characteristics of body in essay

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9.2 Writing Body Paragraphs

Learning objectives.

Select primary support related to your thesis.
Support your topic sentences.

If your thesis gives the reader a roadmap to your essay, then body paragraphs should closely follow that map. The reader should be able to predict what follows your introductory paragraph by simply reading the thesis statement.

The body paragraphs present the evidence you have gathered to confirm your thesis. Before you begin to support your thesis in the body, you must find information from a variety of sources that support and give credit to what you are trying to prove.

Select Primary Support for Your Thesis

Without primary support, your argument is not likely to be convincing. Primary support can be described as the major points you choose to expand on your thesis. It is the most important information you select to argue for your point of view. Each point you choose will be incorporated into the topic sentence for each body paragraph you write. Your primary supporting points are further supported by supporting details within the paragraphs.

Remember that a worthy argument is backed by examples. In order to construct a valid argument, good writers conduct lots of background research and take careful notes. They also talk to people knowledgeable about a topic in order to understand its implications before writing about it.

Identify the Characteristics of Good Primary Support

In order to fulfill the requirements of good primary support, the information you choose must meet the following standards:

Be specific. The main points you make about your thesis and the examples you use to expand on those points need to be specific. Use specific examples to provide the evidence and to build upon your general ideas. These types of examples give your reader something narrow to focus on, and if used properly, they leave little doubt about your claim. General examples, while they convey the necessary information, are not nearly as compelling or useful in writing because they are too obvious and typical.
Be relevant to the thesis. Primary support is considered strong when it relates directly to the thesis. Primary support should show, explain, or prove your main argument without delving into irrelevant details. When faced with lots of information that could be used to prove your thesis, you may think you need to include it all in your body paragraphs. But effective writers resist the temptation to lose focus. Choose your examples wisely by making sure they directly connect to your thesis.
Be detailed. Remember that your thesis, while specific, should not be very detailed. The body paragraphs are where you develop the discussion that a thorough essay requires. Using detailed support shows readers that you have considered all the facts and chosen only the most precise details to enhance your point of view.

Prewrite to Identify Primary Supporting Points for a Thesis Statement

Recall that when you prewrite you essentially make a list of examples or reasons why you support your stance. Stemming from each point, you further provide details to support those reasons. After prewriting, you are then able to look back at the information and choose the most compelling pieces you will use in your body paragraphs.

Choose one of the following working thesis statements. On a separate sheet of paper, write for at least five minutes using one of the prewriting techniques you learned in Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” .

Unleashed dogs on city streets are a dangerous nuisance.
Students cheat for many different reasons.
Drug use among teens and young adults is a problem.
The most important change that should occur at my college or university is ____________________________________________.

Select the Most Effective Primary Supporting Points for a Thesis Statement

After you have prewritten about your working thesis statement, you may have generated a lot of information, which may be edited out later. Remember that your primary support must be relevant to your thesis. Remind yourself of your main argument, and delete any ideas that do not directly relate to it. Omitting unrelated ideas ensures that you will use only the most convincing information in your body paragraphs. Choose at least three of only the most compelling points. These will serve as the topic sentences for your body paragraphs.

Refer to the previous exercise and select three of your most compelling reasons to support the thesis statement. Remember that the points you choose must be specific and relevant to the thesis. The statements you choose will be your primary support points, and you will later incorporate them into the topic sentences for the body paragraphs.

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

When you support your thesis, you are revealing evidence. Evidence includes anything that can help support your stance. The following are the kinds of evidence you will encounter as you conduct your research:

Facts. Facts are the best kind of evidence to use because they often cannot be disputed. They can support your stance by providing background information on or a solid foundation for your point of view. However, some facts may still need explanation. For example, the sentence “The most populated state in the United States is California” is a pure fact, but it may require some explanation to make it relevant to your specific argument.
Judgments. Judgments are conclusions drawn from the given facts. Judgments are more credible than opinions because they are founded upon careful reasoning and examination of a topic.
Testimony. Testimony consists of direct quotations from either an eyewitness or an expert witness. An eyewitness is someone who has direct experience with a subject; he adds authenticity to an argument based on facts. An expert witness is a person who has extensive experience with a topic. This person studies the facts and provides commentary based on either facts or judgments, or both. An expert witness adds authority and credibility to an argument.
Personal observation. Personal observation is similar to testimony, but personal observation consists of your testimony. It reflects what you know to be true because you have experiences and have formed either opinions or judgments about them. For instance, if you are one of five children and your thesis states that being part of a large family is beneficial to a child’s social development, you could use your own experience to support your thesis.

Writing at Work

In any job where you devise a plan, you will need to support the steps that you lay out. This is an area in which you would incorporate primary support into your writing. Choosing only the most specific and relevant information to expand upon the steps will ensure that your plan appears well-thought-out and precise.

You can consult a vast pool of resources to gather support for your stance. Citing relevant information from reliable sources ensures that your reader will take you seriously and consider your assertions. Use any of the following sources for your essay: newspapers or news organization websites, magazines, encyclopedias, and scholarly journals, which are periodicals that address topics in a specialized field.

Choose Supporting Topic Sentences

Each body paragraph contains a topic sentence that states one aspect of your thesis and then expands upon it. Like the thesis statement, each topic sentence should be specific and supported by concrete details, facts, or explanations.

Each body paragraph should comprise the following elements.

topic sentence + supporting details (examples, reasons, or arguments)

As you read in Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” , topic sentences indicate the location and main points of the basic arguments of your essay. These sentences are vital to writing your body paragraphs because they always refer back to and support your thesis statement. Topic sentences are linked to the ideas you have introduced in your thesis, thus reminding readers what your essay is about. A paragraph without a clearly identified topic sentence may be unclear and scattered, just like an essay without a thesis statement.

Unless your teacher instructs otherwise, you should include at least three body paragraphs in your essay. A five-paragraph essay, including the introduction and conclusion, is commonly the standard for exams and essay assignments.

Consider the following the thesis statement:

Author J.D. Salinger relied primarily on his personal life and belief system as the foundation for the themes in the majority of his works.

The following topic sentence is a primary support point for the thesis. The topic sentence states exactly what the controlling idea of the paragraph is. Later, you will see the writer immediately provide support for the sentence.

Salinger, a World War II veteran, suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder, a disorder that influenced themes in many of his works.

In Note 9.19 “Exercise 2” , you chose three of your most convincing points to support the thesis statement you selected from the list. Take each point and incorporate it into a topic sentence for each body paragraph.

Supporting point 1: ____________________________________________

Topic sentence: ____________________________________________

Supporting point 2: ____________________________________________

Supporting point 3: ____________________________________________

Draft Supporting Detail Sentences for Each Primary Support Sentence

After deciding which primary support points you will use as your topic sentences, you must add details to clarify and demonstrate each of those points. These supporting details provide examples, facts, or evidence that support the topic sentence.

The writer drafts possible supporting detail sentences for each primary support sentence based on the thesis statement:

Thesis statement: Unleashed dogs on city streets are a dangerous nuisance.

Supporting point 1: Dogs can scare cyclists and pedestrians.

Supporting details:

Cyclists are forced to zigzag on the road.
School children panic and turn wildly on their bikes.
People who are walking at night freeze in fear.

Supporting point 2:

Loose dogs are traffic hazards.

Dogs in the street make people swerve their cars.
To avoid dogs, drivers run into other cars or pedestrians.
Children coaxing dogs across busy streets create danger.

Supporting point 3: Unleashed dogs damage gardens.

They step on flowers and vegetables.
They destroy hedges by urinating on them.
They mess up lawns by digging holes.

The following paragraph contains supporting detail sentences for the primary support sentence (the topic sentence), which is underlined.

Salinger, a World War II veteran, suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder, a disorder that influenced the themes in many of his works. He did not hide his mental anguish over the horrors of war and once told his daughter, “You never really get the smell of burning flesh out of your nose, no matter how long you live.” His short story “A Perfect Day for a Bananafish” details a day in the life of a WWII veteran who was recently released from an army hospital for psychiatric problems. The man acts questionably with a little girl he meets on the beach before he returns to his hotel room and commits suicide. Another short story, “For Esmé – with Love and Squalor,” is narrated by a traumatized soldier who sparks an unusual relationship with a young girl he meets before he departs to partake in D-Day. Finally, in Salinger’s only novel, The Catcher in the Rye , he continues with the theme of posttraumatic stress, though not directly related to war. From a rest home for the mentally ill, sixteen-year-old Holden Caulfield narrates the story of his nervous breakdown following the death of his younger brother.

Using the three topic sentences you composed for the thesis statement in Note 9.18 “Exercise 1” , draft at least three supporting details for each point.

Thesis statement: ____________________________________________

Primary supporting point 1: ____________________________________________

Supporting details: ____________________________________________

Primary supporting point 2: ____________________________________________

Primary supporting point 3: ____________________________________________

You have the option of writing your topic sentences in one of three ways. You can state it at the beginning of the body paragraph, or at the end of the paragraph, or you do not have to write it at all. This is called an implied topic sentence. An implied topic sentence lets readers form the main idea for themselves. For beginning writers, it is best to not use implied topic sentences because it makes it harder to focus your writing. Your instructor may also want to clearly identify the sentences that support your thesis. For more information on the placement of thesis statements and implied topic statements, see Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” .

Print out the first draft of your essay and use a highlighter to mark your topic sentences in the body paragraphs. Make sure they are clearly stated and accurately present your paragraphs, as well as accurately reflect your thesis. If your topic sentence contains information that does not exist in the rest of the paragraph, rewrite it to more accurately match the rest of the paragraph.

Key Takeaways

Your body paragraphs should closely follow the path set forth by your thesis statement.
Strong body paragraphs contain evidence that supports your thesis.
Primary support comprises the most important points you use to support your thesis.
Strong primary support is specific, detailed, and relevant to the thesis.
Prewriting helps you determine your most compelling primary support.
Evidence includes facts, judgments, testimony, and personal observation.
Reliable sources may include newspapers, magazines, academic journals, books, encyclopedias, and firsthand testimony.
A topic sentence presents one point of your thesis statement while the information in the rest of the paragraph supports that point.
A body paragraph comprises a topic sentence plus supporting details.

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Traditional Academic Essays In Three Parts

Part i: the introduction.

An introduction is usually the first paragraph of your academic essay. If you’re writing a long essay, you might need 2 or 3 paragraphs to introduce your topic to your reader. A good introduction does 2 things:

Gets the reader’s attention. You can get a reader’s attention by telling a story, providing a statistic, pointing out something strange or interesting, providing and discussing an interesting quote, etc. Be interesting and find some original angle via which to engage others in your topic.
Provides a specific and debatable thesis statement. The thesis statement is usually just one sentence long, but it might be longer—even a whole paragraph—if the essay you’re writing is long. A good thesis statement makes a debatable point, meaning a point someone might disagree with and argue against. It also serves as a roadmap for what you argue in your paper.

