Body Paragraphs

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Body Paragraphs

• Made Easy!

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One quick thing

• In a research paper
• NEVER, EVER, EVER USE
• I, ME, MY, WE, OUR, US
• NEVER, EVER, EVER (ON THREAT OF FAILURE) USE
• YOU IN ANY PAPER

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Body Paragraph (I know the break down)

• Topic sentence
• Quote 1
• 2 lines of commentary
• Quote 2
• 2 lines of commentary
• Quote 3
• 2 lines of commentary
• Concluding sentence

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Body Paragraph Topic Sentence (Heres your
sign!)

• It is the first sentence in your body paragraph
• It will be explaining and describing one of the
  points listed in your thesis
• It explains what that paragraph is going to be
  about

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Topic Sentence Example

• Thesis Capital punishment is a controversial
  issue where some believe it is a form of justice,
  others believe it is an inequitable justice, and
  it is both fair and informal to the judicial
  system.
• Topic Sentence Many people believe Capital
  punishment is an inequitable justice because it
  doesnt allow for rehabilitation, it continues
  the idea of killing, and it could end the life of
  an innocent person.

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Body Paragraph Quotes (Thats what she said)

• Your quotes need to help support and follow your
  topic sentence
• Bad example It is societys duty, to act in
  self defense to protect the innocent " (White 1)
• this quote undermines what was said in the topic
  sentence
• Good example Often times it is found that
  convicted criminals, repent, express remorse,
  and very often experience profound spiritual
  rehabilitation (Rehabilitation 1).
• this reaffirms my topic sentence and overall
  argument

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Body Paragraphs Commentary (The Good, the Bad
and the UGLY)

• Your commentary explains your quote further and
  how it helps prove your point (ANALYSIS).
• When writing commentary NEVER say This quote
  proves or what this quote is saying is
• Make sure with your commentary you arent
  repeating the same thing
• Try to introduce a different or more in depth
  analysis

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Commentary Example BAD!!!

• Often times it is found that convicted criminals,
  repent, express remorse, and very often
  experience profound spiritual rehabilitation
  (Rehabilitation 1). This quote proves that some
  criminals are good and want to try. It also
  proves that people want to be good, even if they
  have done something bad.
• This commentary is very weak and it says the same
  thing in both sentences.

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Commentary Example Good!!!

• Often times it is found that convicted criminals,
  repent, express remorse, and very often
  experience profound spiritual rehabilitation
  (Rehabilitation 1).While a crime may have been
  committed in youth, Americans need to allow for
  the idea of change in a person whether through
  age or experience. It should also be argued that
  a lifetime of repentance maybe worth more than
  the justice of death.
• Expands upon the ideas presented in the quote and
  offers more such as the idea of a lifetime of
  repentance

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Quote and Commentary (Wash, Rinse and Repeat)

• After the two sentences of commentary
• Then have another quote
• Two more sentences of commentary

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Body Paragraph Concluding/ Transition Sentence
(Moving on up)

• Your concluding sentence serves 2 jobs
• 1. Summarize what your paragraph was about
• 2. Transition (give the reader a clue) to what
  your next paragraph is going to be about

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Concluding Sentence Example

• Capital punishment not only ends a life, it ends
  the chance for a person to change and maintains
  the idea of murder as justice.
• chance for a person to change reminding the
  reader what my paragraph was about (doesnt allow
  for rehabilitation)
• maintains the idea of murder as justice what my
  next paragraph is going to be about (it continues
  the idea of killing- 2 point in my thesis)
• Notice I am saying the same thing but always
  rephrasing, so it doesnt sound repetitive!!!

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• This article states that, Quote (Glasshof 1).
• Miss Glasshof is the best teacher in the world
  because she is a fanciful genius and beast-like.