1. YOUR PAPER’S GPS
SYSTEM
https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQASUJ7qpQSbY9tCzXGVyp8LMsQDpr4gTJkgGYG4E6ITG0phsSecg
Giving Your Paper Direction

2. Organizing a paper includes…

Picking the order in which you’ll present the
different parts of your argument
 Structure
 Order

Creating necessary connections the
relationships you construct between these
parts.
 Transitions
 Topic
sentences
 Supporting details

3. Try this analogy…

4. What’s the first thing that happens
when you turn on your GPS?
http://www.mattrobinsonlive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/question-mark2.jpg

5. Orientation

It finds your
location, figures
out where you
are.
https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT_eu_yaJBX4rphXoHlePAfHX5ei7iARF1sDgk1E-J7V8_r8gN

6. ORIENTATION in your paper…

Part of your introduction should
provide background information
on your topic so that your reader
knows what you’re thinking,
where you are, before they begin
reading.

7. 
What’s the first thing you do when
you go to use your GPS (after
turning it on)?
https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRFrngkpq0q8hhvo1hLbTuHCyTSW2mLz2qY_qPc5__OFiFDGnkYHQ

8. DIRECTION
You tell it where
you’re going, of
course!
 Without
identifying a
destination, you
won’t ever get
where you’re
going.

http://www.funkygrad.net/reviewfiles/normal/normal_garmin.jpg

9. DIRECTION in your paper…

So, how do you identify the
purpose of your paper, where
your paper is going?

10. DIRECTION in your paper…
You use a thesis statement.
 A thesis statement includes:

Your
topic
Your position on the topic.

A thesis statement appears at
the end of your introduction.

11. DRIVING

How do you use
the GPS to get
where you’re
going? What
does it do?
https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRhE3q5L2d4s-dMd-fCgZY7HOm7mB0XAtSx2mo3YWaDgSLk2

12. DRIVING

It gives you turn by turn directions.
https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTmFmjpkxz71ZkJb1H6qooQj_e6jr7DD2qL8wjhmuhS4ZMi6

13. DRIVING through your paper
Just as your GPS organizes your trip,
you must organize your paper.
 Think of your topic sentences as new
streets.
 Think of the supporting details being
the distance you travel on each
street.

 Say
what you need to say before you
“turn”!

14. TOPIC SENTENCES (New
Streets)



If you think of each street as a topic, think of
the street name as your topic sentence.
Lets you know what a paragraph will be about.
Includes the paragraph’s main idea and point.

15. SUPPORTING DETAILS:
Going the distance



Develops the topic sentence of a paragraph
Illustrates examples, reasons, and
explanations before moving on to a new
subject
These details should also be related back to
the thesis statement before moving on.

16. TRANSITIONS (TURNING)



Connect ideas in sentences, paragraphs, and
sections of papers
Keep your reader “on track” in the organization
system of your paper
Connect
 Paragraphs
(@ start or end)
 Examples (within paragraphs)
 Sections of a large paper

See chart for examples.

17. ARRIVING

How does your GPS let you know
you’ve made it to your
destination?
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSkCEjPcjq9wCKE0edODpGleG3uRbB7jPNch226c4B2_GWbVnr4

18. ARRIVING
It repeats
your
destination
(thesis
statement).
 It waves a
flag.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRGoistF3fnKy-mvvfTesR_vCxy0rTAVaONuXsXIm6-E5x0nKZIk

19. ARRIVING in your paper

How do you know you’ve arrived at
your point?
 You’ve
traveled the distance and said all
you need to say.
Your paper’s arrival is the conclusion.
 Conclusions:

 Restate
your thesis statement (in new
words!)
 Recap what you’ve said in your paper.

20. CONCLUSIONS




Brings the ideas you’ve presented together
Provides a shadow of the thesis statement
Answers the “So What?” question for a reader
May provide insight, point to broader
implications, or suggest a course of action.

21. So, start
organizing your
trip!

22. 
Decide which order you’ll present your
evidence in
 Your

“route”
Start your GPS!
 Orient
yourself w/ a thesis statement
 Start a body paragraph with a topic sentence
 Support it with details
 Transition between details and paragraphs
 Go back and fill in background info in your
introduction
 Wrap things up with a sweet conclusion