Strong Body Paragraphs: A strong body paragraph explains, proves, and/or
supports your paper’s argumentative claim or thesis statement.
1. INSERT A TOPIC SENTENCE:
Topic sentences encapsulate and organize the entire paragraph. When creating a topic sentence, ask
yourself, what is going on in your paragraph? Why have you chosen to include the information you have?
Why is the paragraph important in the context of your argument or thesis statement? What point are
your trying to make? Do not be overly explicit when you echo the thesis statement. Your topic sentence
should do more than just establish a connection between your paragraph and your thesis; a topic
sentence shows how your paragraph contributes to the development of your argument by moving it that
extra step forward. If your topic sentence merely restates your thesis, then either your paragraph is
redundant or your topic sentence needs to be reformulated. If several of your topic sentences restate your
thesis, even if they do so in different words, then your essay is repetitive.
2. INTRODUCE YOUR EVIDENCE:
Integrate evidence--statistics, figures, examples, facts, reasons-- to support the claim(s) made in the
paragraph and the paper as a whole. When including evidence, make sure it is integrated smoothly into
the text of the paper. Readers should be able to move from your words to your evidence without feeling a
logical or mechanical jolt. When introducing quotes, always a) identify the source and b) summarize to
provide context. Many terms may be used to introduce quoted material: asserts, believes, claims,
comments, confirms, declares, defines, describes, explains, indicates, makes clear, proposes, etc.
However, these terms are not interchangeable. Make your choice based on your meaning.
Whenever you include evidence, do not just drop it in out of nowhere, provide context with, at
least, one sentence before you insert your evidence.
3. INSERT YOUR EVIDENCE:
Insert your supporting evidence using proper in-text citations.
4. UNPACK YOUR EVIDENCE:
Discuss/interpret what the evidence means; connect it to the topic of your paragraph.
5. EXPLAIN YOUR EVIDENCE:
No matter how good your evidence is, it will not help your argument much if your reader does not know
why it is important. Ask yourself: how does this evidence prove the point you are trying to make in this
paragraph and/or your paper as a whole? Should be opinion based and is often 3-5 sentences depending
on the complexity of the presented evidence. Do not assume your reader will know what you mean. Tell
them!
REPEAT STEPS 2-5 MULTIPLE TIMES UNTIL TOPIC IS FULLY DEVELOPED
6. INSERT CONCLUDING SENTENCES and TRANSITION SENTENCE(S):
End your paragraph with concluding sentences that summarizes/wraps up the topic and reasserts how
your paragraph contributes to the development of your argument as a whole.
So, to recap…
1. Insert a Topic Sentence
2. Introduce Your Evidence
3. Insert Your Evidence
4. Unpack Your Evidence
5. Explain/Clarify Your Evidence
REPEAT 2-5 MULTIPLE TIMES
6. Insert Concluding Sentences and Transition Sentence(s)
Sample Body Paragraph:
Thesis Statement-- The University of Texas (UT) must mandate time management training to ensure that all
UT students graduate with the ability to succeed in their chosen careers.
(1) Without proper time management skills, students may be enticed to failure through too much
emphasis on extracurricular activities. While there is little doubt extracurricular opportunities at UT are a
positive and critical component of students’ overall development, they should not be weighted higher than
academic achievement. (2) One only needs to look at past alumni to see the validity of this claim. As famous
alum George W. Bush states, (3) “I sometimes overdid it when I was at UT, missing out on valuable academic
opportunities. Fortunately, I buckled down in my senior year and managed to make a ‘C’ average and things
have worked out fine since” (227). (4) In this example, George W. Bush is arguing that the detrimental effects
of extracurricular excesses can be rectified in the senior year of college. Furthermore, Bush demonstrates the
attractiveness of extracurricular activities while academics pale in comparison. (5)While George W. Bush is
certainly correct when he implies that it is never too late for a student to try to raise his or her GPA, it is
probably better for students to attempt to balance academic and other activities early in their college career.
Also, Bush assumes that all students can achieve what they want with a C-average, but many students need
higher GPAs in order to apply to professional school, graduate school and for graduate-entry jobs. (2) To be
sure, college life is about more than academics, and without the extracurricular activities, students would not
become well-rounded citizens. The danger is when the balance is tipped to too much extracurricular and not
enough academic. (3) The Center for Governing Extracurricular Activities states that university students who
participate in extracurricular activities are 75% more likely to be fulfilled in their career choice as well as in
their overall life after college (“Benefits of Extracurricular”). (4) It is clear from this statistic that academics
alone will not produce successful American citizens. (5) Students gain valuable life skills from extra-curricular
activities. They learn the importance of communication and how to work with a team. But, there is more to a
college experience than simply what extra-curricular activities have to offer. A balance between both crucial
areas is necessary or failure is sure to occur. (2) A case in point is Willy Sutterfield. (2, 3) Willy Sutterfield’s
story will not be found in the annals of college records, since this young man, sadly, is currently serving time in
a correctional facility (“Willy Sutterfield”). (4) This young man spent his time at UT not studying, not listening
to lectures or participating in science labs. Instead, Sutterfield signed up for every club, sport, and social
activity UT has to offer. (5) Make no mistake, clubs, sports and activities are not ipso facto the cause of
Sutterfield’s demise. Sutterfield, however, was not given any training on how to manage his time; indeed, he
was not taught how to balance both extracurricular activities and academics. He, and ultimately society, are
now paying the price. (6) While extracurricular activities are often a positive and critical component of student
life at UT, administrators should consider instigating a time management education and awareness course for all
incoming freshmen. After all, not every UT graduate will be as lucky as George W. Bush, and some may be as
unlucky as Willy Sutterfield; if UT students are going to succeed in business and higher education, they must
first understand the importance of time management.