[YOUR] BOOK OF WRITING SECTION 5 TEMPLATE AND GUIDELINES PARAGRAPHS Paragraphs – a group of sentences that together convey a shared purpose structured around the same topic. Introductory Paragraphs (Introductions) Hook (Lead / Opening Statement) – can begin with the title Anecdotal (Brief story to set the mood and lead the reader into the topic) Ex. Often throughout the past 50 years when children have earned it, their parents treat them to McDonalds. Rewarding them with Happy Meals when they do well at school, for example, young people develop a strong and lifelong connection to fast food. The better they do at school, the more their smiles widen and, sadly, the more the nation’s waistlines and the health outcomes associated with them expand. As children, they may have no idea why, but the adults in their lives should. Query Based (Question that brings the reader to the topic avoid second person POV “you”) Ex. Does the consumption of fast food really have a negative impact on a person’s health? Thesis Statements (the purpose of a piece of writing – usually one sentence in length, but can be longer depending on the purpose – must be something that is arguable) Assertion (claim - a subject + a “so what” about the subject) Ex. Fast food provides very little nutritional content and should be avoided. Fact (empirically verifiable but often difficult to argue extensively about - better used as evidence to support a claim) Ex. Fast food is comparatively inexpensive. Opinion (personal position on a topic) Ex. McDonald’s makes absolutely the best fast food. Belief (social, religious, or political in nature – an opinion held by many to be a fact, though it is not necessarily factual – often involves a judgement)
-25-
