How to Write Solid Paragraphs

Supawich Trongdee

2 years ago

Solid paragraphs have…

focus/unity	Focus on one specific topic. Follow this mantra: one idea, one paragraph.
topic sentence	Say something specific about the topic of a paragraph. This sentence works as an organizing claim for the paragraph, giving it focus, direction, and purpose.
coherence/organization	Begin with a topic sentence that expresses an idea and then use logically ordered details to develop that idea. Signposts and transition words are very helpful here.
development	Provide details to fully develop the idea of the paragraph. Examples include reasons in support of an argument, examples and illustrations, unpacked quotations, descriptions, and explanations.

Master the basics before moving on to more elaborate structures.

A topic sentence states the main idea of the paragraph; it usually appears at the beginning of the paragraph.
Logically ordered sentences explain and support the organizing claim in the topic sentence.
Optional: A final sentence brings the details of the paragraph together as a well-developed version of the organizing claim.

Separate writing into distinct phases: thinking, planning, drafting, revising, and polishing. This is key for swift, painless, and effective writing.

Think + Make Notes: Identify the topic and purpose of your paragraph. Collect relevant supporting details.
Plan: Use the topic and purpose to generate an organizing claim. Select relevant supporting details and arrange them in logical order, using transitions and signal words where appropriate. (Use keywords, equations, and short phrases.) Write like a caveman!
Draft: Follow your plan to quickly get your ideas down on paper without worrying about rules, typos, sounding smart, etc. Sneeze it out!
Revise: Make sure the topic sentence fits with the paragraph contents. Check subsequent sentences for unity, development, and organization. Make sure you have clearly and fully expressed the main idea. Add, subtract, and rearrange where necessary.
Polish: Only when everything else is done, check the execution (grammar, mechanics, and style) and make the finishing touches. Go from caveman to you!

focus/unity	Does this paragraph communicate one idea about one specific topic?
topic sentence	Does the topic sentence say something definite about a topic? Could a reader guess the paragraph contents just by reading the first sentence?
organization/coherence	Does each sentence build on the one that came before? Do the sentences appear in a logical order? Do signal words and transitions show how the sentences fit together?
development	Does the paragraph fully explain the organizing claim in the topic sentence? Does it “spell it out” for a reader who has no knowledge of the topic?