Developing Your Body Paragraphs Support and Expand your THESIS

Body Paragraphs Contain topic sentences – sentences that introduce the paragraph and its connection to your thesis statement. Provided support for your thesis – this can be in examples, quotes, statistics, etc. Connect back, through elaboration, to the thesis statement and the introductory paragraph.

Organization and flow… Each body paragraph and its topic sentence refer directly back to the thesis statement. Essay Introduction & Thesis Statement Body Paragraph 3 _____________ Body Paragraph 4 _____________ Body Paragraph 1 _____________ Body Paragraph 2 _____________

Body Paragraphs: Connection and Conciseness Within each of your body paragraphs, examples, evidence, etc. support the topic sentence and thus refers back to or connects to your essay thesis. Body Paragraph NOTE: Each sentence in a body paragraph should support the topic of the paragraph and thus the thesis. Topic Sentence Elaborate on and explain support. Quote Story Statistic other

Body Paragraphs: FORM Most paragraphs contain between five to ten sentences. The first line of a paragraph is usually indented (begin a few spaces to the right of the margin) to show that there is a new paragraph. Begin with a single tab or five spaces (indent), before you begin the paragraph.

The Hamburger Paragraph A visual way to learn to organize your paragraphs is through the hamburger method.

Key Features of the Hamburger paragraph Topic sentence Supporting sentences Elaborating or Explanatory sentences Concluding or transition sentence

Topic Sentences This sentence contain the controlling and connecting elements of the body paragraph. It tells the reader what the paragraph will be about and connects back to the thesis statement from the introductory paragraph.

The Topic Sentence (Top Bun) Very first sentence of your paragraph. Always needs to be indented. Tells what your paragraph is going to be about. There are many reasons that I love to teach. First of all, I love to teach because I love being at school. Another reason I love teaching is that the days go by quickly. A third reason I love to teach is because I love seeing a student understand something new. Finally, I love to teach because I love to be around kids. These are just a few reasons I love to teach.

Supporting Sentences These sentence are used by the author to provide support to the paragraph and the essay thesis. They can be quotes from researched sources, personal anecdotes, statistics, stories or examples. NOTE: These must be in complete sentences or woven into complete sentences.

Explanatory or Elaborating Sentences Every paragraph has sentences that relate to the ideas in the topic sentence. These sentences are called supporting sentences. These are the sentences in which the author explains or elaborates on the connections between the supporting sentences and the overall topic.

The First Detail (Lettuce) There are many reasons that I love to teach. First of all, I love to teach because I love being at school. Another reason I love teaching is that the days go by quickly. A third reason I love to teach is because I love seeing a student understand something new. Finally, I love to teach because I love to be around kids. These are just a few reasons I love to teach. Should not be the most important detail. Needs to follow directly after the topic sentence. Needs to be full of good “lettucy” details!

The Second Detail (Tomato) There are many reasons that I love to teach. First of all, I love to teach because I love being at school. Another reason I love teaching is that the days go by quickly. A third reason I love to teach is because I love seeing a student understand something new. Finally, I love to teach because I love to be around kids. These are just a few reasons I love to teach. Still should not be the most important detail. Needs to follow directly after the lettuce sentence. Needs to be full of good “juicy” details!

The Third Detail (Cheese) There are many reasons that I love to teach. First of all, I love to teach because I love being at school. Another reason I love teaching is that the days go by quickly. A third reason I love to teach is because I love seeing a student understand something new. Finally, I love to teach because I love to be around kids. These are just a few reasons I love to teach. Still not be the most important detail. Needs to start differently than other sentences. Needs to be full of good “cheesy” details!

The Last Detail (Meat) Finally!! The most important detail. There are many reasons that I love to teach. First of all, I love to teach because I love being at school. Another reason I love teaching is that the days go by quickly. A third reason I love to teach is because I love seeing a student understand something new. Finally, I love to teach because I love to be around kids. These are just a few reasons I love to teach. Finally!! The most important detail. Should start differently than most of the other sentences. Needs to be full of good “meaty” details!

Concluding sentence It is sometimes helpful to have a concluding expression in your last sentence to signal the end of your paragraph. Some common expressions used in concluding sentences are listed below. It is apparent … This is just one … Consequently, This demonstrates that …

The Closing Sentence (Bottom Bun) Should look a lot like the topic sentence. Needs to summarize the topic. Needs to be an obvious end to the sentence. There are many reasons that I love to teach. First of all, I love to teach because I love being at school. Another reason I love teaching is that the days go by quickly. A third reason I love to teach is because I love seeing a student understand something new. Finally, I love to teach because I love to be around kids. These are just a few reasons I love to teach.

Sample Body Paragraph Family vacations can bring people closer together. I remember a time when my sister and I were not getting along. When we first left on family vacation, she and I hardly spoke, but being forced together made us have to interact. Positive situations like this – forced or otherwise – can create closer bonds, important to forging good relationships. According to Dr. John Smith PhD., “people who are open to counseling or group therapy have stronger, healthier relationships” (89). Communication in a variety of forms can improve personal interaction. This demonstrates one of the countless ways to open up vital avenues to quality communication.