1. AN INTRODUCTION TO PARAGRAPHING

2. There are many types of Paragraphs
Describe
Define
Show results
Analyse
Describe AND analyse
Complicate the description – e.g. by presenting alternative viewpoints.
Compare and Contrast
There are lots of different types of paragraphs. Paragraphs have different purposes – they can ‘do’ different things. You can have paragraphs which: read slide. As you read ask yourself – what is this paragraph doing now? Is it describing (eg a theory), is it reviewing the critics, is it using the critics to build an argument, is it analysing (finding problems with) something? If you really want to get to grips with this issue I suggest you have a look at The UVic Writer's Guide – it’ll only take about 30 minutes. I also think it’s time worth spent as getting to grips with paragraphing will make your writing much easier – you’ll know exactly what you are doing and your writing will become more mechanical - when I fully understood the different methods, my writing flew. Today, though, we are just gonna look at perhaps 2 of the most common types of paragraph – descriptive and classic.

3. What things might you find in a Paragraph?
One line might:
Mention a topic
Claim something about the topic
Explain the claim
Describe something
Expand on the description
Analyse the description
The Parts of a paragraph. In order to analyse paragraphs, to see the structures in what people write, you might look for the following things. What sorts of info can paragraphs contain? Think: what are you doing? Where do you need to put your info? I don’t know whether it’ll help you, but I am always looking to see what type of info has been grouped together . EG Where have they put the discussion of the theory and why? Where is the analysis here? Where are the examples?
See:
General Theme: Learning at University – Lectures.
_______
How do they follow their claim?

4. Parts of the Paragraph
The job of the paragraph is to discuss ONE TOPIC so you’ll usually find
A Topic Sentence (often an assertion - an opinion about a topic)
An assertion = point/ a claim made/ a proposition – a reason for your analysis.

5. The Topic Sentence States what the paragraph is about
May be a very general description of the topic OR
May make a point (state an opinion) about the topic
Often appears in 1st or 2nd line of the paragraph
The topic sentence sums up the point the writer will explain in the paragraph/ A topic sentence – states what the paragraph is about. [Ask– what’s it about? What’s its point?]
I recommend no 2! Make an assertion – something you can get your teeth into rather than a general statement.

6. (Explanation, Evidence, Comment)
CLASSIC PARAGRAPHS
Topic Sentence ↓
Development
(Explanation, Evidence, Comment)
The next thing to ask after you have looked for the topic statement is how the paragraph is developed.

7. The Main Body: Paragraph Development
Develops the main idea.
Answers questions such as:
What does this mean?
Why do I think this?
What do I think of this?
Remember the session on argument? I think this because of that? Once you’ve written the topic statement – ask ‘what are the reasons for the assertion in the topic statement
If I said to you Bob Dylan was excellent last night, I’d need to explain myself, wouldn’t I?
What? Where? Why? How? How much? In what ways?

8. The main body might: DESCRIBE the topic. EG:
EXPLAIN WHAT IS MEANT BY THE TOPIC.
GIVE REASONS for the assertion stated in the topic statement.
DESCRIBE the topic. EG:
Different arguments to support/oppose the topic sentence
Give examples and illustrations of the topic, offer a chronology of an event, cite data (facts, statistics, evidence, details, etc)
Refer to critics (quotations and paraphrases)
Describe a relevant case/ example
Define terms in the paragraph

9. Then the main body might:
INTERPRET/ANALYSE /COMMENT ON THE SUPPORTING DETAILS.
Compare and contrast ideas on the main idea of the paragraph (using theories, literature, etc)
Debate the questions: WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? EG: Causes? Effects of the topic statement? Consequences? Implications?
Analysis/Evaluation of causes and reasons or the effects or implications of the topic

10. Paragraph Conclusion
Linking sentence which rounds off paragraph: it summarizes/evaluates, closes unit of thought/clinches observation
Might usher in the next paragraph

11. Summary of Lecture: Classic Structure of Analytical Paragraph
Topic Sentence
(= often an assertion/opinion/judgement to be developed) ↓
Development
(Explanation, Definitions, Evidence, & Comment)
Linking Sentence
Most of your paragraphs can be structured like this: read slide.