Chapters 7: Writing Effective Paragraphs

The Structure of a Paragraph

• A paragraph is a group of connected sentences that develop an idea about a topic.

• Each paragraph in your essay should support your thesis statement.

• A well developed paragraph contains:– A well-focused topic sentence– Unified, specific supporting details (definitions,

examples, explanations, and other evidence).

Sample Paragraph

Audiences gather with varying degrees of willingness to hear a speaker [topic sentence]. Some are anxious to hear the speaker, and may even have paid a substantial admission price. The “lecture circuit,” for example [transition],is a most lucrative aspect of public life. But [transition] whereas some audiences are willing to pay to hear a speaker, other don’t seem to care one way or the other. Other [transition] audiences need to be persuaded to listen (or at least to sit in the audience). Still other [transition] audiences gather because they have to. For example [transition], negotiations on a union contract may require members to attend meetings where officers give speeches.– DeVito, The Essential Elements of Public Speaking

Notice how the writer repeats the words audience(s) and speaker, along with the synonyms lecture and speeches, to help tie the paragraph to the idea in the topic sentence.

Structure of a Paragraph

Topic Sentence

Supporting Details

Concluding or Transitional Sentence

• Identifies what the paragraph is about• Makes a point about the topic• Connects to the previous paragraph

• Explain the topic sentence• Support the topic sentence with evidence, such as

examples, facts, statistics, personal experience, and definitions.

• Draws the paragraph to a close, or• Leads to the next paragraph

Writing a Topic Sentence

• A topic sentence is to a paragraph what a thesis statement is to an essay.

• Thesis announces the main point of an essay; a topic sentence states the main point of a paragraph.

Topic Sentence Should…

• Be focused– It should tell readers what the paragraph is about in specific and

detailed language.– Avoid vague and/or general statements.– Example:

• Unfocused: Some members of minority groups do not approve of affirmative action.

• Focused: Some members of minority groups disapprove of affirmative action because it implies that they are not capable of obtaining employment based on their own accomplishments.

A Topic Sentence May Preview the Organization of the Paragraph

• A topic sentence may suggest the order in which details are discussed in the paragraph, thereby helping readers know what to expect.– Ex. Teaching employees how to handle conflicts through anger management [first

detail] and meditation [second detail] is essential in high-stress jobs.

A Topic Sentence Should Support Your Thesis

• Each topic sentence must in some way explain the thesis or show why the thesis is believable or correct.

• Ex.[Thesis] Adoption files should not be made available to adult children seeking their biological parents.

• Topic Sentences:– Research has shown that not all biological parents want to meet with the sons or

daughters they gave up many years before.– If a woman gives up a child for adoption, it is probably that she does not ever intend

to have a relationship with that child.– Adult children who try to contact their biological parents often meet resistance and

even hostility, which can cause them to feel hurt and rejected.

– All of these topic sentences support the thesis because they offer valid reasons for keeping adoption files closed.

Topic Sentences Should Be Strategically Placed

Where you place the topic sentence will determine the order and structure of the rest of the paragraph.

The topic sentence also may have different effects, depending on its placement. The most common and often best position for a topic sentence is at the beginning of

the paragraph. A paragraph that opens with the topic sentence should follow logically: State your

main point & explain it.

Sample Topic Sentence Paragraph

• Advertising is first and foremost based on the principle of visibility—the customer must notice the product [topic sentence]. Manufacturers often package products in glitzy, even garish, containers to grab the consumer’s attention. For example, one candy company always packages its candy in reflective wrappers. When the hurried and hungry consumer glances at the candy counter, the reflective wrappers are easy to spot. It is only natural for the impatient customer to grab the candy and go. [everything else that follows the topic sentence are the explanatory details used to further develop the paragraph]

Effective Paragraphs Provide Specific Supporting Details

• The evidence you provide to support your topic sentences should be concrete and specific. – Example: (Vague) Many people are confused about the difference between a

psychologist and a psychiatrist. Both have a license, but a psychiatrist has more education that a psychologist. Also, a psychiatrist can prescribe medication.

– Example: (Concrete & Specific) Many people are confused about the difference between psychiatrists and psychologists. Both are licensed by the state to practice psychotherapy. However [transition], a psychiatrist has earned a degree from medical school and can also practice medicine. Additionally[transition], a psychiatrist can prescribe psychotropic medications. A psychologist, on the other hand [transition], usually has earned a Ph.D., but has not attended medical school and therefore cannot prescribe medication of any type.

– Concrete details make clear the distinction between the two terms.

Making Your Paragraph Specific & Concrete

1. Focus on who, what, when, where, how, and why questionsa. [vague] Some animals hibernate for part of the year. (What animals? When do they

hibernate?)b. [specific] Some bears hibernate for three to four months each winter.

2. Name names: include names of people, places, brands, & objects.a. [vague] When my aunt was refused a job, she became very upset. b. [specific] When my sixty-three-year-old Aunt Angela was refused a job at Vicki’s Nail Salon,

she became a livid victim of age discrimination.3. Use action verbs

a. [vague] When Selena came on stage, the audience became happy.b. [specific] When Selena burst onto the stage, the audience screamed, cheered, and chanted,

“Selena, Selena!”4. Use descriptive language that appeals to the senses

a. [vague] It’s relaxing to walk on the beach.b. [specific] I walked in the grainy, warm sand, breathing in the smell of the salt water, and

listening to the rhythmic sound of the waves.5. Use adjectives and adverbs

a. [vague] As I weeded my garden, I let my eyes wander over the meadow sweets and hydrangeas, all the while listening to the chirping of a cardinal.

b. [specific] As I slowly weeded my perennial garden, I let my eyes wander over the pink meadow sweets and blue hydrangeas, all the while listening absent-mindedly to the chirping of a bright red cardinal.

Most films are structured much like a short story. The film begins with an opening scene that captures the audience’s attention. Gradually, the writers build up tension, preparing for the climax of a story. Soon after, the first scene, they complicate the situation by revealing other elements of the plot, perhaps by introducing a surprise or additional characters. Next, they introduce a problem. Eventually, the problem will be solved either for the betterment or to the detriment of the characters and the situation. Finally, a resolution brings the film to a close.

Coherent Paragraphs Include Transitional Expressions

Exercise 7.1 Briefing

A topic sentence may suggest the order in which details are discussed in the paragraph, thereby helping readers know what to expect. Ex: Teaching employees how to handle conflicts

through anger management [first detail] and mediation [second detail] is essential in high-stress jobs.

Therefore, readers can expect anger management to be discussed first, followed by a discussion of mediation.

Exercise 7.1

On your own paper, revise each topic sentence to make it focused and specific. At least two of your revised topic sentences should also preview the organization of the paragraph.

1. In society today, there is always a new fad or fashion in clothing.

2. People watch television talk shows because they find them irresistible.

3. Body piercing is a popular trend.

4. Procrastinating can have a negative effect on your success in college.

5. In our state, the lottery is a big issue.