Summary of Ch. 2
Major Points:
A PARAGRAPH is a group of sentences that focus on a single topic.
A Topic Sentence announces the topic of the paragraph. The rest of the paragraph presents information and supporting ideas.
Concluding Sentence lets readers know the paragraph is finished.
What is a good topic? Any topic that interests you. Ask yourself: How much do I know about the topic? Is the topic focused enough to be explained in a paragraph?
THREE MAIN REASONS TO WRITE:
to Express, to Inform, to Persuade.
How to gather ideas:
- Brainstorm – list thoughts about the topic
- Freewrite – writing nonstop for a set period of time
- Cluster – drawing a map of your ideas.
The SIX QUESTIONS journalists use to gather information:
WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHERE? WHY? HOW?
Strengthen your paragraph focus:
- Check that your topic sentence expresses a main point.
- Make sure every supporting sentence refers directly to the topic sentence.
- Delete any sentence that is off topic.
Click here for more tips on the Web.
Sample Paragraph:
Queen Elizabeth Park, filled with the scent of pine and cedar, gives me much pleasure when I walk my dog. QE park, as the neighbours call it, shines as a beautiful place to go: the lower reaches, which I prefer, offers evergreens, a pond, and a stream. Tashi loves to sniff along the stream banks. When we round the hill to the south side of the park, if we’re lucky that day, we catch the sun as we walk into the wind on the crest, where fine views of Galiano Island and Tsawassen await and the air smells like fresh line-dried laundry. Then, we head down the steep hill amid the trees on the west side of the park, down to where the ground is marshy and the ducks swim on a large pond. QE Park speaks softly when we are walking. (from http://palc.sd40.bc.ca/palc/classes/sample.htm)
Library Instruction
http://library.stfranciscollege.edu/instruction/basics.htm
http://library.stfranciscollege.edu/instruction/SFCcatalog.htm
Assignments:
1. Write a TOPIC SENTENCE for the following topics:
- St. Francis College
- My family
- My country at war
- Rowdy neighbors
2. Work on your group paragraph.
Both assignments are DUE MONDAY, Sept. 17. If you experience problems or do no know how to upload the assignments, print them out and bring them to class.
*Upload Assignment #1 to the page on the class wiki that has your
name.
Upload Assignment #2 (the paragraph) to your Group’s Assignment page. Give your files names, so I know who wrote what.
E.g. lewis_assignment1_9_14_07, or group3_9_15_07
For Monday’s Class
Read Ch. 22, Sections A and B. Go over the activities in those sections. We’ll do them together in class.
Prof. K.
718-489-3445
CLICK HERE to go back to the Class Wiki.
