Unit 2:
Writing Powerful
Paragraphs
Objectives:
•To write a variety of paragraphs
suited to different purposes
•To write in a voice and style
appropriate to audience and purpose
•To organize ideas in writing to
ensure coherence, logical
progression, and support for ideas
II. Writing Informative
Paragraphs
A. Prewriting
• Discovering subjects to write
about
Experience: interests, skills, hobbies
Outside Sources: books, magazines,
television, conversations
Asking Questions: about what you
read or hear
1. Choosing a Subject
Choose a subject that interests you
Choose a subject that will interest
your audience
Choose a subject you know enough
about or can learn enough about to
explain accurately
Choose a subject that is limited
enough to be adequately explained
in one paragraph
2. Explore a subject
Freewrite or brainstorm
What do I already know that would
help me explain my subject clearly
to my audience?
What further information do I need to
find out?
Where can I find this information?
If you can only think of one or two
answers to these questions and
cannot think of sources to find
more information, you should
choose another topic.
If your paper becomes scattered
with too many ideas, then your
topic is probably too broad and
needs to be narrowed.
3. Limiting a Subject
•Steps in Limiting a Subject
Broad Subject
Cars
Ask Yourself:
Which car?
More Limited
Subject
Ask Yourself:
1969 Corvette
What interests me
about 69’ Corvettes
Suitably Limited
Subject
1969 Corvettes are very
valuable today.
3. Determining Your Audience
Audience Profile Questions
1. What do my readers already know about my
subject? What else might they need to know as
background information?
2. What are my readers’ attitudes toward my
subject? If these attitudes differ substantially
from mine, how can I address the differences?
3. Why are my readers reading my writing? How
can I address their needs
4. Developing Supporting Detail
Types of Supporting Detail
examples
incidents
Facts/
statistics
reasons
directions
Steps in a
process
causes
definitions
Comparisons
/ contrasts
effects
analogies
classification
s
5. Organizing Details in Logical
Order
Order of
Importance
Arrange details in the order of least to
most important or most to least
important.
Developmental
Order
Arrange your supporting details so that
one idea grows out of another. Use when
your ideas are of equal importance.
Chronological
Order
Arrange details in the order in which they
occur over time. Use to organize the
steps in a process or in a set of
directions.
Spatial Order
Place details in the order of near to far,
top to bottom, inside to outside, left to
right, etc. Use to describe a scene or
physical structure.
B. Drafting
1. Drafting the Topic Sentence
Steps:
1. Look over your prewriting notes
2. Express your main idea in one
sentence
3. Revise to clarify your main idea
and to control all details
Example Prewriting Notes
Subject
The new high-speed train (MLV)
Details
•Engineers developed magnetic
levitation train (MLV)
•Magnets on train motor and rail
hold train four to six inches
above single rail
•Magnetic force also drive train
forward
•May travel up to 300 miles per
hour
Example first (piece of garbage) topic sentence:
The magnetic levitation vehicle can travel up to 300
miles per hour.
Example first (piece of garbage) topic sentence:
The magnetic levitation vehicle can travel up to 300
miles per hour.
Revised Topic Sentence:
A new type of train uses magnetic force to
achieve high speeds.
2. Drafting the Body
Strategies:
•
Don’t worry about grammar; you can edit later
•
Write quick, focusing on getting your ideas down
on paper
•
Combine sentences that seem to go together
•
To keep your ideas developing logically, pause now
and then to reread what you have just written
•
Where necessary, add words and phrases to help
one sentence lead smoothly into the next
Transition Words for Four Types of Logical Order
Importance
Chronological
Spatial
Developmental
even more
after
above
also
finally
as soon as
ahead
besides
first
first
behind
despite
more
important
at last
below
for example
most
important
second
higher
however
one reason
later
inside
therefore
outside
while
to begin with meanwhile
3. Drafting the Concluding Sentence
Functions:
1.
Restates the main idea in fresh words
2.
Summarizes the paragraph
3.
Evaluates the supporting details
4.
Adds insight that emphasizes the main point
C. Revising
1. Checking for Adequate
Development
•
Is the reader adequately and clearly informed by
the concluding sentence of the paragraph?
Inadequately Developed
Paragraph
The Empire State Building in New York City
is one of the most impressive buildings in
the world. It once was the world’s tallest
building, and it still ranks as one of the
tallest. Every year many people visit it.
On a clear day, you can see far away.
Besides its height the Empire State
Building is impressive in other ways, for it
has many windows and other things.
People visiting New York City should be
sure to see the Empire State Building.
Adequately Developed Paragraph
The Empire State Building in The Empire State Building in New
York City is one of the most
New York City is one of the
impressive buildings in the world.
most impressive buildings in
Completed in 1931, it was the
the world. It once was the
world’s tallest building until 1972.
world’s tallest building, and it At 1,250 feet it is now the eighth
still ranks as one of the
tallest building in the world. The
two observation decks, which are
tallest. Every year many
on the 86th and 102nd stories,
people visit it. On a clear
are visited by 1.5 million people
day, you can see far away.
every year. From the higher deck
Besides its height the Empire
on a clear day, observers can see
State Building is impressive
as far as 80 miles away. Besides
in other ways, for it has many its height, the Empire State
windows and other things.
Building is impressive in other
People visiting New York City
ways. It has 6,500 windows, 7
should be sure to see the
miles of elevator shafts, and 60
miles of water pipes. People who
Empire State Building.
are visiting New York City should
be sure to see the Empire State
Building.
2. Checking for Unity
• A problem that occurs when one or
more supporting sentences stray
from the main point.
Revising for Unity
Predicting Earthquakes
Scientists face a difficult yet important task in trying
to predict earthquakes. Scientists are usually
successful in the end, however. Each year
earthquakes take 10,000 to 15,000 lives and cause
billions of dollars in damage. Many cities have been
totally destroyed. In 1811 and 1812, a series of
earthquakes in Missouri changes the course of the
Mississippi River, shaking the earth enough to stop
the clocks in Boston. Boston is also sometimes
struck by tornadoes. Recent efforts to predict
earthquakes have met with only limited success.
Chinese scientists predicted an earthquake in
Haicheng in 1975, and Soviet scientists predicted
an earthquake in 1978. To control destruction from
earthquakes, scientists must find ways to predict
them more consistently.
Revising for Unity
Predicting Earthquakes
Scientists face a difficult yet important task in trying
to predict earthquakes. Scientists are usually
successful in the end, however. Each year
earthquakes take 10,000 to 15,000 lives and cause
billions of dollars in damage. Many cities have been
totally destroyed. In 1811 and 1812, a series of
earthquakes in Missouri changes the course of the
Mississippi River, shaking the earth enough to stop
the clocks in Boston. Boston is also sometimes
struck by tornadoes. Recent efforts to predict
earthquakes have met with only limited success.
Chinese scientists predicted an earthquake in
Haicheng in 1975, and Soviet scientists predicted
an earthquake in 1978. To control destruction from
earthquakes, scientists must find ways to predict
them more consistently.