whether there was a seat belt violation that led to the stop.

Experts questioned tactical officers’ involvement.

“Why would a police officer, not in uniform, bother with something like that?” asked Geoffrey Alpert, a researcher at the University of South Carolina specializing in high-risk police activities.

Reed’s SUV had dark tinted windows, making it difficult for officers to see inside, Kersten noted in her letter.

“The available evidence calls into question the veracity of this account,” Kersten wrote to Snelling.

Reed’s family members were also skeptical.

“If he was supposedly pulled over for a traffic stop, why did they have four guns pointed at him?” Reed’s sister, Porscha Banks, told reporters after the videos were released. “He was scared.”

Meanwhile, the ACLU pointed to an alarming rise in Chicago traffic stops, which disproportionately affect Black and Latino drivers.

Chicago police reported fewer than 100,000 traffic stops in 2015, compared with more than 500,000 last year, according to advocacy group Impact for Equity.

THE INVESTIGATION

The key to the deadly force investigation will be determining the threat to officers’ lives.

Policing experts raised eyebrows over the number of shots, including after Reed was on the ground.

“All 96 shots need to be accounted for. That means, ‘Why were they fired?’” Alpert said. “The only reason you can fire is if this guy is creating an imminent threat.”

The videos don’t show Reed firing a gun. Police later found a weapon on the passenger side seat of his vehicle.

Footage from body-worn cameras offer glimpses into the confusing and distressing situation, including an officer who applied a tourniquet to a bleeding colleague.

“They don’t know what they’re walking into half the time,” said Ryan Tobiasz, a psychologist who heads a forensic mental health program at Adler University in Chicago.

“They may be highly suspicious, on guard, hyper vigilant,” he said. “Some of them will have a high startle response.”

The police union blamed COPA for pitting the community against police.

Chicago Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara said officers “responded heroically” against someone who shot an officer.

“It turned into much more, not because of the officers,” he said in a video statement this week.

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NPR suspends veteran editor as it grapples with his public criticism

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NPR suspended senior editor Uri Berliner for five days without pay after he wrote an essay accusing the network of losing the public's trust and appeared on a podcast to explain his argument. Uri Berliner hide caption

NPR suspended senior editor Uri Berliner for five days without pay after he wrote an essay accusing the network of losing the public's trust and appeared on a podcast to explain his argument.

NPR has formally punished Uri Berliner, the senior editor who publicly argued a week ago that the network had "lost America's trust" by approaching news stories with a rigidly progressive mindset.

Berliner's five-day suspension without pay, which began last Friday, has not been previously reported.

Yet the public radio network is grappling in other ways with the fallout from Berliner's essay for the online news site The Free Press . It angered many of his colleagues, led NPR leaders to announce monthly internal reviews of the network's coverage, and gave fresh ammunition to conservative and partisan Republican critics of NPR, including former President Donald Trump.

Conservative activist Christopher Rufo is among those now targeting NPR's new chief executive, Katherine Maher, for messages she posted to social media years before joining the network. Among others, those posts include a 2020 tweet that called Trump racist and another that appeared to minimize rioting during social justice protests that year. Maher took the job at NPR last month — her first at a news organization .

In a statement Monday about the messages she had posted, Maher praised the integrity of NPR's journalists and underscored the independence of their reporting.

"In America everyone is entitled to free speech as a private citizen," she said. "What matters is NPR's work and my commitment as its CEO: public service, editorial independence, and the mission to serve all of the American public. NPR is independent, beholden to no party, and without commercial interests."

The network noted that "the CEO is not involved in editorial decisions."

In an interview with me later on Monday, Berliner said the social media posts demonstrated Maher was all but incapable of being the person best poised to direct the organization.

"We're looking for a leader right now who's going to be unifying and bring more people into the tent and have a broader perspective on, sort of, what America is all about," Berliner said. "And this seems to be the opposite of that."

Conservative critics of NPR are now targeting its new chief executive, Katherine Maher, for messages she posted to social media years before joining the public radio network last month. Stephen Voss/Stephen Voss hide caption

Conservative critics of NPR are now targeting its new chief executive, Katherine Maher, for messages she posted to social media years before joining the public radio network last month.

He said that he tried repeatedly to make his concerns over NPR's coverage known to news leaders and to Maher's predecessor as chief executive before publishing his essay.

Berliner has singled out coverage of several issues dominating the 2020s for criticism, including trans rights, the Israel-Hamas war and COVID. Berliner says he sees the same problems at other news organizations, but argues NPR, as a mission-driven institution, has a greater obligation to fairness.

"I love NPR and feel it's a national trust," Berliner says. "We have great journalists here. If they shed their opinions and did the great journalism they're capable of, this would be a much more interesting and fulfilling organization for our listeners."

A "final warning"

The circumstances surrounding the interview were singular.

Berliner provided me with a copy of the formal rebuke to review. NPR did not confirm or comment upon his suspension for this article.

In presenting Berliner's suspension Thursday afternoon, the organization told the editor he had failed to secure its approval for outside work for other news outlets, as is required of NPR journalists. It called the letter a "final warning," saying Berliner would be fired if he violated NPR's policy again. Berliner is a dues-paying member of NPR's newsroom union but says he is not appealing the punishment.

The Free Press is a site that has become a haven for journalists who believe that mainstream media outlets have become too liberal. In addition to his essay, Berliner appeared in an episode of its podcast Honestly with Bari Weiss.

A few hours after the essay appeared online, NPR chief business editor Pallavi Gogoi reminded Berliner of the requirement that he secure approval before appearing in outside press, according to a copy of the note provided by Berliner.

