Karen Faye O.

Dadero
I-14
Stages in Paragraph Development
Stage 1: CREATING A TOPIC SENTENCE
A topic sentence controls the idea of the whole paragraph. It is a guide
that directs the paragraph to the point that the writer wants to make.
Example:
Slaves spirituals often had hidden double meaning.
Stage 2: EXPOUNDING THE TOPIC SENTENCE
In order for readers to understand the point of the paragraph, writers
thoughts, idea or perspective about the topic is explained elaborately.
Example:
On one level, spirituals referenced heaven, Jesus and the soul;
but on another level, the song spoke about slave resistant.
Stage 3: EXAMPLES
Giving examples will understand the authors thought more if there are
examples given that will support the authors claims.
Example:
According to Frederick Douglass, the song O Canaan,
Canaan spoke slaves longing for heaven, but it also expressed their
to escape to the North. Careful listeners heard this second meaning
following lyrics: I dont expect to stay/ Much longer here. / Run to
shun the danger. / I dont expect to stay.

Sweet
desire
in the
Jesus,

Stage 4: EXPOUNDING EXAMPLES

Once the authors give examples that support his thoughts and claims,
an explanation about these examples are needed in order for readers to
know its purpose in the paragraph.

Example:
When slaves sang this song, they could have been speaking of
their departure from this life and their arrival in heaven; however, they also
could have been describing their plans to leave the South and run, not to
Jesus, but to the North.

Stage 5: COMPLETION AND TRANSITION

Once the thought of the paragraph is complete, a transition is needed
in order to connect the thought of a paragraph to the next paragraph.
Example:
What whites heard as merely spiritual songs, slaves discerned as
detailed messages. The hidden meanings in spirituals allowed slaves to sing
what they could not say.

COMPLETE PARAGRAPH:
Slaves spirituals often had hidden double meaning. On one level,
spirituals referenced heaven, Jesus and the soul; but on another level, the
song spoke about slave resistant. According to Frederick Douglass, the song
O Canaan, Sweet Canaan spoke slaves longing for heaven, but it also
expressed their desire to escape to the North. Careful listeners heard this
second meaning in the following lyrics: I dont expect to stay/ Much longer
here. / Run to Jesus, shun the danger. / I dont expect to stay. When slaves
sang this song, they could have been speaking of their departure from this
life and their arrival in heaven; however, they also could have been
describing their plans to leave the South and run, not to Jesus, but to the
North. What whites heard as merely spiritual songs, slaves discerned as
detailed messages. The hidden meanings in spirituals allowed slaves to sing
what they could not say.

REFERENCE:
https://prezi.com/zas6an7prsin/5-step-paragraph-development/