Part II: The Body Paragraphs

Body paragraphs help you prove your thesis and move you along a compelling trajectory from your introduction to your conclusion. If your thesis is a simple one, you might not need a lot of body paragraphs to prove it. If it’s more complicated, you’ll need more body paragraphs. An easy way to remember the parts of a body paragraph is to think of them as the MEAT of your essay:

Main Idea. The part of a topic sentence that states the main idea of the body paragraph. All of the sentences in the paragraph connect to it. Keep in mind that main ideas are…

like labels. They appear in the first sentence of the paragraph and tell your reader what’s inside the paragraph.
arguable. They’re not statements of fact; they’re debatable points that you prove with evidence.
focused. Make a specific point in each paragraph and then prove that point.

Evidence. The parts of a paragraph that prove the main idea. You might include different types of evidence in different sentences. Keep in mind that different disciplines have different ideas about what counts as evidence and they adhere to different citation styles. Examples of evidence include…

quotations and/or paraphrases from sources.
facts , e.g. statistics or findings from studies you’ve conducted.
narratives and/or descriptions , e.g. of your own experiences.

Analysis. The parts of a paragraph that explain the evidence. Make sure you tie the evidence you provide back to the paragraph’s main idea. In other words, discuss the evidence.

Transition. The part of a paragraph that helps you move fluidly from the last paragraph. Transitions appear in topic sentences along with main ideas, and they look both backward and forward in order to help you connect your ideas for your reader. Don’t end paragraphs with transitions; start with them.

Keep in mind that MEAT does not occur in that order. The “ T ransition” and the “ M ain Idea” often combine to form the first sentence—the topic sentence—and then paragraphs contain multiple sentences of evidence and analysis. For example, a paragraph might look like this: TM. E. E. A. E. E. A. A.

Part III: The Conclusion

A conclusion is the last paragraph of your essay, or, if you’re writing a really long essay, you might need 2 or 3 paragraphs to conclude. A conclusion typically does one of two things—or, of course, it can do both:

Summarizes the argument. Some instructors expect you not to say anything new in your conclusion. They just want you to restate your main points. Especially if you’ve made a long and complicated argument, it’s useful to restate your main points for your reader by the time you’ve gotten to your conclusion. If you opt to do so, keep in mind that you should use different language than you used in your introduction and your body paragraphs. The introduction and conclusion shouldn’t be the same.
For example, your argument might be significant to studies of a certain time period .
Alternately, it might be significant to a certain geographical region .
Alternately still, it might influence how your readers think about the future . You might even opt to speculate about the future and/or call your readers to action in your conclusion.

Handout by Dr. Liliana Naydan. Do not reproduce without permission.

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How to write an essay: Body

What's in this guide
Introduction
Essay structure
Additional resources

Body paragraphs

The essay body itself is organised into paragraphs, according to your plan. Remember that each paragraph focuses on one idea, or aspect of your topic, and should contain at least 4-5 sentences so you can deal with that idea properly.

Each body paragraph has three sections. First is the topic sentence . This lets the reader know what the paragraph is going to be about and the main point it will make. It gives the paragraph’s point straight away. Next – and largest – is the supporting sentences . These expand on the central idea, explaining it in more detail, exploring what it means, and of course giving the evidence and argument that back it up. This is where you use your research to support your argument. Then there is a concluding sentence . This restates the idea in the topic sentence, to remind the reader of your main point. It also shows how that point helps answer the question.

Pathways and Academic Learning Support

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4c. Body Paragraphs

Body paragraphs present the reasoning and evidence to demonstrate your thesis. In academic essays, body paragraphs are typically a bit more substantial than in news reporting so a writer can share their own ideas, develop their reasoning, cite evidence, and engage in conversation with other writers and scholars. A typical body paragraph in a college essay contains the following elements, which can be remembered through the useful acronym TREAT.

The TREAT Method

T opic Sentence – an assertion that supports the thesis and presents the main idea of the paragraph
R easoning – critical thinking and rhetorical appeals: ethos, logos, and pathos
E vidence – facts, examples, and other evidence integrated into the paragraph using summaries, paraphrases, and quotations
A nalysis – examination and contextualization of the evidence and reasoning
T ransition – the flow of ideas from one paragraph to the next

Effective body paragraphs are:

Specific and narrow . Topic sentences provide your audience a point of transition and flow from paragraph to paragraph. Topic sentences help you expand and develop your thesis and set up the organization of each paragraph. Developing specific reasoning and specific, concrete examples and evidence in each paragraph will build your credibility with readers. If used properly, well-developed reasoning and evidence are more compelling than general facts and observations.
Relevant to the thesis. Primary support is considered strong when it relates directly to the thesis. Body paragraphs should show, explain, and prove your thesis without delving into irrelevant details. With practice and the understanding that there is always another essay, effective writers resist the temptation to lose focus. Keeping your audience and purpose in mind when choosing examples will help you make sure to stay focused on your thesis.
Detailed . Academic paragraphs are typically longer than newspaper and magazine paragraphs because scholars need space to develop their reasoning and provide sufficiently detailed evidence to support their claims. Using multiple examples and precise details shows readers that you have considered the facts carefully and enhances the impact of your ideas.
Organized . If your paragraph starts to include information or ideas that stray from your topic sentence, either the paragraph or the topic sentence might need to change.

Reasoning and Evidence

In written and oral communication, we demonstrate our critical thinking skills through the various types of rhetorical appeals we make to our audience. The purpose and audience for a writing task shape the way writers develop reasoning and select evidence to support their ideas. Writers develop reasoning in body paragraphs through three primary methods: ethos, logos, and pathos. Writers can deploy many forms of evidence to support their reasoning, including: facts, examples, judgments, testimony, and personal experience.

The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle developed a simple method for categorizing forms of reasoning by identifying three primary modes of argumentative reasoning: ethos, logos, and pathos.

Ethos is reasoning that establishes a writer’s credibility. By showing yourself to be a critical and sympathetic reader, who considers multiple perspectives and demonstrates ethical thinking, you can establish ethos in your body paragraphs.
Logos is reasoning that develops logical arguments and demonstrates a writer’s command of the facts. Demonstrating your knowledge of the facts and showing that you can distinguish between competing claims at truth will ground your writing in common sense and objectivity.
Pathos is reasoning that appeals to human emotions and psychological motivations. Humans are subjective animals, and our ability to develop an emotional connection with an audience can have a powerful or subtle impact on whether they will agree with a writer’s reasoning.

A fourth form of reasoning, kairos , can occasionally be used to make an appeal to an audience that the perfect moment or right opportunity has arisen for action. Arguments for changing policies, ending wars, starting revolutions, or engaging in radical social change typically deploy kairos in addition to ethos, logos, and pathos in order to motivate people to take action a critical times in history.

Evidence includes anything that can help you support your reasoning and develop your thesis. As you develop body paragraphs, you reveal evidence to your readers and then provide analysis to help the reader understand how the evidence supports the reasoning and assertions you are making in each body paragraph. Be sure to check with each instructor to confirm what types of evidence are appropriate for each writing task you are assigned. The following kinds of evidence are commonly used in academic essays:

Facts . Facts are the best kind of evidence to use for academic essays because they often cannot be disputed or distorted. Facts can support your stance by providing background information or a solid evidence-based foundation for your point of view. Remember that facts need explanations. Be sure to use signal phrases like “according to” and “as demonstrated by” to introduce facts and use analysis to explain the relevance of facts to your readers.
Examples show readers that your ideas are grounded in real situations and contexts. Examples help you highlight general trends and ground your facts in the real world. Be careful not to take examples out of context or overgeneralize based on individual cases.
Judgments . Judgments are the conclusions of experts drawn from a set of examples or evidence. Judgments are more credible than opinions because they are founded upon careful reasoning and a thorough examination of a topic. Citing a credible expert to support your opinion can be a powerful way to build ethos in your writing.
Testimony . Testimony consists of direct quotations from eyewitnesses or expert witnesses. An eyewitness is someone who has direct experience with a subject; they add authenticity and credibility to an argument or perspective based on facts. An expert witness is a person who has extensive expertise or experience with a topic. This person provides commentary based on their interpretation of the facts or extensive knowledge on a topic or event.
Personal Experience . Personal observation is similar to eyewitness or expert testimony but consists of your own experiences and/or expertise. Personal experience can be effective in academic essays if directly relevant to the topic and suited to the purpose of a writing task.

Key Takeaways

Always be aware of your purpose for writing and the needs of your audience. Cater to those needs in every sensible way.
Write paragraphs of an appropriate length for your writing assignment. Paragraphs in college-level writing can be up to a page long, as long as they cover the main topics in your outline.
Use your prewriting and outline to guide the development of your paragraphs and the elaboration of your ideas.

Addressing Counterarguments and Different Perspectives

“Few things are more difficult than to see outside the bounds of your own perspective—to be able to identify assumptions that you take as universal truths but which, instead, have been crafted by your own unique identity and experiences in the world.”

~David Takacs

Why acknowledge and respond to other points of view?

Address potential weaknesses in your argument before others can point them out to you.
Acknowledge the complexity of an issue by considering different perspectives and aspects of an issue. No issue has a simple solution or is just Side A versus Side B.
Establish your writing ethos (can your reader trust you?): your reader is more likely to trust you if you thoughtfully analyze an issue from multiple angles.
Add to your essay’s word count!

Four steps to acknowledging and responding to other points of view

Step one: know your standpoint, what is my standpoint and why should i know it.

Standpoint is the unique perspective from which you view the world. It includes: your background and experiences, your political and religious beliefs, your identity (gender, ethnicity, class, sexuality, and ability), your relationship to others, and your social privilege. These are things that will affect how you view and understand an issue.
It’s important to acknowledge your standpoint because it affects what and how you argue.

Good writers are good readers! And good readers. . .

A piece of lined paper for freewriting "5 minute free write"

Who are you?
Make a list of what you’ll bring to a conversation about the issue on which you’re writing. What are your assumptions, your background and experience, your knowledge and expertise? Be honest!

Consider writing your standpoint into your essay

Writing your standpoint into your essay builds trust with your readers. Even if they have a different standpoint, they will respect your honesty and hopefully listen respectfully to what you have to say.
Writing from your standpoint can make your writing feel more authentic , to you and your reader. “This is me!”

Even if you don’t explicitly reveal your standpoint to your reader, you’ll want to know your standpoint so that you are aware of your own implicit bias as you write.

How do I write in my standpoint? Can I use “I”?

Try one of these templates:

“What concerns me as a business major . . .”
“I write this essay during a time when . . .”
“I am concerned about. . .”

