The 3.8
Paragraph
OR
Writing the No-Hassle Way
Introduction:
The 3.8 Paragraph is made
up of
 1 topic
 3 points
 8 sentences
Sentence 1:
The topic sentence
The first sentence states the
three points you are going to
make about the topic.
Example: West Virginia’s wellknown Civil War battle sites
include Phillipi, Droop Mountain,
and Romney.
Sentences 2 and 3:
Discuss point 1
Sentences 2 and 3 develop the first point
you wish to make with details, reasons, or
examples.
Example: The battle of Phillipi, which
occurred in May 1860 is considered the first
land battle of the Civil War. The
Confederate Army retreated so rapidly that
this battle is often referred to as the
“Phillipi Races.”
Sentences 4 and 5:
Discuss point 2
Sentences 4 and 5 develop the
second point with details, reasons, or
examples.
Example: Droop Mountain was the
site of West Virginia’s largest Civil
War battle. The Confederates
captured 580 prisoners there.
Sentences 6 and 7:
Discuss point 3
Sentences 6 and 7 develop the third
point with details, reasons, or
examples.
Example: The little town of Romney
was an important hub for the eastwest railroad lines. The area changed
hands 56 times during the course of
the war because each side wanted
control of the B&O Railroad.
Sentence 8:
The conclusion (or clincher)
Sentence 8 concludes the paragraph
by restating or summarizing the topic
sentence.
Example: Phillpi, Droop Mountain, and
Romney are only three of West
Virginia’s many Civil War battle sites.
Now, let’s put it all
together:
West Virginia’s well-known Civil War battle sites include Phillipi,
Droop Mountain, and Romney. The battle of Phillipi, which
occurred in May 1860, is considered the first land battle of the
Civil War. The Confederate Army retreated so rapidly that this
battle is often referred to as the “Phillipi Races.” Droop Mountain
was the site of West Virginia’s largest Civil War battle. The
Confederates captured 580 prisoners there. The little town of
Romney was an important hub for the east-west railroad lines.
The area changed hands 56 times during the course of the war
because each side wanted control of the B&O Railroad. Phillpi,
Droop Mountain, and Romney are only three of West Virginia’s
many Civil War battle sites.
Now, let’s recap the 3.8
formula:
Sentence 1--the topic sentence
introduces the topic that contains
three points
Sentences 2 & 3--develop point one
Sentences 4 & 5--develop point two
Sentences 6 & 7--develop point three
Sentence 8--the clincher--restates
the topic sentence.
It’s quiz time...
It’s time to get pencil and
paper.
Put your name and
today’s date on your
paper and number from 1
to 6.
You will choose the best
answer for each item.
What do you remember about
3.8?
1. The 3.8 paragraph is one paragraph with
a. 3 sentences
b. 8 sentences
c. 11 sentences
2. The 3.8 paragraph makes
a. 1 point
b. 2 points
c. 3 points
3. The first sentence:
a. develops one point
b. is the topic sentence
c. is the concluding sentence
continued-->
Quiz continued:
4. The sentenced developing point one are:
a. 2 and 3
b. 4 and 5
5. The sentences 6 and 7 develop:
a. Point 1
b. Point 2
c. 6 and 7
c. Point 3
6. The eighth sentence:
a. develops point 2
b. five examples or details
c. Rewords or summarizes the topic sentence
Time to write!
Choose one writing prompt and create a
thesis statement for the entire essay. Then
create a topic sentence or mini-thesis
statement for each of the 3 points stated in
your thesis. You will then develop 3-3.8
paragraphs analyzing fiction for its literary
elements.
Use what you have learned about the 3.8
paragraph structure to write about them.
Getting Started
Instructions
1 Write a topic sentence for the first sentence of your paragraph. Introduce the subject or theme of the paragraph.
2 Write a concrete detail for the second sentence of your paragraph, or use a quote to illustrate the point of your topic
sentence.
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3 Comment on your opinion about the information you gave in the second sentence for the third sentence of your
paragraph. Begin the third sentence with a phrase like "This shows..."
4 Comment on this information further for the fourth sentence of your paragraph. Add something more about your view
of the topic.
5 Write another concrete detail for the fifth sentence of your paragraph. Begin the fifth sentence with a phrase like "In
addition..." Save the more important detail for this position in the paragraph.
6 Comment on your opinion about the information you gave in the fifth sentence for the sixth sentence of your
paragraph.
7 Comment on this information further for the seventh sentence of your paragraph. Save your most insightful comment
on the topic for this position in the paragraph.
8 Summarize the information from the paragraph for the eighth and final sentence of your paragraph. Restate your
view on the subject. Draw a conclusion about the topic.
MLA Format
What is MLA?


