How to Write an Effective Body AKA: The Part that REALLY Counts

The Dehumanization of a Contemporary Group Each of your research papers should consist of 2 major parts: 1.Informational: (1) how this group has been dehumanized (2) how this group has reacted, if at all 2. Persuasive: (3) a possible creative solution for this problem

How Should Each Body Paragraph Be Structured? EVERY SENTENCE OF YOUR BODY PARAGRAPH IS OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE: Formula: ▫Topic Sentence/Claim ▫Evidence ▫Analysis ▫Concluding Sentence

Topic Sentences/Claims Appears early in a body paragraph (1st or 2nd sentence) and controls the paragraph ▫Mini-thesis for each paragraph ▫Serves to unify contents of paragraph -- everything that follows in the paragraph needs to relate to topic sentence ▫SAY SOMETHING!

Topic Sentences: Examples Thesis: Due to the continually dehumanizing treatment of homosexuals, laws should be enacted that label offenses against lesbian and gay individuals as hate crimes. ▫Topic Sentence 1: There has been a string of violent attacks on individuals who identify as homosexual, even in the past few years. ▫TS 2: One way in which homosexuals and their allies have fought for acceptance is through the American legal system. ▫TS 3: Unfortunately, some are still opposed to the Supreme Court’s ruling and have chosen to overlook it. ▫TS 4: In order to protect gay and lesbian individuals, laws should be enacted that label offenses against them as nothing less than hate crimes.

Evidence and Analysis You always need evidence to back up your topic sentences/claims! Good sources of evidence: ▫Quotes ▫Paraphrasing You must say why and how this evidence supports your argument ▫You have to explain the significance of the evidence and its function in your paper ▫What turns a fact or piece of information into evidence is the connection it has with a larger claim or argument: evidence is always evidence for or against something, and you have to make that link clear

Analysis Questions that may help you explain how your evidence is related to your overall argument: ▫O.k., I’ve just stated this point, but so what? Why is it interesting? Why should anyone care? ▫What does this information imply? ▫What are the consequences of thinking this way or looking at a problem this way? ▫I’ve just described what something is like or how I see it, but why is it like that? ▫I’ve just said that something happens-so how does it happen? How does it come to be the way it is? ▫Why is this information important? Why does it matter? ▫How is this idea related to my thesis? What connections exist between them? Does it support my thesis? If so, how does it do that?

Concluding Sentences Similar to the restatement of your thesis at the beginning of your conclusion Should restate your topic sentence DO NOT INTRODUCE NEW IDEAS HERE ▫EACH PARAGRAPH SHOULD BE SELF- CONTAINED!

Day 1: Your Task Write the informational portion of your paper.

Day 2: Your Task Write the persuasive portion of your paper.