1. Paragraph Development Development means to delve deeper into a an idea. Think about moving “deeper” or “downward,” not side-to-side Often, immature writers choose (unwittingly, at times) to avoid depth in favor of generalities and repetition, resulting in bland writing

2. For Example: from Ken Macrorie's Telling Writing

3. Types of Development Illustration/Example Explanation Definition Supporting evidence Weeding out vagueness and subjective language

4. Example Although he was an outlaw, Jesse James was considered a Robin Hood figure in my hometown in Missouri. He used to be generous to the poor, and he did many good deeds, not just robberies. In my hometown people still talk about how lots of the things James did weren’t all bad. (StWW p. 60) Notice how the writer only skims the surface of this topic. What might she need to give this passage more depth? (Note the revisions on page 60)

5. But wait… Even paragraphs with sufficient length can be lacking in development. Example: We ought to get rid of cellular phones in cars. Some people who have them think they’re a really good idea but a lot of us don’t agree. A car phone can cause too many dangerous accidents to happen, and even if there’s no terrible accident, people using them have been known to do some really stupid things in traffic. Drivers using car phones are constantly causing problems for other drivers; pedestrians are in big trouble from these people too. I think car phones are getting to be a really dangerous nuisance and we ought to do something about them soon. (StWW page 62) Note: vague language, lack of examples, unnecessary repetition. Repetition does NOT equal development.

6. When Addressing Development… In your own writing, look for statements that go unexplained Read over your work the way a potential reader might “Sense” where additional information is needed Recall the S.E.E. method Make sure the development is concrete

7. A Few Undeveloped Paragraphs… Professor Wilson is the best teacher I’ve ever had. His lectures are interesting, and he’s very concerned about his students. He makes the class challenging but not too hard. On tests he doesn’t expect more than one can give. I think he’s a great teacher. StWW page 65

8. A Few Undeveloped Paragraphs… Driving tests do not adequately examine a person’s driving ability. Usually the person being tested does not have to drive very far. The test does not require the skills that are used in everyday driving situations. Supervisors of driving tests tend to be very lenient. StWW page 65