INTRODUCTION PARAGRAPH

- Opening Sentences
- Thesis statement:  states the main topic + lists the subdivisions of the topic 1 - 2 - 3

DEVELOPMENTAL PARAGRAPHS (Body)

PARAGRAH 1: Topic sentence 1: Topic + main idea 1

Supporting sentences.
(Concluding sentence)

PARAGRAH 2: Topic sentence 2: Topic + main idea 2

Supporting sentences.
(Concluding sentence)

PARAGRAH 3: Topic sentence 3: Topic + main idea 3

Supporting sentences.
(Concluding sentence)

CONCLUSION PARAGRAPH

- Restatement or summary of the main points.

- Final comment.
350-word ESSAY
(Opening sentences/3-4 sentences) ……………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………. . (Thesis statement)………….
………………………………………………………………. (40words)

(Topic sentence 1) …………………………………………………………………

.……………… ( Supporting sentences/Details/ Examples …..)………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………. (90words)

(Topic sentence 2) …………………………………………………………………

.……………… (Supporting sentences/Details/ Examples …..)………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………. (90words)

(Topic sentence 3)………………………………………………………………… .

……………… (Supporting sentences/Details/ Examples …..)………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………
(90words)

(Summary/ 2-3 sentences) ………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………( Final Comment/ 1-2 sentences) ……………….
………………………………................................................................ . (40words)
Common Methods of Introduction
1. Broad, general statements. Begin with broad, general statements of your
topic and narrow down to your thesis statement. Broad, general
statements ease the reader into your thesis statement by providing a
background for it.
In “ My Job in an Apple Plant”, the writer writes generally on the topic
of his worst jobs and then narrows down to a specific worst job.

In the course of working my way through school, I have taken many jobs I
would rather forget. I have spent nine hours a day lifting heavy automobile and
truck batteries off the end of an assembly belt. I have risked the loss of eyes and
fingers working a punch press in a textile factory. I have served as a ware aid in
a mental hospital, helping care for brain-damaged men who would break into
violent fits at unexpected moments, but none of these jobs was as dreadful as my
job in an apple plant. The work was physically hard, the pay was poor, and most
of all, the working conditions were dismal.

2. Contrasts. Start with an idea or situation that is opposite of the one you
will develop. This approach works because your readers will be surprised
and intrigued by the contrast between the opening ideas and the thesis
that follows it.

When I was a girl, I never argued with my parents about differences between
their attitudes and mine. My father would deliver his judgment on an issue, and
that was usually the end of the matter. Discussion seldom changed his mind, and
disagreement was not tolerated. However, the situation is different with today’s
parents and children. My husband and I have to contend radical differences
what our children think about a given situation and what we think about it. We
have had disagreements with all three of our daughters, Stephanie, Diana, and
Giselle.
 3. Relevance. Explain the importance of your topic. If you can convince the
readers that the subject applies to them in some way, or it is something
they should know more about, they will want to continue reading.

Friendship is a very important thing in people’s lives. It is so nice to have a

friend you can rely on. A real friend is always ready to share not only your joys
but also your sorrows and troubles. A devoted friend is the one to whom you can
turn for help and advice. Additionally, friendship develops your responsibility
and your ability to consider other people feelings and opinions. I strongly feel
that friendship is a great force, so we must think how to keep friendship going
because good friends are easier lost than found.

4. Anecdote. Use an incident or brief story. Stories are naturally interesting.

They appeal to a reader’s curiosity. In the introduction, an anecdote will
grab the reader’s attention right away. The story should be brief and
should be closely related to your central idea. The incident in the story
can be something that has happened to you, something that you may have
heard about, or something that you have read about in a newspaper or
magazine.

The husky man pushes to open the door of the bedroom and grins as he pulls out
a 38 revolver. An elderly man wearing thin pajamas looks at him and whimpers.
In a feeble effort at escape, the old man slides out of his bed and moves to the
door of the room. The husky man, still grinning, blocks his way. With the face of
a small, frightened animal, the old man looks up and whispers, “Oh, God, please
don’t hurt me.” The grinning man then fires four times. The television movie
cuts now to a soap commercial, but the little boy who has been watching the set
has begun to cry. Such scenes of direct violence on television must surely be
harmful to children for a number of psychological reasons.
 5. Questions. Ask your readers one or more questions. These questions
catch the reader’s interest and make them want to read on.

What would happen if we were totally honest with ourselves? Would we be able
to stand the pain of giving up self-deception? Would the complete truth be too
much for us to bear? Such questions will probably never be answered, for in
everyday life we protect ourselves from the onslaught of too much reality. All of
us cultivate defense mechanisms that prevent us from seeing, hearing, or feeling
too much. Included among such defense mechanisms are rationalization,
reaction formation, and substitution.

Note: The thesis statement itself must not be a question.

