Writing Strong Paragraphs

The Significant Parts of an Essay

MLA Formatting

Top Left: Writer’s full name Teacher’s name Class Date

Suzie Jones

Ms. Smith

English I

4 November 2009

Top Right: Writer’s last name Page number

Jones 1

Suzie Jones

Ms. Smith

English I

4 November 2009

HINT! Use the “header” function of your word processing program to automatically enter your name and page number on each page.

Title: Centered Creatively address topic and

subject of essay Do not:

bold, underline, italicize, or change size

Jones 1

Suzie Jones

Ms. Smith

English I

4 November 2009

Title Goes Here

Type Double-space 12 point font Legible, standard font

Times New Roman 1 inch margins Indent paragraphs

Jones 1

Suzie Jones

Ms. Smith

English I

4 November 2009

Title Goes Here

Here is my general statement

about my topic. From here, I say

some more stuff, then I funnel to

the thesis statement.

A topic sentence goes here. I

support my arguments in this

paragraph and I include analysis.

Elements of a Paragraph

Topic Sentence Supporting Example(s) Closing Sentence

Structure of a Body Structure of a Body ParagraphParagraph

Topic Sentence

Analysis

Lead In

Quotation

Transition

Concluding Sentence

Lead In

Analysis

Quotation

Elements of a Body Paragraph

Topic Sentence: Establish the focus of the body paragraph. One sentence

Background information Introduce the example that you plan to use

Elements of a Body Paragraph

Lead In Provides context for the quote you will use Introduce “Who” is involved in the quote and “What” is

happening.

Quotation: Specific quote from the story Uses parenthetical citation “……” ( Authors Name pg#) Must prove your topic sentence

Elements of a Body Paragraph

Analysis: Explains the “How” and the “Why” Explains How the quotation proves your topic

sentence Explains Why the quotation proves your thesis

statement

Closing Sentence Must refer back to your topic sentence.

Example Topic Sentence: George and Lenny demonstrate how important

loyalty is to a successful friendship when they escape the Weed incident together.

Background: Before George and Lenny moved to Soledad, they worked on a farm in Weed. However George’s loyalty to Lenny was tested when Lenny was accused of “raping” a girl on the farm. George chose to stick by Lenny “that night we scrammed outa there(42)”.

Analysis: George is loyal to Lenny even though his careless actions cause them to lose another job. George risks his own life in order save Lenny from the men on the ranch. This behavior demonstrates George’s continual loyalty to Lenny and proves the dedication of their friendship.

Topic Sentence Supporting

Examples Conclusion

will always establish topic of paragraph; provides reader with focus

if within an essay – relates back to thesis statement

if within an essay – transitions from previous paragraph

Each supports topic sentence and thesis

Includes internal transitions leading from one example to the next

Incorporates direct evidence from text in the form of a quotation

Includes analysis of evidence Explains HOW direct

evidence proves topic sentence and thesis

Topic Sentence Supporting

Example(s) Closing

sentence

relates to topic sentence provides insight to the topic

discussed if within a single paragraph

If within an essay – relates back to thesis

if within an essay – does not preview the next paragraph

Topic Sentence Supporting

Examples Closing

Sentence

Examples of Topic Sentences Example Thesis Statement: In

“The Most Dangerous Game” the mood of suspense is shown through the tropical night, Zaroff’s chateau, and the fight in the bedroom.

Topic Sentence for Body Paragraph 1: The suspenseful mood is illustrated through the image of the dark, tropical night.

Topic Sentence for Body Paragraph 2: In addition to the imagery of the tropical night, Zaroff’s chateau also helps to emphasize the mood of suspense.

Remember! Will always establish

topic of paragraph; provides reader with focus

if within an essay – relates back to thesis statement

if within an essay – transitions from previous paragraph

Developing Examples

Drawn from conclusions gained from text or story

Come from the ideas generated from the reader

Should not be repeated or redundant but distinctive

Incorporating Direct Evidence Borrowed from text Must be quoted exactly as is written

Including punctuation Includes “lead-in” and analysis

(more explanation to come!)

