Writing Effective Paragraphs
Paragraphs Paragraphs serve to order and to develop a writer's ideas. Well-organized paragraphs follow a pattern similar to that of a well-organized paper, but in miniature.
Develop paragraphs! Readers expect paragraphs in essays to be “ developed.”
“Development” A paragraph gives the main ideas with examples (“supporting details”). Without supporting details, the writing is abstract and limp!
Developed paragraphs Developed paragraphs often include examples that illustrate main points. Key ideas are emphasized in vivid sentences.
EXAMPLES We now live in a global economy where all countries are connected. When something happens to the economy in one country, it affects others. Many factories have moved to developing nations, and the economic activity in advanced nations focuses more on concept development and marketing.
DEVELOPED We now live in a global economy, where over a trillion dollars is exchanged in currency markets daily and where a burp in Malaysia can tumble stock exchanges in the West. The creation of wealth has moved from production in fortress like factories to global networks of management and distribution, where, when you buy a product at your local WalMart or Costco, the purchase data is sent not only to corporation but also to the manufacturer of that product. Tomorrow's production in distant developing nations is determined by what is purchased today in the United States and other affluent nations. In the fast and light capitalism of the new economy, how and where goods are produced has become relatively unimportant compared to creating new concepts and marketing those concepts.
Revising In revising, focus on each paragraph—one at a time. For each one, ask yourself what your reader will notice and remember. Is the main point fully developed? Does the paragraph include examples? Are key ideas emphasized in vivid sentences?
Pay attention to paragraph length. Long paragraphs are often hard to read in narrow-column formats or on the screen. Look for ways to divide long paragraphs in these formats. The well-developed paragraph suited for essays does not work as well in a narrow- column format. Often you can make a dense paragraph more readable by inserting paragraph breaks.
One-sentence paragraphs Essays should NOT contain one-sentence paragraphs, but newspapers and Web sites often format long sentences as paragraphs.
Evaluate your paragraphs. Evaluate your paragraphs from a reader's perspective, with your purpose and format in mind. Divide paragraphs if you find long stretches of text without breaks. If you find too many short paragraphs, develop or combine them.
Link within and across paragraphs. Paragraphs that don't flow make readers struggle to understand how sentences relate to one another. Flow is achieved by making your sentences fit together and by using transitions to guide readers. Repeat key terms and phrases. Repeated key terms and phrases within a paragraph help readers to trace major ideas.
Transitions Write strong transitions. Transitions at the beginnings and ends of paragraphs guide readers. They explain why a paragraph follows from the previous one. They offer writers the opportunity to highlight the turns in their thinking.
Transitions in your writing Be aware of transitions in your writing. Ask yourself why one main idea leads into the next. The answer to these questions can become your transition. What step or shift takes place between paragraphs? How does this step or shift fit into the overall development of the piece?
Grab your reader's attention! Grab your reader's attention quickly by perfecting your title and opening paragraph. Be sure you provide strong reasons to keep reading. Be sure your title is specific enough to indicate both your topic and approach. Cut out any empty phrases and sentences that clutter up your opening paragraph.
Conclude with strength! The challenge in ending paragraphs is to leave the reader with something provocative, something beyond pure summary of the previous paragraphs.
Concluding Issue a call to action Make a recommendation Speculate about the future Ask rhetorical questions
Your ending paragraph Be sure that your ending paragraph is more than a summary of your main points. Use a strong concluding image or question to leave your readers with something to remember and think about.
YOUR TEXT! We will look at paragraph examples in another lesson. MEANWHILE-- Please read your TEXT about PARAGRAPHS!
Summary for editing paragraphs Develop paragraphs In revising, focus on each paragraph one at a time. For each one, ask yourself what your reader will notice and remember. Is the main point fully developed? Does the paragraph include examples? Are key ideas emphasized in vivid sentences? Pay attention to paragraph length Evaluate your paragraphs from a reader's perspective, with your purpose and format in mind. Divide paragraphs if you find long stretches of text without breaks. If you find too many short paragraphs, develop or combine them.
Link within and across paragraphs Be aware of transitions in your writing. Ask yourself why one main idea leads into the next. The answer to these questions can become your transition. What step or shift takes place between paragraphs? How does this step or shift fit into the overall development of the piece?
Summary for editing paragraphs continued Start fast! Grab your reader's attention quickly by perfecting your title and opening paragraph. Be sure you provide strong reasons to keep reading. Conclude with strength! Be sure your title is specific enough to indicate both your topic and approach. Cut out any empty phrases and sentences that clutter up your opening paragraph.
REMEMBER GOOD WRITING TAKES TIME!
MORE (the essay) grammar/ powerpoint.htmhttp://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/ grammar/ powerpoint.htm (grammar & composition) (TRANSITIONS)
REMEMBER Please read your TEXT about PARAGRAPHS! THANKS!