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Writing

ParagraphsEffective

What is a paragraph?

A PARAGRAPH

is a group of sentences tied

by one main idea, called topic

sentence (same as thesis

statement).

Unity: focuses on the topic

Coherence: continuity of the

thought

Adequate content

Adequate development

Adequate Pattern of Organization.

Characteristics of paragraphs

Paragraphs have

Structure: A topic statement

that ties sentences.

Form: Marked by indention.

Length: 50 to 250 words

2 to 15 sentences

9 The Topic Sentence

controls other sentences.

9 The sentences follow a

pattern ofdevelopment.

Ways of Developing Paragraphs

How to make the paragraph

a unified whole?

Changing stairs into ramp in front of xxxbuilding benefits handicapped persons.Customers in wheelchairs would mostlybenefit from this change. Individuals who

wear braces, who use canes or a walker, whoneed other types of assistance find it difficultto walk up a flight of stairs. Individuals withasthma or other breathing problems often findstairs a menace. In addition to theseindividuals, parents with small children incarts or strollers would find the rampconvenient. Older citizens, too, would benefitfrom this small but significant alteration infront of the building.

What is the topic?

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Ways To Begin and To Develop Paragraphs

X9Quotation: starts with a quotation.4XX9Question & answer3

X9Statement of a point of view (of the author)2XX9Listing: lists parts or ideas1XX9Illustration and exemplification0

X9Forecast and hypothesis

X9Statement of theory & technique

XX9Definition and classification

XX9Comparison-contrast

X9Command/Request

X9Call for actions related to the topic

X9Background, history

X9Advice: gives an important advice.

XX9Action, Process to follow.

WTDWTB9Processer.

Ways To Begin and To Develop Paragraphs

XX9Combination7X9General-to-particular or Particular-to-general6X9Cause-and-effect5X9Analysis, Discussion4

X9Summary of the main idea of the text3X9Statement of the problem2X9Statement of purpose1

XX9Statement developmental plans0X9Statement of a point of interest9X9Statement of a fact8X9Specific details: details of special importance7X9Statement of scope: shows limitations of the subject6

xX9Refute-an-argument: against another argument.5

Ways To Develop the Topic statement in

Paragraphs

9Question & answer

9Listing: lists parts or ideas

9Illustration and exemplification

9Definition and classification

9Comparison-contrast

9Action, Process to follow

Processr

9Combination29General-to-particular or Particular-to- 19Cause-and-effect09Analysis, Discussion

9Statement of developmental plans

9Refute-an-argument

1) Tying all sentences to the topic

statement

2) Maintaining a clear pattern of

development

3) Using specific transition elements

within and between sentences.

Cohesion of the paragraph

is achieved through

Use appropriate constructions:comparatives/superlatives,

Use verbs and verb related constructionscausative verbstense-time relationshipconditional constructionssubordination/ coordinationtime adverbs, punctuationpassive-active voice, connectives....

Each way-to-develop should show

Its supportive specific words DefinitionWhat is technical writing? Technical writing as a

term is not found in common dictionaries.

Websters New World Dictionary defines

technical as having to do with applied

sciences... and writing as the occupation of the

writer .... We might combine these two

definitions to define technical writing as writing

about science and technology.

Associated Specific Words

The following are examples: this means, from

this definition, in other words, as a clarification

Other elements that suit development

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Narration ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

When the gasoline is burned in an internal combustion

engine, it produces, in addition to water and carbon

dioxide, noxious carbon monoxide and nitrous oxides

which are dangerous pollutants. The hydrogen in the gas

combines with oxygen from the air to form water vapor;

carbon in the gas combines with oxygen from the air to

form carbon dioxide. The net products of the combustion

are water and carbon dioxide. Gas-driven cars burn gas

that leaves the air relatively clean. Hydrocarbon gases

contain mainly hydrogen and carbon that contain verylittle impurities. Gas-driven cars are environmentally more

friendly than gasoline cars.

Transition Elements

Chronological ordering: first, second, last

Time adverbs: When, then, after, before, ...

Verbs: follow, precede, come before or after, ...

Exemplification / Illustration

1. Not only the physical and life sciences

but also the social sciences and the

humanities require the services of technical

writers. For example, a discussion on

language testing can become very"technical." Demography offers a variety of

aspects involving complex statistical

data,....

