Editing I:Unified Paragraphs

Class 6

Zsolt Almási EssayWriting I 2

Problems with a Paragraph

•Paragraph Sprawl

•Bad Paragraph Appearance

Zsolt Almási EssayWriting I 3

Unified Paragraph

•Topic Sentence

•Paragraph Structure

•Linguistic Means

Zsolt Almási EssayWriting I 4

Topic Sentence• Main idea

• Commitment and Response

• Downshifting

Zsolt Almási EssayWriting I 5

Common Paragraph Structures

• Cause and Effect

• Comparison and Contrast

• Definition

• Illustration

• Classification

• Narration or Process

• Analogy

Zsolt Almási EssayWriting I 6

Linguistic Means

• Pointer Words

• Relationship Words

• Repetition

• Parallel Structure

Zsolt Almási EssayWriting I 7

Pointer wordsOne student in particular,a nonsmoker, argued

eloquently before the committee that there are

many reasons to oppose a campuswide ban on

smoking. First, such a policy unduly penalizes an

activity that is non, in fact, illegal. Second,

enforcement of the policy might encourage

insidious intrusions upon the privacy of students.

Last, a ban on smoking might set a precedent ...

Zsolt Almási EssayWriting I 8

Relationship WordsOpinion at the hearing had generally favored

the proposal to abolish smoking on campus. However, the student’s arguments made some proponents waver as they considered the wider implications of the actions. What would happen, for example, if one group on campus, citing statistics on heart disease, demanded campuswide ban of fast foods?

Zsolt Almási EssayWriting I 9

RepetitionWhat makes smoking a social problem is the

phenomenon of passive smoking. Passive smoking describes the inhalation of combustion by-products by nonsmokers living or working in the vicinity of smokers. Scientific studies suggest a correlation between certain health problems in nonsmoker and passive smoking. Because of the correlation, institutions must act prudently to protect their employees and residents from a possible health hazard.

Zsolt Almási EssayWriting I 10

Parallel StructureShould smoking be banned because it imposes a

health hazard upon individuals who do not smoke? Then shouldn’t drinking be similarly outlawed, since alcoholism victimizes millions of families and drunk driving kills thousands of innocent people every year? Shouldn’t automobiles be banned because they maim hundreds of pedestrians every year? Shouldn’t the printing of controversial books be halted because they plant dangerous ideas in the minds of millions of readers every hour?

Zsolt Almási EssayWriting I 11

Paragraph Appearance

• Too LongToo Long: Chop it up– Shifts in time

– Shifts in place

– Shifts in direction

– Shifts in emphasis or focus

• Too ShortToo Short

Zsolt Almási EssayWriting I 12

Home Assignment• Develop the Paragraphs

of your paper, share them,

comment on those of your

groupmates.

• Do the reading assignment

• For details, check out the

digital classroom.