See how other writers we’ve read have done it:

“Now, as a professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education , I. . .” [From Anthony Abraham Jack, “I Was a Low-Income College Student. Classes Weren’t the Hard Part.” The New York Times Magazine ]
“From my first day as a sociology professor at a university with a Division I football and men’s basketball team , education and athletics struck me as being inherently at odds. . .” [From Jasmine Harris, “It’s Naive to Think College Athletes Have Time for School,” The Conversation ]
“In this society, that norm is usually defined as white, thin, male, young, heterosexual, Christian, and financially secure. It is within this mythical norm that the trappings of power reside. Those of us who stand outside that power , for any reason, often identify one way in which we are different, and we assume that quality to be the primary reason for all oppression. . .” [From Audre Lorde, “The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action”]
“I might not carry with me the feeling of my audience in stating my own belief. . .” [From Ralph Waldo Emerson, “The American Scholar”]

Step Two: C onsider potential weaknesses in your argument and different points of view on the issue

What potential weaknesses in your argument might you address.

Logic : would a reader question any of your assumptions?
between your reasoning and your claim: your main unstated assumption
or between your evidence and your reasoning: is there evidence or types of evidence a reader might be skeptical of?
Does the reader hold false assumptions about the issue?
Could a reader give a different explanation of the issue ?
Could a reader draw a different conclusion from the evidence ?
Is there a specific reader who would disagree?

What alternative points of view on the issue might you consider?

How might someone think differently about the issue?
How might someone approach the issue from a different standpoint?
What might keep someone from trusting or believing a claim or point you make?
What might make someone tentative about taking action?
What might keep a person from having an open mind?

Which one should I choose to address?

It depends on the essay’s length. You might consider 1-2 counterarguments that are most important for you to address in a paper (depending on the length).

this could be a view your audience/community is likely to hold themselves
or a common-knowledge one you think everyone will think of while reading
and of course the one that is most specific to your argument
if you can get one that fits more than one of these criteria, that’s even better!

What NOT to do when considering a counterargument

Comic. Speaker 1: "You really shouldn't make straw man arguments." Speaker 2: "Oh? Well, then I guess we should just not have arguments at all!"

Build a straw man counterargument

A straw man argument is a logical fallacy where the writer misrepresents or oversimplifies someone else’s argument in order to make it easier to refute.
Writers also create straw man arguments when they make up a potential counterargument that is easy to refute, but isn’t something most people would reasonably believe.

Step Three: It’s time to write your counterargument into your essay

An exemplary counterargument:.

exists as its own paragraph
you fully acknowledge and respond to it
Note: You don’t have to refute a counterargument for your argument to work. Our world is big enough to hold multiple points of view. The paragraph should ultimately support your thesis, but you may amend, qualify, complicate, or open up your claim, which is often why, organizationally, discussion of counterarguments or different points of view work best in the introduction of your essay to set up your claim or as the last body paragraph to lead into your conclusion.
relates to your audience/community’s likely concerns and interests
seems like a realistic thing someone might think (is not a straw man or caricature)
ideally, is specific to your argument, not your topic in general
considers both sides respectfully
may be more than one counterargument or different perspective, but you’d need a separate paragraph for each in order to give them full consideration

Addressing a counterargument versus a different perspective

A true counterargument is the opposing claim on an issue:

Claim: Academic probation does not help students progress.
Counterargument: Academic probation does help students progress.

Different perspectives might offer different reasoning, consider different factors or conditions, or ask about different groups of people or situations.

A counterargument needs to be rebutted. Different perspectives can help you amend, qualify, complicate, or open up your claim.

You might use a counterargument to qualify your thesis

An example:

Reasoned thesis : Hook-up culture is now at the center of the institution of higher education because it is thick, palpable, the air students breathe, and we find it on almost every residential campus in America. [From Lisa Wade, “Sociology and the New Culture of Hooking Up on College Campuses“]

A counterargument : Research findings suggest that the sexual practices of college students haven’t changed much since the 1980s. [From David Ludden, “Is Hook-Up Culture Dominating College Campuses?”]

Qualified claim : Although sexual practices of college students haven’t changed much in the last few decades , hook-up culture is now at the center of the institution of higher education because it is thick, palpable. . .

Counterargument paragraph : “The topic of my book, then, isn’t just hooking up; it’s hook-up culture . . .” (Wade).

A template for a counterargument paragraph

I recognize that others may have a different perspective than [state your claim*]. They might believe that [state their claim]. They believe this because [provide several sentences of support]. However, [restate your claim and explain in several sentences why you believe the way you do].

*You can also consider counterpoints to your reasoning, evidence, or standpoint.

Step Four: Decide where to organize your counterargument paragraph

Being aware of different perspectives can also help you develop your conclusion paragraph. In your conclusion, you can reaffirm your claim and then:

amend part of your claim
qualify your claim
complicate your claim
open up your claim

Writing as collaboration

Think of adding in counterarguments or different perspectives as collaborating with others on addressing an issue. . .

animated people sit with computers and talk.

Brazuca illustrations by Cezar Berje, CC0

Opening up our minds and our hearts to different perspectives makes us stronger.

Writing as Inquiry Copyright © 2021 by Kara Clevinger and Stephen Rust is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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This resource outlines the generally accepted structure for introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions in an academic argument paper. Keep in mind that this resource contains guidelines and not strict rules about organization. Your structure needs to be flexible enough to meet the requirements of your purpose and audience.

Body paragraphs: Moving from general to specific information

Your paper should be organized in a manner that moves from general to specific information. Every time you begin a new subject, think of an inverted pyramid - The broadest range of information sits at the top, and as the paragraph or paper progresses, the author becomes more and more focused on the argument ending with specific, detailed evidence supporting a claim. Lastly, the author explains how and why the information she has just provided connects to and supports her thesis (a brief wrap-up or warrant).

This image shows an inverted pyramid that contains the following text. At the wide top of the pyramid, the text reads general information introduction, topic sentence. Moving down the pyramid to the narrow point, the text reads focusing direction of paper, telling. Getting more specific, showing. Supporting details, data. Conclusions and brief wrap up, warrant.

Moving from General to Specific Information

The four elements of a good paragraph (TTEB)

A good paragraph should contain at least the following four elements: T ransition, T opic sentence, specific E vidence and analysis, and a B rief wrap-up sentence (also known as a warrant ) –TTEB!

A T ransition sentence leading in from a previous paragraph to assure smooth reading. This acts as a hand-off from one idea to the next.
A T opic sentence that tells the reader what you will be discussing in the paragraph.
Specific E vidence and analysis that supports one of your claims and that provides a deeper level of detail than your topic sentence.
A B rief wrap-up sentence that tells the reader how and why this information supports the paper’s thesis. The brief wrap-up is also known as the warrant. The warrant is important to your argument because it connects your reasoning and support to your thesis, and it shows that the information in the paragraph is related to your thesis and helps defend it.

Supporting evidence (induction and deduction)

Induction is the type of reasoning that moves from specific facts to a general conclusion. When you use induction in your paper, you will state your thesis (which is actually the conclusion you have come to after looking at all the facts) and then support your thesis with the facts. The following is an example of induction taken from Dorothy U. Seyler’s Understanding Argument :

There is the dead body of Smith. Smith was shot in his bedroom between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m., according to the coroner. Smith was shot with a .32 caliber pistol. The pistol left in the bedroom contains Jones’s fingerprints. Jones was seen, by a neighbor, entering the Smith home at around 11:00 p.m. the night of Smith’s death. A coworker heard Smith and Jones arguing in Smith’s office the morning of the day Smith died.

Conclusion: Jones killed Smith.

Here, then, is the example in bullet form:

Conclusion: Jones killed Smith
Support: Smith was shot by Jones’ gun, Jones was seen entering the scene of the crime, Jones and Smith argued earlier in the day Smith died.
Assumption: The facts are representative, not isolated incidents, and thus reveal a trend, justifying the conclusion drawn.

When you use deduction in an argument, you begin with general premises and move to a specific conclusion. There is a precise pattern you must use when you reason deductively. This pattern is called syllogistic reasoning (the syllogism). Syllogistic reasoning (deduction) is organized in three steps:

Major premise
Minor premise

In order for the syllogism (deduction) to work, you must accept that the relationship of the two premises lead, logically, to the conclusion. Here are two examples of deduction or syllogistic reasoning:

Major premise: All men are mortal.
Minor premise: Socrates is a man.
Conclusion: Socrates is mortal.
Major premise: People who perform with courage and clear purpose in a crisis are great leaders.
Minor premise: Lincoln was a person who performed with courage and a clear purpose in a crisis.
Conclusion: Lincoln was a great leader.

So in order for deduction to work in the example involving Socrates, you must agree that (1) all men are mortal (they all die); and (2) Socrates is a man. If you disagree with either of these premises, the conclusion is invalid. The example using Socrates isn’t so difficult to validate. But when you move into more murky water (when you use terms such as courage , clear purpose , and great ), the connections get tenuous.

For example, some historians might argue that Lincoln didn’t really shine until a few years into the Civil War, after many Union losses to Southern leaders such as Robert E. Lee.

The following is a clear example of deduction gone awry:

Major premise: All dogs make good pets.
Minor premise: Doogle is a dog.
Conclusion: Doogle will make a good pet.

If you don’t agree that all dogs make good pets, then the conclusion that Doogle will make a good pet is invalid.

When a premise in a syllogism is missing, the syllogism becomes an enthymeme. Enthymemes can be very effective in argument, but they can also be unethical and lead to invalid conclusions. Authors often use enthymemes to persuade audiences. The following is an example of an enthymeme:

If you have a plasma TV, you are not poor.

The first part of the enthymeme (If you have a plasma TV) is the stated premise. The second part of the statement (you are not poor) is the conclusion. Therefore, the unstated premise is “Only rich people have plasma TVs.” The enthymeme above leads us to an invalid conclusion (people who own plasma TVs are not poor) because there are plenty of people who own plasma TVs who are poor. Let’s look at this enthymeme in a syllogistic structure:

Major premise: People who own plasma TVs are rich (unstated above).
Minor premise: You own a plasma TV.
Conclusion: You are not poor.

To help you understand how induction and deduction can work together to form a solid argument, you may want to look at the United States Declaration of Independence. The first section of the Declaration contains a series of syllogisms, while the middle section is an inductive list of examples. The final section brings the first and second sections together in a compelling conclusion.

