Paragraph Structure (CER)

Within an essay, body paragraphs do the work of proving your thesis. Each body paragraph starts with a topic sentence and then offers claims, evidence and analysis to support it. CER format is one way to ensure that you have all the necessary parts of a paragraph. See this page on essay structure to understand the function of CER paragraphs within an essay.

CER Paragraph Templates

There are two ways you can prepare your essay. For those who are spatial learners, there is a graphic organizer available in a table. For those who want an organizer as a list or in linear order, you can use the second option.

You can make a copy of this document to plan your own paragraphs. The first page has a graphic organizer and the second page has an outline.

CRE Paragraph Graphic Organizer & Outline

You can make a copy of this document to plan your own paragraphs. The first page has a graphic organizer and the second page has an outline.

CRE Paragraph Graphic Organizer & Outline

CRE Paragraph Graphic Organizer

CER Graphic Organizer Table (Spatial)

Make a copy

*CER Outline Paragraph

CER Outline (Linear)

Make a copy

Basic Paragraph Structure: CER

Video: Introduction to CER

Video: Planning a CER Paragraph

CER Structure

Parts of CER, Explained (formerly PIE)

Topic Sentence

Your topic sentence is your assertion, argument, or main idea. If you are responding to a prompt, this sentence most directly answers the prompt.

Claim (x3)

Each claim introduces an example that supports the topic sentence. Your second and third CERs will begin with a transition.

Evidence (x3)

Each piece of evidence is either a quote or a specific paraphrase. It needs to be cited with the author's name and page number and smoothly integrated into a sentence. See here for instructions about integrating quotes.

Reason (x3)

Each reason provides an analysis of how your evidence supports your topic sentence. It should move from most specific (analyzing details in the evidence) to most general (connecting to the topic sentence).

Conclusion Sentence

Your conclusion sentence restates your main idea with additional emphasis on the significance of the paragraph.

Advanced Paragraph Structure:
Variations on CER

All analytical writing uses the principles of CER because it is made up of claims (formerly points), evidence (formerly illustrations), and reasons (analysis). Thinking in terms of CER can help guide your writing at every level: high school, college, graduate school, and beyond.

However, very few published paragraphs follow the exact structure TS - CER - CER - CER - CS. The below videos and text discuss why and how you might want to vary the CER formula as you become a better writer.

Video Overview Part 1

Video Overview Part 2

Saving Explanation for the End (TS - CE - CE - R/CS)

With this structure, you introduce two examples (claim + evidence) and then explain them together. This structure works well when you're comparing or contrasting two examples. Because your analysis requires looking at the two examples together, you'll need to introduce both examples before you can explain them properly.

I labeled the last part of the paragraph as R/CS because the last sentence of your reason usually doubles as a conclusion sentence when you use this structure. Remember that the purpose of a reason is to connect your CER to the topic sentence and the purpose of a conclusion sentence to connect all your CERs to the topic sentence. So if your reason is already analyzing all your CERs together, you won't need a separate conclusion sentence.

Example with ALL the R at the end

In this example, my first CE identifies Rosaura's opinion and my second CE identifies Rosaura's mother's opinion. I explain their opinions together because what I'm focusing on is the tension and disagreement between them.

The CR - CR is in bold.

[TS] The first page of the story foreshadows Rosaura’s misunderstanding with an argument between Rosaura and her mother. [C] Rosaura’s belief that she is a guest is clear [E] as she tells her mother, “‘I’ve been invited because Luciana is my friend’” (1). [C] Heker hints that this may not be the case [E] when Rosaura’s mother responds, “‘That one’s not your friend. You know what you are to them? The maid’s daughter, that’s what’” (1). [R] Ultimately, of course, her mother is right, but Rosaura does not know that yet. This initial emotional conversation between Rosaura and her mother sets up an immediate tension in the story. Rosaura’s mother tries to convince her she will not fit in at the party, but Rosaura does not see her social status as relevant. She adamantly believes that she can attend the party as a guest and one day be as wealthy as Luciana’s family.

Example with MOST of the R at the end

It's also common to have a short reason after each example but save most of the reasoning for the end. This is still regular CER structure, technically, but with extra reasoning at the end. In the example below, I've added in a brief R after each CE. Note that most of my reason is still at the end of the paragraph because what matters most is still how my two pieces of evidence work together to create tension.

