Transcript Jane Schaffer Writing Terms - Home

Jane Schaffer
Writing Terms
Introduction:

The introduction is the first paragraph
of an essay. It includes the thesis,
most often at the end.
Body Paragraph:

This is a middle paragraph in an
essay. It develops a point the writer
wants to make that supports the
thesis.
Format of the
Body Paragraph
Topic Sentence (TS)
Concrete Detail (CD)
For example, …
Commentary
(CM)
This shows that
Commentary
(CM)
This also shows
Concrete Detail (CD)
In addition, …
Commentary
(CM)
This shows that
Commentary
(CM)
This also shows
Concluding Sentence (CS)
…
…
…
…
Conclusion:


The conclusion is the last paragraph in an
essay. It may sum up the writer’s ideas,
reflect on what is said in the essay, or give
a personal statement about the subject.
The conclusion is all commentary and does
not include concrete detail. It does not
repeat any key words from the paper and
especially not from the thesis and
introduction. It gives a finished feeling to
the essay.
Thesis:

The thesis is a sentence with a subject
and opinion. This is found at the end
of the introduction.
Concrete Details (CD):


Concrete details are specific details that
form the backbone or core of the body
paragraphs.
Synonyms for concrete detail include facts,
specifics, examples, descriptions,
illustrations, support, proof, evidence,
quotations, paraphrasing, or plot references.
Commentary (CM):


Commentary is the writer’s opinion or
comment about something; not concrete
detail.
Synonyms for commentary include opinion,
insight, analysis, interpretation, inference,
personal response, feelings, evaluation,
explication and reflection.
Topic Sentence (TS):

The topic sentence is the first
sentence of a body paragraph. The
topic sentence must have a subject
and opinion (commentary) for the
paragraph. It does the same thing for
a body paragraph that the thesis does
for the whole essay.
Concluding Sentence
(CS):

The concluding sentence is the last
sentence in a body paragraph. It is all
commentary, does not repeat key
words, and gives a finished feeling to
the paragraph.
Chunk:

A chunk is one sentence of concrete
detail (CD) and two sentences of
commentary (CM). It is the smallest
unified group of thoughts that one can
write.
Ratio:

The ratio for English is one part
concrete detail (CD) to two parts
commentary (CM)