WRITING AN EFFECTIVE PARAGRAPH

A paragraph is a group of sentences that fleshes out a single idea.

Paragraphs are distinct sections within a larger piece of writing, such as an essay, book or
report.

Paragraphs are complete units of thought that are presented in a logical order.

Writing effective academic paragraphs can be tricky, but the writing style is linear – writing in a
straight line as:

• Tell your reader what you are going to tell them

 Tell them
 Tell your reader what you have told them

When we write an essay, we always start with an introduction which might be one paragraph or
two, depending with the length and content of your essay. After the introductory paragraph,
the main body follows, which could minimally be five paragraphs. A conclusion is then added to
complete a paragraph. So it is when writing a paragraph. There should be an introduction (a
topic sentence), a main body (supporting sentences) and conclusion (closing sentences).

In order for a paragraph to be effective, it must begin with a topic sentence; add some other
sentences that support the main idea of that paragraph as presented in a topic sentence while
maintaining a consistent flow, and closing a paragraph by adding a closing sentence.

The Structure of a Paragraph

A paragraph has three parts which are:

1. Topic sentence
2. Supporting sentences
3. Closing sentence

Topic sentence

A topic sentence is the first sentence in a paragraph. This sentence introduces the overall idea
to be discussed in the paragraph. It is a general sentence about a specific topic. It is the part
where you tell the reader what you are going to tell.

Topic sentences also have controlling ideas, which further focuses the scope of the paragraph
subject. They indicate what will be discussed in the following lines of the paragraph, so it is
important not to confuse your reader by diverging from the topic. Topic sentences can also
indicate the order in which points will be discussed and the writer’s position.
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Remember that any given topic can have thousands of main ideas. Suppose you are asked to
write about pizza. How many different main ideas could you come up with for this?

• How to make a pizza;

• My favorite pizza place;
• History of pizza;
• Best times to each pizza;
• Different kinds of pizza…

All of these main ideas would make good paragraphs.

Before writing a paragraph, therefore, it is important to think first about the topic and then
what you want to say about the topic. Most often, the topic is easy, but the question then turns
to what you want to say about the topic - controlling idea.

The topic – The main subject matter or idea covered in the paragraph.

The controlling idea – An idea that focuses the topic by providing direction to the composition.

Read the following topic sentences. They all contain a topic (in bold) and a controlling idea (in
italics). When your paragraphs contain a clearly stated topic sentence such as one of the
following, your reader will know what to expect and, therefore, understand your ideas better.

Examples of topic sentences:

• People can avoid plagiarizing by taking certain precautions.

• There are several advantages to online education.
• Effective leadership requires specific qualities that anyone can develop.

Supporting Sentences

A topic sentence needs to be developed with supporting sentences. These sentences support
the main idea by providing: explanation to clarify; evidence to validate; and, examples to
illustrate. Ii is the part where you tell the reader what you said in the topic sentence.

Ask yourself:

• What examples can I use to support my point?

• What information can I provide to help clarify my thoughts?
• How can I support my point with specific data, experiences, or other factual material?
• What information does the reader need to know in order to see my point?

The following is a list of information that can be added to your paragraph

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 • Facts, details, reasons, examples
• Information from the readings or class discussions
• Paraphrases or short quotations
• Statistics, polls, percentages, data from research studies
• Personal experience, stories, anecdotes, examples from your life

Sometimes, adding transitional or introductory phrases like: for example, for instance, first,
second, or last can help guide the reader. When citation is required, make sure you cite your
sources appropriately.

Closing/concluding sentence(s)

After illustrating your point with relevant information, add a concluding sentence. Concluding
sentences link one paragraph to the next and provide another device for helping you ensure
your paragraph is unified. While not all paragraphs include a concluding sentence, you should
always consider whether one is appropriate. Concluding sentences have two crucial roles in
paragraph writing.

First, they draw together the information you have presented to elaborate your controlling idea
by:

• Summarizing the point(s) you have made.

