{"id":580,"date":"2020-01-06T18:27:35","date_gmt":"2020-01-06T18:27:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/coreqenglish1\/chapter\/text-point-illustration-explanation\/"},"modified":"2025-03-18T20:39:15","modified_gmt":"2025-03-18T20:39:15","slug":"supporting-claims","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/englishcomp1\/chapter\/supporting-claims\/","title":{"raw":"Paragraph Development: Supporting Claims","rendered":"Paragraph Development: Supporting Claims"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\r\n<h3>Learning Objectives<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Analyze the types and uses of evidence and supporting details in paragraphs<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2>Main Ideas in Paragraphs<\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">A paragraph is composed\u00a0of multiple sentences focused on a single, clearly-defined\u00a0topic. There should be one main idea per paragraph, so whenever a writer moves on to a new idea, the writer will\u00a0start a new paragraph. For example, this paragraph defines what a paragraph is, and now we will\u00a0start a new paragraph\u00a0to deal with a new idea: how a paragraph is structured.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Paragraphs are actually organized\u00a0much like how persuasive papers are organized. Just like an essay has a <span class=\"s2\">thesis statement<\/span>\u00a0followed by a body of supportive evidence, paragraphs have a topic or key sentence followed by several\u00a0sentences of support or explanation.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">After the topic or key sentence introduces the main idea, the\u00a0remainder of the sentences in a\u00a0paragraph should support or explain this\u00a0topic. These additional sentences might\u00a0detail the author's\u00a0position on the topic. They might also provide examples, statistics, or other evidence to support that position. At the end of the paragraph, the author\u00a0may include some sort of conclusion or a transition that sets up the next idea in the essay.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Using the Thesis to Organize Paragraphs<\/h2>\r\nWhile your main claim should guide the entire argument, key ideas included in the thesis statement can be used in topic sentences to guide your paragraphs.\r\n\r\nUsing the sample thesis statement, <em>\u201cSocial media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok have been powerful tools for modern activists in movements like Black Lives Matter and the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests,\u201d<\/em> the argument might be outlined as follows:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li><strong>Introduction:<\/strong> Social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok have been powerful tools for modern activists in movements like Black Lives Matter and the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Twitter<\/strong> helped spread awareness and organize protests during\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Black Lives Matter<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Hong Kong protests<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Instagram<\/strong> was used for sharing visual content to highlight injustices in\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Black Lives Matter<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Hong Kong protests<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>TikTok<\/strong> amplified activist messages and reached younger audiences during\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Black Lives Matter<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Hong Kong protests<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Conclusion:<\/strong> The Black Lives Matter and Hong Kong pro-democracy movements effectively used social media to organize protests, spread awareness, and engage global audiences.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nAlternatively, the essay could be organized by movement first and then by platform. The resulting outline would look like this:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li><strong>Introduction:<\/strong> Social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok have been powerful tools for modern activists in movements like Black Lives Matter and the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Black Lives Matter<\/strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Twitter<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Instagram<\/li>\r\n \t<li>TikTok<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Hong Kong Protests<\/strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Twitter<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Instagram<\/li>\r\n \t<li>TikTok<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong style=\"font-size: 1rem; orphans: 1; text-align: initial;\">Conclusion:<\/strong><span style=\"font-size: 1rem; orphans: 1; text-align: initial;\"> Activists in both the Black Lives Matter and Hong Kong protests used social media to mobilize supporters and amplify their messages globally.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nWith both of these outlines, the writers established a clear progression from the thesis statement which helped the reader see how each key idea furthers the main claim.\r\n<h2>Supporting Ideas and Details<\/h2>\r\nA text's thesis statement helps guide its overall organization and the development of the topic sentences that will constitute the body paragraphs. Now let's examine what makes a paragraph work.\r\n<div class=\"textbox exercises\">\r\n<h3>Watch It<\/h3>\r\nFirst, watch this video and pay close attention to the relationship between a topic or key sentence and supporting details. Using the metaphor of a house, the narrator of the video establishes the difference between major and minor details.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uE74-8YAV9E\r\n\r\n(The video has instrumental guitar for audio, but no spoken words, so can be watched without sound if desired.)\r\n\r\nYou can view the <a href=\"https:\/\/course-building.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/English+Comp\/Transcripts\/SupportingDetails_DescriptiveTranscript.txt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">descriptive transcript for \"Supporting Details\" here (opens in new window)<\/a>.