The Perfect Paragraph

Easy, efficient, and reliable way to respond to

literature and other texts.

Teaches you to use primary source quotes effectively.

Critical Response and Analysis Paragraph

Makes writing a paragraph “easy peasy,” or “peasy q. easy.” P.C.-Q.-E.C.=

• P oint• C ontext

• Q uote

• E xplanation• C onclusion

P.C.-Q.-E.C.

1 Topic Sentence/Point+ 1-2 sentences of Relevant Context+ 1 sentence Primary Source Quote (Observation)+ 2-3 sentences of Explanation (Inference)+ 1 sentence of Conclusion

=Perfect Paragraph

Formula For A Perfect Paragraph

Topic Sentence/Point: Clearly states what you intend to demonstrate to the reader.

Context: Relevant facts from the text that are related to your point and lead into your primary source quotation.

Primary Source Quote: An observation. Two essential ingredients: 1) is tagged and 2) has a parenthetical citation.

Explanation: An inference. This is the hardest part. In this portion of the paragraph, you are explaining the significance of the quote. You are NOT just paraphrasing or summarizing it, and you are not stating facts or opinions. This is where you interpret and justify. If you can’t interpret the quote you chose, then you chose poorly.

Conclusion: In this last sentence, you re-emphasize your point by specifically stating what the author (or narrator, or character) intended when writing what he/she did. What was his/her point?

In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain

paintsTom Sawyer as a dynamic character.

Perfect Paragraph

In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain paints

Tom Sawyer as a dynamic character. In the novel’s opening chapters, Tom has bizarrely audacious fantasies involving murdering and being dead; however, after witnessing the murder of Dr. Robinson, he comes to fear the threat of mortality. This is made clear during a scene in which he is listening to Aunt Polly discuss his own apparently-missing corpse.

Perfect Paragraph

In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain paints

Tom Sawyer as a dynamic character. In the novel’s opening chapters, Tom has bizarrely audacious fantasies involving murdering and being dead; however, after witnessing the murder of Dr. Robinson, he comes to fear the threat of mortality. This is made clear during a scene in which he is listening to Aunt Polly discuss the search for his own apparently-missing corpse. As Tom’s aunt describes the sad circumstances, Mark Twain writes, “Tom shuddered” (Twain 95).

Perfect Paragraph

In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain paints

Tom Sawyer as a dynamic character. In the novel’s opening chapters, Tom has strangely bold fantasies and plays bizarrely audacious games involving murdering and being dead; however, after witnessing the murder of Dr. Robinson, he comes to fear the threat of mortality. This is made clear during a scene in which he is listening to Aunt Polly discuss the search for his own apparently-missing corpse. As Tom’s aunt describes the sad circumstances, Mark Twain writes, “Tom shuddered” (Twain 95). In that shudder, the author reveals Tom’s horror over hearing the effects of his supposed death on his family. While such an event would have delighted Tom previously, he does not think it funny now. In fact, he is stunned into a physical tremor that suggests a newfound vulnerability, openness, and maturity.

Perfect Paragraph

In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain paints Tom Sawyer as a dynamic character. In the novel’s opening chapters, Tom has bizarrely audacious fantasies involving murdering and being dead; however, after witnessing the murder of Dr. Robinson, he comes to fear the threat of mortality. This is made clear during a scene in which he is listening to Aunt Polly discuss the search for his own apparently-missing corpse. As Tom’s aunt describes the sad circumstances, Mark Twain writes, “Tom shuddered” (Twain 95). In that shudder, the author reveals Tom’s horror over hearing the effects of his supposed death on his family. While such an event would have delighted Tom previously, he does not think it funny now. In fact, he is stunned into a physical tremor that suggests a newfound vulnerability, openness, and maturity. Twain thus succeeds in realistically depicting the moment when everyone learns the sad reality of death, one of the hardest parts of growing up.

Perfect Paragraph

A Few More Reminders

MLAModern Language Association

Basic MLA Reminders

12 Point Times New Roman Font Black Ink Double-Spaced 1 inch margins (may not be default) Last name and page number at top right of every

page MLA Heading Papers have an informational title – not bold, not

underlined, not italicized… just centered on first page with no extra space before or after.

Quotations

When providing a quote, you must tag it. I call untagged quotes “orphaned” quotes. Here is an untagged/orphaned quote:

Patrick Henry energetically advocated for revolution. “Give me liberty or give me death.” He was willing to risk his life to end colonial enslavement.

Here is the same quote, tagged.

Patrick Henry energetically advocated for revolution. In front of the Virginia Convention, he declared, “Give me liberty or give me death.” He was willing to risk his life to end colonial enslavement.

3 Ways To Tag

“Give me liberty or give me death,” Patrick Henry proclaimed to the Virginia Convention.

ORPatrick Henry proclaimed to the Virginia Convention, “Give me liberty or give me death.”

OR“Give me liberty,” proclaimed Patrick Henry to the Virginia Convention, “or give me death.”

Parenthetical Citations

When providing a direct quote, paraphrasing, or summarizing someone else’s ideas, you must provide a parenthetical citation.

A parenthetical citation helps the reader find the relevant source on the Works Cited Page.

It lets the reader know where you got your information in case he/she wants to look it up.

Now, it’s time to add the parenthetical

citations

How to Tag with Citations

“Give me liberty or give me death,” Patrick Henry proclaimed to the Virginia Convention (Henry 167).

ORPatrick Henry proclaimed to the Virginia Convention, “Give me liberty or give me death” (Henry 167).

OR“Give me liberty,” proclaimed Patrick Henry to the Virginia Convention, “or give me death” (Henry 167).

Works Cited

Works Cited Page

If you have one or more parenthetical citations, then you must have a Works Cited Page.

Last page. Top right-hand corner: Has, like all preceding

pages, last name and page number. Center: Words “Works Cited” Left: Works listed immediately below it,

alphabetically.