ITALIAN R5B Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Thesis Statement, Discrete Element Method, Ann Radcliffe
21 May 2018
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#16 2/26 Monday
Body Paragraph Workshop
What Evidence Is and How it Works
“Most of what goes wrong in using a thesis is the result of a writer leaping too quickly to a
generalization that would do as a thesis, and then treating evidence only as something to be
mustered in support of that idea.” (Writing Analytically, p. 109)
Common Problems with Paragraph Development
● Internal logic of a body paragraph
● Overall order and organization of body paragraphs (we will address this further in our
workshop on structure and argumentation)
What is the function of a paragraph?
● In Nuts and Bolts of College Writing, Michael Harvey defines them as a form of
punctuation. What might he mean by this?
● A paragraph is for the benefit of your reader.
● A paragraph should present one discrete element of your argument, or one “unit of
thought.”
● A paragraph is not arbitrary; instead, it forms part of a sequence.
Think of a body paragraph as a mini-argument, or a building block of your overarching
thesis: one piece of the puzzle that is your bigger argument about the text. This means that you
really need to think about the specific function of each paragraph.
A well-structured paragraph operates according to two principles: unity and development.
Every sentence in a paragraph should relate to a central focus (often encapsulated in a topic
sentence), and each sentence should build off the last to lend the paragraph coherence
and momentum.
There are generally three types of content in a body paragraph:
● A claim that clearly states the mini-thesis or main idea of your body paragraph
● Textual evidence that is well-selected in order to help you support, test, and refine your
claim
● Your analysis of the evidence via close reading, in which you explain to your reader in
detail how the chosen evidence supports and refines your claim
Claims and Topic Sentences
● If you imagine your body paragraph as a mini-essay, the topic sentence is your mini-
thesis.
● If necessary, take 2-3 sentences to set up the claim.
● One helpful way to review the overall structure of your paper is to make a list of your
thesis statement, all topic sentences, and the first sentence of your conclusion. How do
they relate? Do they present a logical narrative?
Textual Evidence
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Overall order and organization of body paragraphs (we will address this further in our workshop on structure and argumentation) In nuts and bolts of college writing, michael harvey defines them as a form of punctuation. A paragraph is for the benefit of your reader. A paragraph should present one discrete element of your argument, or one unit of thought. A paragraph is not arbitrary; instead, it forms part of a sequence. Think of a body paragraph as a mini-argument, or a building block of your overarching thesis: one piece of the puzzle that is your bigger argument about the text. This means that you really need to think about the specific function of each paragraph. A well-structured paragraph operates according to two principles: unity and development. Every sentence in a paragraph should relate to a central focus (often encapsulated in a topic sentence), and each sentence should build off the last to lend the paragraph coherence and momentum.
