Sämi’s ‘Paragraph Structure’ advice

  This is a form of structure at least!   A wall in Pienza, Tuscant, in fact!

 “Paragraph Structure”:

–       English essays are written in paragraphs, which are a basic unit of thought and composition

–       every paragraph is written around a TOPIC, often introduced in a “topical sentence.” It is something like the heading of a paragraph.

–       paragraph structure involves a DEVELOPMENT of the topic within the paragraph. You develop the topic you write about.

–       an element of TRANSITION is necessary to connect the paragraphs, either at the end of the old paragraph or at the beginning of the new one …

–       a paragraphs shouldn’t be longer than a page—remember: for a new topic, start a new paragraph

–       usually a paragraph should be a third of a page (minimum 8 lines, 5 sentences)

–       once you know how to write: there is no rule without exception!

Paper Outline:

1. focus: find an idea, theme, topic, symbol, issue
2. material: look at primary texts, criticism, bibliography, definitions
3. structure: compose an outline

a)    introduction

1. salient point, observation
2.  connect this to an issue
3. raise question(s) about this issue
4. operationalize question(s) into a strategy or procedure to finds answers
5. provide list of steps, chapters; survey of main part, maybe of conclusion

b)    main part

– flesh out steps, chapters (do what you announced)

c)     conclusion

–       unify issues, evaluate

–       avoid mere repetitions of observations

Remember: order your argument logically; provide transitions