AN INTRODUCTION TO PARAGRAPHING

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.

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: http://dissc.tees.ac.uk/Writing/paragraphs/page4.htm General Theme: Learning at University – Lectures. _______ How do they follow their claim?

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.

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.

(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.

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?

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

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

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

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.