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Schaffer PowerPoint
Writing with Structure
Schaffer Method
• The Schaffer
Method of writing
the Multiparagraph
Essay gives writers
a structure or
guide to follow
Terminology
• In order to
succeed in this unit
you will need to
familiarize
yourself with the
terminology of the
method.
Terminology
• Essay
• A piece of writing
that gives your
thoughts
(commentary)
about a subject.
Terminology
• Essay
• All essays you will
write in this unit
will have at least 4
paragraphs.
Each Essay will have:
A minimum of Four paragraphs:
An introduction paragraph
Two body paragraphs
A concluding paragraph
Introduction
• Also called the
introductory
paragraph
• The first paragraph in
an essay
• Includes the thesis,
which is MOST
OFTEN at the END of
the paragraph.
Body Paragraph
• Middle paragraph
in an essay
• Develops a point
that supports your
thesis
Concluding Paragraph
• The last paragraph
• It may sum up your
ideas, reflect on what
you said in your essay,
say more commentary
about your subject, or
give a personal
statement about the
subject.
Concluding Paragraph
• Your conclusion is
ALL
COMMENTARY
and does not
include CONCRETE
DETAIL
Concluding Paragraph
• Your Conclusion DOES
NOT repeat KEY
WORDS from your
paper
• Your Conclusion does
not repeat KEY
WORDS from your
THESIS or
INTRODUCTORY
PARAGRAPH
Concluding Paragraph
• Your conclusion
should give a
finished feeling to
your whole essay
– It should leave the
reader satisfied
like a runner who
has just finished a
race!
Thesis
• A sentence with a
subject and
opinion.
• IN this method
opinion is also
called
COMMENTARY
Thesis
• Your thesis
statement should
usually come at the
end of the
introductory
paragraph
Concrete Details (CD)
• Specific details
easy to “see” or
imagine
• Like a BRICK—easy
to see
Concrete Details (CD)
• These “specific”
details form the
BACKBONE or core of
your body paragraphs
– Will the details in your
paragraph, help your
paragraph STAND UP
STRAIGHT?
Concrete Details (CD)
• Your paragraphs
will only be as
STRONG as your
DETAILS
Concrete Details (CD)
• Synonyms for
CONCRETE Details
–
–
–
–
–
FACTS
SPECIFICS
EXAMPLES
DESCRIPTIONS
ILLUSTRATIONS
Concrete Details (CD)
• Other Synonyms:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Support
Proof
Evidence
Quotations
Paraphrasing
Plot references
Commentary (CM)
• Your opinion or
comment about
something
• NOT concrete
detail
Commentary (CM)
• Synonyms for
Commentary
include:
–
–
–
–
Opinion
Insight
Analysis
Interpretation
Commentary (CM)
• Synonyms for
Commentary:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Inference
Personal Response
Feelings
Evaluation
Explication
Reflection
Topic Sentence
• The FIRST SENTENCE in a body
paragraph.
– Must have a SUBJECT and OPINION
(Commentary) for the paragraph.
Topic Sentence
• The Topic
Sentence does the
same thing for a
BODY PARAGRAPH
that the THESIS
does for the whole
essay
Concluding Sentence
• Of course, the
concluding
sentence is the
LAST sentence in a
body paragraph.
Concluding Sentence
• This sentence is
ALL commentary
(opinion).
• Just like the
Concluding
Paragraph in the
Essay it does NOT:
– Repeat key words
Concluding Sentence
• This sentence
should give a
finished feeling to
the paragraph.
– It is done,
complete.
Shaping the Essay
• The STEP after
Pre-writing.
• This is done
BEFORE the first
draft of the essay
– You are still mixing
the ingredients
needed to write
your essay
Shaping the Essay
• Like a potter who
has all of the
materials he or she
needs, you take the
stuff you have
done in pre-writing,
and put it into a
form
Shaping the Essay
• You make an outline of
your thesis, topic
sentences, concrete
details, and
commentary ideas.
• Shape it into a lump
• It is NOT the finished
product yet, just the
lump of clay, ready to
work with.
First Draft
• Now you begin to
MOLD your essay,
making your first
creation.
• The ROUGH draft
First Draft
• Just like any
artist, the rough
draft or first
draft will need to
be redone.
• That is the nature
of creating good
work.
Final Draft
• The final version of
your essay
– The beautiful finished
product
– Just like a potter who
reuses the clay, you
have reused the
material from each
draft to craft a
beautiful essay
Final Draft
• This final product
includes ALL of the
hard work that has
gone before
– Without all of the
previous attempts,
it would not be as
good as it is now.
Peer Response
• These are
WRITTEN
responses and
REACTIONS to a
partner’s paper.
Peer Response
• Make sure that
your response is
SPECIFIC and
ACCURATE
Chunk
• This is the smallest
unified group of
thoughts you can
write
• It is ONE sentence
of concrete detail
+ 2 sentences of
commentary
Chunk
• You will see this
formula used to
represent a
CHUNK
• This means one
CONCRETE
DETAIL must have
TWO sentences of
commentary
CD:CM
1:2+
Chunk
• Example: CD= My
bedroom is the place
where I like to relax
and let go of the day’s
worries. For example,
I can play any music I
want, from my
mother’s old Beatles’
records to my own
Shakira compact discs.
Chunk
• CM: Commentary
on that CD
• #1This shows that
in my room I don’t
have to be
concerned about
the sound
bothering other
family members.
Chunk
• CM #2:
• This shows that
being able to listen
to my songs in the
privacy of my own
room helps me
unwind and take my
mind away from my
daily problems
Weaving
• Blending CD (concrete
details) and CM
(commentary) in a
body paragraph
• Just as a person uses
different cloth on a
loom to weave a rug,
putting them in and
around each other
Weaving
• This is a more
complex skill in
writing, you will
learn to WEAVE
after you master
the original
format.
Ratio
• You should have the
correct ratio of 1 part
concrete detail (CD)
to 2+ parts
commentary (CM)
Topic Sentence
• Topic:
– General sentence with a subject and an
opinion also called COMMENTARY
Example: Washington is one of the most
beautiful states in the country.
Example: South Park is one of the most
popular shows on Comedy Central.
Topic Sentence
• According to the Schaffer Method
– Every thesis should have a subject and
one commentary
– Every paragraph should start with a
thesis
• Analogy: Riding a bicycle with training
wheels is like writing with the Schaffer
model
Topic Sentence
• Thesis and Commentary
– Practice:
• Write a subject that you have strong
feelings about
• Write a commentary statement about it
Sample Thesis
Statements
• Circle the subjects and underline the
commentary
– Sometimes boyfriends are nothing but
heartaches
– I really hate changing schools
– Having divorced parents is awful
– The worst day of eighth grade was when
I broke my arm
– Waves are the funnest things to ride
Sample Thesis
Statements
• Circle the subject and underline the
commentary
• Camping is fun because I can get away
from most of society
• Being in high school can have its
advantages
• I love to watch TV because it’s interesting
• Music is the best thing that ever happened
• Ice Hockey is a hard sport and very
painful.