Paragraphs
A paragraph (from para- “beside,” or “alongside of,” + graphein, “to write”) is a group of one or more sentences used to separate ideas in a body of writing.
Contents |
Introductory Paragraphs
An introductory paragraph is the first paragraph of a body of writing. It should explain what the piece is about and the point the author is trying to make. The main point shouldn't be expressed immediately but rather, the author should describe what the main idea will be and then flow right into the main text of the writing. An introductory paragraph should get the reader’s attention and help move him or her into the rest of the text by ending with a good transition and a thesis statement.
However, not all writing has an introductory paragraph. Those that do contain it include, but are not limited to: speeches, reports, most essays, and even some books, although the introductory paragraph in a book may expand in length to cover a few pages.
Unity
A paragraph should be about one main idea. Each paragraph should also have a topic sentence at the beginning to introduce the main subject. It should refrain from roaming within different ideas. Keep it focused.
Paragraphs have two components. The Issue and the Discussion. The issue, otherwise known as the subject or topic, can be more then one sentence. If the issue is overly long it can cause the reader to confuse the issue with the discussion. The discussion is where the author brings in evidence and sets it against previously known information. According to Joseph M. Williams, "this is also where the writer develops and expands those themes and topics" (104). Headings can be used to separate the issue from the discussion, especially in longer documents.
Development
The main point, established in the introductory paragraph, should be sufficiently fleshed out in the following paragraphs. Authors can do any of the following to help develop a paragraph:
- Give examples
- Use details to adequately paint a picture
- Cite data
- Talk about other people's opinions
- Describe the topic
- Develop sequences
- Define difficult or technical terms
- Transition into the next paragraph
Clarity and Focus
There are four common problems that plague paragraphs. Any single or combination of these may create problems in a paragraph.
- Failure to Discuss Issues
Discussion diverges from the issue and the paragraph ends without evidence and support for the issue.
- Failure to Anticipate Important Issues
There is important evidence in the discussion but the writer fails to include it in the issue.
- Abuse of Jargon
The discussion supports the issue, however the use of technical terms, or jargon, related to the issue is confusing for the reader.
- Poor Transitions
The themes of the discussion are placed in the middle of the issue instead of the end. This is not ideal for the reader who wants a
clear train of thought. When the themes are at the end of the issue they make a better transition for the reader.
A paragraph that has one or more of these problems must be revised. All of these are common occurrences in first drafts and can be fixed. If a paragraph reads as unfocused or unclear one or more of these issues is likely the problem.
Point-Early vs. Point-Last
Readers won't usually understand exactly what a writer means unless the writer comes out and says it. The question for a writer then becomes whether he or she should give his or her point early on in a paragraph or wait until the end of a paragraph or even an entire document to give it. The difference between giving the point early on and giving it later on is a matter of how the writer means the writing to be read. By stating the point early on, the author then explains the point he or she made, proves the point, and readers are more impacted by the explanation. However, if the writer waits until the end to state the point, he or she can begin by developing his or her point, and the reader is slightly held in suspense until the end, when he or she finally reads the point. However, Williams says, "if the paragraph introduces a section or even a whole document, then you should put your point sentence at the end of that paragraph" (104). So this is purely circumstantial because it varies from context to context and may depend on the style of individual writers. The point, then, is what the reader remembers most.
Start a new paragraph...
- When you begin a new idea or point
- To compare information or ideas
- To explain the sequence events or a process
Dialogue
In a body of writing containing speech between two or more characters, a new paragraph should start when different characters are speaking one directly after another. This is typically found in fictional books and may require indentation from the surrounding non-dialogue text.
