Welcome to the AXES format
Get ready to WRITE!

What does AXES stand for?
A–
Assertion
X–
eXample
E–
Explanation
S–
Significance
Assertion
The assertion (AKA “topic sentence”)
states the specific point that you will be
making in the paragraph.
 The assertion connects the paragraph to
your thesis/claim by linking the specific
point of the paragraph back to a central
concern of the claim.
 The assertions should go at or near the
beginnings of paragraphs (for example,
after a transitional sentence).

eXample
Examples are the evidence that supports
your assertions.
 When analyzing a text, an example must
be a direct quote from the text.
 Other kinds of arguments might rely on
examples, data, quotes, experience, etc.
as evidence.
 Quotes should be introduced and briefly
contextualized.

Explanation



Explanations clarify how and why the
evidence relates to your assertion and
subsequently to your central claim.
In textual analysis, for example, an
explanation of a quote pulls out particular
words, images, references, etc. from the
example and shows how these support the
assertion.
Explanations of examples and data outline
the reasoning that logically links the
evidence to the assertion.
Significance
 Statements
of significance answer
“So what?” about your point
 It explains why the point made in
the paragraph is important in light
of your thesis.
 Providing significance is crucial to
making an argument that says
something, has a purpose, or is
interesting.
AXES Paragraph: Assertion
“Two Kinds” by Amy Tan is a story about a mother and daughter who
struggle to find a middle ground with each other. The mother wants
the best for her daughter, Jing-mei, but Jing-mei is fighting her. Jingmei’s mother has the internal conflict of wanting the best for her
daughter. She also has the external conflict of Jing-mei not being
motivated enough to become a prodigy. Jing-mei’s mother is right to
push her daughter. In ‘Two Kinds,” one example would be: “America
was where all my mother’s hopes and dreams lay. She had come here
in 1949 after losing everything in China…” (Tan, 99). From this quote
you can conclude she does not want her daughter to suffer like she
did. Over the years, I have learned it is not uncommon for parents to
want the best for their children. No parent would ever want to see
their child struggle in the real world and if they can help it, parents
will stop at nothing to achieve that goal.
AXES Paragraph: Assertion
“Two Kinds” by Amy Tan is a story about a mother and daughter who
struggle to find a middle ground with each other. The mother wants
the best for her daughter, Jing-mei, but Jing-mei is fighting her. Jingmei’s mother has the internal conflict of wanting the best for her
daughter. She also has the external conflict of Jing-mei not being
motivated enough to become a prodigy. Jing-mei’s mother is right to
push her daughter. In ‘Two Kinds,” one example would be: “America
was where all my mother’s hopes and dreams lay. She had come here
in 1949 after losing everything in China…” (Tan, 99). From this quote
you can conclude she does not want her daughter to suffer like she
did. Over the years, I have learned it is not uncommon for parents to
want the best for their children. No parent would ever want to see
their child struggle in the real world and if they can help it, parents
will stop at nothing to achieve that goal.
AXES Paragraph: eXample
“Two Kinds” by Amy Tan is a story about a mother and daughter who
struggle to find a middle ground with each other. The mother wants
the best for her daughter, Jing-mei, but Jing-mei is fighting her. Jingmei’s mother has the internal conflict of wanting the best for her
daughter. She also has the external conflict of Jing-mei not being
motivated enough to become a prodigy. Jing-mei’s mother is right to
push her daughter. In ‘Two Kinds,” one example would be: “America
was where all my mother’s hopes and dreams lay. She had come here
in 1949 after losing everything in China…” (Tan, 99). From this quote
you can conclude she does not want her daughter to suffer like she
did. Over the years, I have learned it is not uncommon for parents to
want the best for their children. No parent would ever want to see
their child struggle in the real world and if they can help it, parents
will stop at nothing to achieve that goal.
AXES Paragraph: Explanation
“Two Kinds” by Amy Tan is a story about a mother and daughter who
struggle to find a middle ground with each other. The mother wants
the best for her daughter, Jing-mei, but Jing-mei is fighting her. Jingmei’s mother has the internal conflict of wanting the best for her
daughter. She also has the external conflict of Jing-mei not being
motivated enough to become a prodigy. Jing-mei’s mother is right to
push her daughter. In ‘Two Kinds,” one example would be: “America
was where all my mother’s hopes and dreams lay. She had come here
in 1949 after losing everything in China…” (Tan, 99). From this quote
you can conclude she does not want her daughter to suffer like she
did. Over the years, I have learned it is not uncommon for parents to
want the best for their children. No parent would ever want to see
their child struggle in the real world and if they can help it, parents
will stop at nothing to achieve that goal.
AXES Paragraph: Significance
“Two Kinds” by Amy Tan is a story about a mother and daughter who
struggle to find a middle ground with each other. The mother wants
the best for her daughter, Jing-mei, but Jing-mei is fighting her. Jingmei’s mother has the internal conflict of wanting the best for her
daughter. She also has the external conflict of Jing-mei not being
motivated enough to become a prodigy. Jing-mei’s mother is right to
push her daughter. In ‘Two Kinds,” one example would be: “America
was where all my mother’s hopes and dreams lay. She had come here
in 1949 after losing everything in China…” (Tan, 99). From this quote
you can conclude she does not want her daughter to suffer like she
did. Over the years, I have learned it is not uncommon for parents to
want the best for their children. No parent would ever want to see
their child struggle in the real world and if they can help it, parents
will stop at nothing to achieve that goal.
Now…

You will be creating your own AXES
paragraph on the 3 articles you have
read.
 Your
 Is
prompt is:
it easy for working parents to
balance family and work? How
does it affect the parents and
children?