How to Write Using the Hamburger Method

Face it, we can all relate to food. Let's take something we're all familiar with, and use it to help us write. Take the hamburger, for instance. We're going to be using that famous sandwich as a template for good writing. It is a very simple idea, and will prove invaluable to you as you conquer many tasks. This method can be used for short, simple papers, as well as longer and more complicated writings.

We are going to work from the uppermost part of the sandwich and work our way down. The top of the bun is rather simple. Not too big and relatively plain. Occasionally, it has been sprinkled with a few minced onions or sesame seeds. The top of the bun is your introduction. It should be notably short and uninvolved. Your main idea should be presented, without giving out too much information. Try to clearly state your intentions, avoiding too much flair. Remember, the top of the bun is not very big, and only has a few seeds sprinkled here and there. Three to five sentences are usually adequate.

In between the bun, you have the hamburger .... the "meat" of you paper. This is where you present information and embellishment. Do you remember when you were little, and you would order a plain hamburger? That's right ~ just a lonely little bun with a single meat patty in the middle. If you use that plain hamburger as your template, your paper is not going to be very long ... or very interesting. Most likely it would be considered dull and uneventful. It certainly would not be appealing to most people. A deluxe hamburger with lots of garnishment is so much tastier! Compare that to your hamburger. When you are writing, the more you have between the bun, the more interesting it is going to be. Think about it. A hamburger with "the works" might be loaded with lettuce, tomato, cheese, onions, mustard, and ketchup. If you are at a fast food restaurant, you might even get that special sauce. Here's some more food for thought. Which sounds more delicious to you? Mustard or spicy Dijon mustard? Mushrooms or sautéed mushrooms? Cheese or smoked Gouda? When writing the body of your paper, it is important not only to have good information, but to use words that make it more interesting. If you can't think of a more captivating word, use a thesaurus. Substituting an unusual word for a common word will transform your plain composition into a work of art. Descriptive adjectives will also add a little zip to your paper. The middle of your sandwich has to include the meat, as well as a variety of condiments.

Supporting the top of the bun and hamburger, we find the bottom of the bun. Again, this is not very big and is rather plain. Your conclusion is the final layer of your hamburger. You want to wrap up your paper with a few short sentences. Quickly review the contents of your paper. This is not the place to embellish or use creative words. The bottom of the bun needs to be firm. When you pick up that loaded sandwich to eat it, you want the bun to hold things together. You want the same thing to happen with your conclusion. It should firmly restate the basic idea of your paper.

The structure of a paper is very similar to that of a hamburger. All components are essential to this delicious sandwich. It's just not the same if it's missing any of the three layers, or the titillating extras. The top of the bun, the meat and condiments, and the bottom of the bun are all crucial to the integrity of the paper ... and the hamburger.