SQE Paragraph: Statement, Quotation, Explanation
For your writing prompt on “The Smallest Dragonboy,” you’ll be learning how to write a
structured academic paragraph that is built around a quotation.

STATEMENT: Your FIRST sentence should answer the prompt, and must
mention the title and author of the text.

QUOTATION: Next, you want to introduce and quote the 1-2 sentences from
the text that BEST help you prove that your statement is right. You need to
format your quote like this: “quotation” (123).

EXPLANATION: The next 3-5 sentences should explain HOW the quote you
picked helps you to make your point. This part of the paragraph is the most
important, and should make up at least half of your response.
EXAMPLE:
Who is the bravest character in Rudyard Kipling’s “Rikki-tikki Tavi?”
Rudyard Kipling’s short story “Rikki-tikki Tavi” is filled with brave characters, from
the snakes defending their garden territory to the birds and humans defending their young;
however, ultimately Rikki-tikki himself is the bravest. His exceptional courage can be seen at
the end of the story, when he bites onto Nagaina’s tail and chases her into her hole: “Very few
mongooses, however wise and old they may be, care to follow a cobra into its hole. It was
dark in the hole, and Rikki-tikki never knew when it might open out and give Nagaina room
to turn and strike at him” (27). Rikki has demonstrated the courage that all mongooses are
born with throughout the story. He attacks both Karait and Nag, saving Teddy and his family
members more than once. However, when he does that, he is just acting out his nature. It’s
true that he risks his safety to help others, but for him that is as natural as eating when hungry,
and possibly more fun. It isn’t until he chases Nagaina into her hole that the reader
understands that Rikki’s courage sets him apart even from other mongooses. Much like the
brave bird Mrs. Darzee who risks her life to help him, Rikki steps beyond the expectations of
his species into serious danger. Unlike Mrs. Darzee, he does this not to protect his own
young, but to secure the safety of the others who live in the garden. Although other
mongooses might not have thought his action was wise, it did set him apart as the most
courageous among many brave characters.
SQE Assignment: Anne McCaffrey’s “The Smallest Dragonboy”
Pick one of the prompts below, and use this paper to outline your SQE paragraph.
1. Pick a Words of the Wiser moment. How does it affect the character and the overall
meaning of the story?
2. Think about the internal and external conflicts Keevan faces. Which is the most
difficult?
3. Why does K’van reject the help Lessa offers him at the end of the story? What
inferences can you make about his character from that moment?
4. Are women and men equally powerful in Pern society?
Question: ___________________________________________________________________
STATEMENT: Your FIRST sentence should answer the prompt, and must mention the title and author
of the text:
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QUOTATION: Next, you want to introduce and quote the 1-2 sentences from the text that BEST help you
prove that your statement is right. You need to format your quote like this: “quotation” (123).
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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EXPLANATION: The next 3-5 sentences should explain HOW the quote you picked helps you to make
your point. This part of the paragraph is the most important, and should make up at least half of your
response.
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