2. Birds and animals . For example, a bee

returning from flowers with a load of nectar

performs a dance that tells the other bees

in hive where to get nectar....

Transition Elements

(exemplification)

for example, to illustrate, as an

example, for instance, in particular,

namely, that is, in other words,

Verbs: define, show, illustrate, have,

be (equative), ...

Comparison/Contrast

1. Some people would like to distinguish between the

writing done by scientists and engineers. However, the

principle of writing is the same. This text is concerned

with the principle common to the requirements for

technical writing, no matter who does the writing.

2. Clarity and precision are often interdependent. Clarity is

achieved when the writer has communicated meaningfully

to the reader. Precision is achieved when the writer attains

exact correspondence between the matter to be

communicated and written expression. Faults in clarity

and precision result when the following occur....

Transition Elements

not only... but also, but, yet, however, still, nevertheless,

even though, in spite of, despite, on the contrary, unlike,on the other hand, conversely, whereas, also, similarly,

likewise, in the same way (manner)...

Process

What happens when the source (person) tries to establish

commonness of experience with the receiver? First, the

source encodes the message he wants to communicate.

The message is then sent to the receiver. The receiver

gets the message and can decode it only within the

framework of his knowledge of the subject and hispersonal experience.

When the brakes are applied, the pistons in the wheel

cylinder, acting on the brake shoe, through the connecting

links, force the shoe against the drum. Since the shoe

floats free in the brake, the force of friction between the

shoes and the rotating drum, turns the entire assembly in

the direction of the wheel rotation....

Transition Elements

Use sequence transition such as moreover, in addition,

also, then, afterwards, next, afterwards, again...,

Cause-and-Effect Analysis

The source can encode and the destination candecode only in terms of the experience each hashad. If the two have a large area in common,communication is easy. If they share nothing,communication is impossible. If we have neverlearned Chinese, we can neither encode ordecode in that language. The presence of acommon code between the sender and thereceiver is, therefore, essential for any messageto be understood.Transition ElementsBecause, therefore, for, so, although, if,causative verbs: cause, result, produce, effect,give, as a result, consequently, hence, because,if, thus, for this reason, since, due to, when,...Special Verbs: cause, result, give rise to, induce,produce, affect, ... conditional tenses, ... .

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Classification / AnalysisDisplacement along a fault may be horizontal,vertical, or a combination of these. Movement mayoccur very suddenly along a stressed fault,producing an earthquake, it may be very slow, orwhat it is called "creep," unaccompanied byseismographic evidence ....

As it presents itself, the earth can be physicallydescribed as a ball of rock (the lithosphere), partlycovered by water (the hydrosphere) and wrappedin an envelope of air (the atmosphere). To allthese three physical zones, it is convenient to adda biological zone (the biosphere).Transition ElementsSpecial verbs: classify, consist, composed,describe, divide, ...Other ordinal elements

ListingIn addition to coal and nuclear energy, a variety of otherpower sources are also frequently discussed in the newsand in scientific literature.... Geothermal energy is one ofthe more practical of proposed new sources.... Solarenergy seems an elegant idea.... Sophisticated windmillsto generate electricity are also under study by some ....

What makes for a good paragraph in scientific/technical writing? First of all, a good paragraph hasunity: focuses on a single idea or theme. Second, a goodparagraph has coherence; one sentence leads to the nextin some kind of logical sequence. Finally, a goodparagraph has adequate content: appropriate details tosupport the main idea.Transition ElementsUse sequence transitions: first, second, ... and otherordinal numbers, then finally, ...Others: Lists show parallelism. (All lists start with thesame grammatical form or structure.)

General-to-Particular Ordering

What kinds of things must writers learn to become

effective and efficient communicators? Writers should

understand the situation, uses, and audiences for a given

communication and write for those audiences and uses.

Also they should have clear organisation and logical

reasoning; they should write clear and concise sentences.

In other words, writers should produce sentences that

readers can easily understand, and they should place

those sentences in context of paragraphs and larger.

Moreover, they should follow the standard conventions for

grammar, punctuation, and other mechanics. Transition

Elements: almost those of listing, or exemplification, or

ordering (ordinal numbers and sequencing). Dependingon the topic, use appropriate transition.