• Repeating words or phrases from the topic sentence.
• Using linking words that indicate that conclusions are being drawn (e.g., therefore, thus,
resulting).

In general, it is telling the reader what you have told them.

Second, they often link the current paragraph to the following paragraph. They may anticipate
the topic sentence of the next paragraph by:

• Introducing a word/phrase or new concept which will then be picked up in the topic
sentence of the next paragraph.
• Using words or phrases that point ahead (e.g., the following, another, other).

Paragraph Assessment

When you finish writing any paragraph, assessment is needed. Check whether your paragraph:

 presents a single idea;

 begins with a topic sentence that makes the single idea evident;
 contains 5 to 7 sentences that convey this single idea;
 strategically organized to maintain flow;

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  maintains your essay’s objective;
 inform and entertains your reader about your paper’s overall idea.

Essential Elements of a paragraph

There are four essential elements that an effective paragraph should consistently contain:
unity, coherence, a topic sentence, and sufficient development.

1. Unity
The paragraph must focus solely on a single idea, point, or argument that is being
discussed to maintain unit. If you begin to write sentence that wander from the
paragraph’s main idea, then it is time to start a new paragraph.
2. Coherence
Coherence is more commonly referred to as the flow of your writing. When a paragraph
flows, the reader will be able to understand the main idea that you have presented.
How can you ensure that your paragraph maintains a flow? After presenting your main
idea in your topic sentence, each sentence following must build upon each other in an
organized manner. After writing your paragraph, make sure your ideas are clearly
presented. If they are, you have developed a coherent paragraph.
3. Topic sentence
The topic sentence is the most important part of your paragraph; it tells the reader the
general idea of your paragraphs and should essentially “hook” them into wanting to
read more! The topic sentence helps to provide a “general summary” for your
paragraph. A reader should encounter the topic sentence and have a general idea of
what the paragraph will continue to discuss.
4. Sufficient development
It is essential that this topic sentence be sufficiently developed. Do not limit yourself to
a set number of sentences. Yes, your paragraph should not be too short or too long, but
it should be an appropriate length to flesh out the entirety of your paragraph’s idea. A
reader should not be left with questions after a sufficiently developed paragraph. In
order to achieve this, you can provide examples, cite work, provide necessary
definitions, describe, analyze, and organize your ideas.

Signaling words in a paragraph

Signaling words are expressions which lead the reader from one idea to the next. They show
the reader how the parts of a paragraph are connected. Below is a list of signaling phrases you
can use to connect ideas between sentences. These do not need to start a sentence but can
also be used within a sentence.

Addition: moreover, in addition, apart from this, furthermore.

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Cause and effect: as a result, because of this, for this reason, therefore, consequently
comparison/similar ideas: in the same way, similarly, likewise

Contrast/opposite ideas: in contrast, however, on the other hand,

Example: for example, for instance

Explanation: in other words, to be more precise

Generalization: as a rule, generally, normally, on the whole, in most case, usually

Summary/conclusion: finally, in brief, in short, overall, therefore, in conclusion

Time/order: at first, initially, eventually, finally, lastly, next, first(ly),

Compare these two samples of paragraphs.

Sample paragraph 1-without signaling words

One difference among the world’s seas and oceans is that the salinity varies in different climate
zones. The Baltic Sea in northern Europe is only one-fourth as salty as the Red Sea in the Middle
East. There are reasons for this. In warm climates, water evaporates rapidly. The concentration
of salt is greater. The surrounding land is dry and does not contribute much freshwater to dilute
the salty seawater. In cold climate zones, water evaporates slowly. The runoff created by
melting snow adds a considerable amount of freshwater to dilute the saline seawater.

Sample paragraph 2- with signaling words (note the punctuation (comma) used with these
words)

One difference among the world’s seas and oceans is that the salinity varies in different climate
zones. For example, the Baltic Sea in northern Europe is only one-fourth as salty as the Red Sea
in the Middle East. There are reasons for this. First of all, in warm climates, water evaporates
rapidly; therefore, the concentration of salt is greater. Second, the surrounding land is dry and
does not contribute much freshwater to dilute the salty seawater. In cold climate zones, on the
other hand, water evaporates slowly. Furthermore, the runoff created by melting snow adds a
considerable amount of freshwater to dilute the saline seawater.

