The Body Paragraphs for compare/contrast essay

1. The Body Paragraphsfor compare/contrast essay Ms. Wellmeyer RHS Revised 9/2011

2. Reminder… • What three elements go in the introduction paragraph? • Hook • Context • Thesis

3. The Body Paragraphs • These are the paragraphs that discuss and prove your point in your thesis. • Must provide details—more details the better! • In a 5 paragraph essay, there should be 3 body paragraphs

4. Sentence 1 • Topic Sentence • Provides the main idea for the individual paragraph • In a sense, this sentence is a summary of the paragraph

5. Sentences 2-4 (or more) • Explain your topic sentence • Provide details and examples, and explain • Provide actual examples

6. Clarification… • Compare means to discuss the similarities between two or more things • Contrast means to discuss the differences between two or more things

7. In compare/contrast essay • You will need 1 major topic and three smaller details of the topic to discuss • For a better essay, find one major idea and discuss it in smaller parts • For example, compare and contrast the weapons used by Zaroff in the story and movie • OR compare the scenes at the chateau (house) in the movie and story

8. After you have your major topic, then discuss each smaller detail • Don’t just write the similarity or difference in one sentence. Explain how the difference effects the story or movie. • So if you are writing about the weapons Zaroff used, you need to write about each weapon, when each weapon was used, how effective each weapon was, how the weapon was used in the movie verses the book, etc.

9. Organization of the body paragraphs • Type A (example) • Body #1: compare topic A • Body #2: compare topic B • Body #3: contrast topics A&B/ or contrast C • Type B (example) • Body #1: compare & contrast idea A • Body #2: compare & contrast idea B • Body #3: compare & contrast idea C

10. Type A (example) • Body #1: similarities of hunting dogs • Body #2: more similarities of hunting dogs • Body #3: how hunting dogs were used differently in movie • Type B (example) • Body #1: compare & contrast one example of how hunting dogs were used • Body #2: compare & contrast one example of how hunting dogs were used • Body #3: compare & contrast one example of how hunting dogs were used

11. Last Sentence • Mini-conclusion • Summarize the main point of your paragraph

12. What are the four parts of a body paragraph? 1. Topic Sentence 2. Explain, provide details, use examples 3. Mini-conclusion