Schaffer PowerPointSchaffer PowerPointWriting with StructureWriting 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: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

Pre-writing• The process of

getting your concrete details down on paper BEFORE you organize your essay into paragraphs

Pre-writing• Bubble Cluster

Main Idea

Pre-writing• Spider Diagram

Main Idea

Pre-writing• Outlines • I. Main Idea

– A. Secondary Idea• 1. Sub Idea

– a. Example– B. Example

Pre-Writing• Line Clustering

– In line clustering you put the subject of the essay you are working on at the top.

– You then complete three steps to do a line cluster

Line Clustering• LIST

– List all of the ideas that come into your mind regarding your subject

– You should list SIX ideas

• Each IDEA should have at least FIVE words in it

Line Clustering• LIST (Example)

– Subject: Dogs are my favorite kind of animals

• Very loyal and loveable all of the time

• Fun to play with both inside and outside the house

• They take a lot of care and attention

• Large dogs need much more space than small dogs

• Small dogs can stay in your lap and in your bed

• Small dogs can make neighbors more upset

Line Clustering• After you list everything

you then think of ways you can CATEGORIZE the things in your list together– Example from the left:

• Categories can be:• A: Benefits of Dogs• B: Challenges of Caring

for Dogs

– Subject: Dogs are my favorite kind of animals

• Very loyal and loveable all of the time

• Fun to play with both inside and outside the house

• They take a lot of care and attention

• Large dogs need much more space than small dogs

• Small dogs can stay in your lap and in your bed

• Small dogs can make neighbors more upset

Line Clustering• STEP THREE:• Label each of

your IDEAS in your LIST by the CATEGORY

Line Clustering• Category A: Benefits

– Very loyal and loveable all of the time

– Fun to play with both inside and outside the house

– Small dogs can stay in your lap and in your bed

• Category B:• Challenges

– They take a lot of care and attention

– Large dogs need much more space than small dogs

– Small dogs can make neighbors more upset

Columns• The last form of

Pre Writing in the Schaffer Method is forming Columns

Columns#1 The subject of your pre writing goes

in this box

Columns#1 Dogs

#2 Two main ideas go in the second two boxes

Columns#1 Dogs

#2 Companions

Responsibility

Columns#1 Dogs

#2 Companions

Responsibility

#3Each idea in #3 has at least five words

Each idea in #3 has at least five words

Columns#1 Dogs

#2 Companions

Responsibility

#3 –Very loyal and loveable all of the time

-They take a lot of care and attention

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:CM1:2+

Chunk

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.