paragraph as a sandwich presented by erica holton
TRANSCRIPT
Paragraph as a Sandwich
Presented by Erica Holton
Essay Introduction Includes thesis—usually the first or the last
sentence
Paragraph contains more than forty words
Has three or more sentences including the thesis
Body Paragraphs Has two or more paragraphs
Each paragraph contains an average of 11 sentences
Each paragraph contains 125 or more words
Conclusion Has 40 or more words
Shows insight and goes beyond prompt
Does not repeat the thesis or any previous point
Successfully concludes and addresses the greater importance
Paragraph as a Sandwich***Mary Basson, Kate Gay, Elaine Griffin—University School of Milwaukee
Top Slice: Argumentative Claim—makes an interpretive statement; portion of essay’s argument
Filling: Quote that supports the claim—provides concrete, textual support for the claim
Bottom Slice: Commentary about the quote—functions to tie quote to the claim
Recipe for an 11 Sentence Body Paragraph
1. Claim—offers support for thesis
2. Concrete Detail #1—supports the topic sentence
3. Commentary—analyzes
4. Commentary—addresses importance
5. Concrete Detail #2—supports topic sentence
6. Commentary –analyzes
7. Commentary—addresses importance
8. Concrete Detail #3—supports topic sentence
9. Commentary—analyzes
10. Commentary—addresses importance
11. Concluding Sentence
CLAIMMust be arguable!
Indicated in RED
Practice: Is this a claim?
Answers the question or the addresses issue
Hitler was one of the top influential figures of the Twentieth Century.
Heinz popularized ketchup in American cuisine.
FILLING
References the text
Indicated in GREEN
Specific evidence/quote
Supports Claim
1st line of defense against those who will disagree with you
Commentary
Your thoughts!!
Indicated in BLUE
Tying the evidence and support (“filling”) to your argumentative claimStill arguableVital to audience’s acceptance
Example Claim: Beowulf struggles with issues of insecurity and
low self esteem which causes him to attempt to prove his self worth through excessive boasting and completing heroic deeds.
Now, it needs to be supported…
Unless you indicate to your audience what your quote means or who says it, your audience is:
Lost
Annoyed
Unconvinced
For your “filling” or support:
Quotes and Concrete Details Need Context
3 Condiments to “serve up” quotations
Three amounts (smallest to biggest introduction): Dab Dollop Lotsa Sauce
Condiments for Serving Up Quotations DAB
simplest form of serving up a quotation—smallest # of writer supplied words
Provides just the bare minimum of words to announce the appearance of a quotation from a text
Useful when the writer has already established the context of the quotation in previous sentences and needs only to supply the exact quotation to make the point of the claim
Example of a DAB
Beowulf boasted, “I swam/In the blackness of night, hunting monsters/Out of the ocean, and killing them one/By one” (93-96).
What background information would have the writer needed to include earlier for this to make sense?
DOLLOP Involves a bit more writing as it links the quote to
the claim
Provides significant detail from the story so it is appropriate when the reader needs to be reminded of the context of the quotation—the detail of the scene in which the quotation occurs
Example of a DOLLOP
When attempting to secure Hrothgar’s endorsement to fight Grendel, Beowulf boasts “I swam/In the blackness of night, hunting monsters/Out of the ocean, and kill[ed] them one/By one” (93-96).
LOTSA SAUCE Requires extensive writing surrounding just
a tiny quotation, phrase, or important word from the text
Allows the writer both to maintain coherence with the claim and to maintain the writer’s own tone while still grounding the development of the argument in the text
Example of LOTSA SAUCE
Believing that his name would become synonymous with heroism after defeating Grendel, Beowulf seeks to prove his heroic worth by listing his impressive accomplishments such as “hunting monsters/Out of the ocean, and killing them one/By one” (93-96).
Don’t forget to cite the text Condiment, “quote” (Citation #).
USE
YOUR
RULES FOR WRITERS
MANUAL!!