In its formal rebuke, NPR did not cite Berliner's appearance on Chris Cuomo's NewsNation program last Tuesday night, for which NPR gave him the green light. (NPR's chief communications officer told Berliner to focus on his own experience and not share proprietary information.) The NPR letter also did not cite his remarks to The New York Times , which ran its article mid-afternoon Thursday, shortly before the reprimand was sent. Berliner says he did not seek approval before talking with the Times .

NPR defends its journalism after senior editor says it has lost the public's trust

Berliner says he did not get permission from NPR to speak with me for this story but that he was not worried about the consequences: "Talking to an NPR journalist and being fired for that would be extraordinary, I think."

Berliner is a member of NPR's business desk, as am I, and he has helped to edit many of my stories. He had no involvement in the preparation of this article and did not see it before it was posted publicly.

In rebuking Berliner, NPR said he had also publicly released proprietary information about audience demographics, which it considers confidential. He said those figures "were essentially marketing material. If they had been really good, they probably would have distributed them and sent them out to the world."

Feelings of anger and betrayal inside the newsroom

His essay and subsequent public remarks stirred deep anger and dismay within NPR. Colleagues contend Berliner cherry-picked examples to fit his arguments and challenge the accuracy of his accounts. They also note he did not seek comment from the journalists involved in the work he cited.

Morning Edition host Michel Martin told me some colleagues at the network share Berliner's concerns that coverage is frequently presented through an ideological or idealistic prism that can alienate listeners.

"The way to address that is through training and mentorship," says Martin, herself a veteran of nearly two decades at the network who has also reported for The Wall Street Journal and ABC News. "It's not by blowing the place up, by trashing your colleagues, in full view of people who don't really care about it anyway."

Several NPR journalists told me they are no longer willing to work with Berliner as they no longer have confidence that he will keep private their internal musings about stories as they work through coverage.

"Newsrooms run on trust," NPR political correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben tweeted last week, without mentioning Berliner by name. "If you violate everyone's trust by going to another outlet and sh--ing on your colleagues (while doing a bad job journalistically, for that matter), I don't know how you do your job now."

Berliner rejected that critique, saying nothing in his essay or subsequent remarks betrayed private observations or arguments about coverage.

Other newsrooms are also grappling with questions over news judgment and confidentiality. On Monday, New York Times Executive Editor Joseph Kahn announced to his staff that the newspaper's inquiry into who leaked internal dissent over a planned episode of its podcast The Daily to another news outlet proved inconclusive. The episode was to focus on a December report on the use of sexual assault as part of the Hamas attack on Israel in October. Audio staffers aired doubts over how well the reporting stood up to scrutiny.

"We work together with trust and collegiality everyday on everything we produce, and I have every expectation that this incident will prove to be a singular exception to an important rule," Kahn wrote to Times staffers.

At NPR, some of Berliner's colleagues have weighed in online against his claim that the network has focused on diversifying its workforce without a concomitant commitment to diversity of viewpoint. Recently retired Chief Executive John Lansing has referred to this pursuit of diversity within NPR's workforce as its " North Star ," a moral imperative and chief business strategy.

In his essay, Berliner tagged the strategy as a failure, citing the drop in NPR's broadcast audiences and its struggle to attract more Black and Latino listeners in particular.

"During most of my tenure here, an open-minded, curious culture prevailed. We were nerdy, but not knee-jerk, activist, or scolding," Berliner writes. "In recent years, however, that has changed."

Berliner writes, "For NPR, which purports to consider all things, it's devastating both for its journalism and its business model."

NPR investigative reporter Chiara Eisner wrote in a comment for this story: "Minorities do not all think the same and do not report the same. Good reporters and editors should know that by now. It's embarrassing to me as a reporter at NPR that a senior editor here missed that point in 2024."

Some colleagues drafted a letter to Maher and NPR's chief news executive, Edith Chapin, seeking greater clarity on NPR's standards for its coverage and the behavior of its journalists — clearly pointed at Berliner.

A plan for "healthy discussion"

On Friday, CEO Maher stood up for the network's mission and the journalism, taking issue with Berliner's critique, though never mentioning him by name. Among her chief issues, she said Berliner's essay offered "a criticism of our people on the basis of who we are."

Berliner took great exception to that, saying she had denigrated him. He said that he supported diversifying NPR's workforce to look more like the U.S. population at large. She did not address that in a subsequent private exchange he shared with me for this story. (An NPR spokesperson declined further comment.)

Late Monday afternoon, Chapin announced to the newsroom that Executive Editor Eva Rodriguez would lead monthly meetings to review coverage.

"Among the questions we'll ask of ourselves each month: Did we capture the diversity of this country — racial, ethnic, religious, economic, political geographic, etc — in all of its complexity and in a way that helped listeners and readers recognize themselves and their communities?" Chapin wrote in the memo. "Did we offer coverage that helped them understand — even if just a bit better — those neighbors with whom they share little in common?"

Berliner said he welcomed the announcement but would withhold judgment until those meetings played out.

In a text for this story, Chapin said such sessions had been discussed since Lansing unified the news and programming divisions under her acting leadership last year.

"Now seemed [the] time to deliver if we were going to do it," Chapin said. "Healthy discussion is something we need more of."

Disclosure: This story was reported and written by NPR Media Correspondent David Folkenflik and edited by Deputy Business Editor Emily Kopp and Managing Editor Gerry Holmes. Under NPR's protocol for reporting on itself, no NPR corporate official or news executive reviewed this story before it was posted publicly.

• Katherine Maher
• uri berliner