Hello Otakus,
We covered how to start off a paper with a dynamic and pressing intro that compels your reader to continue reading. GREAT JOB!
Now what?
I think that the body paragraphs of any analytical paper are the easiest ones to write, because you've already opened up and now you're in the meat and potatoes of your paper. I'm going to cover a method I feel works 100% of the time when doing analytical writing.
The formula goes like this:
Topic Sentence. Concrete Detail (fact about your material), author's commentary (answering the prompt that was given to you by using the fact presented and how you interpret it), Concrete Detail, Commentary, to the Nth degree.
Topic sentences basically reinforce what you put forth in your introduction. They let the reader know what's going on in the paragraph before they even start. This is a nice way to lead the reader in and have their minds set for them as they progress in your paper.
Now it's important to realize here that even though you may have multiple Concrete Details (CDs) in one paragraph, keep them leaning towards one aspect of the question you are trying to answer. Don't try to stuff a whole lot of facts about the question and not break up your thoughts. A good rule of thumb here is if your train of thought is wandering off into another aspect of the question, then it's time to start a new paragraph.
Commentary, while a chance to express your opinion, does not mean you get free reign to say something radical like "This quote emphasizes the point that Legolas was by far the fruitiest character I've come across in the LOTR series". It shoots down any credibility you have as a writer if you try to analyze the question and use the commentary to express non-scholastic opinions.
Remember: Answer the question.
Here is a good example I found from an Advanced Placement Essay question :
The general tone of both authors is clearly supportive of their views. For instance, another key movement of the post reconstruction time was the formation of Labor Unions and the start of the “Populist” Party. Zinn saw these movements as justifiable processes which brought not only “black-white unity” but a “spreading [of] new ideas and a new spirit.” The fight of the mistreated and abused factory workers against their employers was even more acceptable to Zinn than the American Revolution, which he claimed was orchestrated by the political white elites. The American Pageant identifies the strikers and “populist” as radical and uses words like “attacked” to suggest the movement was unwarranted or unprovoked. Also, both sources highlight the bloodshed during the strikes and riots. However, Zinn tends to focus on the bloodshed being an act of aggression against the rioters while The American Pageant tends to see the violence as the next step the police or government used to control them.
Hopefully you can see the different elements at work here.
Topic Sentence: The general tone of both authors is clearly supportive of their views.
Concrete Detail: For instance, another key movement of the post reconstruction time was the formation of Labor Unions and the start of the “Populist” Party.
Authors Commmentary: Zinn saw these movements as justifiable processes which brought not only “black-white unity” but a “spreading [of] new ideas and a new spirit.” The fight of the mistreated and abused factory workers against their employers was even more acceptable to Zinn than the American Revolution, which he claimed was orchestrated by the political white elites. The American Pageant identifies the strikers and “populist” as radical and uses words like “attacked” to suggest the movement was unwarranted or unprovoked. Also, both sources highlight the bloodshed during the strikes and riots. However, Zinn tends to focus on the bloodshed being an act of aggression against the rioters while The American Pageant tends to see the violence as the next step the police or government used to control them.
Now AP essay style writing may be a bit lofty for some aspiring authors, but its's the kind of essay you will be getting in many of your History/ English courses. Often times, you will be writing analytically even not on the AP level. Several standardized exams across the United States (and other countries as well) look for the author's ability to analyze works written by others. So being able to write in style like this is ideal. If anything, it makes you seem credible and knowledgeable in your subject material.
Now body paragraphs can be rather boring to read and write, but it's an integral part of your paper and the amount of analysis and facts you can present can mean the difference between a stellar and a decent paper. So don't waste all your energy writing that killer intro and BS your way through the body paragraphs. Every part of your work should be taken care of equally. So don't let up after the intro. Keep impressing your reader with all the knowledge you have about your subject.
Alright, that should do it for today. Come back on Friday, when I'll wrap up this section with a lesson on concluding essays.
~Korey
