THE RULES OF THE GAME
The nuts and bolts of writing a cohesive paragraph.
Author’s Purpose
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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
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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?
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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
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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, and may or may not
use the word “I”
What does persuasive writing look
like?
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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 spent 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
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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?
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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
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A personal response allows the reader to convey
his/her feelings but also convey in detail why they
believe or feel the way they do.
The writer may use the pronoun “I.”
What does a personal response look
like?
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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 language. 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.
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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
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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
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Cx/CD: Context and Concrete Detail
This is evidence to support your proposition…this is
your proof.
The “Concrete Detail” is specific, often word-forword 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
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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 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.