Lab Activity 26: Using More Than One Strategy for Essay Development

Lab Activities
Lab Activity 26: Using More Than One Strategy for Essay Development

Objective To identify thesis statements and develop support points and specific details.

Step 1: For each topic below, write support points you could use with two different development strategies. Choose from the following development strategies.

Providing illustrations and examples
Describing a scene, person, or object
Explaining a process
Cause and effect
Argument
Narrating an event or story
Classifying and dividing
Comparison and contrast
Definition

Example:
Topic: Athletes as role models
Development strategy A: Narrating an event or a story
Support point 1: Lance Armstrong faced great personal challenges
Support point 2: After eliminating the cancer threat, he worked hard as a cyclist
Support point 3: He went on to win the Tour de France seven straight times

Development strategy B: Comparison and contrast
Support point 1: Some athletes use their high salaries to help others
Support point 2: Other athletes develop problems with drugs, gambling, and criminal activities
Support point 3: Athletes' lives strongly influence their fans, especially children


		1. Topic: Eating disorders Development strategy A: Support point 1: Support point 2: Support point 3: To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

		Development strategy B: Support point 1: Support point 2: Support point 3: To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

		2. Topic: Effects of divorce on children Development strategy A: Support point 1: Support point 2: Support point 3: To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

		Development strategy B: Support point 1: Support point 2: Support point 3: To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

		3. Topic: College students' ability to manage money Development strategy A: Support point 1: Support point 2: Support point 3: To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

		Development strategy B: Support point 1: Support point 2: Support point 3: To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

		*Step 2:* Choose one of the topics and sets of support points you worked with in Step 1. Then, spend five or ten minutes doing some prewriting about your topic and support points, trying to develop as many specific details as you can. As you pre-write, keep in mind the development strategies you are using. Next, referring to the topic and support points you chose, write a thesis statement using more than one development strategy Your thesis statement: To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

		*Step 3:* Now, write a rough draft of an introductory paragraph for your essay, using more than one development strategy. Don't worry about getting it perfect. You can correct and improve it later. To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

		*Step 4:* Next, write a rough draft of the body paragraphs for your essay. Use your support points to write topic sentences, and back them up with the details and examples you developed. You may also want to do more prewriting to come up with more support points and details. To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

		*Step 5:* Now, write a rough draft of a concluding paragraph for your essay. You may want to include a summary. Or, you may choose to add final thoughts or end with a question. To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.