Paragraph 2 is more coherent because it contains signaling word.

Types of Paragraph

Paragraphs can serve different purposes in your writing. The following typologies were
developed from the University of North Carolina Writing Center and Kirszner and Mandell
(2005). These types of paragraphs, however, are not necessarily mutually exclusive. For

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example, you might want to define a complex topic, so you would begin with a definition
paragraph but then use an illustration to better clarify the definition.

Narrative paragraphs: a type of writing which involves relaying a single experience or

presenting a series events that tell a story from start to finish. Usually you will want to tell a
story to make a point. Many short stories, novels, films, etc. are in narrative form. In narrative,
a new paragraph begins when there is a change in time, place, activity or speaker.

Descriptive paragraphs: give details about the characteristics of something. You can describe
something based on the five senses: sight, touch, smell, sound, taste. Description is not what
you saw, but what readers need to see in order to imagine the scene, person, object, etc.

Process paragraphs: explain how something works or is done, or provide instruction on how to
perform the process. In describing how a process happens or how to perform a series of
actions, always think of your readers: can they follow this? Analyze the process into a series of
steps. Put the steps into sequence, isolate the steps using bullets or in separate paragraphs.

Classification paragraphs: separate items are grouped into categories according to shared
characteristics. Depending on the subject, you may be asked to classify people, organisms,
things or ideas. They group things into categories or explain a particular aspect of something.

Compare and contrast paragraphs: examine the similarities or differences between things.
Sometimes you’ll compare both the similarities and differences.

Illustration (or exemplification) paragraphs: provide examples and explain how those
examples support your topic.

Definition paragraphs: tell what a word or concept means. Some concepts, like happiness, or
empowerment, are difficult to define because there are multiple interpretations, so defining
how you use the term is important.

Cause and effect paragraphs: explain why or how something happened. A caveat here is you
must have good evidence that a causal relationship actually occurred, which can be difficult.

Argument or persuasion paragraphs: present and argue an opinion about an issue or topic i.e.
make an opinion statement and defend that opinion. The paragraphs try to get the reader to
agree with the opinion of the writer. The topic sentence provides the writer’s opinion on a
debatable topic. As a writer, you are to logically convince the reader to agree with your opinion.
Convincing is usually done by providing facts, evidence and by emotionally appealing to the
reader through descriptive language.

All these types of paragraphs can be grouped into four basic types as:

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 • Information paragraph: includes definition paragraphs, illustration paragraphs, cause
and effects paragraphs, classification paragraphs, process paragraphs and compare and
contrast paragraphs.
• Narrative paragraphs
• Descriptive paragraphs
• Persuasion or argument paragraphs

THE ORGANIZATION OF AN ESSAY

Essays allow students to demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of a topic based on research

and reading. The skill of good essay writing is to be able to critically discuss and evaluate ideas
within a set word limit. The focus of an essay is usually on developing an argument or analysing
ideas rather than on description. The essay is written in paragraphs and has a structure that
includes: introduction, body and conclusion.

Introduction

The purpose of the introductory paragraph in an essay is to “introduce” the reader to your topic
in a gradual and logical manner. The introduction will normally move from more general
statements related to the question, to a specific statement of the main idea or argument that
will be discussed in the body.

Here are some specifications about the typical introductory paragraph:

• It begins with an indentation (as do all the paragraphs in your essay)

• It is not too long or too short --usually about four to five sentences long.
• It should begin with an “attention grabber,” i.e., something that will capture and keep
the reader’s attention and make him want to continue reading your essay. This device
could be:
a. an interesting or unusual little-known fact about your topic
b. a thought-provoking rhetorical question
c. a brief narrative (a little story) which illustrates a point related to your topic
• It begins with a rather general tone and gradually gets more specific toward the end.
• It usually ends with your thesis statement, which might also contain a brief summary of
the supporting reasons (often three or more) for your thesis.
• The thesis statement should contain some of the same important words as the title of
your essay.

