The function of the
essay's body is to fully develop
the argument outlined in the introduction. Each paragraph within the body of
the essay elaborates on one major point in the development of the overall
argument.
A good body paragraph has a clear
beginning, middle, and end. It consists of several basic elements:
1.
Transition Idea (bridging)
A body paragraph,
except the first paragraph after introductory, should begin with a transition
idea that links the paragraph with the previous one. Think of this sentence as
a bridge from one body paragraph to the next that helps the discussion to move
forward smoothly.
Exp:
Parental guidance is
clearly one of the most important factor in child’s mental development.
·
Besides parental guidance, another important factor in children’s
mental development is…………………
·
Another important factor in children’s
mental development is…………………
·
The next reason why children’s mental
development is important is…………………
2.
Topic Sentence
It appears at or near
the start of the paragraph and states the paragraph’s main point or claim.
Exp:
·
Besides
parental guidance, another important factor in children’s mental development is
the nurturing environment of surrounding
neighbourhood.
3.
Supporting Details
The supporting
sentences make up the body of the paragraph. It consists of more specific
information that shows, explains, or proves the topic sentence idea.
4.
Closing Sentence
The
final sentence of a body paragraph should conclude the discussion and perhaps
look ahead to the idea of the next paragraph.
Sample
Body of an Essay
The only way
information technology is going to be useful to schools is if all staff members
are well-informed and fully supported. It is the principal's responsibility,
and should be part of the school's plan, to ensure that all staff are consulted
about the changes, and that the change is carefully organized. Some teachers
may be resistant, especially if they have not had much experience with
computers, so training teachers is essential in implementing IT into the school
curriculum. Staff members must feel involved in the process of acquiring
technology, and in learning how to operate it, in order for them to increase
their confidence in using IT as a curriculum tool. Teachers are only going to
be able to incorporate IT into their lessons if they are
competent users themselves (Reksten, 2000).
In addition,
teachers need to be aware that IT within the classroom is extremely flexible,
but that they need to plan what purpose IT serves in each lesson. The skills a
child learns are the important part of any lesson, and it is the same with
technology. IT needs to be used and understood in all subjects in the same way
as the ability to read is necessary for all subjects, and “must be
used across the curriculum, in the same way that a pen and pencil
are used in most subject areas” (Ager, 2000,
p. 15). The best way to plan the use of IT in the classroom is to
approach it as simply a learning tool that is more advanced (and more exciting)
than the traditional pen and paper.
