THE RULES OF THE GAMEThe nuts and bolts of writing a cohesive paragraph.

Author’s Purpose

Before you begin to write, ALWAYS ask yourself WHY you are writing the paragraph.

The answer will never be, “Because my teacher wants me to.”

Author’s Purpose- To Inform

This is objective (we don’t want to hear your opinion) writing.

You might explain how something works. This may be a report on an animal,

historical or political event or something scientific.

Remember, this type of writing does not include your opinion.

The writer will avoid the pronoun “I.”

What does expository writing look like? The piston is one of the most vital parts of any

engine. Without it the gas would flow into the cylinder unable to be compressed or burned, making the motor useless. The two stroke engine runs on a special gas/oil mixture, which is usually 40 parts gas to one part oil (Knapp 44). The mixture is key to keeping the engine lubed. As the piston moves from the bottom of the cylinder to the top it creates a low pressure area in the crank case. Then the reed valve closes causing pressure to build in the crank case. When the piston finally moves up to the top of the cylinder it compresses the fuel and air and the spark plug ignites the fuel sending the piston down, turning the crankshaft and uncovering the exhaust port.

Author’s purpose- to persuade As a writer it is your job to convince the

reader to think, feel or act in a certain way.

Persuasive writers arrange facts in a way that gets the readers to share their opinion.

Persuasive writing is subjective.

What does persuasive writing look like? Most convincingly, increased federal funding for cancer research

would also make it possible for research into preventive measures. As David Samuelson, director of public policy for the International Cancer Foundation explains “Cancer research is not just about petri dishes and genetic testing, it is also about discovering what kinds of lifestyle choices and environmental factors might increase cancer risk” (Samuelson par. 8). By considering the factors which might lead to cancer, future cases of cancer can be prevented. This prevention ultimately saves money in the long run, as Julie Meyer of the Centers for Disease Control explains: “Countless millions of insurance dollars and private funds are spent on cancer treatment each year. This is all money that might not need to be spend with better understanding of preventive care” (par. 11). Clearly, this is not just an issue of funding the search for a cure. By investing in good preventive care and research, the federal government would actually be reducing the amount of money spent in the future on cancer treatment and recovery. Through education, better understanding of what triggers cancers, and increased knowledge about environmental influences, the long run cost can be decreased.

Author’s purpose- to analyze This is the most frequent type of writing

you will do in all English classes. Analytical writing persuades the reader

to share your thoughts but also allows you to convey your understanding of an concept or character.

You may be subjective.

What does analytical writing look like? The imagery during the murder scene illustrates that the “beast” is

actually the boys themselves. As the novel nears its climax, Simon heads down to the beach to tell the other boys that the beast they had seen was actually the fallen airman, not a vicious creature. When Simon arrives at the beach, though, the boys are overcome by their savage chant and dance on the sand. As Simon collapses into the middle of the circle, Golding describes how “the sticks fell and the mouth of the new circle crunched and screamed. The beast was on its knees in the center, its arms folded over its face…At once the crowd surged after it, poured down the rock, leapt on to the beast, screamed, struck, bit, tore. There were no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws” (188). Overcome by their savage ritual, the boys lose the ability to recognize what they are doing, and they even lose the ability to recognize their friend Simon. Golding uses diction such as “the mouth of the new circle” and “screamed, struck, bit, tore” to illustrate the actions of the boys. This diction, more appropriate for describing a vicious beast, describes the boys acting as one organism with a single-minded focus on destroying Simon. Simon, who had just heard from the Lord of the Flies that the beast was not something he could hunt and kill, is killed by the beast that emerges when the boys lose their civility and individuality. The beast is within the boys, and makes its first kill there on the beach.

Author’s purpose-personal response A personal response allows the reader to

convey his/her feelings but also convey in detail why the believe or feel the way they do.

The writer may use the pronoun “I.”

What does a personal response look like? When I saw that we were going to be studying

poetry, my immediate reaction was not positive. In fact, I am dreading having to study poetry. In middle school when we had to read poetry, I always felt like we were making up stuff that wasn’t there. I remember one poem that was about people on a boat and the teacher tried to convince us that is was about the Bible and God. I think it was just about a boat. This makes me feel like when I read poetry I’m either missing something or I have to make it into something it isn’t. Sometimes I also don’t get why the poet switches words around or uses confusing langauge. I have a hard time with simile and metaphor. I have a hard time understanding those, so I get frustrated when I have to “say what a poem means.”

Now that we understand why we write. Lets look at how. The paragraph is the most basic content

structure of any kind of writing. Academic writing is based on the “proposition-

proof” model. Once you’ve mastered this kind of model, you

can adapt it, rearrange it, and add your own personal flourishes.

Every sentence in an essay and paragraph has a job. If you can’t identify the job of the sentence, you may want to consider the message you are trying to convey.

The topic sentence

TS: Topic Sentence Here, you identify the essential

proposition you intend to prove. What are you proposing? What is it you plan to discuss or defend?

The Context and Concrete Details Cx/CD: Context and Concrete Detail This is evidence to support your

proposition…this is your proof. The “Concrete Detail” is specific, often

word-for-word evidence illustrating evidence of your proof.

The “Context” comes first because it is necessary to give your reader contextual background information prior to giving evidence.

The Commentary

Cm3: Commentary This is where your critical thinking emerges.

I tend to thinking of it in three segments: Review: What did your CD just state? You

may need to explain or interpret what it the evidence is saying.

Connect: Tie your CD to your TS… how does your evidence prove your point?

Extend: What is the broader significance of your point and your evidence? Answer “so what?”

Now lets return to those samples to

identify each paragraph piece.