The Writing Process

1. The Writing Process Body Paragraphs

2. What are Body Paragraphs? • The second part of the essay is called the body. In a five-paragraph essay, the body is made of 3 paragraphs. This is the main part of your essay. • Like the supporting detail sentences, these paragraphs provide the support to your introduction paragraph and to your thesis statement. They fill the essay with details and examples.

3. Example • Let's look at our sample essay again. In order to understand the body of the essay, we first need to examine the introduction paragraph: .....To become a successful writer, students should follow some important steps. Just attending the class is not enough. There is a need for a good background in grammar and vocabulary, skills in writing essays, skills in editing, and doing the homework. Learning to be a successful writer involves a lot of hard work.

4. .....To become a successful writer, students should follow some important steps. Just attending the class is not enough. There is a need for a good background in grammar and vocabulary, skills in writing essays, skills in editing, and doing the homework. Learning to be a successful writer involves a lot of hard work. There are three items listed in the introduction: 1) a good background in grammar and vocabulary, 2) skills in writing essays, and3) skills in editing and doing the homework. Since there are three items mentioned in the introduction there are three body paragraphs. Each of the body paragraphs explains one of the three topics mentioned in the introduction The body paragraphs should provide support to the introduction paragraph and to the thesis statement. Body paragraphs fill the essay with details and examples. Example

5. Are these good body paragraphs? First of all, it is important that students already have sufficient knowledge in grammar and vocabulary. During the course, they should increase their vocabulary and improve their grammar skills even more. The more vocabulary students know, the better and easier the writing will be. Furthermore, it is also an advantage when grammar skills are at a level that enables students to avoid comma splices, the wrong verb tenses or forms, lack of punctuation as well as lack of transition words. This helps to earn a better final grade, as all those mistakes would decrease it. One additional way to avoid mistakes is to follow the teacher's instructions - especially when doing the homework. There may not be enough time in class to go into all the details and to practice all the topics sufficiently. Without practice and revision of the topics taught in class, there will probably be less improvement of vocabulary and grammar skills.

6. Are these good body paragraphs? The next step to becoming a successful writer is the ability to write essays. What has to be considered? It is not just writing a nice story. There are certain rules that have to be obeyed. Students should know that an essay consists of three main parts: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. The introduction needs to have a thesis statement, one or more hooks, so it can help the reader to understand what the main point is. The body can have several paragraphs, but each paragraph needs to have one topic sentence, at least 5-8 sentences and a concluding sentence. The body provides details to support the thesis statement. Then, the conclusion can be a result, a recommendation or a prediction. When all these steps are completed, the writer still has another job.

7. Are these good body paragraphs? After writing an essay, students should also be able to edit their papers. Many mistakes can be avoided if students look over their papers carefully after finishing the writing. This should be done step by step by looking at the following: 1. sentence boundaries, 2. verb tenses and verb forms, 3. nouns, articles, and numbers, 4. word choices, word forms, and spelling, 5. one's own particular weakness such as prepositions in the case of the writer. Editing can be improved by doing homework. This is a good way to reduce mistakes on the final exam.

8. Are these good body paragraphs? • In the introduction, the author mentions three things: 1. a good background in grammar and vocabulary 2. skills in writing essays 3. skills in editing and doing the homework • Each of these subtopics is covered in a body paragraph. The first body paragraph talks about a good background in grammar and vocabulary. The second body paragraph presents information on skills in writing essays. And, the third body paragraph deals with skills in editing and doing the homework. • Each body paragraph has a topic sentence, supporting sentences, and a concluding sentences.

9. Test Yourself • Look at the following introduction paragraph that we looked at earlier: If someone is really concerned about your problems in school, he/she will be willing to help you to learn. I had difficulties in math when I was in middle school. I really hated math, and I didn't learn anything because I didn't understand the process. Then when I was in high school, I had a very good teacher. He saw my problems, and he offered to help me. He taught me many skills from the fundamental concepts to the advanced principles, so I learned from the basic skills to the high level in this class.

