II.    Writing the middle
 
You have written a good topic sentence, and then you have to develop it now. If the supporting information is rich in examples, reasons, details, or facts, we say the paragraph is fully developed. If the supporting information is inadequate or missing, we say the paragraph isthinly developed.
There are many ways to develop a paragraph. This chapter will discuss several of the most useful
 
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(1)  Thomas S. Kane and Leonard J. Peters, 1990. “Beginnings        Closings,” Writing Prose, p.217
 
methods of paragraph development. These include:
 

 
Examples and illustration                    Reasons      
              Definition                                              Comparison and contrast
              Cause and effect                                   Classification    
              Analysis                                                 Process
 
          

Examples and illustration

 
One of the simplest means of explaining anything is to give an example. You have seen how a story can be used to illustrate a point; the whole of the story is then an example. But examples can be shorter than an entire story. Example details frequently begin with "for example" or "for instance". And illustration details usually have such words as "one (thing, way, difference, ...), another (thing, way, difference, ...), still another ..., the most ...." But you do not always use them as indicators.
Examples can be used in at least two ways:
a)      To explain something abstract or difficult by giving a concrete example:
 

Topic sentence

 
 

                      Example

 
 
By the force of gravity we mean the force which attracts two masses to one another, and especially the force which attracts other masses towards the mass of the earth. For example, when an apple falls from a tree to the ground, it is because of the force of the earth’s gravity.

 
b)      To support an idea/argument by giving examples:
 

Topic sentence
 
                      Example
 
 
 
 
Revolutions which overthrow despotic govern- ments by violent means often end by establishing another kind of despotism.A good example is the French Revolution of 1789, which began as an expression of democratic will, and ended by establishing Napoleon as Emperor of the French.
 

But mostly, a paragraph can be fully developed by more than one example, as shown in this model:
 

Topic sentence
       Example 1
 
 
 
Many resources can be recycled.For example, aluminum cans can be recycled. Many drinks, like Pepsi, come in aluminum cans. People collect the cans and sell them. Then the cans are sent to a recycling center where they are heated in a furnace. They become
 
 
       Example 2
 
 
 
 
 
 
       Example 3
 
 
 
 
 
 
Concluding sentence
 
 
very hot and melt into aluminum that is used to make new cans. In this way, aluminum is used again and again. Many metals can be recycledtoo. Iron and steel are often recycled. Copper, zinc, and aluminum are recycled. Metal from old cars has been recycled since 1940s. The cars are crushed, and the metals are separated from each other. Then they are used to make new cars. New machines make this process