Tips on Structuring Paragraphs

Body Paragraphs

Topic Sentence

Begin with an assertive statement about the focus for your body paragraph. This assertion is sometimes known as a topic sentence. The main point should be a specific idea that invites discussion and demands support; it should also relate to your thesis statement. Don’t make a simple statement of fact. In a literary analysis, the main point of a body paragraph reveals one aspect of how you interpret the text under discussion. Be concise; ideally, the main point should be stated in one sentence.

Example

Because your main point makes an assertion that requires support, you need to provide support in the form of an example. The example can be a quote from the text under discussion, or a quote from a secondary source. You can also use a paraphrase instead of a direct quotation. Whether quoting or paraphrasing, make sure you properly cite the material.

eXplanation

Discuss how your example supports your main point. This portion of the paragraph should be longer than one sentence; two, three or even four sentences are common. Use literary terminology to investigate important features of the example, such as the language, the imagery, the tone, the point of view, the tone, the setting, and so on.

Tie-up

Reassert the significance of your main point with one to three sentences that tie together everything you’ve stated in the body paragraph so far. These sentences should also set up the main point in the next paragraph, thus tying each paragraph to the one that follows.