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Suggestions for Creating a Body Paragraph

• Make a list of quotes to use for evidence
• Define any ideas in topic sentence
• Provide context to set up quotes
• Explain how quote is connected to the topic sentence -- focus on the language used (connotation of specific words, symbolism of imagery, tone [sarcasm, irony, humor, etc.], etc.)
  • Try using a verb from the following list to shift into argument

    agree argue believe charge claim comment conclude consider

    criticize declare describe define discover emphasize explain feels

    illustrate imply indicate reinforce reveals shows suggests supports

    Sample sentences might follow these patterns

• Repeat focus/argument word from topic sentence within your paragraph to keep readers, uh, focused on your argument(this is an important point that writers often neglect)
• Revise by deletion: take out whatever doesn't fit with argument
• Revise by addition: explain how a particular word makes your point; use an analogy to make your argument clearer
• Proofread! (commas, basics done - double space lines, cite properly, include question, etc.)

Follow these steps, bake at 350° for 2 hours (or however long it takes you work on the paragraph) and viola' a completed body paragraph, suitable for company.

Proofreading and Mechanics

Citing Conventions

1. Use the many sample entries in the packet (see Citing Sources in table of contents) to help set up both the in-text citation and works cited entries.
2. Poems and short stories are in quotation marks.
3. Long poems and novels/narratives are underlined or italicized
4. When citing poetry, use / marks to denote a line break. And if you cite more than four lines, break the paragraph and use stanza format.

Example:
Wigglesworth depicts a world full of complacent debauchery: "Wallowing in all kind of sin, / vile wretches lay secure" (lines 8-9).

or

Wigglesworth depicts a world full of complacent debauchery:

Wallowing in all kind of sin,
   vile wretches lay secure:
The best of men had scarcely then
   their lamps kept in good ure (Lines 8-11)

The "security" of the sinners is, of course, part of their sin.

5. When citing poetry, use line numbers instead of page numbers in parenthesis

My Comments
Squiggly lines under a sentence or phrase means more work is/was needed to smooth out wording.

The best way to improve your writing is to 1) run a rough draft by myself or one of the tutors in the college's writing center (R124) or 2) run a rough draft by myself or one of the tutors in the college's writing center (R124) ("Hey . . . this looks just like the first tip. . . ")