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nThe following image shows a flowchart of a visual relationship between the overall thesis, topic sentences, and supporting ideas:\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_217\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"502\"]<img class=\"wp-image-217 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/106\/2016\/05\/12215541\/step_2_2.jpg\" alt=\"Flowchart. Top: How to differentiate topic, main idea, and supporting detail. From this are three vertical sequences. The first moves from The Topic, (is) the general subject, (made up of) word or phrases describing the subject. The second is Main Idea, (is) primary point made about the subject, (made up of) a sentence that states the topic and adds the writer's position or focus on the topic. Third is Supporting Details, (is) specific ideas that support and develop the main idea, (made up of) sentences that provide the author's reasons, facts, examples, and\/or other supporting details.\" width=\"502\" height=\"415\" \/> <strong>Figure 2<\/strong>. The topic is the general subject, the main idea is the primary point made about the subject, and supporting details help develop the main idea. For example, in a paper about the flu shot, the topic is the flu shot, the main idea would be the importance of getting it, and the supporting details would be statistics about its effectiveness and details about how the vaccine prevents the spread of the flu.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nRemember, readers often expect the topic or key sentences to be at the beginning of the paragraph. Sometimes the paragraph\u2019s purpose in a larger piece of writing necessitates that its topic sentence occurs elsewhere.\r\n\r\nThis\u00a0image shows where a topic sentence might reside in the paragraph, in relation to the rest of the supporting details:\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_218\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"533\"]<img class=\"wp-image-218 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/106\/2016\/05\/12220139\/step_2_3.jpg\" alt=\"Flow chart. At top: Locations of the topic sentence. From this, 5 vertical sequences. 1) Topic sentence, supporting detail, supporting detail, supporting detail, supporting detail. 2) Introductory detail, topic sentence, supporting detail, supporting detail, supporting detail, supporting detail, supporting detail. 3) Introductory detail, introductory detail, topic sentence, supporting detail, supporting detail, supporting detail. 4) Supporting detail, supporting detail, supporting detail, supporting detail, topic sentence. 5) topic sentence, supporting detail, supporting detail, supporting detail, supporting detail, topic sentence. \" width=\"533\" height=\"413\" \/> <strong>Figure 3<\/strong>. The topic sentence is often included at the beginning of a paragraph, as shown in the first column. But sometimes the topic sentence is located within the paragraph, or even at both the beginning and end of a paragraph, as shown in the last column, to reinforce or reiterate the key concept.[\/caption]\r\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">How does the structure of a body paragraph support a\u00a0thesis?<\/span><\/h2>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_225\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"216\"]<img class=\"wp-image-225\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/106\/2016\/05\/16191716\/4084775_020a741c80_z-241x300.jpg\" alt=\"Person with the word &quot;point&quot; above their head.\" width=\"216\" height=\"269\" \/> <strong>Figure 4<\/strong>. The PIE method consists of first pointing out the main idea, illustrating and explaining that idea.[\/caption]\r\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">Many authors use the PIE format to structure their essays. <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>PIE = point, illustration, explanation<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">The point furthers a\u00a0thesis or claim, the illustration provides support for the point, and the explanation tells the\u00a0audience why the evidence provided furthers the\u00a0point and\/or the\u00a0thesis.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p3\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span class=\"s2\">For example, let's consider an essay written by a college student, Tareq Hajj. He argues that his university should not use a plus\/minus grading scale because the proposed scale does not include a higher weight for A+ scores\/. In his argument he makes the <strong>point<\/strong> that <\/span><span class=\"s1\">\u201cWithout the A+, students with high grades in the class would be less motivated to work even harder in order to increase their grades.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p3\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span class=\"s2\">He <strong>illustrates<\/strong> with a quote from a professor who argues, <\/span><span class=\"s1\">\u201c\u2018(students) have less incentive to try\u2019\" (Fesheraki, 2013).<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p3\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span class=\"s2\">Hajj then <strong>explains<\/strong> that<\/span><span class=\"s1\"> \u201cnot providing [the most motivated students] with additional motivation of a higher grade \u2026 is inequitable.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p4\"><span class=\"s1\">Through his explanation, Hajj links back to his claim that,\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"s3\">\u201cA plus-minus grading scale \u2026 should not be used...\u201d<\/span><span class=\"s1\"> because it is <\/span><span class=\"s3\">\u201cinequitable.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"s1\">The PIE structure of his paragraph has served to help him support his thesis.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Using Evidence<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">Ever heard the phrase \u201ceveryone is entitled to their opinion\u201d? It is indeed true that people are free to believe whatever they wish. However, the mere fact that a person believes something is not an argument in support of a position. If a text's goal is to communicate a person's ideas effectively, it must provide valid explanations and sufficient and relevant evidence to convince its audience to accept that position.