Think of a paragraph as a parabola. If you read from the left, the top of the parabola--the wide part--represents general statements. Begin a paragraph with a relatively general statement about the topic of that paragraph. Often, that first sentence will be a topic sentence.
The sentences should become gradually more specific. The narrow part of the parabola, the vertex, represents the most specific, narrowly focused sentences. Often, these sentences will be evidence drawn from the text.
After discussing specific evidence, the paragraph sentences should become increasingly more general and lead toward the next paragraph.
A sample paragraph: PLEASE NOTE: I MADE THESE FACTS UP. THEY ARE NOT GENERALLY TRUE. I DID SO TO ILLUSTRATE THE WRITING PROCESS. NONE OF THIS SHOULD BE TAKEN AS TRUTH ABOUT THE DEATH PENALTY
Opponents of the death penalty in Florida have other concerns in addition to the cost. [Very broad statement] Many express reservations about the possibility of innocent people being executed. [Topic sentence. Still fairly general]This concern is not a hypothetical one. The Death Penalty Information Center [DPIC]states that 24 people sentenced to death in Florida have been exonerated and freed. [This is the most specific--the vertex. Note the use of evidence in this sentence.] These inmates were lucky: they escaped death because the murderers left DNA that could be used to exclude them. Others innocent men may not be so lucky because many murderers do not leave DNA on their victims.[Back to more general ideas.]
Indeed, luck--or the lack of it--may determine whether someone is sentenced to death.[[very general] One such example of luck is the quality of representation. [topic sentence] Well-off defendants are able to afford private attorneys while poorer ones must settle for a public defender, often a recent graduate from law school who lacks all experience in capital cases. Nearly one in four defendants receiving the death penalty in Florida was represented by a lawyer who had been either disciplined or disbarred for either incompetence or misconduct (Smith 23). [more specific; note use of evidence from source]. Other lawyers work pro bono, meaning they do not get paid. This lack of fair compensation means that lawyers, especially those just getting started in the field, cannot afford to devote much time to preparing the defendant's case. The difference between the O.J. Simpson "dream team" and the inexperienced lawyers most people accused of murder get is stark. It also strikes at one of the core beliefs of our society, the equality of all persons under the law. [Very general appeal to principle]
In addition to economic inequality, there is also the problem of prosecutorial discretion. Indeed, the two factors often work hand-in-hand... etc.
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