With essaypop, there are infinite ways you can assemble and structure paragraphs, short responses, and body paragraphs. Here are a few tried-and-true organizational structures that you should strive to master. For best results and variety, mix them up. Remember, the writing frames can be added to and rearranged at will. This video shows you how. Feel free to create some structures of your own
The Basic
Anything less than this and something will be missing. Done right, this can result in a tightly-constructed paragraph or short response
B + RD + INT + C
There are, of course, several different rattlesnake characteristics that are repulsive to people. We’ve examined the scaly body, the triangular head, and the ominous sound of the rattle itself. But, it is the toxic venom that, for good reason, causes the most anxiety among most people. The fear is certainly justified, as rattlesnake venom is shockingly powerful stuff. According to Toxicologist, Dr. David Thoms of Northern Arizona University, “Symptoms of a rattlesnake bite include temporary and/or permanent tissue and muscle damage, loss of an extremity depending on the location of the bite, internal bleeding, and extreme pain around the injection area”. (116) Dr. Thoms evidence clearly shows the devastating toxicity of rattlesnake venom. The idea that one might experience permanent damage, loss of feeling, or even painful internal bleeding is indeed a frightening prospect. And when you take a moment to imagine your own body succumbing to the poison and potentially failing altogether, it is a very sobering thought. Without question, it is the rattlesnake’s venomous nature, in addition to its menacing looks, that cause people great despair when they encounter this creature.
The Basic Plus (extra evidence)
Stacking to bits of evidence or quotations shows that you’ve done your research. It also adds word-count.
B + RD + RD + INT + C
There are, of course, several different rattlesnake characteristics that are repulsive to people. We’ve examined the scaly body, the triangular head, and the ominous sound of the rattle itself. But, it is the toxic venom that, for good reason, causes the most anxiety among most people. The fear is certainly justified, as rattlesnake venom is shockingly powerful stuff. According to Toxicologist, Dr. David Thoms of Northern Arizona University, “Symptoms of a rattlesnake bite include temporary and/or permanent tissue and muscle damage, loss of an extremity depending on the location of the bite, internal bleeding, and extreme pain around the injection area”. (116) Chris Weller of “Medical Daily” informs us that Snake venom, horrifyingly enough, is really just complex saliva. And not all of it is created equal. Depending on the snake that bites you, your heart could shut down; your muscles could become paralyzed, or your blood could clot so much that it no longer flows. (52) These experts’ evidence clearly shows the devastating toxicity of rattlesnake venom. The idea that one might experience permanent damage, loss of feeling, or even painful internal bleeding is indeed a frightening prospect. And when you take a moment to imagine your own body succumbing to the poison and potentially failing altogether, it is a very sobering thought. Without question, it is the rattlesnake’s venomous nature, in addition to its menacing looks, that cause people great despair when they encounter this creature.
The Basic with Cheese (extra analysis)
Adding an “extra slice” of interpretation brings more of your voice into the writing and increases word-count.
B + RD + INT + INT + C
In addition, to squelching students’ creativity and their natural desire to want to express their sense of style, a mandated dress code at school is also a flagrant violation of young people’s’ civil rights. After all, The First Amendment of our United States Constitution states that “Congress cannot pass laws abridging the freedom of speech.” Our forefathers did not intend to have any American citizen’s right to reasonably express him or herself taken away by anybody at any time, no matter their age. This constitutional protection allows us to speak out against politicians with whom we disagree. It allows us to write articles that might be controversial or even offensive to some. And it certainly extends to students who might want to wear some loose-fitting jeans or a punk-rock tee shirt. Expressing one’s style, politics, or ideas with one’s choice of clothing is no different than doing so with words spoken aloud or written down on paper. When public school administrators insist that students wear a prescribed uniform it is the moral equivalent of requiring students to adopt the same political or ethical stances as the school district. Jefferson, Hamilton, and Madison and Adams would be apoplectic at the mere mention of such an unconstitutional restriction on individual liberty. And yet, public school districts around the country continue to enforce strict dress codes so that they might improve order and discipline on their campuses. And while there is nothing inherently wrong with this objective, it hardly seems worthy such an un-american solution. Undoubtedly, forcing students to wear school uniforms if they do not wish to is a crass violation of their basic constitutional rights.