UP Textbook Guide
The Writing Process
Addressing the Prompt
Originality
Timed Writing (Expectations)
Integrated Writing (Writing Process)
Shape and Organization
A Shifting Structure
Introductions

Body Paragraphs

Conclusions
Reference Page
Example Writing
Timed Writing (Revising)
Integrated Writing (TOEFL Task 1)
Descriptive Writing
Alternative Project: Creative Writing
Example Descriptive Writing
Skill: Word Choice
Sources: Quoting
Revise Descriptive Writing
Timed Writing (Word Choice)
Integrated Writing (TOEFL Task 2)
Personal Statements
Alternative Project: Formal Emails
Example Personal Statement
Types of Personal Statements
Organization for Comprehensive Personal Statement
Organization for Prompted Personal Statement
Skill: Development
Revise a Personal Statement
Timed Writing (Audience & Register)
Integrated Writing (Audience & Register)
Comparison Writing
Alternative Project: Reviews
Example Comparison Writing
Skill: Unity
Sources: Summarizing
Revise Comparison Writing
Timed Writing (The Prompt)
Integrated Writing (Paraphrasing)
Persuasive Writing
Alternative Project: Reflections
Example Persuasive Writing
Skill: Cohesion
Sources: Paraphrasing
Revise Persuasive Writing
Timed Writing (Scope & Scale)
Integrated Writing (Content)
Appendix A: Sentence Variety
Simple Sentences
Compound Sentences
Complex Sentences Part 1
Complex Sentences Part 2
Compound-Complex Sentences
Appendix B: Using Sources
Finding Sources
In-text Citations
More about Reference Pages
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Body paragraphs should all work to support your thesis by explaining why or how your thesis is true. Every sentence in your body paragraphs should work toward supporting your thesis statement. Each body paragraph has three types of sentences.

Topic sentences

A topic sentence states the main idea, or focus, of the paragraph. The rest of the body paragraph will give evidence and explanations that show why or how your topic sentence is true. In many ways, a topic sentence is very similar to a thesis. The biggest differences will be the location of the sentence and the scope of the ideas.

An effective topic sentence—

clearly supports the thesis statement.
is usually at the beginning of a body paragraph.
controls the content of all of the supporting sentences in its paragraph.
is a complete sentence.
does not announce the topic (e.g., "I'm going to talk about public transportation.").
should not be too general (e.g., "The use of public transportation is increasing.").
should not be too specific (e.g., " Public transportation reduces greenhouse gas emissions, provides low-cost transportation options, and allows for multitasking during the commute. ").

Supporting sentences

Your body paragraph needs to explain why or how your topic sentence is true. The sentences that support your topic sentence are called supporting sentences . You can have many types of supporting sentences. Supporting sentences can give examples, explanations, details, descriptions, facts, reasons, etc.

Concluding sentences

Your final statement should conclude your paragraph logically. Conclusion sentences can restate main idea of your paragraph, state an opinion, make a prediction, give advice, etc. New ideas should not be presented in your concluding sentence.

Characteristics of Effective Body Paragraphs

All sentences in your body paragraph need to work together within the paragraph .

All the paragraphs need to work together within the essay .

As you draft and revise your paragraphs, you will need to write the sentences and paragraphs to be:

If the sentences and paragraphs have unity , development , and cohesion , they will more likely work better together in the essay to express your main idea.

Exercise 1: Body Paragraph Analysis

Read this example body paragraph.

Is the topic sentence effective?
Do the supporting sentences directly connect to the topic sentence? Or are there unnecessary or overly specific details included?
Does the concluding sentence effectively end the point?
Is it logically organized?

The culture, traditions, and identity of communities are represented by historic monuments. This is a reason why the conservation and preservation of historic monuments are fundamental for a country. Sometimes in the point of view of people the protection of historic monuments by the government can have some negative results. For example, they will have to pay a fee to enter a park or any historical monument, but if these places aren’t protected there won't be a place to visit and also the payment of a fee to enter a park can help the economy of a country. That is why is important that the government protects historic monuments. Another reason is that shows and displays the culture of each town or community, people will be able to learn traditions and see how people used to live, or how things were back in antiquity (DOI US, nd, para. 1). Egypt and the pyramids are an example of this, because it shows the thinking of the people that build the pyramids and the style of architecture that was used in those times. The pyramids are full of culture and transcripts that exhibit the beliefs of Egyptians many years ago (Academy for cultural diplomacy, nd, para. 2). Just like Egypt, many countries have historical monuments that display their culture and if the government does not protect these monuments, it will be just a matter of time that one day they will disappear and along with them the culture of each country.

Academy for Cultural Diplomacy. https://www.culturaldiplomacy.org/academy/index.php?en_monuments-as-cultural-diplomacy

Walls et al. (2020). https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aay8523#:~:text=We%20find%20that%20monuments%20increased,and%20other%20industries%20that%20use

Exercise 2: Drafting Practice

A body paragraph's job is to develop and give support to the main idea of the essay, the thesis statement. Read the introduction below and consider the bolded thesis statement. What support does it need for the reader to understand or come to agree with your main idea? Write a body paragraph that would fit in an essay with the introduction below.

Introduction:

Homeschooling, teaching children in places such as their home, a library, etc. instead of enrolling them in public or private school, is something more parents are starting to choose. According to research by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics, there are 1.1 million children being homeschooled, which is a 2.2 percent increase from 1998, when there were only 850,000 students (Lips & Feinberg, 2008). As the research shows, homeschooling is growing more common in the United States. Homeschooling should be encouraged because of the following advantages: higher academic achievement, closer relationships between parents and children, and healthy social, emotional, and psychological characteristics of the students

Your Body Paragraph:

This content is provided to you freely by BYU Open Learning Network.

Access it online or download it at https://open.byu.edu/up_writing_summer/body_paragraphs .

Writing Worksheets and Other Writing Resources
Thesis, Analysis, & Structure

Some Tips for Writing Efficient, Effective Body Paragraphs

About the slc.

Our Mission and Core Values

While Writing:

Think of each body paragraph as a mini essay..

It should start with an introductory sentence.

Ask yourself:  

What is this paragraph going to be about?   

Introduce a new idea.
Give a quote that supports it.
Explain the significance of the quote with respect to your new idea.

Think: Claim. Evidence. Analysis.  

Finish with a closing thought and a good transition point.

Ask yourself:

What did that last paragraph have to do with my thesis?

This will keep the reader on track with your thoughts.

While Revising

Go back and look at each paragraph in your essay..

• State the main idea of each paragraph.

If you cannot find one unique focus point, there might be too many ideas within the paragraph. If this is the case, break up the ideas into separate paragraphs.

Remember : Shorter paragraphs can be beneficial because your ideas become more focused. This way, both you and your reader will be able to follow the specific steps you are taking to get to your conclusion.

Once you have determined the main ideas

Read each paragraph sentence by sentence.

Does this sentence have to do with the main topic of this paragraph?

If not, change it, or delete it!

Does it belong somewhere else in my essay?

If so, move it!

Is it similar to the sentence that comes before or after it? Or, is it similar to a sentence somewhere else within the paragraph?

If so, combine the ideas into one, specified sentence!

Remember : Each sentence should present new information and should support the main idea of the paragraph.

Barrett Briske

Student learning Center, University of California, Berkeley

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

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9.2: Writing Body Paragraphs

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Learning Objectives

Select primary support related to your thesis.
Support your topic sentences.

Select Primary Support for Your Thesis

Identify the Characteristics of Good Primary Support

In order to fulfill the requirements of good primary support, the information you choose must meet the following standards:

Be specific. The main points you make about your thesis and the examples you use to expand on those points need to be specific. Use specific examples to provide the evidence and to build upon your general ideas. These types of examples give your reader something narrow to focus on, and if used properly, they leave little doubt about your claim. General examples, while they convey the necessary information, are not nearly as compelling or useful in writing because they are too obvious and typical.
Be relevant to the thesis. Primary support is considered strong when it relates directly to the thesis. Primary support should show, explain, or prove your main argument without delving into irrelevant details. When faced with lots of information that could be used to prove your thesis, you may think you need to include it all in your body paragraphs. But effective writers resist the temptation to lose focus. Choose your examples wisely by making sure they directly connect to your thesis.
Be detailed. Remember that your thesis, while specific, should not be very detailed. The body paragraphs are where you develop the discussion that a thorough essay requires. Using detailed support shows readers that you have considered all the facts and chosen only the most precise details to enhance your point of view.

Prewrite to Identify Primary Supporting Points for a Thesis Statement

Exercise $\PageIndex{1}$

Choose one of the following working thesis statements. On a separate sheet of paper, write for at least five minutes using one of the prewriting techniques you learned in Chapter 8 .

Unleashed dogs on city streets are a dangerous nuisance.
Students cheat for many different reasons.
Drug use among teens and young adults is a problem.
The most important change that should occur at my college or university is ____________________________________________.

Select the Most Effective Primary Supporting Points for a Thesis Statement

Exercise $\PageIndex{2}$

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

Facts. Facts are the best kind of evidence to use because they often cannot be disputed. They can support your stance by providing background information on or a solid foundation for your point of view. However, some facts may still need explanation. For example, the sentence “The most populated state in the United States is California” is a pure fact, but it may require some explanation to make it relevant to your specific argument.
Judgments. Judgments are conclusions drawn from the given facts. Judgments are more credible than opinions because they are founded upon careful reasoning and examination of a topic.
Testimony. Testimony consists of direct quotations from either an eyewitness or an expert witness. An eyewitness is someone who has direct experience with a subject; he adds authenticity to an argument based on facts. An expert witness is a person who has extensive experience with a topic. This person studies the facts and provides commentary based on either facts or judgments, or both. An expert witness adds authority and credibility to an argument.
Personal observation. Personal observation is similar to testimony, but personal observation consists of your testimony. It reflects what you know to be true because you have experiences and have formed either opinions or judgments about them. For instance, if you are one of five children and your thesis states that being part of a large family is beneficial to a child’s social development, you could use your own experience to support your thesis.

writing at work

Choose Supporting Topic Sentences

Each body paragraph should comprise the following elements.

topic sentence + supporting details (examples, reasons, or arguments)

As you read in Chapter 8 , topic sentences indicate the location and main points of the basic arguments of your essay. These sentences are vital to writing your body paragraphs because they always refer back to and support your thesis statement. Topic sentences are linked to the ideas you have introduced in your thesis, thus reminding readers what your essay is about. A paragraph without a clearly identified topic sentence may be unclear and scattered, just like an essay without a thesis statement.

Consider the following the thesis statement:

Author J.D. Salinger relied primarily on his personal life and belief system as the foundation for the themes in the majority of his works.

Salinger, a World War II veteran, suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder, a disorder that influenced themes in many of his works.

Exercise $\PageIndex{3}$

In Exercise 2, you chose three of your most convincing points to support the thesis statement you selected from the list. Take each point and incorporate it into a topic sentence for each body paragraph.

Supporting point 1: ____________________________________________

Topic sentence: ____________________________________________

Supporting point 2: ____________________________________________

Supporting point 3: ____________________________________________

Draft Supporting Detail Sentences for Each Primary Support Sentence

The writer drafts possible supporting detail sentences for each primary support sentence based on the thesis statement:

Thesis statement: Unleashed dogs on city streets are a dangerous nuisance.

Supporting point 1: Dogs can scare cyclists and pedestrians.

Supporting details:

Cyclists are forced to zigzag on the road.
School children panic and turn wildly on their bikes.
People who are walking at night freeze in fear.

Supporting point 2:

Loose dogs are traffic hazards.

Dogs in the street make people swerve their cars.
To avoid dogs, drivers run into other cars or pedestrians.
Children coaxing dogs across busy streets create danger.

Supporting point 3: Unleashed dogs damage gardens.