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>What are the types of evidence?<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">Any text\u00a0should provide illustrations for each of its points, but it is especially important to provide reliable evidence in\u00a0an academic argument. This evidence\u00a0can be based on <strong>primary source material or data<\/strong> (the author's own experience and\/or interviews, surveys, polls, experiments, that she may\u00a0have created and administered). Evidence can also stem from <strong>secondary source material or data<\/strong> (books, journals, newspapers, magazines, websites or surveys, experiments, statistics, polls, and other data collected by others).<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p8\"><span class=\"s1\">Let\u2019s say, for example, that you are reading an argument\u00a0that college instructors should let students use cell phones in class. Primary source material might include a survey the author administered that asks students if policies forbidding cell phone usage actually stops them from using their phones in class. Secondary sources might include articles about the issue of cell phone usage in class from scholarly or academic journals.\r\n<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">How do authors use rhetoric in their writing?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">You've likely learned in the past about different types of rhetorical techniques that writers use when making claims in their writing. These rhetorical appeals are referred to by their Greek names:\u00a0<strong>logos<\/strong> (the appeal to logic), <strong>pathos<\/strong> (the appeal to emotion), and <strong>ethos<\/strong> (the appeal to authority).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_230\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"353\"]<img class=\"wp-image-230\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/106\/2016\/05\/16193141\/Ethos-Pathos-Logos.jpg\" alt=\"The rhetorical appeals logos, pathos, and ethos.\" width=\"353\" height=\"281\" \/> <strong>Figure 5<\/strong>. Paragraphs consist of supporting evidence to persuade readers about the accuracy of their thesis statement. This evidence is supported by appeals to readers by using logos, ethos, and pathos.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<div class=\"textbox key-takeaways\">\r\n<h3>Key Takeaway: Logical Appeals (Logos)<\/h3>\r\nAuthors using logic to support their claims will include a combination of different types of evidence. These include the following:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>established\u00a0facts<\/li>\r\n \t<li>case studies<\/li>\r\n \t<li>statistics<\/li>\r\n \t<li>experiments<\/li>\r\n \t<li>analogies and logical reasoning<\/li>\r\n \t<li>citation of recognized experts on the issue<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox key-takeaways\">\r\n<h3>Key Takeaway: Ethical Appeals (Ethos)<\/h3>\r\nWriters use their own authority as thinkers and scholars to support their claims. They may draw from different sources as evidence for their claims. These may include the following:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>personal anecdotes based on substantial personal experience<\/li>\r\n \t<li>illustration of deep knowledge on the issue<\/li>\r\n \t<li>citation of recognized experts on the issue<\/li>\r\n \t<li>testimony of those involved first-hand on the issue<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox key-takeaways\">\r\n<h3>Key Takeaway: Emotional Appeals (Pathos)<\/h3>\r\nAuthors using emotional appeal might support their claims with some of the same kinds of evidence listed above, but they try to invoke an emotional response in their readers. These include the following:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>personal anecdotes that readers may relate to<\/li>\r\n \t<li>compelling narratives<\/li>\r\n \t<li>emotional or stirring testimony of those involved first-hand on the issue<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\nAs you can see, there is some overlap on these lists. One technique might work simultaneously on multiple levels for different readers. Regardless of what kind of evidence you use, an effective paragraph will guide the reader with a clear topic sentence that articulates the claim and then uses evidence, illustration, support, and discussion to convince the reader.","rendered":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\n<h3>Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Analyze the types and uses of evidence and supporting details in paragraphs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Main Ideas in Paragraphs<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">A paragraph is composed\u00a0of multiple sentences focused on a single, clearly-defined\u00a0topic. There should be one main idea per paragraph, so whenever a writer moves on to a new idea, the writer will\u00a0start a new paragraph. For example, this paragraph defines what a paragraph is, and now we will\u00a0start a new paragraph\u00a0to deal with a new idea: how a paragraph is structured.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Paragraphs are actually organized\u00a0much like how persuasive papers are organized. Just like an essay has a <span class=\"s2\">thesis statement<\/span>\u00a0followed by a body of supportive evidence, paragraphs have a topic or key sentence followed by several\u00a0sentences of support or explanation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">After the topic or key sentence introduces the main idea, the\u00a0remainder of the sentences in a\u00a0paragraph should support or explain this\u00a0topic. These additional sentences might\u00a0detail the author&#8217;s\u00a0position on the topic. They might also provide examples, statistics, or other evidence to support that position. At the end of the paragraph, the author\u00a0may include some sort of conclusion or a transition that sets up the next idea in the essay.