The Double-Double
This takes advantage of the benefit of the previous two models. Notice how the research details are introduced and contextualized with bridge phrases.
B + RD + RD + INT + INT + C
Besides squelching students’ creativity and their natural desire to want to express their sense of style, a mandated dress code at school is also a flagrant violation of young people’s civil rights. After all, The First Amendment of our United States Constitution states that “Congress cannot pass laws abridging the freedom of speech.” Lee Rowland of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Nevada branch reminds us that “in conflict with the First Amendment, school uniform policies create instead an environment of sterilized uniformity scrubbed of the diversity so prized by our founding fathers. (238) Our forefathers did not intend to have any American citizens’ right to reasonably express themselves taken away by anybody at any time, no matter their age. Nor did they wish to compel parents to raise their children in a certain way. This constitutional protection allows us to speak out against politicians who we disagree with. It allows us to write articles that might be controversial or even offensive to some. And it certainly extends to students who might want to wear some loose-fitting jeans or a punk-rock tee shirt. Expressing one’s style, politics, or ideas with one’s choice of clothing is no different than doing so with words spoken aloud or written down on paper. When public school administrators insist that students wear a prescribed uniform it is the moral equivalent of requiring students to adopt the same political or ethical stances as the school district. It’s the same as asking everyone to be the same person. Jefferson, Hamilton, and Madison and Adams would be apoplectic at the mere mention of such an unconstitutional restriction on individual liberty. And yet, public school districts around the country continue to enforce strict dress codes so that they might improve order and discipline on their campuses. And while there is nothing inherently wrong with this objective, it hardly seems worthy such an un-American solution. Undoubtedly, forcing students to wear school uniforms if they do not wish to is a crass violation of their basic constitutional rights.
The Flippy-Floppy
It’s totally acceptable to lead with your own comments then follow them with evidence. You can “flip the script”.
B + INT + RD + C
As unlikely as it seems, the type of bread you choose when creating the perfect peanut butter and jelly sandwich is as important as your important your choice of the peanut butter or jelly. We will be getting into these items a bit later. It may seem odd to put so much thought into choosing bread, but, as you can see, the experts are quite clear. Too much bread and you mask the flavor of the really important flavors (the PB & the J); too many strong flavors and you camouflage these ingredients as well. So it seems that for this particular sandwich, the quaint simplicity of good ol’ plain white is what the doctor ordered. According to the experts, a crusty loaf is too thick and will overwhelm the flavors of the peanut butter and jelly. Pumpernickel and rye are also unsuitable for this type of sandwich due to their strong flavors. Most PB and J aficionados prefer a simple, thin and soft white or wheat bread. Pepperidge farm plain white bread is considered by some to be the best choice (Bon Appetit). Undeniably, the smallest details, even the type of bread one chooses, are very important to understand when designing and creating the perfect peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
The Classic
This is a balanced approach (and one of our favorites) and gives you the advantage of having ample evidence plus plenty of your own voice coming through. It’s also another word-count builder. Notice how the second bridge ties things together.
B + RD + INT + B + RD + INT + C
We’ve established that these works of literature reveal the feelings and sentiments of young people in love, but what if we abandoned this premise? What if the characters in each piece weren’t youthful at all, but very old or very sick? What If instead of being sarcasm or even a celebration of a lover’s “perfect imperfections”, these words were literal descriptions of loved ones who are ill and at the end of their days? As an illustration of this, take these lines from Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130: “I have seen roses damasked, red and white/ But no such roses see me in her cheeks;/And in some perfumes is there more delight/Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks”. One could easily read these words as sarcastic jesting or a loving acknowledgment of a few physical flaws. One the other hand, they can also be construed as true depictions of illness and age. The cheeks lose their color because of some sickness and the breath becomes malodorous due to internal disease. Meanwhile, the speaker can only observe helplessly as his lover slowly fades away. We see this again in “My Funny Valentine” when the singer mournfully asks, “Is your figure less than Greek?/Is your mouth a little weak?/ When you open it to speak, are you smart?” Again, these rhetorical questions could easily be being spoken by a broken-hearted man watching the love of his life fall into decay; her body is broken, her mouth is misshapen from age and she no longer speaks coherently. Without a doubt, this interpretation is supported by the mournful way that Chet Baker croons the words. There is a sadness in his tone that reveals a deep sense of loss, the loss of the woman he loves. In both works, it seems reasonable to conclude that these are lines of mourning as opposed to words of criticism.
