Outlines and Paragraphs

O UTLI N E S An outline helps to organize your information before it goes on paper and ultimately helps the reader to understand your ideas. 1. INTRODUCTION a. Interesting 'hook', to grab the reader's attention b. Thesis statement — The sentence that tells your reader what they should expect and what the main purpose of your paper is. This should include your major points. 2. BODY Consists of the major points of your thesis statement, but in separate paragraphs. The major points are used to support your thesis statement (main point). a. Major Point 1—(example) Water quality is being hurt by pollution a. Supporting details that back up Major Point 1 b. Include information from sources in the form of facts, statistics, examples, etc. and remember to cite it in parentheses c. There should be 3-5 supporting details for each major point b. Major Point 2— (example) Land quality is damaging crops and the food we eat a. Supporting details that back up your Major Point 2 b. Include information from sources in the form of facts, statistics, examples, etc. and remember to cite sources in parentheses c. There should be 3-5 supporting details for each major point c. Major Point 3— (example) Air pollution is damaging the air we breathe and our health a. Supporting details that back up your Major Point 3 b. Include information from sources in the form of facts, statistics, examples, etc. and remember to cite sources in parentheses c. There should be 3-5 supporting details for each major point 3. CONCLUSION a. Restatement of thesis and what you found b. Some sort of conclusion about the information and research that you did. c. Never include any new information in your conclusion

PA R A G R A P H S A paragraph is a collection of related sentences dealing with a single topic. Learning to write good paragraphs will help you as a writer stay on track during your drafting and revision stages. Good paragraphing also greatly assists your readers in following a piece of writing. The Basic Rule: Keep One Idea to One Paragraph The basic rule of thumb with paragraphing is to keep one idea to one paragraph. If you begin to transition into a new idea, it belongs in a new paragraph. There are some simple ways to tell if you are on the same topic or a new one. You can have one idea and several bits of supporting evidence within a single paragraph. You can also have several points in a single paragraph as long as they relate to the overall topic of the paragraph. If the single points start to get long, then perhaps elaborating on each of them and placing them in their own paragraphs is the route to go. Elements of a Paragraph To be as effective as possible, a paragraph should contain each of the following: Unity, Coherence, A Topic Sentence, and Adequate Development. As you will see, all of these traits overlap. Using and adapting them to your individual purposes will help you construct effective paragraphs. Unity The entire paragraph should concern itself with a single focus. If it begins with a one focus or major point of discussion, it should not end with another or wander within different ideas. Coherence Coherence is the trait that makes the paragraph easily understandable to a reader. You can help create coherence in your paragraphs by creating logical bridges and verbal bridges. - Logical bridges - The same idea of a topic is carried over from sentence to sentence - Successive sentences can be constructed in parallel form - Verbal bridges - Key words can be repeated in several sentences - Synonymous words can be repeated in several sentences - Pronouns can refer to nouns in previous sentences - Transition words can be used to link ideas from different sentences A Topic Sentence A topic sentence is a sentence that indicates in a general way what idea or thesis the paragraph is going to deal with. An easy way to make sure your reader understands the topic of the paragraph is to put your topic sentence near the beginning of the paragraph. (This is a good general rule for less experienced writers, although it is not the only way to do it). Regardless of whether you include an explicit topic sentence or not, you should be able to easily summarize what the paragraph is about. Adequate Development The topic (which is introduced by the topic sentence) should be discussed fully and adequately. Again, this varies from paragraph to paragraph, depending on the author's purpose, but writers should beware of paragraphs that only have two or three sentences. It's a pretty good bet that the paragraph is not fully developed if it is that short.

Some methods to make sure your paragraph is well-developed: Use examples and illustrations Cite data (facts, statistics, evidence, details, and others) Examine testimony (what other people say such as quotes and paraphrases) Use an anecdote or story Define terms in the paragraph Compare and contrast Evaluate causes and reasons Examine effects and consequences Analyze the topic Describe the topic Offer a chronology of an event (time segments) How do I know when to start a new paragraph? You should start a new paragraph: - when you begin a new idea or point. New ideas should always start in new paragraphs. If you have an extended idea that spans multiple paragraphs, each new point within that idea should have its own paragraph. - to contrast information or ideas. Separate paragraphs can serve to contrast sides in a debate, different points in an argument, or any other difference. - when your readers need a pause. Breaks in paragraphs function as a short "break" for your readers —adding these in will help your writing more readable. You would create a break if the paragraph becomes too long or the material is complex. - when you are ending your introduction or starting your conclusion. Your introductory and concluding material should always be in a new paragraph. Many introductions and conclusions have multiple paragraphs depending on their content, length, and the writer's purpose. Transitions and Signposts Good transitions can connect paragraphs and turn disconnected writing into a unified whole. Instead of treating paragraphs as separate ideas, transitions can help readers understand how paragraphs work together, reference one another, and build to a larger point. The key to producing good transitions is highlighting connections between corresponding paragraphs. By referencing in one paragraph the relevant material from previous ones, writers can develop important points for their readers. It is a good idea to continue one paragraph where another leaves off (instances where this is especially challenging may suggest that the paragraphs don't belong together at all.) Picking up key phrases from the previous paragraph and highlighting them in the next can create an obvious progression for readers. Many times, it only takes a few words to draw these connections. Instead of writing transitions that could connect any paragraph to any other paragraph, write a transition that could only connect one specific paragraph to another specific paragraph.

Transitional devices are like bridges between parts of your paper. They are cues that help the reader to interpret ideas a paper develops. Transitional devices are words or phrases that help carry a thought from one sentence to another, from one idea to another, or from one paragraph to another. And finally, transitional devices link sentences and paragraphs together smoothly so that there are no abrupt jumps or breaks between ideas. There are several types of transitional devices, and each category leads readers to make certain connections or assumptions. Some lead readers forward and imply the building of an idea or thought, while others make readers compare ideas or draw conclusions from the preceding thoughts. To Add: and, again, and then, besides, equally important, finally, further, furthermore, nor, too, next, lastly, what's more, moreover, in addition, first (second, etc.) To Compare: whereas, but, yet, on the other hand, however, nevertheless, on the contrary, by comparison, where, compared to, up against, balanced against, but, although, conversely, meanwhile, after all, in contrast, although this may be true To Prove: because, for, since, for the same reason, obviously, evidently, furthermore, moreover, besides, indeed, in fact, in addition, in any case, that is To Show Exception: yet, still, however, nevertheless, in spite of, despite, of course, once in a while, sometimes To Show Time: immediately, thereafter, soon, after a few hours, finally, then, later, previously, formerly, first (second, etc.), next, and then To Repeat: in brief, as I have said, as I have noted, as has been noted To Emphasize: definitely, extremely, obviously, in fact, indeed, in any case, absolutely, positively, naturally, surprisingly, always, forever, perennially, eternally, never, emphatically, unquestionably, without a doubt, certainly, undeniably, without reservation To Show Sequence: first, second, third, and so forth, next, then, following this, at this time, now, at this point, after, afterward, subsequently, finally, consequently, previously, before this, simultaneously, concurrently, thus, therefore, hence, next, and then, soon To Give an Example: for example, for instance, in this case, in another case, on this occasion, in this situation, take the case of, to demonstrate, to illustrate, as an illustration, to illustrate To Summarize or Conclude: in brief, on the whole, summing up, to conclude, in conclusion, as I have shown, as I have said, hence, therefore, accordingly, thus, as a result, consequently, on the whole