Body Paragraphs
(Title of new notes)
Get out the following: thesis
statements/introductions, annotated
article, paper for new notes.
Standards:

Objective: TSW pre-write an expository essay.
Literature
Ferguson Article
Common Date
Taught
Core
10/27/14
W2
Date
Tested
TBA
Review

Thesis statements and organization:
Before you can add a quote to
an essay, you must have a
thesis statement!




A thesis statement explicitly says what your
body paragraphs are going to say.
A thesis statement will look somewhat like a
list
A thesis statement is at the end of your
introduction paragraph
A thesis statement is the backbone of your
entire essay. It is super important!
For example…

“John Proctor and Reverend Hale
each have separate motivations that
add to the progression of the play.”

Your body paragraphs will talk about
John Proctor
Reverend Hale
1.
2.
Compare and Contrast
Essay: Organization

Subject-by-Subject
I.
John Proctor:
a) Point 1. Believes in his own reputation
b) Point 2. Feels guilty for his affair
II.
Reverend Hale
a. Point 1. Believes reputation of the town
b. Point 2. Feels guilty for his part in the witch
hangings.
Compare and Contrast
Essay: Organization

Point-by-Point
I.
Different beliefs about reputation
a. Subject A: John Proctor: Believes in his own
reputation
b. Subject B: Reverend Hale: Believes
reputation of the town
II.
Different reasons for guilt
a. Subject A: John Proctor: Feels guilty for his
affair
b. Subject B: Reverend Hale: Feels guilty for his
part in the witch hangings.
ANOTHER Thesis
Statement Example…

Thomas Jefferson’s “The Declaration of
Independence” is the most persuasive Revolutionary
War text because he effectively uses parallelism,
antithesis, and biblical allusion.

Your body paragraphs will cover:
Parallelism in “The Declaration of Independence”
Antithesis in “The Declaration of Independence
Biblical Allusion in “The Declaration of Independence”
1.
2.
3.
CEC
Claim Evidence Commentary
AKA: Making an Evidence Sandwich
Now that you have your thesis,
you are ready to write your
body paragraphs.
You must have evidence in each body
paragraph to support your main idea
(AKA your claim).
 Don’t just throw evidence into a
paragraph; surround it. Make a proof
sandwich.

Claim
 Evidence (quote, paraphrase,
summary, data, fact, etc.)
 Commentary

So now lets make a
sandwich!
The first part of the body paragraph
is your CLAIM.
Claim


The claim is where you state your first point
of your thesis. Use detail.
The claim must connect to your thesis
statement.


Example: Instead of saying “There are pros
to driving at 16.” you should say:
“A major advantage in allowing a sixteen
year old to have drivers license is that it
would give youths the ability to acquire and
maintain a job.”
Quote
Use any line from the text as long as it
backs up your claim.
 For example,Joshua Linefar states,
“Over 90 percent of employers in
2010 only hired students if said
student had reliable transportation to
the job site. For unlicensed teenagers,
this meant the inability to make
money” (210).

Paraphrase

For example, over 90 percent of
bosses in 2010 wanted to hire
students only if they had reliable
transportation. For any teenager
without a license, this meant they
would not get the job (Linefar 210).
But why tho?

To choose a good bit o’ proof, ask yourself
the following question:

Significance – What is the significance of
this evidence? Does it actually relate to your
claim or thesis?
Commentary
This part explains how your evidence
relates to your claim
 Make a BRIIIIIIIIDDDGEEE!!!!!!!!
 The way the evidence fits is clear and
obvious to you, however, you need to
explain the quote as if you are talking
to someone who has never read the
story.

Commentary

Example:
A major advantage in allowing a sixteen year old to have
drivers license is that it would give youths the ability to acquire
and maintain a job. For example, over 90 percent of bosses in
2010 wanted to hire students only if they had reliable
transportation. For any teenager without a license, this meant
they would not get the job (Linefar 210). Therefore, if teenagers
do not have a drivers license, they would be extremely less
likely to become employed. This may lead to trouble in later life
due to job inexperience, lack of responsibility, and social
interaction in the workforce. Overall, a teenager having a drivers
license is not only important in the moment, but can also have
long term effects.
(Transitions in red)
Individual Task

Begin outlining and writing your body
paragraphs.

Make sure to include: Claim,
Evidence, Commentary, Transitions

Body Paragraphs must be written by
Tuesday/Wednesday classes.