The following is a sample introductory paragraph that demonstrates the points mentioned
above:

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 The Need for Parental Controls of TV Programs ←Title

Statistics show that there are more television sets in America than bathtubs. The average
American home has at least two TVs. Something else that the average American home has is
children—and often very young, impressionable children. This combination of children and
television can be good (as with educational programming like National Geographic), but it can
also be quite damaging (as with programs depicting excessive sex and violence like CSI: Special
Victims Unit). Clearly there needs to be some type of regulation of what young children see on
their TVs at home. Parents should definitely monitor, screen, and control the types of TV
programs that their young children watch.

The first two sentences serve as information grabber; the last sentence is the thesis statement.

The Body paragraphs of an Essay

The following information about the body of an essay applies to all types of essays in which you
are trying to make a point about something and support it.

• Includes the evidence and support of the paper in addition to the author’s ideas
 Paragraphs must include a topic sentence which relates the discussion back to the thesis
statement
 Logical ordering of ideas: 3 types of order
1. Chronological order---order of time, good for narratives
2. Spatial order-good for descriptions of locations; top to bottom
3. Emphatic order-least important to most important; most common for college
writing
 Ensure that transition sentences are present to create a good flow to the essay
 Include substantial examples and evidence to support your argument and remember to
cite where necessary
 Make sure each example is relevant to your particular topic
 When you begin each new body paragraph, you should use a transition or link, which
could be one word, a phrase, or even a full sentence. A transitional word would be
something like First, Secondly, Thirdly, Next, or Finally. Sometimes slightly longer
phrases can be used such as In the first place, On the other hand, or By contrast

NOTE: The purpose of the transition is to remind the reader of your paper about the main idea
of the previous paragraph before he begins reading the new paragraph. Do not use a transition
at the end of one paragraph to tell the reader what the next paragraph is going to be about. In
other words, a properly used transition would remind the reader of what has already been said
in the previous paragraph, not what is going to be said in the next paragraph. It’s a review of
the past, not a prediction of the future

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The Concluding Paragraph of an Essay (telling the reader what you have told)

The concluding paragraph of an essay is almost as important and as carefully structured as the
introductory paragraph. Here are some general pointers about a properly written concluding
paragraph:

• The concluding paragraph should not be too long or too short; the average length is
about four or five sentences.
• It should restate the main arguments in a simplified manner
• The concluding paragraph should begin with a repeat of the thesis statement (main
idea) of the essay but with slightly different wording from the original thesis statement
in the introduction.
• The main purpose of the concluding paragraph is to sum up the major ideas of the essay
by reviewing the important points that have been made and by reminding the reader
what the main point (the thesis statement) of the essay was.
• Ensure that the reader is left with something to think about, particularly if it is an
argumentative essay
• No new information or new ideas should be in the conclusion.
• If possible, the concluding paragraph should end on a positive, upbeat note.
• It is not necessary or desirable to begin the concluding paragraph with the trite phrase,
“In conclusion,…” There are better phrases to use to imply that this is the concluding
paragraph of the essay.

Always remember to allow time to rewrite the first draft of your essay and, then, to
proofread it before turning it in

Here is a sample concluding paragraph that exemplifies the above traits:

It is clear, then, that responsible parents have a definite obligation to monitor their children’s
TV watching. First of all, from an educational standpoint, parents could help their children
learn better by urging them to watch educational programs that relate to the topics that the
children are studying in school. Secondly, it is the civic responsibility of parents to help their
children grow up as law-abiding, dependable members of society. Finally, and perhaps most
importantly, parents have an ethical responsibility to ensure that their children become moral,
decent adults. By keeping a careful and loving eye on what their children watch on TV, parents
can make television time a pleasant family experience.

In this concluding paragraph, the first sentence repeats the thesis statement; sentences 2, 3,
and 4 wrap up the main arguments; the last sentences is the positive ending.

