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A Writer's Handbook

Development in a Body Paragraph

Anatomy of a chunk:

  • Supporting Point 1 of topic
    • 1. transition  2.  point
    • 3.  quote or example
    • 4.  explain/relate quote to point
  • Supporting Point 2 of topic
    • 1. transition  2.  point
    • 3.  quote or example
    • 4.  explain/relate quote to point
  • Two or three chunks per paragraph

Examples of chunks:

Example Topic Sentence:

Initially, Jane’s story illustrates her addiction to work because of the relationships that have been broken due to her problem.

Relationships with family

  1. To begin with,
  2. relationships Jane had with any of her family members have been sabotaged due to her excessive work habits.
  3. Her much estranged sister says, “for months, I tried calling just to say hello and catch up with her, but she never called me back…when I finally confronted her about it, she told me she didn’t have time for me because she was busy with work” (Smith interview).
  4. Even just a simple phone call was too much for Jane to connect with her family members.

Relationships with friends

  1. Additionally,
  2. Jane’s friendships suffered due to her addiction.
  3. She has not had a night out with her girlfriends or a date night in over 6 months.
  4. All of her friends have been alienated because Jane chooses work over interaction with them.

Exercise 4

Create an optional outline for the body paragraph one of the topic sentences below:

  • Topic sentence:  Once relationships with family and friends deteriorate, a person's mental state can begin to crumble if he or she is not able to get a hold on a work addiction.
  • Topic Sentence:  As a person's mental state diminishes and poor choices with work habits continue, the work addiction can certainly begin to harm a person's health.

Note on Compare and Contrast Body Paragraphs

Point by Point Discussion:

Each paragraph will focus on one point, but will compare or contrast  both subjects within: C/C Addiction to Drugs vs. Alcohol vs. Work

  • How Addiction Started
  1. Drugs
  2. Alcohol
  3. Work
  • What problems from each
  1. Drugs
  2. Alcohol
  3. Work
  • How to get help for each
  1. Drugs
  2. Alcohol
  3. Work

Topic by Topic Discussion:

Each paragraph will focus on comparisons or contrasts of only one subject: C/C Addiction to Drugs vs. Alcohol vs. Work

  • Drugs
  1. How Addiction Started
  2. What problems it led to
  3. How to get help
  • Alcohol
  1. How Addiction Started
  2. What problems it led to
  3. How to get help
  • Work
  1. How addiction started
  2. What problems it led to
  3. How to get help