Cite using parenthetical citations Author’s last name Page number

Examples of Direct Evidence & Citations While Rainsford is on the boat, he

attempts “…to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness upon the yacht” (Connell 5).

Citation using author’s name, page #

Lead-ins & Analysis

Lead-ins Necessary to provide

smooth transition Includes context If the quote is spoken

in the text, the speaker must be identified.

Examples: When Zaroff does this

he says, “…quote goes here...”(author #).

When Rainsford jumps from the ship, he is described as “…quote goes here...”(author #).

Analysis Final component for quote incorporation Offers an explanation of HOW quote supports topic

sentence and connects to the thesis EXAMPLE: While Rainsford is on the boat, he attempts

“to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness upon the yacht” (Connell 5). The author’s use of the words “dank,” “palpable,” and “pressed” help to emphasize the suffocation the characters feel. The word dank gives one a feeling of a heavy wetness, which would then weigh on the characters. Something that is palpable can be touched, and therefore, if the air is pressing on the characters, they would feel suffocated.

Analysis continued…

On one side of Zaroff’s chateau, the sea is described as “lick[ing] greedy lips in the shadows” (Connell 7). The personifcation of the sea helps to add suspense because it emphasizes that Rainsford’s only option is the chateau; both the jungle and the sea threaten death.

Closing Sentence Remember-

relates to topic sentence provides insight to the topic

discussed if within a single paragraph

If within an essay – relates back to thesis

if within an essay – does not preview the next paragraph

Example Thesis Statement: In “The Most Dangerous Game” the mood of suspense is shown through the tropical night, Zaroff’s chateau, and the fight in the bedroom.

Topic Sentence for Body Paragraph 1: The suspenseful mood is illustrated through the image of the dark, tropical night.

Closing Sentence for Body Paragraph 1: The feeling of suffocation as well as the inability to see through the night air helps to build the suspense of the story.

Avoid: “In conclusion…” and “As you can see…”

Grammar & Mechanics

Present tense Third person Spell check Avoid excessive

pronoun usage Use the

apostrophe to mark possession

The author wants readers to reconsider how jealousy rules their lives.

The author wants readers to reconsider how jealousy rules their lives.

Mme. Loisel borrowed Mme. Forestier’s necklace because she wanted to look good for her husband. She is a shallow person.

The teecher wantz stoodentz to be smart and use spehl check.

Example Topic Sentence: George and Lenny demonstrate how important

loyalty is to a successful friendship when they escape the Weed incident together.

Background: Before George and Lenny moved to Soledad, they worked on a farm in Weed. However George’s loyalty to Lenny was tested when Lenny was accused of “raping” a girl on the farm. George chose to stick by Lenny “that night we scrammed outa there(42)”.

Analysis: George is loyal to Lenny even though his careless actions cause them to lose another job. George risks his own life in order save Lenny from the men on the ranch. This behavior demonstrates George’s continual loyalty to Lenny and proves the dedication of their friendship.

Do:

Pay attention to sentence structure Vary sentence lengths Pay attention to comma placement and other

punctuation Write complete sentences

Avoid: then now that it get or got starts to (as a phrase) As you can see, Overall, In Conclusion run on and fragment sentences

Examples of Grammar NO-NOs

Montresor then hides the trowel in the niche revealing that he is an insane planner of death. Fortunato then dies.

Now, Montresor can be considered crazy. That is why in the short story “Cask of

Amontillado,” Montresor is a dark, evil, and sinister man.

Find the errors!

Montresser chained Fortianato to a wall then built a brick wall around him, and right before he sealed the wall he put the torch in the last brick hole so that the fire eats all of the oxygen and he suffocates.

Montresser (sp) chained (vt) Fortianato (sp) to a wall thenthen built (vt) a brick wall around him, and right before he sealed (vt) the wall, he (who?) put (vt) the torch in the last brick hole so thatthat the fire eats all of the oxygen and he (who?) suffocates.