Each paragraph must have the following:
A strong, clear topic sentence
Cohesiveness: one idea per paragraph
At least three apt, related quote or direct textual supports, properly cited and punctuated
1/4 quote to 3/4 analysis per paragraph
Analysis is specifically anchored to quote; be sure quote does not just repeat a point
Draw quotes from all relevant parts of the text
Show a breadth of relevant supporting detail
Show knowledge of significant supporting detail
A concluding sentence
Evaluate Your Paragraph (some elements from Norton Introduction to Literature)
* Is there ample, appropriate evidence for your claim? Is there a significant piece missing? Is there more appropriate evidence available that you did not include?
* Are the appropriateness and significance of each piece of evidence—its relevance to the claim—perfectly clear?
* Are there any weak examples or inferences that aren’t reasonable? Are there moments when readers might ask, "But couldn’t that quote instead mean this?"
* Is all the evidence considered? What about details that might complicate or contradict the argument? Are there moments when readers might think, "But what about this other example?"
* Is each piece of evidence clearly presented? Do readers have all the contextual information they need to understand a quotation?
* Is each piece of evidence gracefully presented? Are quotations varied by length and presentation? Are they ever too long? Are there any unnecessary block quotations, or block quotations that require additional analysis?
*Is the evidence organized in a way that is clear to the reader? Does the paragraph contain transitions in words or phrases that make the paragraph coherent?
*Does the paragraph come to a graceful conclusion?