Paragraph Structure

Elements of a Paragraph

Argument: The argument is the topic the writer makes a claim about. The writer attempts to provide perspective on their argument through their evidence and analysis used throughout their paper.  

Topic: The topic sentence informs the audience of the claim that will be pursued in the proceeding paragraphs.  

Reasoning: To support a claim or argument, provide reasons which would then be supported by facts and evidence. 

Evidence: Information used from primary or secondary sources that validate the claims of the argument.  

Analysis: Analysis describes how the evidence provided connects to the paragraph’s claim. Possible analyses may include effects on the stakeholders involved, stating the relevance of the evidence, and context for the situation. 

Qualifier: A qualifier may be used to demonstrate that another point of view of the argument may be valid. The qualifier is used in circumstances where the claim may not be true in every situation. For example, a qualifier may be used when utilizing information from a survey. The qualifier could explain that the survey may not be generalized to a whole population, but the survey still provides valuable information to the argument.  

Example

Argument: A harsh transition to adulthood and mental health issues for foster children can lead to incarceration. 

Reasoning: Foster children are misunderstood by peers and are challenged with housing and financial burdens when transitioning to adulthood.  

Evidence: A California Prison Survey found that 14% of inmates had been in foster care at some point in their lives. Of the 14% of inmates who had been in foster care, 36% of the inmates had experienced homelessness at some point in their lives. 

Analysis: “Foster children who age out of foster care may have problems dealing with their new lives.  Without adequate finances, a foster child may steal to get a meal on their table or attempt robbery as their source of money. Mental health issues foster children face, without support from peers, may make the children turn to drugs.” 

Qualifier: Since prison populations are constantly changing and the sample size of the study was fairly small, the study is not indicative of all prison populations.  However, the survey was conducted haphazardly and all prisoners who were about to be paroled were surveyed so the results could be generalized to the entirety of the prison, and presumably foster children who have aged out of the system make up about 14% of the prison population in California. 

Uneven-U Model

The Uneven-U format employs varying sentence structures to compose a paragraph that effectively introduces and expands upon presented information. This structure produces a paragraph that contains different sentences varying in levels of abstractness. Eric Hayot explains “Imagine a system or a continuum that, across five levels, divides one major function of a piece of literary critical prose: its proximity to a piece of evidence” (Hayot 59).  Human beings have developed systems and divisions of labor to construct a society that, without these systems, would be unorganized and informal. Using the Uneven-U model paragraph ensures a paragraph’s purpose is executed and conveyed properly in a functioning form.  A general paragraph begins with a level 4 sentence, progresses through levels 1, 2 and 3, and finishes with a level 5 sentence (The most abstract level sentence). Hayot further explains, stating, “The key to this development pattern is that the final sentence (Level 5) is higher than the one you started with (Level 4). This gives the paragraph a progressive structure” (Hayot 62). Analyzing sentences on abstract levels allows for the interpretation of the sequence of ideas presented in the paragraph. Using an Uneven-U paragraph model is advantageous to constructing a paragraph that effectively introduces and expands upon presented information. 

Sentence Levels

Level 5 – Abstract, general; oriented toward a solution or a conclusion (Hayot 60).

Level 4 – Less general; oriented toward a problem; pulls ideas together (Hayot 60).

Level 3 – Conceptual summary; draws together two or more pieces of evidence, or introduces a broad example (Hayot 60).

Level 2 – Description; plain or interpretive summary; establishing shot (Hayot 60).

Level 1 – Concrete; evidentiary; raw, unmediated data or information (Hayot 60).

Sentence Levels in Paragraph Layout

Level 4 – Topic Sentence.

Level 3 – Specifics of the topic directly related to the thesis.

Levels 2 & 1 – Primary source(s) introduction. Justify relevance to the topic.

Levels 3 & 4 – Objective for analyzing primary source/theory (if applicable)/terminology or other necessary aspects the reader (assessor) needs to know to engage with your essay.

Level 5 – Thesis statement: “This essay will argue….” 

Uneven-U Example

The mixture of a harsh transition to adulthood and mental health issues can lead to incarceration for former foster children (Level 4).  When entering society, foster children may be misunderstood since others in society do not know what they have been through (Level 3).  Due to their difference in behavior, “Misperception of the causes of foster youth misbehavior can lead to escalation and confrontational situations resulting at the very least in a disruption” (Storey and Roschanda 625) (Level 1, Secondary Source). A young adult navigating their new life including finances and housing mixed with society not understanding can lead to a life of crime (Level 3).  The California Senate Office of Research explains, “A significant percentage of the nation’s foster youth have been accused of crimes or have had contact with law enforcement within the first few years after they turned 18 years old (the age at which most children “age out: of foster care and some become homeless), according to recent studies,” and, “Of the 2,564 adult California prisoners surveyed by CDCR in June 2008, 356 of the respondents- 14 percent of the inmates- said they has been in foster care at some point in their lives” (1,2) (Level 1, Primary Source). Since prison populations are constantly changing and the sample size of the study was fairly small, the study is not indictive of all prison populations (Level 2).  However, the survey was conducted in a random manner and all prisoners who were about to be paroled were surveyed so the results can be generalized to the entirety of the prison, and presumably foster children who have aged out of the system make up about 14% of the prison population in California (Level 3). Additionally, “Of the surveys inmates who had either aged out or run away from their foster care arrangement, slightly more than one-third (36 percent) of the male and female inmates had been homeless at some point during the first year on their own.  A higher percentage of females (43 percent) compared to males (35 percent) reported being without a home during their first year after foster care” (Policy Matters 6) (Level 1, Primary Source). Foster children who age out of foster care may have problems dealing with their new lives (Level 2).  Without adequate finances, a foster child may steal to get a meal on their table or attempt robbery as their source of money (Level 3). Mental health issues foster children face, without support from peers, may make the children turn to drugs (Level 3). The illegal activities that foster children may commit due to the absence of aid, ultimately leads to incarceration (Level 4). The societal systems that deprioritize funding for the foster care system, exemplifies the ideology that devalues support of underrepresented populations and prioritizes the wealthy (Level 5).