MLA stands for Modern Language
Association
Most common style for writing papers
within the liberal arts & humanities (i.e.,
English) with respect to:
• Formatting & page layout
• Stylistic technicalities (quotations,
abbreviations)
• Citing secondary sources
• Creating the Works Cited page
MLA—Why do we need
it?
•
MLA makes it easy for your reader to
navigate your paper/essay because a
universal format is used. MLA standards
allows YOU to:
– Give readers structure so they can follow
your ideas and topics
– Keep your reader’s attention by not
distracting them with unfamiliar formatting
– Maintain “neatness in your paper”
– Organize secondary sources & prevent
plagiarism
– Present sources for follow-up
Basic Guidelines
Font: Times New Roman (preferred), Arial, Calibri
Font Size: 12 point (always)
Margins: 1” on all four sides
Title: center of paper
Spacing: Double space throughout body of
paper
Page number: beginning on page 1, upper right
hand corner followed by last name
Title of books: italicized always
Paragraph: press TAB button to indent first
line of each paragraph by .5”
Title pages are forbidden
Formatting/Setting up
first page
•
On the upper left hand corner of
the page type:
–
–
–
–
Student’s name
Teacher’s name
Course name (Eng 9)
Date
*One space between each line
*Do not stray from this order.
Title of Document
•
•
After setting up the first four lines on the
upper left hand side of your paper, press
enter twice and press the center align
button
Type the title of your paper
– No bold
– No underline
– No larger fonts
Press enter twice and tab once to begin
typing first paragraph
Works Cited Page
Anderson, J. "Keats in Harlem." New Republic 204.14 (8 Apr. 1991):
n. pag. Online. EBSCO. 29 Dec. 1996.
Angier, Natalie. "Chemists Learn Why Vegetables are Good for
You." New York Times 13 Apr. 1993, late ed.: C1. New York
Times Ondisc. CD-ROM. UMI-Proquest. Oct. 1993.
Burka, Lauren P. "A Hypertext History of Multi-User
Dimensions." MUD History. URL:
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/lpb/mud-history.html (5 Dec. 1994).
Creation vs. Evolution: "Battle of the Classroom." Videocassette.
Dir. Ryall Wilson, PBS Video, 1982. (MLA) 58 min.
Darling, Charles. "The Decadence: The 1890s." Humanities Division
Lecture Series. Capital Community College, Hartford. 12 Sept.
1996.
Feinberg, Joe. "Freedom and Behavior Control." Encyclopedia of
Bio-ethics, I, 93-101. (MLA) New York: Free Press, 1992.
Hennessy, Margot C. "Listening to the Secret Mother: Reading J.E.
Plagiarism


Defining Plagiarism:
“Plagiarism is the deliberate or
negligent, copying of words,
ideas and/or thoughts in whole,
or in part, of another and then
passing them off as original
thought.”
Plagiarism


Here are three reasons not to
do it:
By far the deepest consequence
to plagiarizing is the detriment
to your intellectual and moral
development: you won’t learn
anything, and your ethics will be
corrupted.
Plagiarism

Giving credit where it’s due but
adding your own reflection will
get you higher grades than
putting your name on someone
else’s work. In an academic
context, it counts more to show
your ideas in conversation than
to try to copy another’s ideas.