RNW - Outline and Paragraph Writing

Reading Outline

• summary that gives essential idea of the text

Writing Outline

• skeletal version of your essay

Paragraph

• group of complete sentences with only one particular controlling idea

• forms composition or essay

Topic Sentence

• main idea

• can be in the beginning, middle or end of the paragraph, sometimes implied.

• Topic Sentence

• Supporting Details

• Concluding sentence

Parts of Paragraph

Supporting details

• supports your topic sentence

• e.g facts, examples, explanations

Concluding Sentence

• wraps up the idea

• sometimes not included because the topic sentence already states it.

• United

• Adequate

• Coherent

Characteristics of a Paragraph

United

• all sentences support one main idea

• no irrelevant details

Adequate

• Paragraph has enough supporting details

• Backed and explained by examples, facts, explanations

• fully explained

Coherent

• logically arranged

• flows smoothly

• easy to read and understand

• Chronological

• Spatial

• Emphatic

Logical Arrangements

Chronological Order

• ideas are arranged according to time and sequence

• for stories, procedures, step-by-step writing

Spatial Order

• ideas are arranged according to location and position

• for descriptions of places, scenes, or objects

Emphatic Order

• ideas are arranged according to emphasis

• least to most important or most to least important

Patterns of Paragraph Development

• techniques that writers use in developing ideas that are logically arranged

• uses signal devices

Cause and Effect

• shows relationship between cause (reason - “why it happens”) and effect (result - “what happens”)

Comparison and Contrast

• shows similarities and differences

• in equal ratio ( 3 similarities - 3 differences)

• arranged in block style or point-by-point

Narrative

• tells a story or sequence of events

• follows a clear beginning > middle > end

Description

• uses sensory details

• often follows spatial order; don’t mistake for spatial

Exemplification/Illustration

• uses examples to explain

• supports main idea clearly

• can be from research or personal experience

• uses “for example”, “for instance”

Persuasion

• to convince the reader

• uses arguments

• uses ‘because’ or ‘however’

Deductive Reasoning

• general to specific

• used in academic writing

Inductive Reasoning

• specific to general

• ends with general conclusion

• used in academic writing