Body Paragraphs
If you can, think of a paragraph as like a hamburger.
- The top bun of that hamburger is your topic sentence. A topic sentence provides a mini summary of your paragraph’s main idea and looks back to your thesis and forward to the paragraph.
- Then, the meat of the paragraph is your evidence to support the main idea. Along with the meat, you’ve got commentary by you unpacking the quoted material for readers.
- Lastly, the bottom bun of the hamburger is your closing. The closing sentence(s) provides the paragraph with a finished feeling and connects to the thesis again. The bottom bun usually does NOT lead into the next paragraph. Instead, the closing deepens the significance of the paragraph’s main point and connects, again, to the thesis.
This handout gives good information on paragraph development and unity.
Topic Sentences
Topic sentences are mini summaries of the paragraph to follow and, at the same time, relate to your thesis to help focus your paper.
Here are some examples of strong topic sentences: Topic Sentences (sjsu.edu)
Conclusions
Yes, it is true that writers must be careful not to introduce new points in the conclusion, but this does not mean the conclusion must just sum up points made previously in the body paragraphs. How boring! A good conclusion will explore the broader significance of your thesis. You’ll expand your thinking outward a bit. This is a handy page on conclusions that gives a good example: https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/writingprocess/conclusions
Essay Structure
The overall structure of an essay with transitions may look something like this:
You can learn more about transitions HERE.
