Schaffer “One-Chunk Body Paragraph”

YOUR PARAGRAPH IS TO FOLLOW THIS FORMAT IN THE SAME ORDER

TS = Topic Sentence

  • tells what your paragraph is about
  • the first sentence in a paragraph
  • Must have a SUBJECT and an OPINION (commentary) for the paragraph
  • It does the same thing for a body paragraph that the thesis does for the whole essay

CD = Concrete Detail

  • The “what?”
  • Stuff from the story; you will paraphrase or quote a CD (cite the source, if directly quoted)
  • Can be:

□Facts

□Examples

□Illustrations

□Evidence

□Support

CM = Commentary Sentence

“This shows that…”

  • Stuff from your head – your thoughts about the CD
  • The “so what?”
  • Can be:

□Inference

□Analysis

□Interpretation

□Your opinion

□Insight

□Reasons

CM = Commentary Sentence

“This is because…”

  • Same as above

CS = Concluding Sentence

“As a result…”

Wraps up your paragraph

The last sentence in a body paragraph

It is ALL commentary

Does not repeat key words

Gives a “finished feeling” to the paragraph

Chunk=one sentence of concrete detail + two sentences of commentary (in ELA)

Ratios= amount of CD : CM (concrete detail to commentary) in a body paragraph

- in English-Language Arts – 1: 2

- in History – 2+ : 1

- in Science or Math – 3+ : 1 (or sometimes none)

Example of a One-Chunk Paragraph (responding to “Papa’s Parrot”):

One of the major themes in this story is the idea that we take things for granted until we almost lose them. For example, in the story Harry takes his father for granted until his father has a heart attack and forces Harry to deal with the fact that he had been ignoring him for the last few years. This is important because it shows that Harry needs a major event to take place before coming to the understanding that his father was so important to him. This is because Harry has been so caught up in his own life, that he couldn’t see what his actions were doing to his father. As a result of the tragedy to his father, Harry comes to terms with his own behaviors and actions and ultimately feels ashamed for what he has put his father through.

Schaffer “Five-Paragraph Essay”

Introductory Paragraph:

Hook: It makes the reader of the paper want to continue reading.Can be a definition, a phrase or quote, a rhetorical question, etc.

Author & Book title: Remember to underline book titles and put quotation marks around all other titles. Capitalize correctly.

Thesis:This is your essay in a very specific single sentence! It must be “arguable” – meaning that you are stating an opinion that you can prove is correct in the paper. It has to be narrowly focused; not too general.

Body Paragraphs: Three, if writing a typical 5-paragraph essay. For "Two-Chunk" paragraphs use 2 CDs and 4 CMs in each.

TS:States the subject that will be discussed in the paragraph and your opinion or insight about it; like a mini-thesis.

CD 1: Fact quoted or paraphrased from the piece about which you are writing.Cite the source if directly quoted. E.g. (p. 158)

CM 1:Comments on the importance of the concrete detail.

CM 2: Comments on the statement in commentary 1.

CS:Is ALL commentary, wrapping up the thoughts of this paragraph. Directly relates to the "Topic Sentence".

TS:States the subject that will be discussed in the paragraph and your opinion or insight about it; like a mini-thesis.

CD 2: Fact quoted or paraphrased from the piece on which you are writing. Cite the source if directly quoted. E.g. (p. 158)

CM1:Comments on the importance of the concrete detail.

CM 2: Comments on the statement in commentary 1.

CS:Is ALL commentary, wrapping up the thoughts of this paragraph. Directly relates to the "Topic Sentence".

TS:States the subject that will be discussed in the paragraph and your opinion or insight about it; like a mini-thesis.

CD 3: Fact quoted or paraphrased from the piece on which you are writing. Cite the source if directly quoted. E.g. (p. 158)

CM 1:Comments on the importance of the concrete detail.

CM 2: Comments on the statement in commentary 1.

CS:Is ALL commentary, wrapping up the thoughts of this paragraph. Directly relates to the "Topic Sentence".

Concluding Paragraph:

It is usually 3-5 sentences, and wraps up the topic of the paper.

Discuss the author’s overall theme or message, connecting directly to what you have discussed in your essay.

This is not a summary of your previous points, nor does it introduce any new facts. It directly relates to the thesis statement but does not repeat it.

(Response to Literature - adapted from Schaffer Writing – Blume 3/12)