6. Quotation. A quotation can be something you have read in a book or in

an article. It can also be something that you have heard: a proverb or a
popular saying ( “ Never judge a book by its cover”) ; a current recent
slogan (“Just do it”); a favorite expression used by your friends or family
( “My father always says ….”). Using a quotation in your introductory
paragraph lets you add someone else’s voice to your own.

“Evil,” wrote Martin Buber, “is lack of direction.” In my school days as a

fatherless boy, with a mother too confused by her own life to really care for me, I
strayed down a number of dangerous paths. Before my eighteenth birthday, I
had been a car thief, a burglar, and a drug dealer.

FROM PARAGRAPHS TO ESSAYS

 
PARAGRAPH

Clinical Depression
People tend to misuse to term depression, using it to refer to
the normal ups and downs of daily life, but depression is a
serious illness that can be caused by many factors. The most
common source of depression is genetics. People who are
born with low levels of serotonin and dopamine cannot
experience pleasure in the same way that balanced people
can. These people do not experience happiness from
typically happy events. Another cause of depression is
alcohol or drug abuse. When drugs enter the bloodstream,
they alter the brain’s normal chemical balance. Afterward,
people who use these chemical substances may experience
short-term or long-term depression. Finally, environmental
factors can cause clinical depression. Failed relationship,
traumatic events, or an abusive childhood can trigger
depression. Regardless of its cause, depression is a serious
illness that afflicts millions of people throughout the world.

ESSAY
Clinical Depression
How many times have you heard the phrase “I am feeling
depressed today”? People tend to misuse to term depression,
using it to refer to the normal ups and downs of daily life. In
reality, depression is a serious illness. A clinically depressed
person is in a constant of sadness because of three main
factors: genetics, substance abuse, or environment.

The most common cause of depression is genetics. People

who are born with low levels of serotonin and dopamine
cannot experience pleasure in the same way that balanced
people can. As a result, these people do not experience
happiness from normal happy events. They require extreme
circumstances to experience the same level of happiness that
a balanced person would experience from a lesser event. For
example, a depressed student might derive less satisfaction
from earning an “A” for a course than a balanced student
would experience from earning an “A” for an individual
assignment.

Another cause of depression is alcohol or drug abuse. When

drugs enter the bloodstream, they alter the brain’s normal
chemical balance. Afterward, people who use these chemical
substances may experience short-term or long-term
depression due to inadequate levels of these chemicals. As a
case in point, an alcoholic can develop depression because of
the constant altering of the levels of dopamine in his or her
brain. Similarly, when a person uses cocaine, he or she
experiences an intense, short-term “high” followed by an
equally intense, short-term “low.”

Finally, environmental factors can trigger clinical

depression. Failed relationships, such as divorce or a falling
out between family members can leave a person in a state of
depression in which the person is unable to handle himself
or herself. Traumatic events, such as the death of a family
member or the witnessing of a murder, are environmental
factors that can send a person into depression. Likewise, an
abusive childhood often leads to bouts of clinical depression
as an adult.

Depression can be caused by factors such as genetics,

substance abuse, or environment. Regardless of its cause,
depression is a serious illness that afflicts millions of people
throughout the world. Fortunately, it can be treated through
various forms of counseling and/or medication, but for this
to happen, it is essential that one be able to recognize the
symptoms.
DETAILED OUTLINE OF AN ESSAY

1. Parallel Rule
 2. Equivalent Rule

I.Introduction

Thesis statement: ………………………………………

II. Developmental Paragraphs

A. (Topic sentence 1) …………………………………

1. V-ing …/ To V…/ Prep Phrase…/clause
2. V-ing… / To V…/ Prep Phrase…./clause
3. V-ing…/ To V… / Prep Phrase…/clause

B. (Topic sentence 2) …………………………………

1. V-ing …/ To V…/ Prep Phrase… /clause
2. V-ing… / To V… / Prep Phrase …. /clause
3. V-ing…/ To V .../ Prep Phrase …./clause

4. (Topic sentence 3)…………………………………

1. V-ing …/ To V…/ Prep Phrase…/clause
2. V-ing… / To V… / Prep Phrase… /clause
3. V-ing…/ To V… / Prep Phrase …/ clause

III. Conclusion.

Topic: The effects of music on our everyday life.

OUTLINE
I. Introduction.
Thesis statement: Thanks to music, people’s lives have three positive
effects: good emotional health, an excellent way of communication, and a
wonderful form of recreation.

II. Body.

A. One remarkable effect of music on people’s everyday life is that

music can help people gain good mental and emotional health.
1. Develop self-expression and creativity.
2. Enrich people’s cultural life

B. Another significant advantage of music on human’s life is that music

is an excellent way for people to communicate.
1. Make people feel connected.
2. Convey thoughts, ideas, and feelings.
3. Help people know about different cultural heritages

C. The fact that music becomes a wonderful form of recreation for

people in everyday life is the most significant effect of music.
1. Prevent people from developing serious psychological problems.
2. Offer people relaxing, meaningful and enjoyable lives

III. Conclusion.