1. By Joseph Cheatle Adapted from the OWL at Purdue
Writing Papers
By Joseph Cheatle
Adapted from the OWL at Purdue

2. Introduction What is this? Why am I reading it?
What do you want me to do?
Set the context
State why the main idea is important
State your thesis/claim

3. Thesis Checklist Establish a clear position
Support with balanced proofs (ethos, pathos, logos). Your thesis is more than a general statement about your main idea. It needs to establish a clear position you will support with balanced proofs (logos, pathos, ethos).
A good thesis is unified
A good thesis is as specific as possible
Originality

4. Body Paragraphs
Move from general to specific information (think of an inverted pyramid)
Explain why and how the information just provided connects with the thesis
Provide a brief summarization of the argument

5. Four Elements of a Good Paragarph
Transitions: helps the logical progression of thought
Topic Sentence: indicates in a general way what idea or thesis the paragraph is going to deal with.
Specific Evidence and Analysis
Brief wrap-up sentence

6. Paragraphs Continued One idea to one paragraph
Several bits of supporting evidence
Unity: single focus
Coherence: easy to understand for the reader. Create logical bridges and verbal bridges
Logical Bridges
The same idea of a topic is carried over from sentence to sentence
Successive sentences can be constructed in parallel form
Verbal Bridges
Key words can be repeated in several sentences
Synonymous words can be repeated in several sentences
Pronouns can refer to nouns in previous sentences
Transition words can be used to link ideas from different sentences

7. Paragraph Development
Use examples and illustrations
Cite data (facts, statistics, evidence, details, and others)
Examine testimony (what other people say such as quotes and paraphrases
Use an anecdote or story
Define terms in the paragraph
Compare and contrast
Evaluate causes and reasons
Examine effects and consequences
Analyze the topic
Describe the topic
Offer a chronology of an event

8. Paragraph Development
The topic (introduced by the topic sentence) should be discussed fully and adequately.
Methods to make sure your paragraph is well-developed:
Use examples and illustrations
Cite data (facts, statistics, evidence, details, and others)
Examine testimony (what other people say such as quotes and paraphrases)
Use an anecdote or story
Define the terms in the paragraph
Compare and contrast

9. When to start a new paragraph…
When you begin a new idea or point: New ideas should always start in new paragraphs. If you have an extended idea that spans multiple paragraphs, each new point within that idea should have its own paragraph
To contrast information or ideas: Separate paragraphs can serve to contrast sides in a debate, different points in an argument, or in any other difference.
When your readers need a pause. Breaks in paragraphs function as a short “break” for your readers – adding these in will help make your writing more readable. You would create a break if the paragraph becomes too long or the material is complex.
When you are ending your introduction or starting your conclusion. Your introductory and concluding material should always be in a new paragraph

10. Topic Sentence (Paragraphs cont.)
A topic sentence is a sentence that indicates in a general way what idea or thesis the paragraph is going to deal with. Although not all paragraphs have clear-cut topic sentences, and despite the fact that topic sentences can occur anywhere in the paragraph (as the first sentence, the last sentence, or somewhere in the middle), an easy way to make sure your reader understands the topic of the paragraph is to put your topic sentence near the beginning of the paragraph. Regardless of whether you include an explicit topic sentence or not, you should be able to easily summarize what the paragraph is about.

11. Conclusion
Moves back into general information that restates main points of your argument
Call for action or overview future possible research
Outline for conclusion
Restate your topic and why it is important
Restate your thesis/claim
Address opposing viewpoints and explain why readers should align with your position
Call for action or future research
Do not add new points to your conclusion that are not already part of your argument

12. Paragraph development cont…
Evaluate causes and reasons
Examine effects and consequences
Analyze the topic
Describe the topic
Offer a chronology of an event (time segments)

13. Starting a New Paragraph
When you begin a new idea or point
To contrast information or ideas
When your readers need a pause
When you ending your introduction or starting your conclusion

14. Transitions and Signposts
Signposts – internal aids to assist readers; they usually consist of several sentences or a paragraph outlining what the paper has covered and where the paper is going
Transitions – usually one or several sentences that “transition” from one idea to the next. Transitions can be used at the end of most paragraphs to help the paragraphs flow one into the next

15. Quoting in the Text Introduce the quote Cite the quote correctly
“…..” (DeLillo 12).
Your should cite the author, however, if you are using multiple works by a single author, you can cite the works themselves. (For a movie, cite the movie)
Explain the quote and why it is important to your paper

16. Close Reading

17. MLA Formatting NO NEEDLESS SPACING
Heading (name, class, date due all to the left)
Title centered and only the first letter capitalized, if there is a title of a book or movie in your title, please use correct formatting
Type 12 Times New Roman font
Double-spaced
1” margins
Page number and name, on the top right of every page
Page break between your writing and the works cited page.

18. Additional Sources The Owl at Purdue PlainLanguage.gov
PlainLanguage.gov
The Everyday Writer
What is Close Reading?