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The following information details the basic construction of a paragraph which consists of a variety of sentence types and then of an essay which consists of a variety of paragraph types. This is followed by a simplified overview of the writing process and the steps one must take to construct a well-thought out and well-written essay or research project. There are a host of websites on the Web that offer a glut of information on this process outlined below but none in such a simple and straightforward format:

Paradigm of a Paragraph

  *Remember—the first sentence of every new paragraph is always indented (five spaces). 

 
Example Paragraph:

 
            The cow is a domestic animal.  Since there are many different kinds of cows in the world it is important to know which ones are utilized for meat, milk or breeding.  The Jersey cow is primarily raised as a milk cow.

 
1^st sentence is the Topic Sentence.

2^nd sentence is Developmental Sentence.

3^rd sentence is the Concluding Sentence. 

 
The three components to every paragraph are:

 
1)         Topic Sentence       

2)         Developmental Sentence (s)        

3)         Concluding Sentence       

 
            The Main Idea of a Paragraph is called the Topic.  The Topic is always stated in the Topic Sentence.  The Developmental Sentence(s) talk about the Topic of the paragraph.  The Concluding Sentence says something about the Topic of the paragraph but also leads into the topic of the following paragraph.

 
Exercise:

1)         List the three components of a Paragraph:

1:         _______________  2:         _______________  3:         _______________

 Example Paragraph:

Topic Sentence:                   1.         Dinosaurs were for the most part very large creatures.

Developmental                     2.         The larger the dinosaur the more successful it

Sentence                               was at survival.

Developmental                     3.         Smaller dinosaurs became the prey of larger 

Sentence                               dinosaurs.

Developmental                     4.         Of course, some smaller dinosaurs were 

Sentence                               successful at survival as well.

Concluding                           5.         Ultimately, all dinosaurs proved to not be

Sentence                               successful at survival since they are now extinct.

            Dinosaurs were for the most part very large creatures.  The larger the dinosaur the more successful it was at survival.  Smaller dinosaurs became the prey of larger dinosaurs.  Of course, some small dinosaurs were successful at survival as well.  Ultimately, all dinosaurs proved to not be successful at survival since they are now extinct.

 
Paradigm of An Essay

*Remember—the Thesis Statement in the first paragraph is the Main Idea of the Essay. 

            The Thesis statement can be just one sentence of the first paragraph or it can be the entire paragraph.  The Thesis Statement in the first paragraph is also considered the Topic Sentence of the first paragraph.  Every topic sentence of all following paragraphs should relate to the Thesis Statement in the first paragraph.

Example Essay:

            Homeowners all agree that carpets are necessary.  They also agree that carpets can be difficult to keep clean, retain moisture and bacteria and are difficult to dispose of.  Homeowners do not agree on how to correct the negative aspects of carpets in homes.

            There is a group of homeowners who simply desire to make carpet as attractive as possible and ignore the issue completely.  Their assumption is that if people are amazed and aesthetically pleased by the appearance of carpet they will overlook or forget about the negative aspects of carpet. 

            Another group of homeowners simply choose not to have carpet in their homes.  Sometimes this is practical but is simply not conceivable since the majority of American homes have carpet in them prior to purchase.  Also, carpet has become a mainstay of the American homeowner and is not going anywhere.

            One conceivable solution the negative aspect of carpet; its dirt and bacteria retaining qualities is to develop a reliable and inexpensive coating that can be applied to the surface of carpet.  Such a surface would effectively prevent dirt and bacteria from building up beneath the surface of the carpet and multiplying. 

            Though there are some solutions currently on the market, such as ScotchGuard, none are effective battling against the constant exposure of foot traffic that American carpets are subject to.  Once an effective solution is developed to ward against the growth of mold, bacteria and other contaminants in American carpets, people will begin to suffer less allergic reactions to their own homes.

1^st Paragraph is the Thesis Statement.

2^nd Paragraph is a Developmental Paragraph.

3^rd Paragraph is a Developmental Paragraph.

4^th Paragraph is a Developmental Paragraph.

5^th Paragraph is the Concluding Statement.

The three components to every Essay are:

1)         Thesis Statement.

2)         Developmental Paragraph(s).

3)         Concluding Statement.

            The main idea of every Essay is called the Thesis Statement.  The Thesis Statement is always all or part of the first paragraph and is usually begins with the first sentence of the first paragraph.  The following paragraphs of the essay, which can be just one to as many as the writer feels necessary, are called the Developmental Paragraph(s).  The final paragraph of the Essay is called the Concluding Statement.  The concluding statement summarizes what the writer has stated in the body of the text but does not simply restate it.  The concluding statement must mention what has been written but also must make a comment about a new aspect of the Thesis Statement of the essay.

Exercise:

1)         List the three components to every Essay:

1:         _____________       2:         _____________       3:         ______________

The Writing Process

There are 5 essential steps to the Writing Process .  They will be listed below and then explained in detail afterwards one by one.  Memorize these steps so that the overall process of essay composition is clearly understood and conceptualized.  The 5 steps of the Writing Process are:

Ø  Pre-writing: allows you to begin writing and to define a main idea (what

you are writing about—also called a Thesis Statement).

Ø  Drafting:        writing a complete rough draft  (a working copy) of the main

idea or what you’re writing about.

Ø  Rewriting:     clarifies your main idea and improves or adds to the

overall development of the main idea or Thesis.

Ø  Revising:      improves the organization, content and development of the

main-idea or Thesis.

Ø  Editing:          improves choices of words, sentences and corrects the 

punctuation, grammar and spelling errors.  Produces a final

version.

Pre-Writing

This is the process a writer uses to arrive at a subject for an essay or other composition.  During this process the writer may utilize one, or all, of several methods to arrive at a subject to write about.  Before any true composition can occur the writer must have a subject that he/she truly believes in and finds interesting. 