10. Test Yourself • As my math skills developed, I got involved with my classmates to study in a group. My group had four people, and I became the best one in this group. I could solve the problems when my friends got stuck. I became more advanced in class and self-confident. I could solve the problems on the board in front of my classmates and Mr. Hoan. • I realized that math class helped me to have basic skills and good grades in mathematics and is continuing to help me in college. While I have lived in America, I have attended math classes in college. I feel confident in class although my English is limited. Because I learned the basic skills, I could solve problems quickly and easily. • I first had to learn the basic concepts from Mr. Hoan. He taught me from the beginning how to solve positive and negative numbers, fractions, absolute value, and equations. He made me study hard. I had to do a lot of homework every night. He taught me individually three hours per week. He was very patient with my math problems. He made flash cards to help me learn the math formulas. Sometimes he had to use visual aids of objects to help me understand the problems. I kept doing a lot of homework and getting help from Mr. Hoan, so mathematics began to get easier for me. I became more interested in math. • I took intermediate Algebra when I was in tenth grade in Vietnam. The class met in the morning three times per week for an hour. There were 20 students in this class. Mr. Hoan was my teacher. He was really good and kind to his students. He was especially concerned about me. After we had had a discussion, he understood the origin of my math difficulties. He wanted me to make progress in learning so he tried to help me learn. Which of the following is the correct order of the essay? A: ABCD B: CBAD C: DCAB D :BADC

11. Test Yourself • If we look at the author’s introduction paragraph we should be able to find information that helps us organize the rest of the essay. The author mentions having math difficulties in middle school. Then, the author talks about a high school teacher who helped to overcome those problems. Finally, the author mentions that she/he has developed skills from the basic level to advanced levels. So, the essay should look something like this: Introduction: math difficulties and help Body paragraph 1: Something about the math class and the teacher Body paragraph 2: How the teacher helped Body paragraph 3: Getting better at math Body paragraph 4: Math after high school Conclusion: Restating introduction

12. Test Yourself • Example A does not have this format. Example A looks like this: • Introduction: math difficulties and help • Body paragraph 1: Getting better at math • Body paragraph 2: Math after high school • Body paragraph 3: How teacher helped • Body paragraph 4: Something about the math class and the teacher • Conclusion: Restating introduction • Example B does not have this format. Example B looks like this: • Introduction: Math difficulties and help • Body paragraph 1: How teacher helped • Body paragraph 2: Math after high school • Body paragraph 3: Getting better at math • Body paragraph 4: Something about the math class and the teacher • Conclusion: Restating introduction • Example C has the correct organization as outlined in the introduction. Example C looks like this: • Introduction: math difficulties and help • Body paragraph 1: Something about the math class and the teacher • Body paragraph 2: How the teacher helped • Body paragraph 3: Getting better at math • Body paragraph 4: Math after high school • Conclusion: Restating introduction • Example D does not have this format. Example D looks like this: • Introduction: math difficulties and help • Body paragraph 1: Math after high school • Body paragraph 2: Getting better at math • Body paragraph 3: Something about math class and the teacher • Body paragraph 4: How teacher helped • Conclusion: Restating introduction

13. Quotation Marks • Direct quotations of a person’s words, whether spoken or written, must be in quotation marks • “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,” wrote Ralph Waldo Emerson. • Place periods and commas inside quotation marks • Put question marks and exclamation points inside quotation marks

14. Quotation Marks • If a quotation is introduced or followed by an expression such as he said or she said, use a comma • Stephen Leacock once said, “I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.” • “You can be a little ungrammatical if you come from the right part of the country,” writes Robert Frost. • If a quotation appears at the beginning of a sentence, set it off with a comma unless the quotation ends with a question mark or an exclamation point • “We shot them like dogs,” boasted Davy Crockett, who was among Jackson’s troops. • “What is it?” I asked, bracing myself.

15. Incorporating Quotation Marks Near the end of the play, Sarah Good and Tituba talk about the devil coming to take them away to Barbados. Tituba states, “We goin’ to Barbados, soon the Devil gits here to with the feathers and the wings” (878). Shortly after Tituba tells Herrick that the Devil is coming for them, Sarah Good thinks that she hears him coming and calls out, “Tell him I’m goin’, Tituba! Now you tell him Sarah Good is goin’ too!” (878) These two women both confess to witchcraft and claim to have a relationship with the Devil in the play. These actions show that these two women are the villains in The Crucible.

16. Punctuation • DO NOT USE QUOTATION MARKS AROUND THE TITLE OF YOUR OWN ESSAY! • DO NOT USE QUOTATION MARKS AROUND THE TITLE OF THE BOOK! • IT SHOULD BE UNDERLINED OR ITALICIZED: Monster OR Monster

17. Your Turn • Now write your first body paragraph 1. State your argument The first reason why Steve is guilty… 2. Introduce your quote; do not just stick it in there This is shown by what Steve says on page… 3. If you can’t find a direct quote to support your argument, just refer to the page and describe what happened 4. Explain how that quote/situation proves your argument • SKIP LINES • Your first body paragraph is due tomorrow