Paragraph Development

• Definition


  The topic is developed by defining a term connected to the topic
• Defining a term


  1. Term - the word to be defined

  2. Genus - where the term belongs and can be classified

  3. Differentia or differentiation - the remaining parts and other information revolving on the term that is defined, the factor that distinguishes an entity, state, or class from another
• Denotation


  The primary, explicit, or literal definition of a word. The meaning of a word based on a dictionary.
• Connotation


  The secondary meaning of a word, not necessarily included in the dictionary, how people understand a word based on their own personal or consensual experiences
• Example, Illustration, or Exemplification

  • Illustrates the idea being developed, reinforces the statement or makes the ideas clear
  • Listing, enumerating, and giving examples to elaborate a topic or subject
  • Provides specific instances to support a claim
• Techniques to establish credibility in arguments

  • Visual illustrations
  • Facts
  • Anecdotes
  • Details
  • Opinions
  • Observations
• Logos


  Appealing to the audience's logic, using facts and well-supported claims
• Pathos


  Appealing to the audience's emotions
• Ethos


  The appeal to credibility, being a credible, reputable, and respectable source of information
• Types of audience


  • Supportive audience- spectators who are already briefed on the issue at hand
  • Wavering audience- not readily accepting your ideas
  • Hostile audience- most difficult to please and to win
• Analogy, Comparison and Contrast


  • Analogy for citing similarities
  • Contrast for citing differences
  • Comparison for comparing objects or ideas by pointing out similarities and differences
• Simile


  Direct comparison between or among objects, using "like" or "as"
• Metaphor


  Indirect comparison between or among objects
• Oxymoron


  Two seemingly opposite terms juxtaposed
• Personification


  Non-humans are assigned human characteristics and/or actions
• Cause and Effect


  • Identifying the causes and effects of a particular situation, event, or phenomenon
  • Causal chains - paths of influence running from a root cause to problem symptoms
• Explanation or Discussion


  • Aims at the reader's understanding, giving directions, explaining a process, comparing or contrasting, interpreting a statement, explaining a theory
• Classification

  • Grouping items into categories, describing various classes related to one category of things
  • Consistency - parallel similarities in the divisions
  • Exclusiveness - no overlapping between or among the items
  • Completeness - no important part is omitted
• Visual Illustration-sense of sight
• Facts- these are concepts, ideas and statement that are assumed to be true
• Visual Illustration- brief narratives within a piece of writing
• Details- entails analyzing, breakdown a concept or idea