Looking at Paragraphing
What Makes Up a Body Paragraph?
1) Transition & topic sentence
2) Several subtopics (with internal transitions) that relate back to the topic sentence
3) Evidence to support those subtopics, including quotes, facts, examples, etc.
4) A brief summary (at the end)
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Transitions:
First, First of all, To begin with, etc.
Next, Second, The next point to understand,
Following this
Finally, Last of all, etc.
In conclusion, In short, In summary
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Topic sentences (are these arguable or are they
merely statements of fact? Do they have transitions?):
1) Humboldt County has an incredible lack
of blue collar jobs.
2) First of all, the past, irresponsible
uses of the Balloon Tract should not limit the future uses by the citizens of
Eureka.
3) Just because some low-income families move into newly built homes, it doesn't
mean that the crime level will go up and create another west side.
4) First of all, riding quads
will keep teenagers out of trouble.
5) The Placebo had always struggled to find a place; it was once putting on
shows that were held in the Denny's sports bar in Arcata.
6) The controversy of whether or not to develop the Balloon Tract area in Eureka
started seven years ago after a proposal to put a Wal-Mart on the vacant land
was quickly shot down by voters in Eureka due to petroleum hydrocarbon (fuel)
contamination in the soil and groundwater due to the railroad that formerly ran
through there and the chemical leaks that occurred.
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Compare and Contrast the following body paragraphs: What do you notice?
First of all riding is
something that the whole family can do together. You can just load up
you family and your quads and go to the river bar on a sunny day and ride. Not
only is it a way to get your whole family together but it is also something that
kids have in common with there parents. It may make it easier for parents and
children to talk without making the kids feel like there parents aren't nagging.
The families can work on and fixes there bikes together. This might help with
families talking to each other a little bit more then just sitting at the dinner
table. It is also a way for children to learn a little more about there parents,
and a way for parents to learn more about there kids. Its something that
you can do young or old. In this sport where adults can just act like kids. They
can just take there quads and ride through the mud and get dirty. They don't
have to worry about what other people are thinking because they are just out
there having just. You always see dads and moms taking out there sons or
daughters our with there little four wheelers teaching them how to ride. Our
community is very close, so why cant we bring them even closer with something
they like to do? Some people my think that a whole family cant ride together
because it is to expensive, but family have found ways to share cars and other
things. It wouldn't be that hard to share a couple of quads. When your riding
down the river bar with your family, your heart pumping as you go over that jump
that's how you should feel every time your with your family.
Someone with an opposing opinion might say that the idea of big box
corporations would not be such a bad for the Eureka community. They may
argue that we already have a ton of large corporations in the area already, such
asCostco, Target, and all the stores in the Pierson Mall. What would be the
problem with a few more, but that isn't the point. We could have more small
local business owners to keep the money that's in our county stay in our county.
One thing to acknowledge is that if these big box corporations do come into the
community money that is continuously being shuffled through the town and
community would most likely end up being sent to that corporations main
headquarters. Big Box Corporations will therefore take money instead of give it
to the community of Eureka. Another good argument to promote the big box
corporation could be that it will supposedly bring in an estimate of over 100
million dollars a year. But wait, would that still be true if the stores that
were put into the area put many other stores out of business as well as
employees? They also say that Home Depot gives good benefits, but how long does
it take to receive those benefits? Home Depot will be 100,000 square feet out of
a 400,000 square foot project that is twenty-five percent of the project and
just that is said to pay for the whole project. That is leavening the Arkley's
with a large chunk in their pocket and helps us realize it is not necessary for
Home Depot to be in this area. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
is bound to do studies on the land no matter who owns it or who pays for it.
CEQA does environmental and economic impact studies that will show off that it's
a good idea or not to do certain things in certain places and the impact before
and after the things are done.
Next, a sound foundation for
the railroad bed, prior to rebuilding the railroad must be accomplished.
Rainfall of approximately 115 inches annually saturates our Pacific Northwest.
The shale/clay-type ground that exists in the Eel River canyon, where the
railroad was washed out, Confusion Hill on Hwy 101 and along Hwy 299 mixes with
the rain resulting in a slippery 'blue gooe' causing landslides. Dave Anderson,
an engineer for NCRA, stated he believed 'big retaining walls' would redirect
water, save money and solve landslide problems. A geotechnical specialist also
for the NCRA said the water would need to be diverted to help prevent
landslides. Dexter McCullough is head of railroad services for Shannon & Wilson.
He is an independent consultant that specializes in geotechnical and
environmental problems confronted by the construction and maintenance of
railroads. McCullough says that the weather and topography in the Eel River
canyon are not unique to railroads. 'There are lots of other places in the
country, which are quite similar, with operating railroads. While it, (planning
and reconstruction), won't be real easy ...it's doable, McCullough added.
Focusing on drainage is key in success of a new railroad. In addition, debris in
the Eel River is contributing to the flooding and landslides; regular
maintenance of the railroad would automatically help keep debris under control.