Defending Claims in
Point, Proof, Support
Format
A Lesson in Paragraph Coherence and Unity
A Review of Strong Evidence and Point, Proof, Support
First, a Couple of Terms…
Coherence
Logically integrated (put together),
consistent, and understandable
Ideas are arranged in a way that
makes sense to the reader
Use transitions to help connect ideas
Unity
The paragraph is 100% on topic
All information relates back to topic
sentence
Recall the significance of each…
Point
What point are you trying to make
about your topic sentence?
Proof
What textual evidence are you
providing?
Support
Analyze the relationship between the
point and proof to make your
audience understand the conclusion
you drew.
The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf
Let’s create a practice
paragraph based on this
famous short story
Claim: Nobody believes a liar,
even when he is telling the
truth.
Your Turn…
Let’s check out your claim…
Setting Up the Paragraph
1. Create a topic sentence
2. Find strong evidence to back
up your topic sentence
3. Begin writing
Topic Sentence
 Introduce the text +
write claim
statement
(Note: only introduce
the text if we are
working with one
paragraph. In an entire
essay, you would
introduce the text and
your major claim in
your introduction and
thesis)
“The Little Boy
Who Cried Wolf”
is one of Aesop’s
fables, meant to
teach the reader
that liars will not
be believed, even
when they are
telling the truth.
Your Turn…
Turn your claim into a topic
sentence.
Best Proof?
What is the best
evidence we
can pull from
the story?
 "Don't cry 'wolf',
shepherd boy," said
the villagers, "when
there's no wolf!" They
went grumbling back
down the hill. (3)
 "Save your frightened
song for when there is
really something
wrong! Don't cry 'wolf'
when there is NO
wolf!" (5)
 But the villagers
thought he was trying
to fool them again,
and so they didn't
come. (8)
Your Turn…
Highlight the best pieces of evidence
to support your claim on your
graphic organizer or in the text itself
Create the Paragraph
Topic Sentence
+
Point
Don’t be
repetitive!
“The Little Boy Who
Cried Wolf” is one of
Aesop’s fables,
meant to teach the
reader that liars will
not be believed,
even when they are
telling the truth. In
the story, there was
a little boy who lied
about a wolf
attacking the
village’s sheep.
Create the Paragraph
Topic Sentence
+
Point
Don’t
be
Notice
the transition
phrase
used to start
repetitive!
the point.
“The Little Boy Who
Cried Wolf” is one of
Aesop’s fables,
meant to teach the
reader that liars will
not be believed,
even when they are
telling the truth. In
the story, there was
a little boy who lied
about a wolf
attacking the
village’s sheep.
Your Turn…
Add your first point to your topic
sentence
Create the Paragraph
Point
+
Proof
Integrated
Cited
In the story, there
was a little boy who
lied about a wolf
attacking the
village’s sheep. The
villagers ran up the
hill to save the
sheep, but went
“grumbling back
down the hill” when
they realized the boy
had lied (3).
Your Turn…
Add your proof. Don’t forget to
integrate the quote correctly (and
cite)!
Create the Paragraph
Claim: Liars will not be believed,
even when they are telling the truth.
Proof
+
Support
Relate back to
claim
Start w/strong
word or phrase
The villagers ran up
the hill to save the
sheep, but went
“grumbling back
down the hill” when
they realized the boy
had lied (3). Because
the boy lied, the
villagers were
already starting to
doubt his sincerity.
Create the Paragraph
Claim: Liars will not be believed,
even when they are telling the truth.
Proof
+
Support
Notice the analysis
creating phrase used
to start the support.
The villagers ran up
the hill to save the
sheep, but went
“grumbling back
down the hill” when
they realized the boy
had lied (3). Because
the boy lied, the
villagers were
already starting to
doubt his sincerity.
Some strong support phrases…
 Because…,
 Thus,
 Regardless of…,
 Therefore,
 When…,
 Despite…,
 ... did/did not
realize/understand
/want/etc…
 Obviously,
 … actions/thoughts
/etc. indicate…
 Instead of…
 …’s attempt/ability
to... (strong verb)
Support being used as a
transition to the next point…
 After…,
 …’s action allowed/
caused/ created/
etc…,
 When…,
 Meanwhile,
 Because of …’s …,
 In contrast to…
 Similarly,
 Conversely,
 …’s actions allowed
/caused/enabled…
Your Turn…
Use one of the suggestions from the
previous slides to start your support
sentence, and add it to your proof.
Create the Paragraph
Support
+
Point #2
Transition to
your slightly
new idea
Relate it back
to claim
Claim: Liars will not be believed,
even when they are telling the truth.
Because the boy
lied, the villagers
were already starting
to doubt his
sincerity. Despite the
boy’s lie, the
villagers fell for the
trick another time,
which caused them
to not believe him
again.
Create the Paragraph
Support
+
Point #2
Look at how the
transition phrase can
be used to lead into
the next point.
Claim: Liars will not be believed,
even when they are telling the truth.
Because the boy
lied, the villagers
were already starting
to doubt his
sincerity. Despite the
boy’s lie, the
villagers fell for the
trick another time,
which caused them
to not believe him
again.
Your Turn…
This might be a little harder for you
than it was for me. Figure out what
your next point is going to be, then
find a way to make it relate to the
first. Consider those transition
words from earlier as you write.
Create the Paragraph
Point #2
+
Proof #2
Integrated
Cited
Despite the boy’s lie,
the villagers fell for
the trick another
time, which caused
them to not believe
him again. Therefore,
when the boy cried,
“Wolf!” a third time,
“the villagers thought
he was trying to fool
them again, and so
they didn't come” (8).
