ENG

Argument Structure Exercise

1. Number the body paragraphs of your paper. Number a blank sheet of paper to match the paragraph numbers, leaving room to write after each number.

2. Starting with the final body paragraph and going backwards through the paper, do the following for each paragraph. Quickly read the paragraph Without looking at the paragraph write a sentence next to the corresponding number that articulates the argument of that paragraph (not what the paragraph is about, but what you have concluded about the subject the paragraph is about. If you have more than one major point, write these down in two sentences

3. Starting with your thesis sentence, read the list as if it were a paragraph. Are there any gaps when you read it as a paragraph? Any areas you need to fill in? If so, write the sentences that could fill those gaps.

4. Are any ideas repeated? If so, are they separated by other ideas—those sentences should be next to each other.

5. Are there any sentences that just don’t fit in or seem to belong? If so, cut those sentences out of your paragraph.

6. Now go back and look at your paragraphs. Do the ideas in these sentences appear in your topic sentences? If not, you need to replace them with better topic sentences that clearly express these ideas

7. Reorganize your paper to match the structure you’ve developed through this list/paragraph.

8. Each sentence should have its own paragraph—if you had paragraphs with two sentences, you need to expand them into two paragraphs.. Repeated sentences should be combined into one paragraph. New sentences need new paragraphs. If you cut a sentence you need to cut that paragraph.