Writing a paragraph

Taking SEEI and using that same strategy to write a coherent

paragraph.

SEEI Method

• S – State or Define (word, topic, claim or concept)

• E – Elaborate or Clarify (expound on the concept, provide clearer background info)

• E – Exemplify (give a concrete example from the text or real life)

• I – Illustrate (provide an analogy or metaphor to clarify your position and connect to the claim)

SEEI in paragraph form

S – Make your specific claim (one per paragraph)E – Elaborate (provide background on this one claim)E – Exemplify (provide a concrete example to support this one claim)I – Illustrate (breakdown the example and connect it back to the claim of the paragraph)T – Transition (lead from one claim to the next)

Organizing Your ideas

• An important step when answering a DBQ question or writing an essay is to organize your evidence into analytical categories or “buckets.”

• The “buckets” can help you link up common pieces of evidence and help you identify when they may be used appropriately.

P-E-R-S-I-A

• A commonly used bucketing tool is the acronym PERSIA.

• P – Politics (references to government, political leaders, war, law/rules)

• E – Economics (money/wealth, resources, trade)

• R – Religion (Beliefs, Religious institutions, Religious practices, god(s), etc.)

• S – Social Issues (Crime, interaction between races, issues of sexuality, gender relations, age relations, topics relating to culture)

• I – Ideas/Ideology (Philosophy, Technological advances, Theories, Issues related to math and science)

• A – Arts/Architecture (Buildings, sculpture, paintings, visual representations)

* Assign a category to each of the documents/topics and then attempt to link them.

Outlining … setting up your paper

• Once you have successfully bucketed your documents … the next step is organizing an outline.

• Remember the focus question: “How should we view the role of Andrew Jackson in American History?”

Setting up your outline

• First: Determine your position on the central question “How should we view the role of Andrew Jackson in American History?” (Thesis)

• Second: Determine how you will make your argument. (Roadmap)

“I intend to prove ___(Thesis)_____ by demonstrating _____(Claim 1)______, ___(Claim 2)___ and __(Claim 3)__.”

Use your Roadmap to set up your paper

• Introduction (Thesis & Roadmap)• Body Paragraph #1 (Focus on Claim 1) {Include relevant evidence from documents}• Body Paragraph #2 (Focus on Claim 2) {Include relevant evidence from documents}• Body Paragraph #3 (Focus on Claim 3) {Include relevant evidence from documents}• Conclusion (Restatement of thesis and

roadmap)

Building the outline• Citations: Phrases taken directly from the

source (document). These come from the handouts (quote sheet, election of 1828 and movie).

• Must use quotation marks and identify where the information came from.

Example: “To the victors belong the spoils” (Andrew Jackson).* Remember to then explain the meaning of the quote and how it relates to your claim.

Making the transition• Transitions sentences: Come at the beginning

and end of each paragraph. These are extremely important for bridging one idea to the next.

• Remember: Your argument needs to make logical sense … it is YOUR job … NOT THE READER’s job… to make these connections.

• Example: Andrew Jackson attempted to improve upon and expand the role of the common white man while limiting the rights of others.