Supporting Paragraphs

Supporting Paragraphs

1. Main elements in every single paragraph of the essay

   • Evidence and explanation
     • Support the claim your paragraph and describe how
   • Conclusion
     • Tie together the information
   • Topic sentence
     • Introduce topic or claim from your thesis
   • Things that you shouldn't do
     • Start your paragraph with in examples
     • Make a paragraph so extensive (3 or more pages)
   • Introduce another topic in your paragraph

2. Unity

3. Development

4. Coherence

5. Things that you need to do

   • Try to use similar words used in introduction or thesis statement
   • Use transtional phrases at the begining and the end of a paragraph.
   • Use connectors such as: however, as, furthermore, whenever, etc.

6. Thesis Statement

   • Establish focus/ purpose and provide structures to your essay. It serves as a guide and informs the reader about what will be adressed in your writting. It is most important sentence(s) in your work, especially in argumentative and critical papers.
     • Thesis statement formula
       • Thesis = claims + grounds = reason/ evidence
         • Does the thesis have to be one sentence long?
           • No. A thesis can be longer than one sentence
     • Is a thesis needed in all essays?
       • Yes. The main function of a thesis is to establish focus/purpose and provide structure in an essay
     • Should the thesis be written first?
       • No. There is no rule for writting it first. Many writers develop their thesis as they draft their essay
   • A thesis statement should NOT
     • Be an announcement
     • Be vague
     • Simply state a fact
     • Simply state an observation
   • A thesis statement SHOULD
     • Provide an arguable claim
     • Provide a claim supported by evidence

7. Developing Conclusions

   • It is important to wrap up your writing by summarizing the main idea for your readers
     • Concluding strategies that do not work
       • Beginning with an unnecessary, overused phrase
       • Introduce a new idea in your conclusion
       • Making sentimental appeals that are out of character with the rest of the paper
       • Don't announce the conclusion
     • Your conclusion allows you to have the final say on the issues, to synthetize your thoughts to demonstrate the importance of your ideas
     • Estrategies for an effective conclusion
       • When you read a statement from the conclusion, ask yourself, so what? or why should anybody care?
       • Return to the theme or themes in the introduction
       • Include a provocative insight or quotation
   • Points to remember
     • If it is a longer paper, a good place to start is by looking at what each paragraph was about
     • Leave your readers with something to think about
     • Use your introductory paragraph as a guide

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