They step on flowers and vegetables.
They destroy hedges by urinating on them.
They mess up lawns by digging holes.

The following paragraph contains supporting detail sentences for the primary support sentence (the topic sentence), which is underlined.

Exercise $\PageIndex{4}$

Using the three topic sentences you composed for the thesis statement in Exercise 1, draft at least three supporting details for each point.

Thesis statement: ____________________________________________

Primary supporting point 1: ____________________________________________

Supporting details: ____________________________________________

Primary supporting point 2: ____________________________________________

Primary supporting point 3: ____________________________________________

You have the option of writing your topic sentences in one of three ways. You can state it at the beginning of the body paragraph, or at the end of the paragraph, or you do not have to write it at all. This is called an implied topic sentence. An implied topic sentence lets readers form the main idea for themselves. For beginning writers, it is best to not use implied topic sentences because it makes it harder to focus your writing. Your instructor may also want to clearly identify the sentences that support your thesis. For more information on the placement of thesis statements and implied topic statements, see Chapter 8 .
Print out the first draft of your essay and use a highlighter to mark your topic sentences in the body paragraphs. Make sure they are clearly stated and accurately present your paragraphs, as well as accurately reflect your thesis. If your topic sentence contains information that does not exist in the rest of the paragraph, rewrite it to more accurately match the rest of the paragraph.

Key Takeaways

Your body paragraphs should closely follow the path set forth by your thesis statement.
Strong body paragraphs contain evidence that supports your thesis.
Primary support comprises the most important points you use to support your thesis.
Strong primary support is specific, detailed, and relevant to the thesis.
Prewriting helps you determine your most compelling primary support.
Evidence includes facts, judgments, testimony, and personal observation.
Reliable sources may include newspapers, magazines, academic journals, books, encyclopedias, and firsthand testimony.
A topic sentence presents one point of your thesis statement while the information in the rest of the paragraph supports that point.
A body paragraph comprises a topic sentence plus supporting details.

Module 4: Putting Your Source Material to Work

Writing body paragraphs, learning objectives.

Select primary support related to your thesis.
Support your topic sentences.

Select Primary Support for Your Thesis

Identify the Characteristics of Good Primary Support

In order to fulfill the requirements of good primary support, the information you choose must meet the following standards:

Be specific. The main points you make about your thesis and the examples you use to expand on those points need to be specific. Use specific examples to provide the evidence and to build upon your general ideas. These types of examples give your reader something narrow to focus on, and if used properly, they leave little doubt about your claim. General examples, while they convey the necessary information, are not nearly as compelling or useful in writing because they are too obvious and typical.
Be relevant to the thesis. Primary support is considered strong when it relates directly to the thesis. Primary support should show, explain, or prove your main argument without delving into irrelevant details. When faced with lots of information that could be used to prove your thesis, you may think you need to include it all in your body paragraphs. But effective writers resist the temptation to lose focus. Choose your examples wisely by making sure they directly connect to your thesis.
Be detailed. Remember that your thesis, while specific, should not be very detailed. The body paragraphs are where you develop the discussion that a thorough essay requires. Using detailed support shows readers that you have considered all the facts and chosen only the most precise details to enhance your point of view.

Prewrite to Identify Primary Supporting Points for a Thesis Statement

Unleashed dogs on city streets are a dangerous nuisance.
Students cheat for many different reasons.
Drug use among teens and young adults is a problem.
The most important change that should occur at my college or university is ____________________________________________.

Select the Most Effective Primary Supporting Points for a Thesis Statement

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

Facts. Facts are the best kind of evidence to use because they often cannot be disputed. They can support your stance by providing background information on or a solid foundation for your point of view. However, some facts may still need explanation. For example, the sentence “The most populated state in the United States is California” is a pure fact, but it may require some explanation to make it relevant to your specific argument.
Judgments. Judgments are conclusions drawn from the given facts. Judgments are more credible than opinions because they are founded upon careful reasoning and examination of a topic.
Testimony. Testimony consists of direct quotations from either an eyewitness or an expert witness. An eyewitness is someone who has direct experience with a subject; he adds authenticity to an argument based on facts. An expert witness is a person who has extensive experience with a topic. This person studies the facts and provides commentary based on either facts or judgments, or both. An expert witness adds authority and credibility to an argument.
Personal observation. Personal observation is similar to testimony, but personal observation consists of your testimony. It reflects what you know to be true because you have experiences and have formed either opinions or judgments about them. For instance, if you are one of five children and your thesis states that being part of a large family is beneficial to a child’s social development, you could use your own experience to support your thesis.

Writing at Work

Choose Supporting Topic Sentences

Each body paragraph should comprise the following elements.

topic sentence + supporting details (examples, reasons, or arguments)

As you read in Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?”, topic sentences indicate the location and main points of the basic arguments of your essay. These sentences are vital to writing your body paragraphs because they always refer back to and support your thesis statement. Topic sentences are linked to the ideas you have introduced in your thesis, thus reminding readers what your essay is about. A paragraph without a clearly identified topic sentence may be unclear and scattered, just like an essay without a thesis statement.

Consider the following the thesis statement:

In Note 9.19 “Exercise 2”, you chose three of your most convincing points to support the thesis statement you selected from the list. Take each point and incorporate it into a topic sentence for each body paragraph.

Supporting point 1: ____________________________________________

Topic sentence: ____________________________________________

Supporting point 2: ____________________________________________

Supporting point 3: ____________________________________________

Draft Supporting Detail Sentences for Each Primary Support Sentence

The writer drafts possible supporting detail sentences for each primary support sentence based on the thesis statement:

The following paragraph contains supporting detail sentences for the primary support sentence (the topic sentence), which is underlined.

Using the three topic sentences you composed for the thesis statement in Note 9.18 “Exercise 1”, draft at least three supporting details for each point.

Thesis statement: ____________________________________________

Primary supporting point 1: ____________________________________________

Supporting details: ____________________________________________

Primary supporting point 2: ____________________________________________

Primary supporting point 3: ____________________________________________

Key Takeaways

Your body paragraphs should closely follow the path set forth by your thesis statement.
Strong body paragraphs contain evidence that supports your thesis.
Primary support comprises the most important points you use to support your thesis.
Strong primary support is specific, detailed, and relevant to the thesis.
Prewriting helps you determine your most compelling primary support.
Evidence includes facts, judgments, testimony, and personal observation.
Reliable sources may include newspapers, magazines, academic journals, books, encyclopedias, and firsthand testimony.
A topic sentence presents one point of your thesis statement while the information in the rest of the paragraph supports that point.
A body paragraph comprises a topic sentence plus supporting details.
Successful Writing Section 9.4: Writing Body Paragraphs. Authored by : Anonymous. Located at : http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/successful-writing/s13-02-writing-body-paragraphs.html . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

English that goes straight to the heart

What is an essay?

Aldous Huxley described an essay as “A literary device for saying almost everything about almost anything”.

What is an Essay?

An essay is a piece of writing that revolves around a particular theme and contains the academic opinions of the person writing it.

Daily Test - Attempt Now

An essay can perform one or more of the following functions:

Analyses and critically evaluates a topic
Presents the writer‘s argument for or against an idea
Describes something
Narrates a story
Persuades the reader

Also, Read 6 Types of Essay

Characteristics of a Good Essay

Brevity: Express what you want concisely. Do not beat around the bush.
Coherence: Every sentence and paragraph should flow smoothly and logically from the previous one. A clumsily written essay reflects not only the lack of preparation but also the absence of clarity of thought.
Unity: The essay should never stray from its main purpose. Different points of view can be introduced, but they should all be used for the same subject.
Lucidity: The essay should be easy to read and understand. Using tough words or difficult phrases may impress a few but can confuse many others. Great writers are praised not only for their beautiful ideas but also for the simplicity of their language.

Also, Read Top 10 Essay Examples

The objective of Essay Writing

Essay writing often forms a part of English written exams to test the ability of students to

Think critically: Critical thinking involves understanding the task at hand and evaluating it appropriately.
Structure the ideas logically: The essay has to be structured and coherent. The ideas have to neatly flow from one paragraph to the other.
Express views eloquently: The student should be fluent in the language he or she is writing in. Ideas when presented shoddily may not make the right impact.

Parts of an Essay

Introduction.

It constitutes the opening paragraph of the essay.

It helps the reader get oriented with the topic.
It states the purpose of the essay.
It captures the interest of the reader.
It presents the general idea of the essay.
It often ends with the thesis or the main idea of the essay.

Body (Supporting Paragraphs)

They constitute the supporting sentences and ideas.

They provide the reader with additional details about the main idea.
They support the thesis of the writer.
There is no fixed number of supporting paragraphs.
Ideally, every supporting paragraph should contain a different idea.

It constitutes the ending paragraph(s) of the essay.

It ties up loose ends of the paragraph.
It helps in reiterating or highlighting the main idea.
It summarises all the arguments.
It brings the essay to a logical close.
It never ends in detail.

Also, Read Short Essay Examples

Tips for Writing an Essay

Preparation.

Read: The more you read, the better you get. Reading essays will give you the inspiration to write. It will fill you with knowledge that you can use to enrich your writing.
Write: Practise writing essays. This will give you the necessary confidence that you require during the exams. Writing also sharpens your thought process preparing you to deal with essay questions with much ease.

1. Think about the idea given in the title or the prompt.

What type of essay will be appropriate?
What could be the main ideas?
How to write the introduction, the body and the conclusion?
Write all the ideas.

2. Structure your essay.

Create an outline of your essay.
Do not use more than two sentences for the introduction and conclusion, respectively.
Therefore, it is important to plan your essay before instead of writing spontaneously.
Arrange the ideas in chronological order if you are attempting a narrative essay.
Arrange them in increasing order of importance while attempting a descriptive or expository essay.
Remember to conclude the essay.

3. Use a consistent tense form while writing the essay.

4. Express clearly.

5. Be original in your ideas. Don‘t be afraid to think out of the box.

6. Use your own memories or your experiences to add to the essay.

7. Recheck for any grammatical errors after finishing the essay.

Also, Read Summarizing an Essay

Example of Essay

My native place.

My parents hail from a small village in Kerala which is nestled among mountains in a scenic district of the state. Every year, I visit my native place with my family. It is a trip that I look forward to all year. My father books the ticket two months in advance as it is difficult to procure reservations on short notice. Although I have lived in the city all my life, I feel that I never belonged to it. I have always felt at home in the quaint mountain village that is far removed from the hustle and bustle of city life.

It takes us 18 hours by train to reach the railway station that is closest to my village. The journey is usually gruelling in the summers but very pleasant in the winters and in the monsoons. We plan our trip in the summer months since we get a two-month vacation in April. In order to beat the heat, we travel by air-conditioned coaches every year. We board the train at noon and we reach our destination at 6 am the next day.