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Using the Thesis to Organize Paragraphs<\/h2>\n<p>While your main claim should guide the entire argument, key ideas included in the thesis statement can be used in topic sentences to guide your paragraphs.<\/p>\n<p>Using the sample thesis statement, <em>\u201cSocial media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok have been powerful tools for modern activists in movements like Black Lives Matter and the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests,\u201d<\/em> the argument might be outlined as follows:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Introduction:<\/strong> Social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok have been powerful tools for modern activists in movements like Black Lives Matter and the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Twitter<\/strong> helped spread awareness and organize protests during\n<ul>\n<li>Black Lives Matter<\/li>\n<li>Hong Kong protests<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Instagram<\/strong> was used for sharing visual content to highlight injustices in\n<ul>\n<li>Black Lives Matter<\/li>\n<li>Hong Kong protests<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>TikTok<\/strong> amplified activist messages and reached younger audiences during\n<ul>\n<li>Black Lives Matter<\/li>\n<li>Hong Kong protests<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Conclusion:<\/strong> The Black Lives Matter and Hong Kong pro-democracy movements effectively used social media to organize protests, spread awareness, and engage global audiences.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Alternatively, the essay could be organized by movement first and then by platform. The resulting outline would look like this:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Introduction:<\/strong> Social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok have been powerful tools for modern activists in movements like Black Lives Matter and the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Black Lives Matter<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Twitter<\/li>\n<li>Instagram<\/li>\n<li>TikTok<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Hong Kong Protests<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Twitter<\/li>\n<li>Instagram<\/li>\n<li>TikTok<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong style=\"font-size: 1rem; orphans: 1; text-align: initial;\">Conclusion:<\/strong><span style=\"font-size: 1rem; orphans: 1; text-align: initial;\"> Activists in both the Black Lives Matter and Hong Kong protests used social media to mobilize supporters and amplify their messages globally.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>With both of these outlines, the writers established a clear progression from the thesis statement which helped the reader see how each key idea furthers the main claim.<\/p>\n<h2>Supporting Ideas and Details<\/h2>\n<p>A text&#8217;s thesis statement helps guide its overall organization and the development of the topic sentences that will constitute the body paragraphs. Now let&#8217;s examine what makes a paragraph work.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox exercises\">\n<h3>Watch It<\/h3>\n<p>First, watch this video and pay close attention to the relationship between a topic or key sentence and supporting details. Using the metaphor of a house, the narrator of the video establishes the difference between major and minor details.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"oembed-1\" title=\"Supporting Details\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uE74-8YAV9E?feature=oembed&#38;rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>(The video has instrumental guitar for audio, but no spoken words, so can be watched without sound if desired.)<\/p>\n<p>You can view the <a href=\"https:\/\/course-building.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/English+Comp\/Transcripts\/SupportingDetails_DescriptiveTranscript.txt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">descriptive transcript for &#8220;Supporting Details&#8221; here (opens in new window)<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The following image shows a flowchart of a visual relationship between the overall thesis, topic sentences, and supporting ideas:<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_217\" style=\"width: 512px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-217\" class=\"wp-image-217 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/106\/2016\/05\/12215541\/step_2_2.jpg\" alt=\"Flowchart. Top: How to differentiate topic, main idea, and supporting detail. From this are three vertical sequences. The first moves from The Topic, (is) the general subject, (made up of) word or phrases describing the subject. The second is Main Idea, (is) primary point made about the subject, (made up of) a sentence that states the topic and adds the writer's position or focus on the topic. Third is Supporting Details, (is) specific ideas that support and develop the main idea, (made up of) sentences that provide the author's reasons, facts, examples, and\/or other supporting details.\" width=\"502\" height=\"415\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-217\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 2<\/strong>. The topic is the general subject, the main idea is the primary point made about the subject, and supporting details help develop the main idea. For example, in a paper about the flu shot, the topic is the flu shot, the main idea would be the importance of getting it, and the supporting details would be statistics about its effectiveness and details about how the vaccine prevents the spread of the flu.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Remember, readers often expect the topic or key sentences to be at the beginning of the paragraph. Sometimes the paragraph\u2019s purpose in a larger piece of writing necessitates that its topic sentence occurs elsewhere.<\/p>\n<p>This\u00a0image shows where a topic sentence might reside in the paragraph, in relation to the rest of the supporting details:<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_218\" style=\"width: 543px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-218\" class=\"wp-image-218 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/106\/2016\/05\/12220139\/step_2_3.jpg\" alt=\"Flow chart. At top: Locations of the topic sentence. From this, 5 vertical sequences. 