1. Developing Paragraphs
Improving your Writing

2. What Is an Example?
Examples illustrate ideas, issues, problems, situations, theories, or behaviours. Examples explain something or provide evidence to support a point of view. You can explain that a felony is a 'a serious crime' by giving readers examples- murder, robbery, sexual assault.

3. Get Writing- 10mins
Write a paragraph that uses one or more examples to explain an idea or support a point of view about one of the following topics:
self-destructive behaviour
people who overcome obstacles
television shows you consider inappropriate for children
products that have made your life easier
potential problems you will face this semester

4. What Have You Written? Read your paragraph carefully.
Underline the topic sentence.
Does it clearly describe your subject?
Do the examples illustrate or support your topic sentence?
Will readers understand the examples you include?
Can you think of better ones?

5. Sample Example Paragraph
In order to obtain a loan, applicants must have sufficient collateral the lender can attach in case of nonpayment. Ideally, collateral consists of items with fixed values that can be readily seized and used to pay for a loan in case of default. These include savings accounts, stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. Other forms of collateral, such as cars, artwork, stamps, coins, and jewellery, are less desirable because their value is harder to establish and they take time to convert to cash.

6. Tips for Using Examples
Create a strong topic sentence or state a controlling idea to prevent examples from being a list of random facts or narratives.
Choose examples readers can identify and understand.
Avoid examples readers may find controversial.
Provide more than one example to support a point of view.
Supply additional forms of support such as statistics and facts.

7. Developing Paragraphs Using Definition
Definitions limit or explain the meaning of a word or idea. To communicate effectively, people must use terms with shared meanings.
Descriptions provide details about a single person, or thing. Definitions establish details about a personality type, kind of place, or class of things.
Writers use definitions for two basic purposes: to explain or convince.

8. What Are You Trying To Say?
Write a paragraph that establishes and explains your definitions of one of the following topics:
a role model
an educated person
an ideal job
sexual harrassment
terroism
stalking

9. What is an Arraignment?
An arraignment is an initial court appearance where charges are presented to a defendant who enters a plea or asks for a continuance to plea at a later date. During this appearance the court establishes whether the defendant has a lawyer. The judge may set bail and schedule future court appearances. Although often a formality, the arraignment is an important part in the criminal justice process. Errors made at arraignment will complicate cases later on and sometimes lead to charges being dismissed.

10. Steps To Writing A Definition Paragraph
Determine whether your goal is to explain or convince.
Determine whether you are writing a standard, qualifying, personal, or invented definition.
Make sure your paragraph has a clear definition statement, ususally contained in a single topic sentence that summarizes your meaning.
Avoid defining a word using the same word, such as 'a diffusion pump diffuses'.

11. 5. Establish meaning by explaining what your subject is not to eliminate confusion or common misconceptions. 6. Define using description to provide details about what your subject looks, sounds or feels like. 7. Define using examples readers can identify. 8. Define using comparisons. You can explain an abstract or technical term or idea by comparing it with something more common that people can recognise.

12. Developing Paragraphs Using Comparison and Contrast
Do you think men and women communicate differently? Do you see differences in the way they deliver bad news, express anger, give orders, or make suggestions?

13. What Are Comparison and Contrast?
Comparison illustrates how two topics are alike. Contrast demonstrates how they are different.
Comparison and contrast is used for two reasons: to explain and to convince.

14. What are you trying to say? -10mins
Write a paragraph that compares or contrasts one of the following pairs:
married and single friends
two popular comedians
two novels you have read
how men and women communicate

15. Writing to Explain
Many people use the words 'fire truck' and 'fire engine' interchangeably. In fact, some dictionaries and city governments make no distinction between the two terms. But in many fire departments,including ours, there are distinct differences. Fire engines carry water and are used to fight fires, especially where hydrants are not available, such as wooded areas, expressways and airports. Fire trucks carry ladders and other equipment used in

16. fighting fires and other emergencies, especially rescuing people from burning buildings or vehicles. Our department has three engine engine companies and five ladder or truk companies. Fire engines and fire trucks have separate crews and command structures. Engine companies and ladder companies respond to separate emergencies, although they often work together on major fires or disasters.

17. Steps To Writing A Comparison and Contrast Paragraph
Narrow your topic and identify key points by creating two list of details.
Determine the goal of your paragraph. Do you plan to explain differences or argue that one subject is better or more desirable than the other?
Develop a topic sentence that clearly expresses yourmain point.
Determine whether to use subject by subject or point by point to organize your details, then make a rough outline.