1 Choose one of the following topics:

characteristics of a good class president

causes of student rebellion

the role of religion in the life of a teenager

how I’d spend $10,000

the career I want

the people I admire

2 Plan a paragraph. Write a general statement that covers your topic. Then write the type or types of specifics which would best support it. List the supporting specifics you will use.

General Statement: _________________________________________________________________

Types of Specifics:______________________________________

Specific Detail: _____________________________________________________________________

Specific Detail: _____________________________________________________________________

Specific Detail: _____________________________________________________________________

Specific Detail: _____________________________________________________________________

3 Eliminate unrelated specifics, if there are any. Add new ones that occur to you.

4 Decide on the appropriate type of ordering for your specifics. then number your list in that order.

5 Insert any signal words that would make the paragraph easier to follow.

6 Write your paragraph, inserting the signal words from step 5 and any others that seem necessary.

7 Check your paragraph for gaps or missing information where ideas aren’t completely explained. Add the missing explanation.

8 Check for errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Underline the topic sentence and the clincher sentence. Circle all the signal words.