Paragraph/Essay Organization
Introduction
• Gets the readers interest
• Sets the context for paragraph/essay
provides background
Interest: How does one decide on a career?
Background: “When I was fourteen, my
family and I traveled to Michigan to visit
my great-grandmother.”
Topic or subject of the paragraph/essay
Main idea (what you will prove or provide
support for in the paragraph/essay)
Topic
“Computerized special
effects
Main Idea
now bring to the screen
scenes that never
could have been
shown before.
Support Paragraphs
• Topic Sentences
Provides general support for the Main Idea
of your Topic Sentence.
• Specific (details!) support
Provides detailed examples that helps the
reader better understand your general
support.
Support
There are three kinds of Support:
1. Examples
2. Quotes
3. Data/Statistics
Thesis Statement: “Computerized special
effects now bring to the screen scenes that
never could have been shown before.
First support point:
films can show
disasters, re-create
the past, or create
the future.
For example, entire
cities can be shown
as they might exist
in the future.
Support
There are three kinds of
Support:
1. Examples
2. Quotes
3. Data/Statistics
Quote: According to Peter Jackson, Director of the
Lord of the Rings trilogy, “Computer effects
made many of the scenes possible.”
Support
There are three kinds of
Support:
1. Examples
2. Quotes
3. Data/Statistics
Statistics: A research study at the University of
Southern California showed that computer
effects make up 50% of the scenes in fantasy
movies and 15% in action-adventure movies.
Writing Organization
Thesis Statement: “Computerized special effects
now bring to the screen scenes that never could
have been shown before.”
• Topic Sentence 1
“With the help of computerized special effects,
films can show disasters and re-create the past.”
• Specific (details!) support
“For example, in the movie Titanic, computerized
special effects showed the Titanic as it was
about to launch….”
Topic Sentence
“With the help of computerized special
effects, films can show disasters and recreate the past.”
• Specific
(details!)
support
“For example, in
the movie
Titanic,
computerized
special effects
showed the
Titanic about to
launch….”
Specific (details!) support
“For example, in the movie Titanic,
computerized special effects showed the
Titanic about to launch….”
Conclusion
• Restates the main idea (what you have proved in the
paragraph/essay) in different words
Thesis Statement: “Computerized special effects
now bring to the screen scenes that never could have
been shown before.”
Example conclusion: “It is almost certain that in the future,
special effects will become even more realistic.”
• Takes the reader a step further
Example: “Special effects may even blur the line between
what the audience believes to be real and what is
actually real.”