Transitions in Paragraphs

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 A transition is moving from one place to another. In writing, we try to make transitions
between paragraphs so that the reader of our paper can “move” smoothly from one idea to
another. The transitions help show how the various ideas are related to each other.

A transition is usually placed at the START of a new paragraph in the body of the paper. Do not
place it at the end of the previous paragraph.

The transition could be anything from a single word to an entire sentence. Many times,
transitional phrases are already well known, such as Consequently, On the other hand, In
contrast, By the same token, Along the same lines, and others. At other times, you will have to
create an entirely new sentence in order to make your transitional thought.

1. Additional information of the same nature as what has just been given.
And, Furthermore, Similarly, Just as . . . , so also . . . . ., Likewise, Also, In the same way, In
addition, . . . Moreover, By the same token, . . . . Along the same lines, . . . .
2. Opposite or contradictory information from what has just been given
but In spite of this, . . . However, . . . . Nevertheless, . . . Although . . . . . . Nonetheless, . . . On
the other hand, . . . . On the contrary, . . . . By contrast (or In contrast, . . .)
3. A choice between two options
Or, either . . . or, neither . . . nor, if . . . ., then . . . . .
4. A reason for some occurrence or some course of action
Because, by reason of . . ., due to . . . (Avoid “due to the fact that . . . .” Just use because
instead.)
5. Coming to or drawing a conclusion; “finishing up.”
Then, so, therefore, We see, then, that . . . ., thus, (Avoid “In conclusion . . . .” It’s too stuffy
and artificial.) hence, Finally, . . .
6. Beginning or just starting to establish main points:
To begin with, First of all, (primary point) At first, Secondly, . . Initially,
7. Words designating a certain time sequence or order:
While . . . . After . . . . Before . . . During . . . As . . . . . . Meantime, (or In the meantime)
Meanwhile, . . .
8. To introduce a sudden idea distantly related to what has just been said:
Incidentally, . . . . By the way, . . . . Speaking of . . . .
9. To introduce surprising information or more correct or more accurate information.
As a matter of fact, . . . Actually, . . . In fact, . . .

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Activity 1: Write topic sentences for the following paragraphs (you will need to read the supporting
sentences very carefully).

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
For example, paragraphs could be structured in terms of comparison and contrast. They could also be
structured to show a process. Furthermore, the organization of a paragraph may be based in the
writer’s need to describe. In this particular case, the structure is one which is based in the writer’s need
to enumerate.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
This is not always necessary. However, the concluding sentence can be useful in reminding the reader
of the main point of the paragraph (especially useful in a long paragraph). It can also leave the reader
with a thought which may provoke further reflection on the topic.

Activity 2: Rewrite the following paragraph using linking words to make the paragraph more coherent:

Hofstede’s theories have been hugely influential. They have encouraged people to think more
deeply about cultural differences. They have helped provide people with effective ‘waysof seeing’
cultural differences. They have helped provide people with an effective way of discussing cultural
differences. They have given organisations ideas about how to manage workplace diversity. Not every
one agrees with Hofstede’s model of cultural differences. His concept of ‘masculine vs. feminine’
cultures has been subject to great criticism. Some people have argued that his ideas are based on
research of atypical groups. They are atypical in terms of career and class. These groups are not
reflective of the different people who make up the different national cultures. Hofstede’s theories
continue to be useful. They are hard to ignore.

Activity 3: Read the following paragraph and identify where it could be divided into two paragraphs.

High emotional intelligence can help a manager improve workplace communication skills, employee
motivation and organizational effectiveness. If a manager has high empathy, a key component of
emotional intelligence, he or she will be able to listen to the concerns of employees and will be more
understanding of their needs, wants and concerns. This will most likely translate into increased
motivation and satisfaction of employees and ultimately will have a positive effect on the
effectiveness of the business. It is important to note, however, that emotional intelligence is a concept
that is not universally understood to have the same meaning and is not universally believed to be a key
determiner of business success. Highly authoritarian, top down approaches are employed in many
successful businesses today.

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