How do you write a good paragraph?

Most paragraphs in here will be done to accomplish one of two things: Argue (the act of presenting and defending a debatable idea as true) OR Analyze (the act of examining something’s parts to determine how they work together to create the whole)

The paragraph’s pattern: claim, evidence, elaboration First, you will present your claim (this is the idea that you will attempt to defend; in this case, it’s the theme) Next, you will present evidence to prove that your theme (or idea) exists within the text. Finally, you will elaborate on your evidence and explain how and/or why that evidence is sufficient enough to prove your claim. Here you will also force the reader to see things from your perspective by addressing ways that you might be misunderstood.

Model: I had a great summer. I spent the core of my summer traveling on a cross- country road trip. While on the trip, I visited three national parks, ate a lot of good food, and nearly died twice. This proved for a good summer because I value nature and crave new experiences. In particular, I enjoy visiting the southwestern region of the United States, and that was the location of the three parks I visited (Joshua Tree, Sequoia, and Arches). Barbeque is one of my favorite foods, and I ate some of the best barbeque I’ve ever had in Texas. And while nearly dying isn’t a great experience on it’s own, few people can say they’ve camped in Joshua Tree, suffered mild heat stroke, and lived to tell about it.

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