The Classic with a Flippy-Floppy Center
This is the same as the previous example, but the second RD and INT have been flipped. This is a great way to add some variety to the way you express yourself. It’s good to mix things up sometimes.
B + RD + INT + B + INT + RD + C
We’ve established that these works of literature reveal the feelings and sentiments of young people in love, but what if we abandoned this premise? What if the characters in each piece weren’t youthful at all, but very old or very sick? What If instead of being sarcasm or even a celebration of a lover’s “perfect imperfections”, these words were literal descriptions of loved ones who are ill and at the end of their days? As an illustration of this, take these lines from Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130: “I have seen roses damasked, red and white/ But no such roses see me in her cheeks;/And in some perfumes is there more delight/Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks”. One could easily read these words as sarcastic jesting or a loving acknowledgment of a few physical flaws. One the other hand, they can also be construed as true depictions of illness and age. The cheeks lose their color because of some sickness and the breath becomes malodorous due to internal disease. Meanwhile, the speaker can only observe helplessly as his lover slowly fades away. We see the same sentiment in “My Funny Valentine”. Chet Baker’s mournfully crooned rhetorical questions could easily be being spoken by a broken-hearted man watching the love of his life fall into decay; her body is broken, her mouth is misshapen from age and she no longer speaks coherently. There is a sadness in his tone that reveals a deep sense of loss, the loss of the woman he loves. “Is your figure less than Greek?/Is your mouth a little weak?/ When you open it to speak, are you smart?” Heartbreaking! In both works, it seems reasonable to conclude that these are lines inspired by tragedy and mourning as opposed to words of criticism.
The Pure Counterargument and Rebuttal Paragraph (one rebuttal)
B + CA + RB + C
Presenting the opposing viewpoint strengthens your argument because it shows you to be credible, fair-minded, and unafraid. This example is the simplest way to do it.
Many people have been reeled in and hoodwinked by misleading media accounts of pitbulls attacking people in public. They contend that any attempt to defend these dogs is irresponsible and an invitation to disaster. The author of the article we read contends that these dogs should be banned from public spaces. I could not disagree more, but let’s take a closer look at some of the concerns about these animals. One common argument that pitbull detractors use is that pitbulls are demonstrably vicious creatures that have been proven to attack people at a much higher rate than any other breed. These critics, like the author of the aforementioned article, contend that “pitbulls are involved in more than 60 % of canine attacks on humans” and are therefore untrustworthy. Based on these facts, one might conclude that pitbulls are indeed vicious creatures that need to be carefully monitored and controlled. At least that is what the author concludes. But what this information doesn’t reflect is that most of these attacks occur during scheduled dog fights or fight training. It’s not the breed, it’s the context in which they are forced to live, train and perform. If one were to train french poodles to attack other dogs for sport from the time they were puppies, then we would likely hear frequent media reports about the scourge of french poodle attacks in our cities and public spaces. It would seem that those who wish to malign the pitbull breed, including this author, are not above skewing the data to fit their needs.
The Counterargument / Rebuttal Paragraph (advantage me)
This is the same as the previous example, however, the writer added a second rebuttal. This gives you an advantage in the argument, so why not go for it.
B + CA + RB + RB + C
Many people have been reeled in and hoodwinked by misleading media accounts of pitbulls attacking people in public. They contend that any attempt to defend these dogs is irresponsible and an invitation to disaster. The author of the article we read contends that these dogs should be banned from public spaces. I could not disagree more, but let’s take a closer look at some of the concerns about these animals. One common argument that pitbull detractors use is that pitbulls are demonstrably vicious creatures that have been proven to attack people at a much higher rate than any other breed. These critics, like the author of the article, contend that “pitbulls are involved in more than 60 % of canine attacks on humans” and are therefore untrustworthy. Based on these facts, one might conclude that pitbulls are indeed vicious creatures that need to be carefully monitored and controlled. At least that is what the author concludes. But what the information doesn’t reflect is that most of these attacks occur during scheduled dog fights or fight training. It’s not the breed, it’s the context in which they are forced to live, train and perform. If one were to train french poodles to attack other dogs for sport from the time they were puppies, then we would likely hear frequent media reports about the scourge of french poodle attacks in our cities and public spaces. Sure pitbulls bite more people than other breeds, but the information that pitbull detractors like this author fail to divulge when they present their “damning evidence” against pitbulls is where and how the attacks are occurring. The attacks are mostly not happening in a place where normal people frequent. Their statistics are not coming from parks or schools or normal neighborhoods. They are mostly taking place in areas where the dogs fight or are training to fight. Omitting this important fact is tantamount to lying. It would seem that those who wish to malign the pitbull breed, including this author, are not above skewing the data to fit their needs.