Your Turn…
Add in your next piece of proof—
make it as flawless as the first!
Create the Paragraph
Proof #2
Claim: Liars will not be believed,
even when they are telling the truth.
+
Support #2
Relate back to
claim
Start w/strong
word or phrase
Therefore, when the
boy cried, “Wolf!” a
third time, “the
villagers thought he
was trying to fool
them again, and so
they didn't come” (8).
Instead of helping the
boy, the villagers
stayed home, and the
sheep were scattered.
Some strong support phrases…
 Because…,
 Thus,
 Regardless of…,
 Therefore,
 When…,
 Despite…,
 ... did/did not
realize/understand
/want/etc…
 Obviously,
 … actions/thoughts
/etc. indicate…
 Instead of…
 …’s attempt/ability
to... (strong verb)
Support being used as a
transition to the next point…
 After…,
 …’s action allowed/
caused/ created/
etc…,
 When…,
 Meanwhile,
 Because of …’s …,
 In contrast to…
 Similarly,
 Conversely,
 …’s actions allowed
/caused/enabled…
Create the Paragraph
Claim: Liars will not be believed,
even when they are telling the truth.
Proof #2
+
Support #2
Notice the analysis
creating phrase used
to start the support.
Therefore, when the
boy cried, “Wolf!” a
third time, “the
villagers thought he
was trying to fool
them again, and so
they didn't come” (8).
Instead of helping the
boy, the villagers
stayed home, and the
sheep were scattered.
Your Turn…
Use those phrases again to help
create your support…
Create the Paragraph
Claim: Liars will not be believed,
even when they are telling the truth.
Support #2
+
Concluding
sentence
Emphasize
relationship to
claim
Instead of helping the
boy, the villagers
stayed home, and the
sheep were scattered.
The boy’s lying could
have caused him to
lose the sheep’s or his
own life, so it is likely
that in the future he
will remember that
nobody believes a liar.
Your Turn…
Create a concluding sentence for
your paragraph.
Full Paragraph
“The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf” is one of Aesop’s fables,
meant to teach the reader that liars will not be believed, even
when they are telling the truth. In the story, there was a little
boy who lied about a wolf attacking the village’s sheep. The
villagers ran up the hill to save the sheep, but went
“grumbling back down the hill” when they realized th(3).
Because the boy lied, the villagers were already starting to
doubt his sincerity. Despite the boy’s lie, the villagers fell for
the trick another time, which caused them to not believe him
again. Therefore, when the boy cried, “Wolf!” a third time,
“the villagers thought he was trying to fool them again, and
so they didn't come” (8). Instead of helping the boy, the
villagers stayed home, and the sheep were scattered. The
boy’s lying could have caused him to lose the sheep’s or his
own life, so it is likely that in the future he will remember
that nobody believes a liar.
See the Repetitions?
“The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf” is one of Aesop’s fables,
meant to teach the reader that liars will not be believed, even
when they are telling the truth. In the story, there was a little
boy who lied about a wolf attacking the village’s sheep. The
villagers ran up the hill to save the sheep, but went
“grumbling back down the hill” when they realized the boy
had lied (3). Because the boy lied, the villagers were already
starting to doubt his sincerity. Despite the boy’s lie, the
villagers fell for the trick another time, which caused them to
not believe him again. Therefore, when the boy cried, “Wolf!”
a third time, “the villagers thought he was trying to fool them
again, and so they didn't come” (8). Instead of helping the
boy, the villagers stayed home, and the sheep were
scattered. The boy’s lying could have caused him to lose the
sheep’s or his own life, so it is likely that in the future he will
remember that nobody believes a liar.
See the Repetitions?
“The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf” is one of Aesop’s fables,
meant to teach the reader that liars will not be believed, even
when they are telling the truth. In the story, there was a little
boy who lied about a wolf attacking the village’s sheep. The
villagers ran up the hill to save the sheep, but went
“grumbling back down the hill” when they realized the boy
had lied (3). Because the boy lied, the villagers were already
starting to doubt his sincerity. Despite the boy’s lie, the
villagers fell for the trick another time, which caused them to
not believe him again. Therefore, when the boy cried, “Wolf!”
a third time, “the villagers thought he was trying to fool them
again, and so they didn't come” (8). Instead of helping the
boy, the villagers stayed home, and the sheep were
scattered. The boy’s lying could have caused him to lose the
sheep’s or his own life, so it is likely that in the future he will
remember that nobody believes a liar.
Your Turn…
Do you see anything in your
paragraph that needs
strengthening? Does a neighbor?
Is This Better?
“The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf” is one of Aesop’s fables,
meant to teach the reader that liars will not be believed, even
when they are telling the truth. In the story, there was a little
boy who lied about a wolf attacking the village’s sheep. The
villagers ran up the hill to save the sheep, but went
“grumbling back down the hill” when they realized there was
no wolf (3). Because the boy tricked them, the villagers were
already starting to doubt his sincerity. Despite their doubts,
the villagers fell for the trick another time, which caused
them to not believe him again. Therefore, when the boy
cried, “Wolf!” a third time, “the villagers thought he was
trying to fool them again, and so they didn't come” (8).
Instead of helping the boy, the villagers stayed home, and
the sheep were scattered. The boy’s lying could have caused
him to lose the sheep’s or his own life, so it is likely that in
the future he will remember that nobody believes a liar.
Your Turn…
Make any necessary changes to
your paragraph, then read back
over it again to ensure you are
really ready to go through it with a
rubric and turn it in.