Body Paragraphs
- Your paper should feature three sections in total, with about three paragraphs per section (i.e. one section for each main idea, and one paragraph on each sub-point—just follow what you mapped on your outline)
Here are the main parts of a body paragraph:
- Topic sentence (this should be your first sentence. Think of it as a mini-thesis—it should indicate what you intend to prove/demonstrate in the paragraph)
- Development (quotations, examples, definitions, data, comparison/contrast, etc.)
- Analysis
- Second quote and analysis (if necessary)
- Concluding thought / transitional sentence
- Note: In a typical essay, a paragraph should be about 4-7 sentences long. However, research papers often require longer paragraphs (with as many as 10 sentences)