[TS] The first page of the story foreshadows Rosaura’s misunderstanding with an argument between Rosaura and her mother. [C] Rosaura’s belief that she is a guest is clear [E] as she tells her mother, “‘I’ve been invited because Luciana is my friend’” (1). [R] This straightforward, declarative cause-and-effect sentence highlights Rosaura's simplistic view of the world; she can see no other explanation for why she might have been invited. [C] However, Heker hints that Rosaura could be wrong [E] when her mother responds, “‘That one’s not your friend. You know what you are to them? The maid’s daughter, that’s what’” (1). [E & R] Rosaura's mother is also sure of her opinion, using two declarative telegraphic sentences and a condescending rhetorical question to inform her daughter that her friendship is fake. [R] Ultimately, of course, her mother is right, but Rosaura does not realize that yet. This initial emotional conversation between Rosaura and her mother sets up an immediate tension in the story. Rosaura’s mother tries to convince her she will not fit in at the party, but Rosaura does not see her social status as relevant. She adamantly believes that she can attend the party as a guest and one day be as wealthy as Luciana’s family.

Supporting a Point with Multiple Pieces of Evidence (C - EEE - R)

This structure is pretty straightforward; you're just supporting one claim with multiple pieces of evidence. Just double-check that all your pieces of evidence (1) support the same claim and (2) can be reasoned together.

Example with Varied Type of Evidence (formerly Illustrations)

This example happens to use three varied pieces of evidence (a line of dialogue/full quote, a partial quote, and a paraphrase). Each is its own sentence, and they are connected by simple transition words (also, later). The three pieces of evidence are all examples of compliments, so they all clearly support the claim that "Señora Ines starts complimenting Rosaura as soon as she enters." Also, note that my reason clearly addresses all of them, beginning with "With all of her kind words..."

[TS] Once Rosaura arrives at the party, she becomes certain that she is correct, partially because of how kind Señora Ines is to her. [C] Señora Ines starts complimenting Rosaura as soon as she enters, [E - full quote] saying “‘How lovely you look today, Rosaura’” (1). [E -partial quote] She also tells her she is the only one allowed in the kitchen because she is more careful than the other, more “‘boisterous’” (2) children. [E - paraphrased evidence] Later, she compliments Rosaura’s knowledge of the house when she asks her to serve the hot dogs. [R] With all of her kind words, Señora Ines bolsters Rosaura’s belief that she is a guest at the party—and not just any guest, but a special one. As a result, Rosaura does not notice that many of Señora Ines’s compliments come along with requests: to carry the orange juice, to serve hot dogs, to pass out cake. Señora Ines’s kind intentions hide the harsh reality that she treats Rosaura differently due to social class prejudice. ....

Example with Shortened Partial Quote Reasons with Embedding

It's also common to support one point with multiple short partial quotes that are embedded into your paraphrased sentences. (See the last example on this page for a really fun way to integrate multiple quotes!) This example uses three short quotes as evidence to support the strength of Rosaura's emotions.

... [C] Rosaura is deeply invested in being a guest at the party. After her mother tells her that Luciana is not her friend, [E] Rosaura “blink[s] hard” to avoid crying, [R] “yell[s]” at her mother to “‘Shut up!’” [R] and whispers, “‘I'll die if I don't go’” (1). [R] Rosaura’s emotions strong reaction to her mother emphasizes...

Omitting the Second Claim (C ER ER)

This is usually the first CER variation that students experiment with. You can use this structure if you have two pieces of evidence/quotes that need separate reasons but that support the same claim. Don't forget that you still need to transition into your second example (ER) even if you're not introducing a new claim.

Example with a transition instead of a second claim

Here, I have two ER's that prove the point that "performing these tasks makes Rosaura feel special." I've bolded that initial claim as well as the phrase that transitions into my second ER.

... [C] Performing these tasks makes Rosaura feel special. [E] Serving cake reminds her of "a story in which there was a queen who had the power of life or death over her subjects" (3). [R] Not only is Rosaura unaware that she is serving the others, but she views her role in distributing cake as a special privilege that positions her above the other children rather than beneath them. [TRANSITION - E] Later, when her mother comes to get her, Rosaura declares, “‘I was the best-behaved at the party’” (4). [R] Rosaura views all the tasks she performed simply as evidence of how much better her "behav[ior]" was than the other children's. ...

Example with a logical transition that serves as a second claim

The above example uses a plot-based transition; it connects the two examples by stating that one comes after the other in the story. It's always better to transition with logic, though, stating how the examples are logically connected. Here, I've added "Rosaura again shows that she feels special" to the transition into the second ER. Now it makes a claim even though that wasn't necessarily my intention.

... [C] Performing these tasks makes Rosaura feel special. [E] Serving cake reminds her of "a story in which there was a queen who had the power of life or death over her subjects" (3). [R] Not only is Rosaura unaware that she is serving the others, but she views her role in distributing cake as a special privilege that positions her above the other children rather than beneath them. [TRANSITION / CLAIM] Later, when her mother comes to get her, Rosaura again shows that she feels special, [E] declaring, “‘I was the best-behaved at the party’” (4). [R] Rosaura views all the tasks she performed simply as evidence of how much better her "behav[ior]" was than the other children's. ...

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