The morning air is heavy with the scent of flowers and wet foliage. The temple bells start ringing at 6:30 am and the sound of bhajans fills the air. The village is only a 20-minute rickshaw ride away from the station. When we enter my grandmother‘s house, we are welcomed by her diminutive figure holding a lamp.

According to her, it is auspicious to welcome loved ones by lighting the lamp at the altar of God. The moment we set foot into the house, we are filled with a sense of nostalgia and love. After a sumptuous yet simple breakfast, we relax with our family in the courtyard.

The cool mountain air is laden with scents of the rustic countryside. From afar, we hear the sounds of birds. My sister and I make paper boats and run to the little babbling brook that flows southwards. We set the boats on the water and watch them bob up and down. Far away from the world of video games and television, we seek fun in a world of simplicity.

The house itself has a personality. Simple, two-storeyed, made of stone walls and a thatched roof, the house is an old friend who warmly embraces you every time you meet. The rooms are small but well-maintained. On the ground floor is a room that my grandmother uses for storing condiments and grains. It is illuminated with a single light bulb and an old-fashioned lock-and-key style door. In its corner is a small bed.

The calming silence of the room soothes my ears and transports me into a magical place. I feel weightless. The smell of spices envelops me. On many occasions, I have spent hours sprawled on that bed reading a book or listening to music. If I ever have to pick a favourite place, then I have no doubt this would be it.

When twilight descends on the little hamlet, large clusters of stars start appearing in the sky. Such a sight is never seen in the city as the lights obscure the stars that appear in the sky. My grandmother lights the lamp again and we all gather around her to say our evening prayers. After enjoying her simple, rustic yet delicious meal, we retire for the night.

Sometimes when I am upset, I think of my quaint little house in the village, my grandmother‘s warm embrace, and the small room that smells of spices. They immediately help me put my worries away and bring a smile to my face.

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Argumentative essay characteristics structure and Language marks

Argumentative essay

An argumentative essay is a free topic text whose objective is to convince or persuade the reader of the ideas presented. Its purpose is to incite in the reader an inclination towards the author’s opinion. In other words , an argumentative essay will always contain elements of an expository essay, since it needs to explain its position on a certain problem or topic. The author, through coherently exposed concepts, will try to justify and demonstrate his reasons. Argumentative essay characteristics structure

Arguing is that, defending the ideas that have been exposed in the essay in a logical and orderly way. The author can even present contrary premises to dismantle them with his reasons, and give more force to his argument.

What is important about this type of essay is the author’s point of view, and the way in which he approaches the argument. They are usually of an academic nature and free subject , as already said, since they reflect the personal opinion of the author, where he tries to demonstrate their validity.

In any case, regardless of whether or not it manages to convince the reader, the argumentative essay will be a starting point to reflect on a topic.

Characteristics of the argumentative essay

An argumentative essay shares a literary language with other types of essay, and in that sense uses metaphors and other rhetorical figures to validate its thesis. It is a space where the subjectivity of the issuer fits , but also conceptual rigor.

In general, an argumentative essay has the following characteristics:

1-Point of view

The author’s point of view is presented in the introduction to the essay , through the thesis with which he adheres.

The analysis is an indissoluble part of the argument, since by contrasting ideas or contrasting the advantages and disadvantages, pros and cons of positions, the author gradually unravels why he assumes a certain position.

Language marks in the argumentative essay

In the argumentative essay, various literary resources can be used:

1-Connectors

It uses various argumentative connectors : to start the text, to add new ideas, include examples, draw conclusions, compare, contrast and finish.

To begin the text, the connectors used are, for example: First of all, To begin, The idea of this essay, What we present… and the like.
To add ideas and give them order, the following are used: Likewise, In this sense, On the other hand, In other words …, and to exemplify: For example, In fact, Specifically, etc.
For the conclusions, the following are used: In other words , In conclusion, In short, In short.
The comparison connectors : Likewise, Likewise, Likewise, Likewise, etc .; those of contrast: On the contrary, As opposed to. And to finish: Finally, Finally, To summarize, etc.

2-Qualifications and designations

Throughout the text, the author will rely on expressions that qualify and designate what he is arguing. An example would be: Argumentative essay characteristics structure

“A conservationist attitude is necessary on the part of all humanity to face a possible environmental catastrophe. The idea is that we can live together on the same planet ”.

3-Formal use of language

An essay is a literary text, and in that sense, the author will use careful language, respecting the grammatical rules and avoiding colloquialisms as much as possible that can make understanding difficult. That does not prevent the language from being close.

4-Coherence

From start to finish, the argumentative essay must present an internal coherence between the ideas. That is, you must respect an order when presenting the arguments, so that the reader can follow the reasoning.

What is an argumentative essay for?

In principle, an argumentative essay serves to convince readers of the thesis presented by the author. The essay, by definition, is a text that establishes a theme and reflects on it. Many times the subject discussed generates controversy, and hence the author argues in favor of his thesis.

And although it is the opinion of the author, in an argumentative essay what is important are the foundations it exposes, it is the way in which the issuer, in addition to informing the reader, reasons on the subject and supports his reasons.

This is how you can convince, by showing that your point of view is correct. It is not enough to argue, you must back it up with figures, quotes and other information , always saying where you got it from.

Structure of an argumentative essay

An argumentative essay has a similar structure to other types of essay: introduction, development or arguments and conclusion .

1-Introduction

In the introduction, the author will explain what the essay is about. It will do so in a way that engages the reader to keep reading . Apart from pointing out the general theme , it will also indicate which party is going to argue, whether it is for or against, and why.

2-Development or arguments

It is the body of the essay . The arguments are presented in paragraphs ; if there is more than one, ideally each paragraph corresponds to one argument. In any case, they must be very clear and explain precisely the reasoning, so as not to lose the reader.

There are one-page argumentative essays, and others that can be a complete book. It does not matter, the important thing is the clarity with which it is argued.

You can even present a rebuttal that offers ideas contrary to your thesis, and the author will counter-argue to demonstrate the validity of his reasons. It is a resource that many authors use to defend their ideas.

You have to start with the most important argument and end with the one that has less relevance, that indicates an order , determined by the author. Argumentative essay characteristics structure

3-Conclusion

In the conclusion, the author highlights the topic again but in the light of a larger context, showing the reader that thanks to his argumentation , understanding and opinion should change after reading.

A mistake that is made often, especially in writing thesis, is introducing new arguments. The conclusion should close the issue, not open a new controversy.

Taking into account that the essay is only a contribution, it is good to recognize and guide (in any case) the possible investigations that others want to carry out, starting from that initial reading .

How to do an argumentative essay step by step

1-choice of theme.

To write an argumentative essay, you must first select a topic about which you have knowledge or about which you feel some inclination.

Suppose we want to write about the effect that happiness (or feeling happy) has on the body and overall health. It interests us from a physiological point of view. So we would already have a tentative topic: “The effect of happiness on the body.”

2-Be documented

Although we have an idea on the subject , it is necessary to document as much as possible, to inquire in various sources. We must remember that, although we present a personal opinion, if we want to argue it must be with reasons, in this case, scientific.

What substances are produced in the brain when we feel happy? Can happiness be a constant state? Is it possible to feel happy even when you are going through difficulties? Is it possible to stay healthy by being happy?

By virtue of these questions , we will search for information, and for this we will resort to legitimate sources (neurological, psychological, scientific studies) that support our thesis.

The above questions can serve as a skeleton to order the preparation of the essay.

When we have the ideas in order , we will proceed to write a first draft, which will further define the topics to be discussed.

You have to be consistent: develop ideas in a logical way. That also means structuring the sentences logically, and then the paragraphs . If our thesis is that happiness has a specific effect on the body, we will have to argue step by step. Argumentative essay characteristics structure

For example, to establish the existence of hormones produced in the brain (endorphins) when the person feels good and happy, and also, the existence of substances that are toxic when the person is stressed, angry, sad or worried, which also produces the brain.

If the person becomes ill with these toxic substances, it is possible to think that benevolent substances can also heal the body. Hence, then, the importance of properly managing stress would be highlighted to prevent toxicity from deteriorating health.

The coherence of the essay , linguistic and stylistic cohesion, the succession of ideas and arguments, syntax and spelling will be thoroughly reviewed. If it is noticed that there is some “jump” in the order of the ideas, then it will be necessary to correct it.

It is advisable to make the initial outline and follow it, although it can be modified in the course of writing and review.

Example of argumentative essay

Next, we present an argumentative essay whose title is “To conserve the environment is to conserve human life on Earth.” To facilitate understanding, the beginning, development and conclusion are indicated.

In recent years, the environment has been the subject of discussion in several international meetings, where the most powerful powers in the world have come together to try to reach agreements that involve the most industrialized countries and those that pollute the most.

2-Development and arguments

Interestingly, the nations that pollute the most are currently the two strongest economic powers, China and the United States , followed by the European Union, India, Russia and Japan.

The objectives of these international agreements are to fight against global warming and climate change, and for this they agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions , since it is calculated that they are the cause of the increase in temperature on Earth.

China, which until at least 10 years ago did not seem to care about the pollution of its cities, has been one of the most important actors in the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement , and at present, it is one of the countries that carry out large-scale production of infrastructure for the transition to solar energy and other renewable sources. Apparently, the Asian giant has understood the risks of climate change. Argumentative essay characteristics structure

However, the United States , one of the most powerful countries in the world, left these agreements after the arrival of Donald Trump to the presidency, claiming that they are a brake on the economic growth of his country.

It also alleges that the studies on climate change are not conclusive, and that it is more economical to continue exploiting coal mines and oil fields than to invest in energy production based on clean sources.

The immediate stance of the North American president is obvious, as well as the irresponsibility in discarding all the scientific work carried out by thousands of professionals, such as biologists, geologists, ecologists, who account for environmental deterioration.

If the temperature of the planet continues to rise, it will affect the ecological balance, from plants to larger animals , including humans.

Little by little the viability of human life will be restricted, the progressive desertification of the lands will cause the rivers to dry up. Water will be lacking, and what are we without water? Water is life, without water there is none: it is a simple equation. And if we talk about the pollution of the oceans, the problem goes on and on.

It is necessary to assume a proactive and responsible attitude in the conservation of the environment. It concerns us all equally, no country will be saved if we go to extinction. So both nations and individuals must take action on the matter.

It is not about believing or not in climate change. Climate change doesn’t make tornadoes, but it does make them stronger and more intense; it causes unforeseen floods, polar ice melts, species disappear.

In a century we have done what nature has not done in millions of years: destroy the conditions for human life to exist. If we want to continue living on Earth with water , food and air to breathe, we must make changes. Argumentative essay characteristics structure

The planet will go on without us. We can’t go on without him.

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What is the difference between Opinion and Argument/ comparison table August 12, 2023

U.N. rights body adopts first resolution to protect rights of intersex people

An intersex-inclusive Pride flag is waved during the annual Christopher Street Day parade on July 22, 2023 in Berlin, Germany.

