EXPOSITORY AND PERSUASIVE PAPERS (5 PARAGRAPH PAPER) Introduction · Catchy beginning · 3 main reasons (NO LISTING) · Thesis statement (One sentence that tells about your entire paper)
1st Body Paragraph · Topic sentence (One sentence that tell about your entire paragraph in general) · At least 3 reasons of support · Transition sentence (Must use transition words; check worksheet)
2nd Body Paragraph · Topic sentence (One sentence that tell about your entire paragraph in general) · At least 3 reasons of support · Transition sentence (Must use transition words; check worksheet)
3rd Body Paragraph · Topic sentence (One sentence that tell about your entire paragraph in general) · At least 3 reasons of support · Transition Sentence (Must use transition words: check worksheet)
Conclusion · Restate Main Points · Use a Proper Conclusion Type
INTRODUCTION
Things to include in the Introduction · Catchy beginning (see handout) · Mention at least three items that you are going to talk about in your paper · Thesis statement o In a persuasive paper, you need to state the side you are talking
Things to stay away from in the Introduction · Listing what your are going to write about My grandpa is funny because he make jokes, he is witty, and he is old. · Listing in different sentences: Bob is cool. He likes to eat pizza. My brother is the funniest. · Do not state: “I am going to tell you about….” · No two sentences in the same paragraph begin with the same word.
BODY
Items that must be included in a body paragraph:
1. Topic sentence – This is a sentence about the entire paragraph and is very general in catching the audience’s interest. It is the first sentence of your body paragraph!
2. Transition words or phrase – This is a word or group of words that ends your paragraph and connects the paragraph that you just finished with the paragraph that you are going to write next. It is the last sentence of your body paragraph.
3. Using supporting details – You need to have support in each paragraph. These sentences make your paragraph complete. the support must stay on the subject!!!!!
4. Five sentences per paragraph – Each paragraph must have at least five sentences. (! topic, 3 support, and 1 transition)
5. NO two sentences may begin with the same word.
CONCLUSION
A conclusion paragraph is the last paragraph of your paper
1. Use a strategy from the “Writing Effective Endings” worksheet. You may combine more that one of these strategies.
2. Restate your main points. This does not have to be all three of your points. You just need to restate the strongest one or two reasons. Be sure to restate them in a different manner that presented in your Introduction.
DO NOT LIST YOUR MAIN POINTS
GREAT BEGINNINGS
Hook Example
Question What? You do not like crunch caterpillars on your pizza? Once a caterpillar, always a caterpillar? Not hardly.
Idiom No you are in a pickle. No food, no water, no shelter. What do you do?
Anecdote (narrative vignette) I was living in Arkansas the first time that I met prejudice face to face.
Definition Metamorphosis means transformation. I found out this can apply to people as well as animals.
Setting In a small school, tucked up in a hollow in Kentucky, students are discovering the power of excellence.
Quotation “Give me liberty or give me death.”
Pun: Play on words Now, spider-silk crosshairs are spinning out of existence.
A riddle What do you call an eight-legged weaver?
Alliterative phrase Stepping and stomping. Whirling and swirling. Native Americans turn dancing into art.
Words in capitols, bold, or italics Stop! Look! Listen! The safety patrol wants you.
Exclamation Whew! And you thought the desert was hot!
Noises Slurp, slurp. Glug, glug. On a hot day, the best thing to quench your thirst is a tasty fruit drink from Holler Holler Snack Bar.
Sentence Fragments A rose in full-bloom. Your favorite perfume. A steak cooking over charcoal. Our sense of smell tells us plenty.
EFFECTIVE ENDINGS
Simply put, the function of an effective ending is to wrap up the paper. Here are some examples that you may try.
· Reminder statement (should be subtle, not: “I have told you 3 reasons I love books,”) o Be sure to look for the tell-tale rings on the tree… o Remember that not all snakes are…. · Quotations concerning topic o “Let us all join in preserving the…. o “I owe my success to…..” o I hope you will be inspired by this too….” · Author’s feelings o The think I like best about Girl Scout camp…….. o I knew then I would always be happy in …… o This valuable information helped me realize my goal…….
· Prediction o The next time you go diving, you will know how to…… o In no time at all, you will be able to reach……. · Summary statement o To survive, they must…, and,,,, · An invitation to the o The next time you are surrounded by darkness…look up and imagine…. · Reference to more on the topic o For more details….. o Send a self-addressed stamped postcard to….. o There are so many more fascinating things to know about insects. You may want to….. · Raise a further question about the subject o Cobwebs in your next telescope? Not likely unless you leave the cap off of the lens o Take a look at yourself. Are you a good citizen?
USING SUPPORTING DETAILS
· Real World Examples o Aunts are not always as old as your parents. Amy’s Aunt Katrina is two years younger than I am! My mother was 24 and had two kids (including me) when her mother, my grandmother, had Katrina. · Descriptive Details o You can tell the differences between the United States’ coins by feel. The fifty-cent piece, the quarter, and the dime all have grooved edges; the nickel and penny have smooth edges. The coins are each a different size and thickness. · Authoritative Quotes and Citations (For a young wittier, the authority can be a parent, teacher, friend, coach, relative, or neighbor) o I would like to have a pet. My grandmother always says, “Taking care of a pet makes you responsible.” · Number or o We should have a traffic light by the library. When we try to cross from school, it is dangerous. Last year, we saw three accidents at that corner, and one kid was hit on his bike. · Proofs o I am good at swimming. Last year, in the first swim meet I ever entered, I won a first place trophy. · Specific Examples o Friends are loyal, and you can trust them. If you tell your friends a secret, she will not tell anyone else. · Definitions o I am good at karate. It is a Japanese martial art.
· Anecdotes o Winds can do a lot of damage. My friend Joshua lived in Homestead, and when the hurricane hit, all the houses on his block lost their roofs. · Allusions o It reminds me of the feeling you get right before the storm. Everything is kind of still, like we are all waiting for something to happen. It is a funny feeling. · Comparisons and analogies o Kids go to school like grown-ups go to work. They both have jobs. Kids have to learn things, and grown-ups have to do things or make things. · Self-evident Truths o I hat girls. Our teacher makes us pick girls for computer partners. They are not like boy partners. They giggle too much.
TRANSITIONAL WORDS
Words and Phrases of Agreement
and also likewise to as well as besides not only, but also in addition furthermore in the same fashion in like manner and then first, second, third again moreover of course
Words and Phrases of Opposition
although this may be true or otherwise however still on the other hand not withstanding yet nevertheless even so instead on the contrary of course…but at the same time but
Words and Phrases of Cause and Effect for because thus then hence consequently therefore according henceforth as to this end for this purpose as a result
Words and Phrases of Summarization therefore hence as shown above consequently in short in conclusion as a result as can be seen for this reason for these reasons to sum up in brief on the whole in summary generally speaking in any event in other words in fact in any case in either case thus
Words and Phrases of Time first, second, then next at the present time in due time sooner or later at the same time up to the present time up to this point hence/henceforth to begin with until now in time one, since further later until when after before meanwhile during eventually finally whenever
DEAD WORD LIST
Some words in the English language tend to be overused and, therefore, lose their power. These words are referred to as DEAD WORDS. Below is a list of dead words and some interesting alternatives. This list is not limited to just these words!
WRITING RULES
o No contractions (can’t, I’m) o No abbreviations (U.S.A., T.V.) o No numbers that are not written out (50, 100) o No slang words (cool, awesome) o Stay away from pronouns (He, She) o NEVER USE “IT” o No two sentences in the same paragraph start with the same word o Double space o No first person point of view (I, me, my us, we, our)
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