1. Lecture 8: The paragraph
ELS - Writing
Lecture 8: The paragraph 1

2. Schedule today Tests (10%) back!
Start with: The structure of the paragraph:
Topic (sentences): topic + controlling ideas and exercises
Supporting details
(Concluding sentence)

3. Kosovo’s ethnic identity is an important element in historical narrations of the past and remains central in mutual expressions of interethnic discontent amongst the entity’s Albanian and Serb communities. On opposite sides of the barricade, Kosovo occupies a symbolic position in ethnic identity crafting practices, in which the presence of the ‘other,’ i.e. Albanian vs. Serb, is either depreciated, or entirely excluded. Serb recollections of the past symbolically place Kosovo at the heart of the Serb identity. Annually commemorated as medieval Serbia’s glorious triumph against the Ottoman Turks (under Tsar Stefan Dusan ), the ‘Battle of Kosovo’ (1389) sanctifies the area as the cradle of Serb civilization. In ethnic Serb narratives, Albanians are depicted as a minority group with little but marginal relevance in Kosovo’s medieval history. Discordantly, by appealing to shared Illyric descent, ethnic Albanians claim entitlement over Kosovo and traditionally aspire political unification of all Albanians in a single state, encompassing Albanian, Kosovo and in part Montenegrin and Macedonian territories (Judah 2008). Albanian accounts of Kosovo’s historical identity commonly consider Serbs as the foreign occupier and oppressor, colonializing Albanian land and its people.

4. Test
Question 1:
404 error
Copy-paste
Clone
Find - replace

5. Test
Question 2:
Apa style is easy!
(Demaj & Vandenbroucke 2015)

6. Test
Question 3:

7. Paragraph ?

8. Paragraph
A paragraph is a group of related sentences that discuss one main idea.
It can be as short as a sentence or as long as 10 sentences. The number of sentences is unimportant; it should be long enough to develop a main idea clearly.
The following model contains all the elements of a good paragraph. Read it carefully two or three times. Then answer the Writing technique questions that follow, which will help you analyze its structure.

9. A good paragraph (handout)
(1) ‘Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics. (2) First of all, gold has a lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion. (3) Therefore, it is suitable for jewelry, coins, and ornamental purposes. (4) Gold never needs to be polished and will remain beautiful forever. (5) For example, a Macedonian coin remains as untarnished today as the day it was made 25 centuries ago. (6) Another important characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industry and science. (7) For many years, it has been used in hundreds of industrial applications, such as photography and dentistry. (8) The most recent use of gold is in astronauts’ suits. (9) Astronauts wear gold-plated heat shields for protection when they go outside spaceships in space. (10) In conclusion, gold is treasured not only for its beauty but also for its utility.

10. Questions What is the topic of the paragraph?
What two main points does the writer make about the topic?
In which two sentences does the writer say that there are two main points?
What examples does the writer use to support each point?

11. The three parts of a paragraph
All paragraphs have:
A topic sentence
Supporting sentences
(some also have a) concluding sentence

12. 1) Topic sentence
The main idea of the paragraph and most important sentence in a paragraph
Briefly indicates what the paragraph is going to discuss (and what to look for in the rest of the paragraph as a reader)
It not only names the topic of the paragraph but also limits the topic to one specific area that can be discussed completely in the space of a single paragraph
The part of the topic sentence that announces the specific area to be discussed is called the controlling idea

13. What could the controlling idea be…
…in the first sentence?
Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics

14. The controlling idea
Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics
Gold = the topic
Two important characteristics = controlling idea

15. 2) Supporting sentences
Develop the topic sentence
They explain or prove the topic sentence by giving more information about it.
What could the supporting sentences be in exercise 1 (handout)

16. 2) Supporting sentences
First of all, gold has a lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion (explains more about the generality of the topic)
For example, a Macedonian coin remains as untarnished today as the day it was made 25 centuries ago
Another important characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industry and science.
The most recent use of is in astronauts’ suits

17. 3) The concluding sentence
Signals the end of the paragraph and leaves the reader with important points to remember
Concluding sentences are customary for stand- alone paragraphs.
Paragraphs part of a longer piece of writing (such as an essay) usually do not need concluding sentences.

18. 1) Topic sentence: exercises
Four important points to remember about a topic sentence:
It is a complete sentence; (with at least 1 subject and 1 verb.)
Are the following topic sentences?
- Driving on freeways (could be a title, but not a topic sentence!)
How to register for college classes (ibid.)
The rise of Indie films (ibid.)

19. 1) Topic sentence: exercises
Four important points to remember about a topic sentence:
2) A topic sentence: topic + controlling idea. It names the topic, and then limits the topic to a specific area to be discussed in the space of a single paragraph.
Make topic sentence with the previous examples:
Driving on freeways…
How to register for college classes…
The rise of indie films…

20. Example answers Driving on freeways requires skills and alertness.
Topic Controlling idea
Registering for college classes can be a frustrating experience for new students.
Topic Controlling idea
The rise of indie films is due to several factors.

21. 1) Topic sentence: exercises
Four important points to remember about a topic sentence:
3) The topic sentence is the most general statement in the paragraph because it gives only the main idea.
= no details are given
= like a course on a restaurant menu:

22. Example
When you order food, you want to know more than just ‘meat’ or ‘salad;’ you want to know the kind of food, without having to understand all the ingredients used.
Likewise, a reader wants to know generally what to expect in a paragraph, but he or she does not want to learn all the details in the first sentence

23. 1) Topic sentence: exercises
Four important points to remember about a topic sentence: 4) Try to position the topic sentence at the beginning (first sentence) of the paragraph

24. IMPORTANT
The topic sentence may not have controlling ideas that are unrelated. For example:
Too many ideas: Indie films are characterized by experimental techniques, low production costs and provocative themes.
Good: Independent films are characterized by experimental techniques.

25. Exercises TOPIC SENTENCES
Practice 1(topic sentence)
Practice 2 (topic + controlling idea)
Practice 3 (Write your own topic sentences)
SEE HANDOUTS with EXERCISES

26. Recap in writing your own topic sentences
Complete sentence with S + V
Not too general, not too specific.
Too general: the reader cannot tell exactly what the paragraph is going to discuss
Too specific: the writer will not have anything to write about in the rest of the paragraph
3) No unrelated controlling ideas

27. Exercises SUPPORTING SENTENCES
- they explain or prove the topic sentence by means of examples, statistics, and quotations
(it is here where you insert paraphrases)
See handout with exercises

29. Exercises SUPPORTING SENTENCES
The concluding sentence serves two purposes:
It signals the end of the paragraph
It leaves he reader with the most important ideas to remember. It can do this in two ways:
By summarizing the main points of the paragraph
By repeating the topic sentence in different words