Sources and Paragraph Structure
MEA(L)
When writing with sources, a fundamental technique you should pick up is how to frame the source information in a paragraph. One common strategy is to learn the MEA(L) paragraph:
M = Main idea. The first sentence of a paragraph should state the paragraph’s main idea.
E = Evidence. Underneath the main idea will be the details from the source, whether summarized, paraphrased, or quoted. Experienced writers blend all three forms of integration (summary, paraphrase, and quotes) seamlessly, rather than relying on just one. It’s important to clearly signal to the reader when you’re referring to information from an outside source. To make this obvious, writers often introduce the information with something called a signal phrase, such as: According to ____,
A = Analysis. This is where you develop the significance of the evidence, in your own words. Don’t get caught in a quote trap of stringing quotes together without explaining, analyzing, or evaluating the information.
[Optional] L = Lead out. When including a source in a longer writing situation, such as a researched persuasive essay, it’s often helpful to remind your reader how the ideas developed in the paragraph relate to the broader argument (thesis statement). It’s even more important to connect the paragraph with the next idea in the essay, otherwise known as “transitioning.”
Parts of this section are from: David College Library’s “When to Cite“; The Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre’s “Three Strategies for Using Evidence“; UNC Writing Center’s “Quotations“; Yuba College’s “The quote ‘sandwich’“; and Tacoma Community College Library’s “The ‘hamburger technique’ of writing.” Other parts have been added by the editors of this textbook.