1) Topic sentence, supporting detail, supporting detail, supporting detail, supporting detail. 2) Introductory detail, topic sentence, supporting detail, supporting detail, supporting detail, supporting detail, supporting detail. 3) Introductory detail, introductory detail, topic sentence, supporting detail, supporting detail, supporting detail. 4) Supporting detail, supporting detail, supporting detail, supporting detail, topic sentence. 5) topic sentence, supporting detail, supporting detail, supporting detail, supporting detail, topic sentence.\" width=\"533\" height=\"413\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-218\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 3<\/strong>. The topic sentence is often included at the beginning of a paragraph, as shown in the first column. But sometimes the topic sentence is located within the paragraph, or even at both the beginning and end of a paragraph, as shown in the last column, to reinforce or reiterate the key concept.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">How does the structure of a body paragraph support a\u00a0thesis?<\/span><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_225\" style=\"width: 226px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-225\" class=\"wp-image-225\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/106\/2016\/05\/16191716\/4084775_020a741c80_z-241x300.jpg\" alt=\"Person with the word &quot;point&quot; above their head.\" width=\"216\" height=\"269\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-225\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 4<\/strong>. The PIE method consists of first pointing out the main idea, illustrating and explaining that idea.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">Many authors use the PIE format to structure their essays. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>PIE = point, illustration, explanation<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">The point furthers a\u00a0thesis or claim, the illustration provides support for the point, and the explanation tells the\u00a0audience why the evidence provided furthers the\u00a0point and\/or the\u00a0thesis.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span class=\"s2\">For example, let&#8217;s consider an essay written by a college student, Tareq Hajj. He argues that his university should not use a plus\/minus grading scale because the proposed scale does not include a higher weight for A+ scores\/. In his argument he makes the <strong>point<\/strong> that <\/span><span class=\"s1\">\u201cWithout the A+, students with high grades in the class would be less motivated to work even harder in order to increase their grades.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span class=\"s2\">He <strong>illustrates<\/strong> with a quote from a professor who argues, <\/span><span class=\"s1\">\u201c\u2018(students) have less incentive to try\u2019&#8221; (Fesheraki, 2013).<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span class=\"s2\">Hajj then <strong>explains<\/strong> that<\/span><span class=\"s1\"> \u201cnot providing [the most motivated students] with additional motivation of a higher grade \u2026 is inequitable.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p4\"><span class=\"s1\">Through his explanation, Hajj links back to his claim that,\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"s3\">\u201cA plus-minus grading scale \u2026 should not be used&#8230;\u201d<\/span><span class=\"s1\"> because it is <\/span><span class=\"s3\">\u201cinequitable.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"s1\">The PIE structure of his paragraph has served to help him support his thesis.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Using Evidence<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">Ever heard the phrase \u201ceveryone is entitled to their opinion\u201d? It is indeed true that people are free to believe whatever they wish. However, the mere fact that a person believes something is not an argument in support of a position. If a text&#8217;s goal is to communicate a person&#8217;s ideas effectively, it must provide valid explanations and sufficient and relevant evidence to convince its audience to accept that position.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>What are the types of evidence?<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">Any text\u00a0should provide illustrations for each of its points, but it is especially important to provide reliable evidence in\u00a0an academic argument. This evidence\u00a0can be based on <strong>primary source material or data<\/strong> (the author&#8217;s own experience and\/or interviews, surveys, polls, experiments, that she may\u00a0have created and administered). Evidence can also stem from <strong>secondary source material or data<\/strong> (books, journals, newspapers, magazines, websites or surveys, experiments, statistics, polls, and other data collected by others).<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p8\"><span class=\"s1\">Let\u2019s say, for example, that you are reading an argument\u00a0that college instructors should let students use cell phones in class. Primary source material might include a survey the author administered that asks students if policies forbidding cell phone usage actually stops them from using their phones in class. Secondary sources might include articles about the issue of cell phone usage in class from scholarly or academic journals.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">How do authors use rhetoric in their writing?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">You&#8217;ve likely learned in the past about different types of rhetorical techniques that writers use when making claims in their writing. These rhetorical appeals are referred to by their Greek names:\u00a0<strong>logos<\/strong> (the appeal to logic), <strong>pathos<\/strong> (the appeal to emotion), and <strong>ethos<\/strong> (the appeal to authority).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_230\" style=\"width: 363px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-230\" class=\"wp-image-230\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/106\/2016\/05\/16193141\/Ethos-Pathos-Logos.jpg\" alt=\"The rhetorical appeals logos, pathos, and ethos.