ENG2PI: Paragraph Writing

Learning Goals:

I will be able to:

  • Write a well-structured formal paragraph
  • Create a well-structured argument
  • Use quotations from the text as evidence
  • Properly cite quotations, using the APA Style Guide for formatting

Success Criteria:

I will know I am successful when I can:

  • Write a concise topic and concluding sentence for my paragraph
  • Create an argument using the point, proof, explanation link method of analysis
  • Find and integrate quotations from the text for my proofs
  • Properly cite quotations that I use in my paragraph
  • Follow formal writing rules

FORMAL Writing

  • Italicize titles of novels (ie. Speak)
  • Use present tense consistently
  • Do not use “I” (write in third person)
  • Don’t use contractions 
  • Avoid slang and conversational language

Some More Writing Tips…

  • Come up with a CREATVE title
  • Remember, you are writing ONE paragraph (indent at the beginning)
  • Use transition words to guide the reader from one idea to the next
  • put the page number in brackets after each proof: example (p. 22)
  • Proofread yourself AND have someone else proofread

Paragraph Structure of an Expository Paragraph:

An Expository Paragraph is a paragraph that gives information about a topic; it usually presents an argument

Parts of an Expository Paragraph:

______sentence

______sentences

______sentence

The Topic Sentence:

introduces ______of paragraph

introduces the main ______to be argued

includes ______and ______of work studied

the title of a novel is italicized (eg. Speak)

The Body Sentences:

Consist of point, proof, (with context), explanation, and link

Point – what you are arguing

Context – 5Ws: ______is happening at the time? ______does this happen? ______is speaking or doing something?

Proof – quotation from text to support your argument

Explanation – discussion of how given proof supports your point

Link – connection back to point

~X3

The Concluding Sentence:

concludes the paragraph by restating the ______

Transitions:

link sentences and paragraphs together

Guide the reader from one point to the next

Examples: ______, In conclusion etc.

Citations:

Credits the author for the quotations you have used

includes the page number where the quotation is found

placed at the end of the quotation

Smith 1

Jane Smith

Ms. Culp Klassen

ENG2PI-02

09 March 2015

Melinda: A Complex Character

In the novel Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, Melinda is a lonely, self-conscious, but creative girl, showing she is a complex character. To start, Melinda is lonely. For example, when Melinda goes to the grade nine assembly, she says, “I stand in the center aisle of the auditorium, a wounded zebra in a National Geographic special, looking for someone, anyone, to sit next to” (p.5). Melinda has no friends to sit with or socialize with, showing she is lonely. Second, Melinda is self-conscious. When she examines herself in her bedroom mirror, she describes what she sees: “Two muddy-circle eyes under black-dash eyebrows, piggy-nose nostrils, and a chewed-up horror of a mouth” (p.17). Then she says, “I get out of bed and take down the mirror. I put it in the back of my closet, facing the wall” (p. 17). Clearly, she does not like to see what she looks like and gets rid of the mirror because she is insecure. Lastly, Melinda demonstrates that she is creative. In Mr. Freeman’s art class, she builds a tree out of turkey bones (p. 74). She is creative because she can take something that a person would usually throw away and make it into art.This combination of traits show that she is a complex character, with a variety feelings and skills. In conclusion, in the novel Speak, Melinda is a complicated character because she is lonely and self-conscious, yet she finds an outlet where she can be creative.

Speak Paragraph #1Name: ______

Evaluation Rubric/Success Criteria:

Criteria / Level 4 / Level 3 / Level 2 / Level 1
Knowledge of Structure/ Organization / □Original title
□Paragraph is indented and written as one paragraph
□Topic sentence has an insightful overall argument and 3 strong adjectives
□one sentence, including novel title and author
□Concluding sentence restates argument in fresh manner
□Quotations are cited properly (p. 17). / □Somewhat creative title
□Written as one paragraph
□Topic sentence clearly outlines argument, including 3 good adjectives
□One sentence including novel title and author
□Concluding sentence restates argument but with little variation from topic sentence
□Quotations mostly cited properly / □Title lacks creativity
□Is not written as one paragraph, not indented
□Topic sentence generally addresses the question (may be missing some parts); may not be one sentence
□Concluding sentence restates argument, leaving out some elements
□Quotations not cited properly / □No title or no effort to make creative title
□Lacks organization of sentences (not a paragraph)
□Topic sentence inaccurate or unclear (does not address question)
□Concluding sentence lacking or does not conclude
□Quotations not cited
Thinking and Inquiry / □Points, proofs, explanations and links insightfully answer the question
□quotations are chosen thoughtfully to prove argument
□each quotation is thoroughly explained to support the argument
□links are insightfully made to original point and overall argument / □Points, proofs, explanations and links effectively answer the question
□Quotations effectively prove the argument
□Each quotation is explained clearly to support the argument
□Links are made to original point and overall argument / □Points, proofs, explanations and links only generally answer the question
□Quotations may be provided, but loosely prove the argument; paraphrases may be mostly used to prove argument
□Explanations and links are general or vague / □Points, proofs, explanations and links weak, missing,vague, inaccurate or off-topic
□Quotations may not be provided, or do not prove the argument
Communication/ Style / □Excellent vocabulary
□Expert use of transitions between points
□Strong, varied sentence structure
□Quotations are introduced thoroughly and smoothly, with context
□Uses third person, present tense consistently / □Good vocabulary
□Transitions used well
□Quite strong and somewhat varied sentence structure
□Quotations are integrated into the paragraph with some introduction (context)
□Mostly uses third person, present tense / □Adequate vocabulary
□Transitions mostly used
□Some awkward, unvaried sentence structure
□Quotations are not integrated (they lack introductions & context)
□Third person, present tense inconsistent / □Limited vocabulary
□Lack of transitions
□Weak and unvaried sentence structure
□Quotations are choppy, brief, and not integrated/ not provided
□Does not use third person, present tense
Application/ Conventions / □Few, if any, mechanical errors
□Understands language conventions / □spell/grammar check used but a few errors missed
□no homonym or punctuation errors
□Writing is generally accurate
□Evidence of proofreading/editing / □Spell/grammar check not used
□Several homonym, punctuation errors
□Errors often restrictive
□Little evidence of proofreading/editing / □Many mechanical errors
□Errors distract comprehension
Level

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