9.1 Effective Means for Writing a Paragraph
A paragraph is:
- a unit of discourse, a chunk of information, that typically contains at least one sentence
- a formatting technique, an element of visual language, that sorts chunks of information and illustrates relationships among ideas
- organizational schema (e.g., deductive, inductive, or causal organizational order) — that is, a method of organizing, recalling, and sharing information
Paragraphs are a powerful formatting technique, an element of visual language. Paragraphs are visual cues that help readers understand how chunks of information relate to other chunks of information.
Readers love paragraphs because they aid comprehension and facilitate skimming. People enhance recall of information by chunking information into similar and dissimilar groups. For instance, to remember a phone number, we chunk it into parts to aid recall, remembering 813-974-9469 rather than 8139749469.
In part, where paragraphs should be placed is a stylistic choice.
- Some writers prefer longer paragraphs that compare and contrast several related ideas, whereas others opt for a more linear structure, delineating each subject on a one-point-per-paragraph basis. Paragraph style is shaped by the writer’s viewpoint, tone, and voice.
- The genre or type of writing dictates the length of paragraphs and practice of chunking paragraphs into sections under headers. For instance,
- newspaper articles or documents published on the Internet tend to have short paragraphs, even one-sentence paragraphs
- articles in academic journals tend to have long sentences with loads of citations
However, paragraphs do follow a logic. Paragraphs are not just a group of sentences about a single topic. Rather a paragraph builds upon the foundation laid out by the text’s thesis and works in harmony with the other paragraphs. Each paragraph should serve a specific purpose related to the thesis—to explain a relevant idea (transition and topic sentence); provide background information (introduce evidence/signal phrase); argue a supporting point (evidence); and/or offer a counterargument (evidence of counterclaim). A paragraph that does not serve any of these purposes may by unnecessary.
Composing an effective paragraph requires a method similar to building a house. You may have the finest content, or materials, but if you do not arrange them in the correct order, then the final product will not hold together very well.
A strong paragraph contains three distinct components:
- Topic sentence. The topic sentence is the main idea of the paragraph.
- Body. The body is composed of the supporting sentences that develop the main point.
- Conclusion. The conclusion is the final sentence that summarizes the main point.
In summary, paragraphs are not a mishmash of sentences, a puzzle. Ultimately, readers:
- expect paragraphs to be about a single topic
- look for a topic sentence so they can skim through the paragraph
- expect paragraphs to follow a common organizational schema
- expect transitional language that clarifies relationships between and among paragraphs
Continue Reading: 9.2 Topic Sentences