\" width=\"353\" height=\"281\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-230\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 5<\/strong>. Paragraphs consist of supporting evidence to persuade readers about the accuracy of their thesis statement. This evidence is supported by appeals to readers by using logos, ethos, and pathos.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox key-takeaways\">\n<h3>Key Takeaway: Logical Appeals (Logos)<\/h3>\n<p>Authors using logic to support their claims will include a combination of different types of evidence. These include the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>established\u00a0facts<\/li>\n<li>case studies<\/li>\n<li>statistics<\/li>\n<li>experiments<\/li>\n<li>analogies and logical reasoning<\/li>\n<li>citation of recognized experts on the issue<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox key-takeaways\">\n<h3>Key Takeaway: Ethical Appeals (Ethos)<\/h3>\n<p>Writers use their own authority as thinkers and scholars to support their claims. They may draw from different sources as evidence for their claims. These may include the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>personal anecdotes based on substantial personal experience<\/li>\n<li>illustration of deep knowledge on the issue<\/li>\n<li>citation of recognized experts on the issue<\/li>\n<li>testimony of those involved first-hand on the issue<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox key-takeaways\">\n<h3>Key Takeaway: Emotional Appeals (Pathos)<\/h3>\n<p>Authors using emotional appeal might support their claims with some of the same kinds of evidence listed above, but they try to invoke an emotional response in their readers. These include the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>personal anecdotes that readers may relate to<\/li>\n<li>compelling narratives<\/li>\n<li>emotional or stirring testimony of those involved first-hand on the issue<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>As you can see, there is some overlap on these lists. One technique might work simultaneously on multiple levels for different readers. Regardless of what kind of evidence you use, an effective paragraph will guide the reader with a clear topic sentence that articulates the claim and then uses evidence, illustration, support, and discussion to convince the reader.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-580\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Original<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Modification, adaptation, and original content. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Image of point. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Joshua Rappeneker. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/mWga\">https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/mWga<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Image of How to Differentiate. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: NUR SYAFIQAH ABDUL KADAR, NUR ATIKAH MANAN, NUR SHAFIQAH SHUKRI, ZHARIF ISKANDAR RAJALIE. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Verbal Warfare. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/verbalwarfare.wikispaces.com\/Vocabulary+Building+In+English+I\">https:\/\/verbalwarfare.wikispaces.com\/Vocabulary+Building+In+English+I<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Image of Locations of the Topic Sentence. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: NUR SYAFIQAH ABDUL KADAR, NUR ATIKAH MANAN, NUR SHAFIQAH SHUKRI, ZHARIF ISKANDAR RAJALIE. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Verbal Warfare. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/verbalwarfare.wikispaces.com\/Vocabulary+Building+In+English+I\">https:\/\/verbalwarfare.wikispaces.com\/Vocabulary+Building+In+English+I<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Image of Persuasion. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Mrs. Adcock. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/agi241classes.wikispaces.com\/Fifth+Grade\">https:\/\/agi241classes.wikispaces.com\/Fifth+Grade<\/a>. <strong>Project<\/strong>: Computer Class AGI241. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">All rights reserved content<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Supporting Details. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Mastering the Fundamentals of College Reading and Writing. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/uE74-8YAV9E\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/uE74-8YAV9E<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em>All Rights Reserved<\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: Standard YouTube License<\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">Public domain content<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Academic Argument Essay. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Radford University. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/lcubbison.pressbooks.com\/chapter\/core-101-academic-argument-essay\/\">http:\/\/lcubbison.pressbooks.com\/chapter\/core-101-academic-argument-essay\/<\/a>. <strong>Project<\/strong>: Core Handbook. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/about\/pdm\">Public Domain: No Known Copyright<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section>","protected":false},"author":29,"menu_order":6,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"pd\",\"description\":\"Academic Argument Essay\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"Radford University\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/lcubbison.pressbooks.com\/chapter\/core-101-academic-argument-essay\/\",\"project\":\"Core Handbook\",\"license\":\"pd\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Image of point\",\"author\":\"Joshua Rappeneker\",\"organization\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/mWga\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by-sa\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"original\",\"description\":\"Modification, adaptation, and original content\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"Lumen 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