Wanda, You just wrote two strong paragraphs that rather dramatically break your own rules. I assume that they say what you would like them to say and the number of sentences and organization of sentences at least roughly fit those purposes. Wouldn't a good student paper do the same thing? Is a final settling on ideas a first sentence decision, or can it come after long thinking and pondering? Could you do the same thing without making the claim that a paper SHOULD fit that form? Should we judge all writing by those standards? Craig WANDA VANGOOR wrote: > For what it's worth, I tell my college freshmen that for a paragraph > to have power, it should be like a fist--it has a two-part topic > sentence (the thumb: topic and assertion about that topic); 3 MAJOR > supports for that assertion (the 3 middle fingers), each of which has > at least 2 MINOR supports (the knuckles on those 3 fingers); and a > clinching sentence (the pinkie) that touches base with the thumb > (topic sentence). Obviously, I illustrate with my own fist. > > By the end of the semester, they write introductory and conclusion > paragraphs as well as this standard expository one. They will often > write a paragraph with only two majors or one with 5 majors--but they > get the idea. And then the move to a full 5-paragraph paper is pretty > simple; it's just an extension of the fist-paragraph. > > Hope this is helpful. > > Wanda Van Goor > Professor > English Department > Prince George's Community College > 301 Largo Road > Largo, MD 20774-2199 > > M3064--Telephone 301-322-0603 > 301-322-0549 > Email: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web > interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select > "Join or leave the list" > > Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ > To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/