Writing a Body Paragraph

Writing a Body Paragraph

What goes in your body paragraph?

• Topic Sentence

• Evidence to prove topic sentence - your words

• Support from reading to with correct citation

• Do that at least twice in a paragraph

• Transition to next idea

Topic Sentence

• Sounds like your thesis, except it is using just one point

• Mix it up some - don't have all your topic sentences sound alike

• What you use as your topic must be the big idea for the entire paragraph

• don't use one of your supporting ideas for the topic sentence

Multiple Choice

Why is this not a good topic sentence?

Dogs are good pets because they are protective and fun to play with.

• It is about dogs.

• It has more than one point.

• It isn't true.

• It has no support.

Evidence to Prove Your Point - Your Words!

• This is where you start to use the evidence from your pre/write - graphic organizer

• Take one thing you plan to talk about (Dogs are good protection) that you have learned in your reading, but put it all in your own words

• This should be understandable to your reader and shows you know what you are talking about

• Don't use any words you don't understand

Multiple Select

Which statements would make a good second sentence?

• The minacious tendency of canines exemplify their positive protective qualities.

• Dogs can sound threatening and scare people away - even when they're really big cuddle babies.

• Many dogs are naturally protective of their "pack" so will keep their family and property safe.

• Even a small dog's bark and bared teeth will make people think twice about breaking into a house or harming a person.

Support with Citations

• This is where you use the author's words

• Your quote must be the BEST support for the point you're making

• You must give credit to the author, even if you are paraphrasing and putting the idea in sort of your own words

• You must put exact words from the reading in quotation marks

• You need to use GTA for your first citation - genre, title, and author

• After you have cited once, you can use a shortened form after that - (Author's name) also said...

• Don't make the quote too long - just use what most proves your point

Multiple Choice

Which is a good first citation?

• John Marks said, "Dogs..."

• In John Marks article he talks about how dogs...

• The article "Dogs are Great" says that ...

• In John Marks article "Dogs are Great," it says, "Dogs make great...

Do It Again

• You should have at least 2 pieces of evidence to prove each point you are making

• Do the same thing again for your other piece of evidence

• This is where having a good prewrite/graphic organizer makes your live easier - just go back and pick out your evidence

• Don't say the same thing again - it must be something new

Multiple Choice

Why aren't these two good points to make in your paragraph?

Dogs can look fierce so they are good protection.

When dogs growl and snarl, they look scary.

• They aren't true.

• They say the same thing.

Transitions

• A transition slowly moves the reader from one thought to another

• A transition should make the two ideas tie together - what you said with what you will say next

• Every body paragraph needs at least one transition

• Do not use First, Next, Finally - these are way too elementary now. There are great transition words - find some you like.

• Don't use transition words that don't fit in with the rest of your paper - albeit (meaning although) make be too academic or advance sounding for the rest of the paper - This isn't college, after all.

Multiple Choice

What is the point of a transition word, phrase, or sentence?

• to fill up space

• to show you know some advanced words

• to finish off the paragraph

• to smoothly tie together thoughts or idea