Paragraph Structure: Elements and Organization

Paragraph Structure: Elements and Organization

Purpose: In addition to a topic sentence, your paragraph should include specific concrete evidence/examples and explanations of this evidence/examples.

Elements

In an analytical paragraph, the following structure is common:

ü  Topic sentence

ü  Evidence + sentence of explanation + sentence of explanation

ü  Concrete detail + sentence of explanation + sentence of explanation

Example

Although Lisa rejects the stereotypical feminine role by the end of the movie—evidenced by her courage at Thorwald's and the fact that she is wearing pants instead of a dress in the last scene—Hitchcock refuses to allow Lisa to be completely reshaped or molded by Jeff, who had previously complained about her dresses. In the final frame when she replaces a book about traveling in the Himalayas with a fashion magazine, it becomes clear that she still holds on to the part of herself and past that is completely separate from Jeff's interests.

*Evidence/examples in this paragraph in bold

*Explanation/commentary in this paragraph underlined

Organization

The organization of these elements above is also important in writing for clarity.

Common Organizational Patterns

·  chronological (discusses evidence/examples in the order they appeared in story)

·  general examplesèspecific examples

·  specific examplesègeneral examples

·  causeèeffect

·  most importantèleast important

·  least importantèmost important

Exercises

1.  Read over the examples in your paragraph from yesterday.

2.  Does each example relate to your thesis? If not, cross out those that don't connect.

3.  How are your ideas organized? Do you use one of the organizational strategies above? Write down the organization you used in your paragraph in the margin. If you don't have a strategy, pick one and list your examples following that organizational pattern.

4.  Does each example have 1-2 sentences before or after it that explains how it connects to your thesis? Circle the sentences that explain/comment on your examples. If an example has no sentence that explains it, write one.