AXES Model: A.X.E.S Paragraph Outline
A.X.E.S is an acronym that stands for Assertion, eXample, Explanation and Significance. It is meant to help you remember the types of elements that you should include in the body paragraphs.
A.X.E.S Model Of Paragraph Development Outline
The following is an A.X.E.S paragraph outline:
1. Assertion.
An Assertion is your claim for the paragraph. It is the topic sentence for your paragraph. An assertion is a statement that contains a specific argument, claim or position that links your arguments with each other and your thesis statement. It is supposed to be concrete and confident. An assertion acts as a thesis statement for the paragraph. You should back up your assertion with an example as evidence.
2. eXample.
An example is a quote or fact that supports your assertion. Examples in a paragraph are used to prove what evidence exists to support your assertion. Your examples are supposed to be specific in order to make your analysis precise. It is important to provide examples to prevent your readers from wondering where and how you have sourced your assertions which may, in turn, stop them from accepting your arguments. You need to explain your examples to support them.
3. Explanation.
Explanations reveal how the example supports the assertion. You must prove how your example relates to your assertion. Your explanation should be clear and specific. The aim of the explanation is to tell your reader how the example proves the assertion. Explanations help the reader kno0w how you see the evidence and your intentions. Ensure that you state why your assertion is significant to prevent your readers to respond with indifference.
4. Significance.
Significance reveals how or why the paragraph supports the paper’s thesis statement. The following questions should help you determine your assertion’s significance:
- Why is the assertion important to your argument?
- What is important about the text and how does it challenge or confirm your own beliefs?
- What do you want the reader to learn from that paragraph?
- How does that paragraph relate to the piece as a whole?