I refer to Trimble’s book by page numbers below. And since any of the three editions will work, I am providing examples as to how I differentiated the page numbers, using page 45:
You might consider utilizing this prompt as a checklist. Certainly, I will grade your paragraph with this prompt in front of me, and I will pay close attention that you meet the five numbered requirements.
Feel free to turn in any (optional) drafts that you compose, up until noon on Thursday, June 8. I will not edit your paragraphs, but I will suggest three or four changes that I think will improve your paragraph.
The paragraph MUST be 150-250 words in length. Please note the CORRECT length on your paper. (That means somewhere on the text I need to see your word count.) Not meeting this length requirement will result in a letter grade penalty.
You will need an MLA heading (see example below).
You will need a title, in proper form.
The paragraph must be double spaced and indented, of course. Also, as with all assignments this semester, be conventional: Use Times New Roman, 12 pt. font.
First, you MUST signpost your argument with your topic sentence. That way I can infer what your thesis is.
Also, be sure to support your (1) assertion or topic sentence with (2) good examples and (3) a thorough discussion.
(4) Strive for precision in your word choices, although be aware of Trimble’s suggestion to be “companionable.”
(5) Use transitions effectively. See Trimble’s list on page 52, (46), [41].
When in doubt, look at the example below or the second and third body paragraphs on the sample “Sammy” essay. Those two paragraphs begin with signposting topic sentences; the first one does not.
Be wary of long (and often awkward) sentences. And remember Trimble’s advice about mumbo jumbo on page 24, (12), [10-11]. The best cure? “Shorter words and shorter sentences.”
IMPORTANT: Also, be even more wary of plagiarism. Any submission—including a draft—that is plagiarized will earn a grade of zero. Every thought and word should be yours; we are not researching our essays at this stage. So copy and pasted phrases or sentences from the internet are clearly plagiarized.
And finally, here is the topic that you will address:
Body paragraph prompt: The first person narrator in “Greasy Lake” cultivates the idea that he and friends are “dangerous characters” (57), yet the textual evidence suggests otherwise. So how do the narrator and his friends undermine their self-proclaimed “bad”-ness?
Joe Blow
Professor Greg Giddings
English 1143-110
September 10, 2015
Body Paragraph: Why I Like Sammy
Another appealing trait of Sammy’s, and one that is closely related to his sense of humor, is his cleverness. For instance, when Sammy waits for the girls to reappear in the front of the store, he compares the store to an arcade game. He says, “The whole store was like a pinball machine and I didn’t know which tunnel they’d come out of” (229). Sammy’s simile is thoughtful; it certainly conjures up an evocative visual image. That Sammy sees the store as a pinball machine suggests that the young man has a vivid, creative, and clever imagination. Another example of Sammy’s cleverness occurs when Sammy describes the maternal patrons of the A & P. He says that these women have “varicose veins mapping their legs” (229). Sammy’s clever word choice is “mapping.” With this word, Sammy succinctly connects the women’s visible blood veins to the overlapping and intersecting lines of a road map. With this ability to make connections between the store descriptions and the outside world, Sammy demonstrates not only thoughtfulness, but the verbal skills often found in clever folks. (181 words)