Paragraph/Essay Organization

Introduction Gets the readers interest Gets the readers interest Sets the context for paragraph/essay provides background Sets the context for paragraph/essay provides background Interest: How does one decide on a career? Background: “When I was fourteen, my family and I traveled to Michigan to visit my great-grandmother.”

Topic or subject of the paragraph/essay Main idea (what you will prove or provide support for in the paragraph/essay) Topic “Computerized special effects Main Idea now bring to the screen scenes that never could have been shown before.

Support Paragraphs Topic Sentences Topic Sentences Provides general support for the Main Idea of your Topic Sentence. Specific (details!) support Specific (details!) support Provides detailed examples that helps the reader better understand your general support.

Support There are three kinds of Support: 1. Examples 2. Quotes 3. Data/Statistics

Thesis Statement: “Computerized special effects now bring to the screen scenes that never could have been shown before. First support point: films can show disasters, re-create the past, or create the future. For example, entire cities can be shown as they might exist in the future.

Support There are three kinds of Support: 1. Examples 2. Quotes 3. Data/Statistics Quote: According to Peter Jackson, Director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, “Computer effects made many of the scenes possible.”

Support There are three kinds of Support: 1. Examples 2. Quotes 3. Data/Statistics Statistics: A research study at the University of Southern California showed that computer effects make up 50% of the scenes in fantasy movies and 15% in action-adventure movies.

Writing Organization Thesis Statement: “Computerized special effects now bring to the screen scenes that never could have been shown before.” now bring to the screen scenes that never could have been shown before.” Topic Sentence 1 Topic Sentence 1 “With the help of computerized special effects, films can show disasters and re-create the past.” Specific (details!) support Specific (details!) support “For example, in the movie Titanic, computerized special effects showed the Titanic as it was about to launch….”

Topic Sentence “With the help of computerized special effects, films can show disasters and re- create the past.” Specific (details!) support Specific (details!) support “For example, in the movie Titanic, computerized special effects showed the Titanic about to launch….”

Specific (details!) support “For example, in the movie Titanic, computerized special effects showed the Titanic about to launch….”

Conclusion Restates the main idea (what you have proved in the paragraph/essay) in different words Restates the main idea (what you have proved in the paragraph/essay) in different words Thesis Statement: “Computerized special effects now bring to the screen scenes that never could have been shown before.” now bring to the screen scenes that never could have been shown before.” Example conclusion: “It is almost certain that in the future, special effects will become even more realistic.” Takes the reader a step further Takes the reader a step further Example: “Special effects may even blur the line between what the audience believes to be real and what is actually real.”