Basic Paragraphing Skills

Effective Paragraphs Basics
1. PARAGRAPH LAUNDRY
Focus the paragraph on the single (1) idea one idea that you establish in the topic sentence.
Laundry Analogy: if you put the white clothes in with the red clothes, your white clothes may come out pink (especially if you add bleach!). So, before you do laundry, you must sort it: whites in one pile, darks in another, delicates in a third pile.
The same holds true for paragraphs. Sort the information. Put similar ideas together.

Read each paragraph carefully.

Circle the main idea in the topic sentence.

Put a line through sentences that stray from the this main idea.

Put the "strays" in computer heaven, in a separate paragraph, in an earlier or later paragraph that discusses that topic.

SAMPLE PARAGRAPH:

In The Awakening, Chopin creates two couples, Monsieur and Madame Ratignolle and Mr. and Mrs. Pontellier. The Ratignolles co-exist happily in all aspects of their relationship. Adele Ratignolle portrays the ideal mother, who makes sure that her children are cared for perfectly. Monsieur works, taking care of the family’s monetary needs. The Ratignolles not only take care of each other’s corporal needs, but their spiritual ones as well. Monsieur and Madame talk to each other, each demonstrating interest in what the other has to say; they "understood each other perfectly" (56). Dinner at the Ratignolle house reveals a "little glimpse of domestic harmony" (56). The Ratignolles comfort each other with their presence. For instance, when Madame Ratignolle comes close to the end of her pregnancy, Monsieur Ratignolle leaves Mrs. Pontelliers dinner party early, since his wife feels more secure when he is around (89). Their relationship is happy, because they listen to each other, and neither one is silenced.

2. MINI ARGUMENTS
After you have identified the paragraph's main idea, make sure the topic sentences argue a point (a mini thesis; a reason for the claim) rather than summarize, refer to an event, or make bland statements that go no where.
• How can you revise the topic sentences so that they argue for or against an idea? For example:
Non-argumentative (who, what, when, where). This type of topic sentence forces the author to repeat the plot to prove the point. DULL!
For example:
Mamma makes Dee look bad the entire time that she tells the story.
Argumentative (why, how, so what?). This type of topic sentence requires the author to prove that satanic images produce oppression.
For example:
Mamma associates Dee with images of hell and Satan to suggest her oppressive nature.

3. SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW
The topic sentences must not only argue, they must also suggest links between your ideas (if the links in a chain did not overlap, you wouldn't have a chain or a beautiful necklace, now would you!?!?!?)
Use key words from the previous (OLD) paragraph to help the reader transition to the next (NEW) point.

For example,Student X wrote:
In The Awakening, Chopin creates two couples, Monsieur and Madame Ratignolle and Mr. and Mrs. Pontellier. The Ratignolles co-exist happily in all aspects of their relationship. Adele Ratignolle portrays the ideal mother, who makes sure that her children are cared for perfectly. Monsieur works, taking care of the family’s monetary needs. The Ratignolles not only take care of each other’s corporal needs, but their spiritual ones as well. Monsieur and Madame talk to each other, each demonstrating interest in what the other has to say; they "understood each other perfectly" (56). Dinner at the Ratignolle house reveals a "little glimpse of domestic harmony" (56). The Ratignolles comfort each other with their presence. For instance, when Madame Ratignolle comes close to the end of her pregnancy, Monsieur Ratignolle leaves Mrs. Pontelliers dinner party early, since his wife feels more secure when he is around (89). Their relationship is happy, because they listen to each other, and neither one is silenced. The topic sentence of his next paragraph "steals" the main idea from the previous paragraph, butthen BUILDS on it.
The Pontelliers, as a contrast to the Ratignolles, do not listen to each other at all. Mr. Pontellier "thought it very discouraging that his wife…evinced so little interest in things which concerned him, and valued so little his conversation" (5). The Pontelliers’ relationship is illustrated through their conversation during the dinner they share at their city residence. When Mr. Pontellier inquires into Edna’s day, she reveals that she "was out" (50). He criticizes her for failing in her role of forwarding his career. When she shows indifference to his censure, he turns to a different aspect of her failings. Dinner is not up to par because Edna fails to monitor the cook. When Pontellier "[goes] to get [his] dinner at the club," Edna reacts by calmly finishing her dinner alone and then throwing off her wedding ring and stomping on it (52). Edna regrets her failing marriage, but also demonstrates that she does not know what to do about their lack of communication when she "take[s] the ring [back, and] slip[s] it upon her finger" (53), thereby silencing herself. 4. UMBILICAL CORDS
Of course, the topic sentence and paragraph content MUST relate back to the claim / thesis. (The paragraph should develop one of the reasons that supports the claim / thesis.)