GENEVA — The United Nations Human Rights Council on Thursday voted to adopt a resolution designed to protect the rights of intersex people, the first initiative of its kind that diplomats and rights groups described as an landmark moment for human rights.

Twenty-four countries voted in favor, twenty-three abstained and none voted against the resolution, which was spearheaded by Finland, South Africa, Chile and Australia.

The U.N. has cited experts as saying that 1.7% of babies are born intersex, defined as having sex characteristics that do not fit binary notions of male or female.

The resolution calls on states to “combat discrimination, violence and harmful practices against persons with innate variations in sex characteristics and address their root causes,” as well as help intersex people “realize the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.”

It also requests that the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights publishes a report “examining in detail discriminatory laws and policies, acts of violence and harmful practices against persons with innate variations in sex characteristics, in all regions of the world.”

“The adoption of the first-ever resolution on the Rights of Intersex Persons at #HRC55 marks a landmark advancement in human rights,” U.S. Ambassador Michèle Taylor wrote on X, referring to the Human Rights Council’s ongoing 55th session.

Human Rights Watch, which described the initiative as groundbreaking, said it signaled “growing international resolve to address rights violations experienced by people born with variations in their sex characteristics.”

“This resolution marks yet another milestone in how international bodies are looking at the rights of intersex persons,” 35 civil society organizations under the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) said in a statement.

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6 Common Leadership Styles — and How to Decide Which to Use When

Rebecca Knight

Being a great leader means recognizing that different circumstances call for different approaches.

Research suggests that the most effective leaders adapt their style to different circumstances — be it a change in setting, a shift in organizational dynamics, or a turn in the business cycle. But what if you feel like you’re not equipped to take on a new and different leadership style — let alone more than one? In this article, the author outlines the six leadership styles Daniel Goleman first introduced in his 2000 HBR article, “Leadership That Gets Results,” and explains when to use each one. The good news is that personality is not destiny. Even if you’re naturally introverted or you tend to be driven by data and analysis rather than emotion, you can still learn how to adapt different leadership styles to organize, motivate, and direct your team.

Much has been written about common leadership styles and how to identify the right style for you, whether it’s transactional or transformational, bureaucratic or laissez-faire. But according to Daniel Goleman, a psychologist best known for his work on emotional intelligence, “Being a great leader means recognizing that different circumstances may call for different approaches.”

RK Rebecca Knight is a journalist who writes about all things related to the changing nature of careers and the workplace. Her essays and reported stories have been featured in The Boston Globe, Business Insider, The New York Times, BBC, and The Christian Science Monitor. She was shortlisted as a Reuters Institute Fellow at Oxford University in 2023. Earlier in her career, she spent a decade as an editor and reporter at the Financial Times in New York, London, and Boston.

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How to write an expository essay

How to Write an Expository Essay | Structure, Tips & Examples

Published on July 14, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

“Expository” means “intended to explain or describe something.” An expository essay provides a clear, focused explanation of a particular topic, process, or set of ideas. It doesn’t set out to prove a point, just to give a balanced view of its subject matter.

Expository essays are usually short assignments intended to test your composition skills or your understanding of a subject. They tend to involve less research and original arguments than argumentative essays .

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When should you write an expository essay, how to approach an expository essay, introducing your essay, writing the body paragraphs, concluding your essay, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about expository essays.

In school and university, you might have to write expository essays as in-class exercises, exam questions, or coursework assignments.

Sometimes it won’t be directly stated that the assignment is an expository essay, but there are certain keywords that imply expository writing is required. Consider the prompts below.

The word “explain” here is the clue: An essay responding to this prompt should provide an explanation of this historical process—not necessarily an original argument about it.

Sometimes you’ll be asked to define a particular term or concept. This means more than just copying down the dictionary definition; you’ll be expected to explore different ideas surrounding the term, as this prompt emphasizes.

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An expository essay should take an objective approach: It isn’t about your personal opinions or experiences. Instead, your goal is to provide an informative and balanced explanation of your topic. Avoid using the first or second person (“I” or “you”).

The structure of your expository essay will vary according to the scope of your assignment and the demands of your topic. It’s worthwhile to plan out your structure before you start, using an essay outline .

A common structure for a short expository essay consists of five paragraphs: An introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Like all essays, an expository essay begins with an introduction . This serves to hook the reader’s interest, briefly introduce your topic, and provide a thesis statement summarizing what you’re going to say about it.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.

In many ways, the invention of the printing press marked the end of the Middle Ages. The medieval period in Europe is often remembered as a time of intellectual and political stagnation. Prior to the Renaissance, the average person had very limited access to books and was unlikely to be literate. The invention of the printing press in the 15th century allowed for much less restricted circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.

The body of your essay is where you cover your topic in depth. It often consists of three paragraphs, but may be more for a longer essay. This is where you present the details of the process, idea or topic you’re explaining.

It’s important to make sure each paragraph covers its own clearly defined topic, introduced with a topic sentence . Different topics (all related to the overall subject matter of the essay) should be presented in a logical order, with clear transitions between paragraphs.

Hover over different parts of the example paragraph below to see how a body paragraph is constructed.

The invention of the printing press in 1440 changed this situation dramatically. Johannes Gutenberg, who had worked as a goldsmith, used his knowledge of metals in the design of the press. He made his type from an alloy of lead, tin, and antimony, whose durability allowed for the reliable production of high-quality books. This new technology allowed texts to be reproduced and disseminated on a much larger scale than was previously possible. The Gutenberg Bible appeared in the 1450s, and a large number of printing presses sprang up across the continent in the following decades. Gutenberg’s invention rapidly transformed cultural production in Europe; among other things, it would lead to the Protestant Reformation.

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The conclusion of an expository essay serves to summarize the topic under discussion. It should not present any new information or evidence, but should instead focus on reinforcing the points made so far. Essentially, your conclusion is there to round off the essay in an engaging way.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a conclusion works.

The invention of the printing press was important not only in terms of its immediate cultural and economic effects, but also in terms of its major impact on politics and religion across Europe. In the century following the invention of the printing press, the relatively stationary intellectual atmosphere of the Middle Ages gave way to the social upheavals of the Reformation and the Renaissance. A single technological innovation had contributed to the total reshaping of the continent.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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An expository essay is a broad form that varies in length according to the scope of the assignment.

Expository essays are often assigned as a writing exercise or as part of an exam, in which case a five-paragraph essay of around 800 words may be appropriate.

You’ll usually be given guidelines regarding length; if you’re not sure, ask.

An expository essay is a common assignment in high-school and university composition classes. It might be assigned as coursework, in class, or as part of an exam.

Sometimes you might not be told explicitly to write an expository essay. Look out for prompts containing keywords like “explain” and “define.” An expository essay is usually the right response to these prompts.

An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

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Guest Essay

You Don’t Just See a Total Solar Eclipse. You Feel It Completely.

Illustration of a person in a desert sitting next to a truck, with the total solar eclipse in the sky reflected in the windshield.

By Ryan Milligan

Dr. Milligan is a senior lecturer in astrophysics at Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Almost one year ago, in the middle of the night, I drove from my hometown, Belfast, Northern Ireland, to Dublin to catch an early morning flight to Munich. From there I caught another plane to Bangkok, another to Singapore and yet another to Perth in Western Australia. There, I rented a camper van and began a drive of more than 750 miles north to the town of Exmouth on a remote peninsula on the northwest coast of the continent.

This was the only reasonably accessible location on the planet with decent weather prospects from which to view the total solar eclipse on April 20, 2023. The entire event lasted 62 seconds. It was the 10th total solar eclipse I’d traveled to witness.

Even as a professional solar physicist, I find it difficult to convey why eclipse chasers like me go to such extraordinary lengths to witness such a fleeting phenomenon, again and again. I was extra determined to make the pilgrimage last year after I was thwarted by clouds in Chile in December 2020, and I couldn’t afford the eye-watering cost of traveling to Antarctica in 2021. I needed to whet my appetite before embarking on another expedition to see the totality of the April 8 eclipse in Mazatlán, Mexico.

It may sound absurd, but there is no other celestial event that anyone I know would devote so much time and effort to seeing. If you wish to see the northern lights, you can hop on a plane to Iceland or Norway and have a fairly decent chance of seeing them in the winter months. If you are on the nightside of the planet during a lunar eclipse and the skies are clear, you just need to go outside and look up to see it happening. But unless you are fortunate enough to live within or close to the path of totality, witnessing a total solar eclipse will probably require meticulous planning and marshaling time and money to get you to an optimal location and a bit of luck to make sure the weather forecasts you’ve pored over hold true.

Believe me, it is worth the effort.

A total solar eclipse is not something that you see — it’s something that you experience. You can feel the temperature around you begin to drop by as much as 15 degrees over the five to 10 minutes that lead up to the eclipse. The birds and other animals go silent. The light becomes eerie and morphs into a dusky, muted twilight, and you begin to see stark, misplaced shadows abound. A column of darkness in the sky hurtles toward you at over 1,000 miles per hour as the moon’s shadow falls neatly over the sun, turning day into temporary night — nothing like the calming sunset we take for granted every day. Sometimes, a few stars or planets begin to appear faintly in the sky as your eyes get used to the new darkness.

The hairs stand up on the back of your neck and the adrenaline kicks in as your brain tries to make sense of what is going on. But it cannot. It has no other point of reference to compare these sensations to. A total eclipse elicits a unique, visceral, primeval feeling that cannot be evoked by a photograph or a video or a newspaper article, and that can be experienced only within the path of totality when the moon completely obscures the disk of the sun.

And then of course there is the crowning glory: the sun’s corona, the pearly white outer atmosphere of our nearest star that we can otherwise see only using a fleet of dedicated solar-observing spacecraft. It has an ethereal beauty that is challenging to articulate.

For those brief few moments when the corona appears bright in the sky, all the effort made to experience the totality becomes worth it. You want to soak up every second of it and process every feeling, because it is over all too soon. Once the moon’s shadow has passed you feel both exhilarated and deflated because the next opportunity to experience this sensation again could be years away and on the other side of the world. And it is something that you will crave.

There is also, of course, the professional motivation for me to gaze upon the subject of my research with my own eyes. Most other astrophysicists only get to look at exploding stars or distant comets through gargantuan telescopes, where they appear as mere pixels on a computer screen or a squiggle on a graph. It’s easy to get detached from the beauty of astronomy when your job becomes more focused on securing grant funding, teaching, administrative duties and bureaucracy. Eclipse chasing reminds me why I chose this field of work in the first place and reignites my passion — and I want to inspire my students with that same passion.

Each eclipse is different. The shape and structure of the solar corona varies over the course of each solar cycle. The longer the duration of the eclipse, the darker one’s surroundings are likely to seem. And sandwiched between the sun’s “surface” and the corona is the crimson red chromosphere, the layer of the sun’s atmosphere that I have been researching for almost 20 years to understand its relationship to solar flares. In Australia the briefness of totality meant that this region was exceptionally bright and distinguished, and one could even spot some solar prominences (clouds of hydrogen gas suspended above the chromosphere) with the naked eye. That may also be the case on Monday.