The ‘Ol Back and Forth
This structure looks and feels like an actual debate and can be a lot of fun to read and to write.
Many people have been reeled in and hoodwinked by misleading media accounts of pitbulls attacking people in public. They contend that any attempt to defend these dogs is irresponsible and an invitation to disaster. The author of the article we read contends that these dogs should be banned from public spaces. I could not disagree more, but let’s take a closer look at some of the concerns about these animals. One common argument that pitbull detractors use is that pitbulls are demonstrably vicious creatures that have been proven to attack people at a much higher rate than any other breed. These critics, like the author of the article, contend that “pitbulls are involved in more than 60 % of canine attacks on humans” and are therefore untrustworthy. Based on these facts, one might conclude that pitbulls are indeed vicious creatures that need to be carefully monitored and controlled. At least that is what the author concludes. But what the information doesn’t reflect is that most of these attacks occur during scheduled dog fights or fight training. It’s not the breed, it’s the context in which they are forced to live, train and perform. If one were to train french poodles to attack other dogs for sport from the time they were puppies, then we would likely hear frequent media reports about the scourge of french poodle attacks in our cities and public spaces. Others cite evidence from so-called experts like Merritt Clifton, editor of Animals 24-7, who claims that “pitbulls make up only 6% of the dog population, but they’re responsible for 68% of dog attacks and 52% of dog-related deaths since 1982” Sounds damning, but the information that pitbull detractors like this person fail to divulge when they present their “incriminating evidence” against pitbulls is where and how the attacks are occurring. Again, as we established earlier, the attacks are overwhelmingly not happening in places where normal people frequent. These statistics are not coming from parks or schools or average neighborhoods. They are mostly taking place in areas where the dogs fight or are training to fight. Omitting this important fact is tantamount to lying. It would seem that those who wish to malign the pitbull breed, including this author, are not above skewing the data to fit their needs.
The Basic Paragraph with Counterargument and Rebuttal Added
In this structure, you present your argument, then along comes someone who disagrees with you. Game on!
B + RD + INT + CA + RB + RB + C
Recently, principal McGuire announced her intention to institute a school-wide uniform policy at our school. Needless to say, the news has created quite a stir; much of it quite negative. I am with those who oppose this policy. Mandatory dress code at school is quite simply a flagrant violation of young peoples’ civil rights. After all, The First Amendment of our United States Constitution states that “Congress cannot pass laws abridging the freedom of speech.” Our forefathers did not intend to have any American citizen’s right to reasonably express him or herself taken away by anybody at any time, no matter their age. This constitutional protection allows us to speak out against politicians who we disagree with. It allows us to write articles that might be controversial or even offensive to some. And it certainly extends to students who might want to wear some loose-fitting jeans or a punk-rock tee shirt. Expressing one’s style, politics, or ideas with one’s choice of clothing is no different than doing so with words spoken aloud or written down on paper. Of course, there are those such as more conservative parents and school administrators who think that a school dress code is the key to maintaining law and order and a sense of discipline on campus. These critics of free dress may even cite studies demonstrating that schools that instill dress codes have fewer incidents of crime and graffiti. However, these small improvements do not make up for the great damage caused by violating students’ basic civil rights. Hey, young man, give up a few of your rights and we’ll promise you a peaceful environment. It’s the wrong message to send young people. Besides, it isn’t the students’ responsibility to create law and order on campus. This is the responsibility of the teachers, administrators, and, to some degree, parents. If a school can’t keep the peace when students are wearing their own choice of fashion, then perhaps the school itself should look more closely at its policies and practices, and not at some kid’s sagging blue jeans or Yeezy tee shirt with holes in it. Undoubtedly, despite the opinions of some misguided critics, forcing students to wear school uniforms if they do not wish to is a crass violation of their basic constitutional rights.
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