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Characteristics of an Effective Paragraph
Arlov, Pamela. Wordsmith: A Guide to Paragraphs and Short Essays. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice hall, 2004.
A paragraph, like a sentence, focuses on one point. Think of a paragraph like a sandwich: the topic and closing statements are the bread on the top and bottom, and the details are all the filler in the middle. If there’s no topic or closing statements, the writer is throwing salad at the reader, who has no way to catch or hold onto the information coming at him. Without a closing statement, the information is “leaking” into the next paragraph, and the reader has no transition from one point to the next. The topic and closing statements give the reader something to hold on to, to better understand the information and to know why it’s important and what the reader is expected to do with it.
The details add all the sensory information the reader needs to understand the point. The writer should not assume the reader already knows this information or understands how the data logically fit together. Therefore, adding details is much like doing a math equation. The writer shouldn’t skip any steps or the writer will lose the reader. The writer’s job is to communicate effectively. If he loses the reader, the writer didn’t do his job. The writer should make sure all the points in the paragraph are there for a reason and that the reasons are clear to the reader.
Topics Sentence (general set up for paragraph)
proof
details
examples
analysis of data
Closing statement (So what? Relevance of paragraph to rest of paper/thesis?)
Writing is an important skill all students must master. Working on organizing a paragraph helps students better organize their thoughts and reasoning. Students have to decide which information is valuable to a reader so as to “sell” their point. Otherwise, why would the reader bother to continue reading to put stock in what the writer has to say? A writer may claim a particular teacher is good. That’s a vague reference, and “good” can mean something different to everyone, “good” like a sunny day or “good” like finding $100? However, what if the writer goes on to explain what the teacher is like:
Ms. Smith loves to help her students. Ms. Smith helps students by staying after school to tutor those students who need more time and one-on-one instruction. This helps students know that if they don’t get the information in class, they will get assistance later, so their stress level goes down and they can focus on their work. Ms. Smith also gives the information in a variety of ways to help all students learn by repeating information, writing it on the board, and having them work in groups to talk about the information. These different presentations help visual learners see the information, auditory learners hear the information, and tactile learners move and do something with the information by discussing the topic and manipulating ideas and seeing how others react. In addition to her teaching style, Ms. Smith shows genuine concern for the students by remembering their names, their hobbies, and their progress, while frequently encouraging all students to strive to do their best. As a result, Ms. Smith’s students work hard to do their best, to reach their potential, and to make Ms. Smith proud.
This paragraph with all the details and explanation gives a more accurate picture for the reader. Instead of a black-and-white drawing, the reader now has a 3D Technicolor image. Now the reader has a better idea of what the teacher is like due to the necessary details. Nothing is in the paragraph that isn’t needed. The writer weeded out (much like in gardening) extraneous data that didn’t help the point. Then the writer added clarification on why those examples show the teacher’s good points. The paragraph doesn’t just say that the teacher stayed late, but how her actions helped the students achieve a desired goal. This explanation helps the readers “see” what’s happening instead of coming up with their own ideas as to why the teacher is “good.” By working through all the ideas, the reader can focus on pertinent data and get the ideas and paragraph organized. This process can help students organize their ideas for a variety of other reasons, such as class assignments, jobs, chores, and other tasks. Learning how to organize one’s thoughts into paragraphs and mastering this skill will prepare students to be successful writers in school and careers.