*Remember—it is always easier to write about what you find interesting or feel strongly about.  Try to tailor your writing to subjects that arouse interest or feelings.

The pre-writing process should involve some time spent just thinking about subjects or topics that you can write about.  Put some forethought into your subject.  After some forethought, try one of the following exercises designed to produce a writing subject:

1)         Brainstorming:  this is a pre-writing technique writers can use to produce subjects or ideas for writing.  A writer will write down all the details or aspects of a subject as he/she can think up. 

            example:  Exercise: sweat, tired, heart rate, machine, bicycle, jogging, shoes, gym, weight-lifting.

Practice Brainstorming Below:

Topic:             Cloning

Write down whatever comes to mind about cloning.

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2)         Free-writing:  this is a pre-writing technique involving writing non-stop for a five or ten minute period.  Somewhat similar to writing in a journal, free-writing, is effective in simply recording one’s thoughts about many subjects.

            example:  Cooking food is always fun.  I enjoy doing it a lot and believe it is good for my family and myself.  I think cooking for oneself is a great way to control one’s diet and to ensure one and one’s family is eating properly.  Also, cooking for oneself can be much less expensive.  By buying one’s own groceries all the markdowns, sales and discounts offered to people buying from grocery stores can be taken advantage of.

Practice Free-writing Below:

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3)         Chaining:  this pre-writing method is similar to Brainstorming but Chaining will lead from one topic to another in terms of relationship or relevance.  One might start with Exercise as the subject but end up with Space Travel.

            example:  Exercise, workout, physical conditioning, equipment, machinery, tractors, cranes, transportation, travel, space travel.

Practice Chaining Below:             

Start with Culture as the subject.

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Exercise:

1)         Circle the 3 methods of finding a main idea or subject for an essay:

Free-writing     Cheating    Plagiarizing    Chaining     Copying      Brainstorming              

Drafting

A draft is your first full copy of your essay.  It is also called a rough draft.  This copy of your essay is just the beginning and should never be used as a final copy.  It is this copy, the rough draft, upon which the other steps in the writing process are completed.  First decide how long the essay should be.  Your instructor may tell you a page limit or you may be able to decide for yourself; just make sure and be aware of how long the essay should be before writing the draft so you don’t bring in too much irrelevant material that you’ll have to remove later.  Begin by stating the main idea as discovered in the pre-writing process.  Write about the main idea for several sentences in the first paragraph and then write about the main idea in general terms for several paragraphs or pages.  After the subject or main idea has been discussed in depth write another, final paragraph, to say one final thing about the main idea and you are finished.

*Remember—when writing the draft, or rough draft, do not worry about grammar, punctuation or vocabulary; just write!  Use some notes and references from books or magazines if necessary but just write down what you want to say from start to finish. 

Practice Writing a Draft Below:                 

I’ve provided a Thesis Sentence or Main Idea so just write down in organized form all that you know about the subject—Utilize only 3 Paragraphs.

            Cloning has recently caused a lot of ethical debate in most western_____

cultures.

Rewriting

This stage of the writing process involves clarifying your idea, improving, adding to or restating some points of your essay.  During this stage of the writing process the author should ensure all points are clearly stated that support the main idea, or thesis, of the essay.  Every topic sentence that begins each paragraph should be clearly distinguished from the following sentences of the paragraph.  Read your essay out loud after this stage of the writing process.  Oral continuity reinforces readable continuity.

*Remember—read your essay out loud.  This high--lights problem areas in grammar and logic for you. 

Practice rewriting a paragraph below from your previous draft of an essay:

Revising improves the organization, logic and content of an essay.  Furthermore, it creates greater organization and smoother delivery of content.  Whereas rewriting may change the entire nature or structure of your essay revising should only change a few points or offer some minor thematic changes.  The general structure and development of the essay should be complete before the revising stage of the writing process.  Following the editing explication section you will see an example of a paragraph going through all the formative stages of the writing process.

*Remember—at this point no major structure or thematic changes should take place.

Practice revising the paragraph just rewritten in the previous section:

Editing involves refining choices of particular words, use of certain sentences, and corrects grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors—the small stuff!  The author of an essay should end up with a fully completed essay with no obvious errors and with a composition illustrating concisely the thesis as stated in the introductory paragraph.

*Remember—never rely on a word processing program to make spelling, grammatical or punctuation corrections for you; you must rely on a trusted friend or instructor to first review your work.  Then, you must rely on you—you must train yourself to edit your own work.  In the end, you alone are responsible for the work you produce!

Practice editing the paragraph previously drafted, rewritten, and revised:

By following the 5 stages of the Writing Process you can begin to establish a framework within which you will eventually develop your own writing style.  Proficiency and the ability to develop a style in any act can only be accomplished by consistent practice.  Writing (reading, speaking and listening) is not a spectator sport!  Eventually you will not follow the 5 steps of the Writing Process exactly as outlined here; you will develop your own method of composition.  By adhering to the concept of Internalization, writing in a journal everyday, and reviewing this manual faithfully, you will improve your score in any test that measures proficiency in the English language.  More importantly, you will become a better end-user of the English Language.

Exercise:

1)         Arrange in correct sequence the 5 stages of the Writing Process:

Revising                 Drafting                 Editing           Prewriting             Rewriting

1:         _______________

2:         _______________

3:         _______________

4:         _______________

5:         _______________

Exercise:

1)         Define in your own words the stages of the Writing Process:

Prewriting:     _____________________________________________________

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Drafting:         _____________________________________________________

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Rewriting:      _____________________________________________________

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Revising:       _____________________________________________________

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Editing:          _____________________________________________________

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