Paragraph as a Sandwich

Presented by Erica Holton

Essay Introduction Includes thesis—usually the first or the last

sentence

Paragraph contains more than forty words

Has three or more sentences including the thesis

Body Paragraphs Has two or more paragraphs

Each paragraph contains an average of 11 sentences

Each paragraph contains 125 or more words

Conclusion Has 40 or more words

Shows insight and goes beyond prompt

Does not repeat the thesis or any previous point

Successfully concludes and addresses the greater importance

Paragraph as a Sandwich***Mary Basson, Kate Gay, Elaine Griffin—University School of Milwaukee

Top Slice: Argumentative Claim—makes an interpretive statement; portion of essay’s argument

Filling: Quote that supports the claim—provides concrete, textual support for the claim

Bottom Slice: Commentary about the quote—functions to tie quote to the claim

Recipe for an 11 Sentence Body Paragraph

1. Claim—offers support for thesis

2. Concrete Detail #1—supports the topic sentence

3. Commentary—analyzes

4. Commentary—addresses importance

5. Concrete Detail #2—supports topic sentence

6. Commentary –analyzes

7. Commentary—addresses importance

8. Concrete Detail #3—supports topic sentence

9. Commentary—analyzes

10. Commentary—addresses importance

11. Concluding Sentence

CLAIMMust be arguable!

Indicated in RED

Practice: Is this a claim?

Answers the question or the addresses issue

Hitler was one of the top influential figures of the Twentieth Century.

Heinz popularized ketchup in American cuisine.

FILLING

References the text

Indicated in GREEN

Specific evidence/quote

Supports Claim

1st line of defense against those who will disagree with you

Commentary

Your thoughts!!

Indicated in BLUE

Tying the evidence and support (“filling”) to your argumentative claimStill arguableVital to audience’s acceptance

Example Claim: Beowulf struggles with issues of insecurity and

low self esteem which causes him to attempt to prove his self worth through excessive boasting and completing heroic deeds.

Now, it needs to be supported…

Unless you indicate to your audience what your quote means or who says it, your audience is:

Lost

Annoyed

Unconvinced

For your “filling” or support:

Quotes and Concrete Details Need Context

3 Condiments to “serve up” quotations

Three amounts (smallest to biggest introduction): Dab Dollop Lotsa Sauce

Condiments for Serving Up Quotations DAB

simplest form of serving up a quotation—smallest # of writer supplied words

Provides just the bare minimum of words to announce the appearance of a quotation from a text

Useful when the writer has already established the context of the quotation in previous sentences and needs only to supply the exact quotation to make the point of the claim

Example of a DAB

Beowulf boasted, “I swam/In the blackness of night, hunting monsters/Out of the ocean, and killing them one/By one” (93-96).

What background information would have the writer needed to include earlier for this to make sense?

DOLLOP Involves a bit more writing as it links the quote to

the claim

Provides significant detail from the story so it is appropriate when the reader needs to be reminded of the context of the quotation—the detail of the scene in which the quotation occurs

Example of a DOLLOP

When attempting to secure Hrothgar’s endorsement to fight Grendel, Beowulf boasts “I swam/In the blackness of night, hunting monsters/Out of the ocean, and kill[ed] them one/By one” (93-96).

LOTSA SAUCE Requires extensive writing surrounding just

a tiny quotation, phrase, or important word from the text

Allows the writer both to maintain coherence with the claim and to maintain the writer’s own tone while still grounding the development of the argument in the text

Example of LOTSA SAUCE

Believing that his name would become synonymous with heroism after defeating Grendel, Beowulf seeks to prove his heroic worth by listing his impressive accomplishments such as “hunting monsters/Out of the ocean, and killing them one/By one” (93-96).

Don’t forget to cite the text Condiment, “quote” (Citation #).

USE

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MANUAL!!