Structuring an Argument in a Body Paragraph

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When creating an argument, you must first establish your view on the issue before moving on to source material that defends your argument.

Let’s say you want to argue in one of your body paragraphs that Millennial Americans are showing more effects from social media interaction than those of earlier generations.

This argument idea for the body paragraph would have come directly from the thesis statement in the introduction paragraph.  For example…

Sample Thesis: Social media has impacted the American culture by driving a wedge between families, causing irreparable trauma to the Millennial generation, and tapping into addiction issues the culture cannot seem to get away from.

Argument Body Paragraphs 

This thesis could be broken into body paragraphs like this:

Body Paragraph 1:

Social media has brought an end to much family interaction in America by creating a wedge between family members.

Body Paragraph 2:

Millennial Americans are showing more trauma from social media interaction than those of earlier generations.

Body Paragraph 3:

Addiction issues caused by social media are driving the American culture down a dark road: as any drug can do once it gets a stronghold.

To gather ideas for the actual argument section of the body paragraphs, use the steps below.  Be sure to fully develop the argument in your own words first, before integrating the sourced content to defend the cause/effect argument being presented in that body paragraph.

STEP 1

TOPIC SENTENCE

You would begin a body paragraph with a topic sentence.

A Topic Sentence is in your words—only—and it will contain NO SOURCED CONTENT. 

A Topic Sentence will assert the overall argument that will be made in that one body paragraph.

Millennial Americans are showing more emotional trauma and mental effects from social media interaction than those of earlier generations.

This topic sentence establishes the point that will be argued in JUST this body paragraph—in this case, effects on Millennial Americans.

STEP 2

ARGUMENT DEVELOPMENT

You would then write 2-3 sentences that argue this viewpoint to assert your cause/effect relationship between social media and the Millennial generation. (You can write more argument sentences if you like.  Typically, students end up with 2-3 in this section, though.)

You could argue effects on Millennial self-esteem or image in this paragraph and how it is having a greater impact on that generation than previous generations.

Young people are more susceptible to negative effects from social media due to the immaturity of ‘self’ and the perceived reality within the Internet.

By not having a clearly established sense of self, and not understanding the unimportant nature of ‘perception on the Internet,’ Millennials undergo more mental trauma than those who have already established a clear identity and reality before using social media.

Young adults that come into the world and jump into the artificial reality of social media before establishing a clear identity and sense of reality  are prone to intense feelings of distorted reality—which at a young age can seem overwhelming and completely real to them.

This leads to depression, feelings of worthlessness, and sometimes suicide in an underdeveloped personality.

…and so on.

STEP 3

SOURCES

Only after your argument about the issue is established can you present source content to defend what you are arguing.  Remember, an academic argument is supposed to be your ‘take’ on the issue.  

While you may have learned some ideas about the issue from outside sources, you must WRITE the argument for yourself first and then use credible sources to defend your argued concepts.  Remember, deep development of your argument for the topic in the body paragraph followed by sources to defend what you have argued. 

STEP 4

EXPLAIN SOURCES

See below for this section of a body paragraph.

STEP 5

CLOSING SENTENCE

See below for this section of a body paragraph.

For additional information about the five sections of a body paragraph, see below.

BODY PARAGRAPH TO PRESENT EVIDENCE THAT ___ CAUSES ___ 1.   TOPIC SENTENCE asserting that A CAUSES C (1 sentence) 2.   Introduce the content of A and C (1+ sentences) ·       Take enough time to fully explain your argument in your own words, with conviction. ·       Do not move on to scholarly sources until you have made your argument clear. 3.   Paraphrase, summarize, or quote source material to defend your causal argument asserted in the topic sentence. ·       1+ sentence: limit outside source ·       Choose the material carefully—the writing needs to be 80% (or more) in YOUR words with 20% (or less) from outside sources  ·       Paraphrase or summarize a scholarly source to defend your argument. o   Do NOT directly quote source content if you can paraphrase or summarize the meaning in your own words, in your own sentence. o   Provide proper in-text citations for source content whether it was in the form of a quote, paraphrase, or summary ·       Do not use source content that 'makes' the argument for you o   You should have already asserted (clearly) the argument prior to introducing supporting evidence from outside sources. o   Use a scholarly source to prove your argument is sound 4.   Explain how the source defended your point.  ·       Analyze the source and its content. o   If the author is well-known or renowned in his/her field, address that if possible o   Explain the surrounding meaning/ramifications to your argument o   Show how the source validated your argument 5.    A closing sentence that ties the paragraph assertion and proof together.   ·       This closing sentence should reflect the paragraph’s topic sentence. ·       Create only 1 sentence to wrap-up the argument sub-point as it relates to the THESIS

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Content created by J. Dick

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