I’m trying to learn for my English class and I’m stuck. Can you help?
Directions:
Revisit 1 Body Paragraph from Writing Project 2.
You can choose the body paragraph you want to revise. Choose only one body paragraph for this activity.
Begin by reviewing the information on PIE paragraphs below.
P – Point – Communicate your purpose to the reader by writing a topic sentence that addresses the issue with an opinion based on facts.
- A point is an opinion based on facts, not merely a fact.
- A point is a topic sentence for a body paragraph.
- A point should connect to the thesis of the essay. It is usually a reason for the thesis. For example, if in your thesis, you argue that professors should ban cell phones, each of your Points will be a reason why. It can even start with “One reason……”
I – Information – Provide outside information to support your topic sentence.
- Information is used to support the point (topic sentence).
- Information is used to make the topic sentence creditable and verifiable.
- Information for this essay should be a direct quote from one of the articles. The quote should be introduced properly using the 4 steps in the Integrating Quotes lecture.
E — Explanation – Explain to your reader why the information is relevant to your topic sentence. Remember the lecture on Essay Format.
- The explanation comes right after a piece of information or direct quote
- The explanation illustrates to the reader why the information is relevant to the topic sentence.
- The explanation analyzes why the information supports the point.
- The explanation should restate the quote in your own words and connect back to the point.
- Your explanation should be as long as if not longer than the information.
To revise your body paragraph, please follow the steps below.
Step 1:
Copy and paste one of your body paragraphs from Project 2’s Final Essay Draft in a new document. Then,
- In yellow, highlight the point
- In blue, highlight the information
- In pink, highlight the explanation
Step 2:
Start thinking about how you can make this part of your body paragraph better. Start by answering the following questions:
- Is my point an opinion rather than a fact? Does my Point connect to my thesis (is it a reason or a sub-claim of the thesis).
- Is my information a quote from the article? Is it properly introduced and cited? Does the quote fit with my Point?
- Does my explanation restate the information in my own words and show how the quote proves my point is correct? Is my explanation at least as long as my information? What can I add to my explanation that will make it even more clear for the reader to see why I chose this quote?
Step 3:
Based on the questions above and your answers to them, rewrite your body paragraph, making sure that there is a clear point, solid information and meaningful explanation. Remember successful body paragraphs must have at least two pieces of information and two pieces of explanation.
**Make sure to clearly mark each step (1, 2, 3) on your document before submitting.
***Remember you can visit the Writing Center and see a tutor to help you on this assignment.