People mistakenly think that a partial eclipse is good enough. It is not. When outside the path of totality, the visibility of even 1 percent of the sun’s disk is enough to outshine the entire corona. The buzz around this year’s eclipse through North America has reached a fever pitch not seen since the “Great American Eclipse” of 2017. The duration of totality will be almost twice as long — almost four and a half minutes. (Whether the weather will cooperate is still an open question .)

This is far from the first time I’ve tried to cajole people into experiencing the totality in full. In 2017, I persuaded several of my friends in the United States to join me in Nebraska to enjoy the spectacle without forcing them to traipse halfway across the globe. They later told me that they at first thought I may have been somewhat exaggerating the experience because of my professional bias, but when the eclipse was over, I knew that they finally got it. Their faces were overcome with emotion and they struggled to articulate how they were feeling. Because it wasn’t just about what they had seen — it was about what they had experienced.

Ryan Milligan is a solar physicist at Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He has held research fellowships at NASA and the Science and Technology Facilities Council in Britain and was affiliated with NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center for over a decade.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

Follow the New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , WhatsApp , X and Threads .

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COMMENTS

How to Write the Body of an Essay
The body is always divided into paragraphs. You can work through the body in three main stages: Create an outline of what you want to say and in what order. Write a first draft to get your main ideas down on paper. Write a second draft to clarify your arguments and make sure everything fits together.
How to Write a Strong Body Paragraph for an Essay
Avoid cramming too much information into each body paragraph. Paragraph breaks can control your writing's pacing and generate particular feelings or moods for your reader. Revise. Review and proofread each body paragraph. Eliminate any redundancies or unnecessary words to keep your writing concise, clear, and authoritative.
Body Paragraphs: How to Write Perfect Ones
A body paragraph is any paragraph in the middle of an essay, paper, or article that comes after the introduction but before the conclusion.Generally, body paragraphs support the work's thesis and shed new light on the main topic, whether through empirical data, logical deduction, deliberate persuasion, or anecdotal evidence.
9.2 Writing Body Paragraphs
Identify the Characteristics of Good Primary Support. In order to fulfill the requirements of good primary support, the information you choose must meet the following standards: ... Unless your teacher instructs otherwise, you should include at least three body paragraphs in your essay. A five-paragraph essay, including the introduction and ...
Body Paragraph ⇒ Features, Structure, and Ordering Explained
In this guide, you will learn how to write clear, effective, and convincing body paragraphs in an academic essay. To learn more about general ways of organizing an essay, you can read our full guide here: Essay Structure Guide. 3 Major Characteristics of a Good Body Paragraph. There are three main elements of a good body paragraph.
How Do I Write an Intro, Conclusion, & Body Paragraph?
Part I: The Introduction. An introduction is usually the first paragraph of your academic essay. If you're writing a long essay, you might need 2 or 3 paragraphs to introduce your topic to your reader. A good introduction does 2 things: Gets the reader's attention. You can get a reader's attention by telling a story, providing a statistic ...
How to write an essay: Body
The essay body itself is organised into paragraphs, according to your plan. Remember that each paragraph focuses on one idea, or aspect of your topic, and should contain at least 4-5 sentences so you can deal with that idea properly. Each body paragraph has three sections. First is the topic sentence. This lets the reader know what the ...
4c. Body Paragraphs
Body Paragraphs - Writing as Inquiry. 4c. Body Paragraphs. Body paragraphs present the reasoning and evidence to demonstrate your thesis. In academic essays, body paragraphs are typically a bit more substantial than in news reporting so a writer can share their own ideas, develop their reasoning, cite evidence, and engage in conversation with ...
Body Paragraphs
Body paragraphs: Moving from general to specific information. Your paper should be organized in a manner that moves from general to specific information. Every time you begin a new subject, think of an inverted pyramid - The broadest range of information sits at the top, and as the paragraph or paper progresses, the author becomes more and more ...
Essay Structure: The 3 Main Parts of an Essay
Basic essay structure: the 3 main parts of an essay. Almost every single essay that's ever been written follows the same basic structure: Introduction. Body paragraphs. Conclusion. This structure has stood the test of time for one simple reason: It works. It clearly presents the writer's position, supports that position with relevant ...
Body Paragraphs
An effective topic sentence— clearly supports the thesis statement.; is usually at the beginning of a body paragraph.; controls the content of all of the supporting sentences in its paragraph.; is a complete sentence.; does not announce the topic (e.g., "I'm going to talk about exercise.").; should not be too general (e.g., "Exercise is good.").; should not be too specific (e.g., "Exercise ...
Body Paragraphs
A topic sentence states the main idea, or focus, of the paragraph. The rest of the body paragraph will give evidence and explanations that show why or how your topic sentence is true. In many ways, a topic sentence is very similar to a thesis. The biggest differences will be the location of the sentence and the scope of the ideas.
Essay Structure
It may have three body paragraphs or have ten. The number of body paragraphs depends on the purpose and required length of each assignment. All academic body paragraphs, however, do have a few things in common: Each body paragraph focuses on one main idea. Paragraphs can be seen as pieces of the overall essay. Each piece is one part of the ...
Some Tips for Writing Efficient, Effective Body Paragraphs
Go back and look at each paragraph in your essay. • State the main idea of each paragraph. If you cannot find one unique focus point, there might be too many ideas within the paragraph. If this is the case, break up the ideas into separate paragraphs. Remember: Shorter paragraphs can be beneficial because your ideas become more focused.
9.2: Writing Body Paragraphs
Identify the Characteristics of Good Primary Support. In order to fulfill the requirements of good primary support, the information you choose must meet the following standards: ... Unless your teacher instructs otherwise, you should include at least three body paragraphs in your essay. A five-paragraph essay, including the introduction and ...
What Is an Essay? The Definition and Main Features of Essays
10 Characteristics of a Good Essay. The structure and characteristics vary, but there are criteria you can apply to almost any academic essay. Below are ten characteristics that make a good essay. ... Well-structured body paragraphs. In a nutshell, an essay's body can be described as a series of paragraphs. But, they all have a uniform ...
Writing Body Paragraphs
Identify the Characteristics of Good Primary Support. In order to fulfill the requirements of good primary support, the information you choose must meet the following standards: ... Unless your teacher instructs otherwise, you should include at least three body paragraphs in your essay. A five-paragraph essay, including the introduction and ...
What is an Essay? Characteristics, Objectives, Parts & Tips
Brevity: Express what you want concisely. Do not beat around the bush. Coherence: Every sentence and paragraph should flow smoothly and logically from the previous one. A clumsily written essay reflects not only the lack of preparation but also the absence of clarity of thought. Unity: The essay should never stray from its main purpose.
The Four Main Types of Essay
An essay is a focused piece of writing designed to inform or persuade. There are many different types of essay, but they are often defined in four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive essays. Argumentative and expository essays are focused on conveying information and making clear points, while narrative and ...
Argumentative essay characteristics structure and Language marks
Characteristics of the argumentative essay. An argumentative essay shares a literary language with other types of essay, and in that sense uses metaphors and other rhetorical figures to validate its thesis. It is a space where the subjectivity of the issuer fits, but also conceptual rigor. In general, an argumentative essay has the following ...
U.N. rights body adopts first resolution to protect rights of intersex
The U.N. has cited experts as saying that 1.7% of babies are born intersex, defined as having sex characteristics that do not fit binary notions of male or female.
6 Common Leadership Styles
Rebecca Knight is a journalist who writes about all things related to the changing nature of careers and the workplace. Her essays and reported stories have been featured in The Boston Globe ...
How to Write an Expository Essay
The structure of your expository essay will vary according to the scope of your assignment and the demands of your topic. It's worthwhile to plan out your structure before you start, using an essay outline. A common structure for a short expository essay consists of five paragraphs: An introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
Opinion
Dr. Milligan is a senior lecturer in astrophysics at Queen's University in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Almost one year ago, in the middle of the night, I drove from my hometown, Belfast, Northern ...

9.2 Writing Body Paragraphs

Select Primary Support for Your Thesis

Identify the Characteristics of Good Primary Support

Prewrite to Identify Primary Supporting Points for a Thesis Statement

Select the Most Effective Primary Supporting Points for a Thesis Statement

Writing at Work

Choose Supporting Topic Sentences

Draft Supporting Detail Sentences for Each Primary Support Sentence

Key Takeaways

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Traditional Academic Essays In Three Parts

Part II: The Body Paragraphs

Part III: The Conclusion

How to write an essay: Body

Body paragraphs

Pathways and Academic Learning Support

4c. Body Paragraphs

The TREAT Method

Effective body paragraphs are:

Reasoning and Evidence

Key Takeaways

Addressing Counterarguments and Different Perspectives

Why acknowledge and respond to other points of view?

Four steps to acknowledging and responding to other points of view

Consider writing your standpoint into your essay

How do I write in my standpoint? Can I use “I”?

Step Two: C onsider potential weaknesses in your argument and different points of view on the issue

What alternative points of view on the issue might you consider?

What NOT to do when considering a counterargument

Step Three: It’s time to write your counterargument into your essay

A template for a counterargument paragraph

Step Four: Decide where to organize your counterargument paragraph

Writing as collaboration

Share This Book

Body Paragraphs

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

Body paragraphs: Moving from general to specific information

The four elements of a good paragraph (TTEB)

Supporting evidence (induction and deduction)

Body Paragraphs

Choose a Sign-in Option

Citation and Embed Code

Topic sentences

An effective topic sentence—

Supporting sentences

Concluding sentences

Characteristics of Effective Body Paragraphs

Exercise 1: Body Paragraph Analysis

Exercise 2: Drafting Practice

Some Tips for Writing Efficient, Effective Body Paragraphs

While Writing:

While Revising

Once you have determined the main ideas

9.2: Writing Body Paragraphs

Learning Objectives

Select Primary Support for Your Thesis

Identify the Characteristics of Good Primary Support

Prewrite to Identify Primary Supporting Points for a Thesis Statement

Exercise \(\PageIndex{1}\)

Select the Most Effective Primary Supporting Points for a Thesis Statement

Exercise \(\PageIndex{2}\)

Collaboration

writing at work

Choose Supporting Topic Sentences

Exercise \(\PageIndex{3}\)

Draft Supporting Detail Sentences for Each Primary Support Sentence

Exercise \(\PageIndex{4}\)

Key Takeaways

Module 4: Putting Your Source Material to Work

Select Primary Support for Your Thesis

Identify the Characteristics of Good Primary Support

Prewrite to Identify Primary Supporting Points for a Thesis Statement

Select the Most Effective Primary Supporting Points for a Thesis Statement

Writing at Work

Choose Supporting Topic Sentences

Draft Supporting Detail Sentences for Each Primary Support Sentence

Key Takeaways

What is an essay?

What is an Essay?

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