Quick Review of Strong Body Paragraphs Based on the 14.2 SAT Essay Prompt By Ms. C, VPS Verbal SAT Prep Teacher

Varied Types of Examples Major Supporting Example Types All must be CONCRETE (based on real people, places, events, things, or ideas) Readings/Literature- The Great Gatsby, Harry Potter, an article from a newspaper or magazine, The Help History- Early American Colonies/Lost Colony, Pearl Harbor, Civil Rights Movement, Women’s Vote Current Events- The Great Recession, Katrina Disaster, Off shore drilling, European Dept Crisis, Arab Spring Popular Culture- Charlie Sheen, TV Show “Walking Dead,” NCAA Winner, Sandusky/Sex Abuse Scandal, “Sister Wives,” Reality TV Major Leaders- Obama, FDR, Hitler, Stalin, Pelosi, Lincoln, Clinton Science/Technology/Innovation- Thalidomide, Cell Phones, Social Networking, Race for the Cure, Mental Health Care Changes Personal Experience/Observation- Playing softball for thee years, My parent’s convenience store, Surviving the car accident

14.2 SAT Assignment What is your view on the idea that it takes failure to achieve success? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

Keys to a Strong POV Body Paragraph Strong topic sentence- reflects the thesis, serves as a mini- thesis for the paragraph, often includes transitional elements Strong Major Supporting Topic/Example- hopefully a varied type; can be Personal Experience/Observation, Historical, Literary, Tech/Science based, Current Events based, Key Leaders based, or from Popular Culture; must lend itself to both specifics and good general discussion Specific/Show-me Details- Often the who's, what's, why's, when's, and how's of the major example; descriptions include specific nouns, verbs, adverbs, and adjectives Discussion- includes specific discussion of the actual example then extends to a general discussion supporting the over-arching idea of both the topic sentence and the thesis Conclusion/Wrap-up sentence- reflects the topic sentence and/or provides a "look ahead" to the forthcoming paragraph; a mini- conclusion for the entire paragraph

Student’s Thesis Statement While learning from failures often results, failure itself does not necessarily end in success. The thesis is REFLECTED in each Topic Sentence, not repeated The thesis is REFLECTED somewhere in the Conclusion Paragraph, too, but not directly repeated Below is the actual FULL thesis statement from the essay’s introductory paragraph. The thesis is the unifying statement for the entire essay, including for each body paragraph.

Student Sample Body Paragraph The thesis says that failure does not necessarily end in success. Everyone knows of the saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Well if failure does in fact lead to success, then two people or elements must be involved, and one will not be successful. The loss of one is the victory of another, which is shown in many historical and current events. An obvious example of this is John McCain, the Republican United States Senator of Arizona. He has been a person of great success: he survived a POW camp during the Vietnam War, he is a decorated war veteran, he became wealthy, and he’s had a much heralded state and national political career. Yet when he announced his candidacy for President in 2000, George W. Bush was chosen over him. In 2008, McCain ran again for the Presidency. While he was nominated as the official Republican candidate, he lost to Barack Obama and the Democratic Party. McCain’s past failings will not guarantee his future spot in the White House. In fact, these failings have not led him to either the Presidency or the Vice Presidency. He might learn something about turning people’s opinions against his enemies, but his failure still might never lead to success.

Strong topic sentence- reflects the thesis, serves as a mini-thesis for the paragraph, often includes transitional elements Everyone knows of the saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Well if failure does in fact lead to success, then two people or elements must be involved, and one will not be successful. Notice the topic sentence is SECOND. This writer chose to complete a separate transition sentence first. No matter what, the topic sentence is always at or near the very beginning of the paragraph.

Pertinent, Concrete Major Supporting Topic/Example- Must be CONCRETE (based on a real “who” or “what”); choose from Personal Experience/Observation, Historical, Literary, Tech/Science based, Current Events based, Key Leaders based, or from Popular Culture types; must lend itself to both specifics and good general discussion An obvious example of this is John McCain, the Republican United States Senator of Arizona. This major supporting example is clearly a Current Events/Historical Type Major Supporting Example. “John McCain” is a concrete “who.”

Specific/Show-me Details- Often the whos, whats, whys, whens, hows, and effects of the major example; descriptions include specific nouns, verbs, adverbs, and adjectives. This is the “show me” portion. He has been a person of great success: he survived a POW camp during the Vietnam War, he is a decorated war veteran, he became wealthy, and he’s had a much heralded state and national political career. Yet when he announced his candidacy for President in 2000, George W. Bush was chosen over him. In 2008, McCain ran again for the Presidency. While he was nominated as the official Republican candidate, he lost to Barack Obama and the Democratic Party.

Discussion- includes specific discussion of the actual example then extends to a general discussion supporting the over-arching idea of both the topic sentence and the thesis; this is the “tell me” portion Everyone knows of the saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” …. The loss of one is the victory of another, which is shown in many historical and current events…. McCain’s past failings will not guarantee his future spot in the White House. In fact, these failings have not led him to either the Presidency or the Vice Presidency. He might learn something about turning people’s opinions against his enemies…

Conclusion/Wrap-up sentence- reflects the topic sentence and/or provides a "look ahead" to the forthcoming paragraph; a mini-conclusion for the entire paragraph He might learn something about turning people’s opinions against his enemies, but his failure still might never lead to success. The writer not only reflects the thesis in this last sentence, he also ends the entire paragraph with something for the reader to really ponder… Will McCain ever get a place at the White House?