Constructing the Substantive Paragraph in Critiques
 

When writing about more complicated subjects such as literary texts, you may find it necessary to go into some depth about a particular point you wish to make. Treating that point with substance and depth may require that you expand the size of some paragraphs. Here's a suggestion for how such a paragraph might be built.

  1. Start a substantive paragraph with something akin to a topic sentence. This literally doesn't have to be a single sentence that states the "thesis" of the paragraph, but rather merely announces the point that you wish to make.

  2. Next, you may want to clarify any of the language used in the topic sentence. Does a term need defining? Do so here. Perhaps another sentence or two is all you need to finish explaining the nature of the point.

  3. Here is the key to good substantive paragraphs: give an example. This is where quotes can be used to bring in the textual evidence that supports your argument.

  4. Sometimes, it helps to explain or at least comment on the evidence. Maybe a sentence or two would help readers see how the example applies to your main point.

  5. Finally, depending on where this paragraph occurs in your paper, you might include a transitional statement to your next paragraph. Sometimes this can occur as the first sentence in your next paragraph.


Here is a paragraph that illustrates this model:


Inez finally understands what game Mississippi Ham Rider is playing. And she

is fine with it. When she thinks to herself, "...I was perfectly content. One good

exploitive act deserved another" (54), we see what Inez sees: that she and Neil had

come to exploit the talents of Ham Rider, but he is going to extract just as much

out of the deal for himself as he can. In fact, Ham Rider is not even the kind of

vulnerable and gullible "authentic" blues singer that record company execs like

Mr. Lyons would even recognize: "I don't sing no nappy-head church songs

neither" (56), he tells Inez. And Inez can only "[curse] Mr. Lyons' fairy-tale mentality"

and as a result, will have to "quietly [indulge] in fabricating figures [like a phony

but commercially successful Mississippi Ham Rider] from whole cloth" (56).

That would be her game now.

 

In short, this paragraph follows this organization:

  I. Point
 II. Clarification 
III. Illustration or Example 
IV. Explanation or Commentary 
 V. Transition (optional)