Organizing a Paragraph
At the College Level

Step 1.
Pick a topic sentence.

Step 1.
Pick a topic sentence.
Sarah is an amazing person.

Step 1.
Label it.
Sarah is an amazing person.

Step 1.
Label it.
1. Sarah is an amazing person.

Step 2.
Write at least three points to prove it.
1. Sarah is an amazing person.

Step 2.
Write at least three points to prove it.
1. Sarah is an amazing person.
She makes an effort to help her friends.
She has a stoic work ethic.
She is artistic in every sense of the word.

Step 2.
Label them.
1. Sarah is an amazing person.
She makes an effort to help her friends.
She has a stoic work ethic.
She is artistic in every sense of the word.

Step 2.
Label them.
1. Sarah is an amazing person.
2. She makes an effort to help her friends.
2. She has a stoic work ethic.
2. She is artistic in every sense of the word.

Step 2.
And indent them.
1. Sarah is an amazing person.
2. She makes an effort to help her friends.
2. She has a stoic work ethic.
2. She is artistic in every sense of the word.

Step 2.
And indent them.
1. Sarah is an amazing person.
2. She makes an effort to help her friends.
2. She has a stoic work ethic.
2. She is artistic in every sense of the word.

Step 3.
Write at least two points for each Lvl 2.
1. Sarah is an amazing person.
2. She makes an effort to help her friends.
2. She has a stoic work ethic.
2. She is artistic in every sense of the word.

Step 3.
Write at least two points for each Lvl 2.
1. Sarah is an amazing person.
2. She makes an effort to help her friends.
She drove 30 miles to give a friend a wallet he had dropped.
She left work early to take care of a sick friend.
2. She has a stoic work ethic.
2. She is artistic in every sense of the word.

Step 3.
Label them.
1. Sarah is an amazing person.
2. She makes an effort to help her friends.
She drove 30 miles to give a friend a wallet he had dropped.
She left work early to take care of a sick friend.
2. She has a stoic work ethic.
2. She is artistic in every sense of the word.

Step 3.
Label them.
1. Sarah is an amazing person.
2. She makes an effort to help her friends.
3. She drove 30 miles to give a friend a wallet he had dropped.
3. She left work early to take care of a sick friend.
2. She has a stoic work ethic.
2. She is artistic in every sense of the word.

Step 3.
And indent them.
1. Sarah is an amazing person.
2. She makes an effort to help her friends.
3. She drove 30 miles to give a friend a wallet he had dropped.
3. She left work early to take care of a sick friend.
2. She has a stoic work ethic.
2. She is artistic in every sense of the word.

Step 3.
And indent them.
1. Sarah is an amazing person.
2. She makes an effort to help her friends.
3. She drove 30 miles to give a friend a wallet he had dropped.
3. She left work early to take care of a sick friend.
2. She has a stoic work ethic.
2. She is artistic in every sense of the word.

Step 3.
Do the same for the other Lvl 2 sentences.
1. Sarah is an amazing person.
2. She makes an effort to help her friends.
3. She drove 30 miles to give a friend a wallet he had dropped.
3. She left work early to take care of a sick friend.
2. She has a stoic work ethic.
2. She is artistic in every sense of the word.

Step 3.
Do the same for the other Lvl 2 sentences.
1. Sarah is an amazing person.
2. She makes an effort to help her friends.
3. She drove 30 miles to give a friend a wallet he had dropped.
3. She left work early to take care of a sick friend.
2. She has a stoic work ethic.
3. She always arrives at work on time.
3. She respects and upholds the policies at her job.
2. She is artistic in every sense of the word.
3. When she makes breakfast, she has a tendency of making faces in the food.
3. She tends to sing or hum when she’s bored.

Step 4.
Condense the sentences into a paragraph.
1. Sarah is an amazing person.
2. She makes an effort to help her friends.
3. She drove 30 miles to give a friend a wallet he had dropped.
3. She left work early to take care of a sick friend.
2. She has a stoic work ethic.
3. She always arrives at work on time.
3. She respects and upholds the policies at her job.
2. She is artistic in every sense of the word.
3. When she makes breakfast, she has a tendency of making faces in the food.
3. She tends to sing or hum when she’s bored.

Step 4.
Condense the sentences into a paragraph.
Sarah is an amazing person.
She makes an effort to help her friends.
She drove 30 miles to give a friend a wallet he had dropped.
She left work early to take care of a sick friend.
She has a stoic work ethic.
She always arrives at work on time.
She respects and upholds the policies at her job.
She is artistic in every sense of the word.
When she makes breakfast, she has a tendency of making faces in the food.
She tends to sing or hum when she’s bored.

Step 4.
Condense the sentences into a paragraph.
Sarah is an amazing person.
She makes an effort to help her friends. She drove 30 miles to give a friend a wallet he had dropped. She left work early to take care of a sick friend.
She has a stoic work ethic. She always arrives at work on time. She respects and upholds the policies at her job.
She is artistic in every sense of the word. When she makes breakfast, she has a tendency of making faces in the food.
She tends to sing or hum when she’s bored.

Step 4.
Condense the sentences into a paragraph.
Sarah is an amazing person. She makes an effort to help her friends. She drove 30 miles to give a friend a wallet he had dropped. She left work early to take care of a sick friend. She has a stoic work ethic. She always arrives at work on time. She respects and upholds the policies at her job. She is artistic in every sense of the word. When she makes breakfast, she has a tendency of making faces in the food. She tends to sing or hum when she’s bored.

Step 5.
Add transitions between sentences.
Sarah is an amazing person. She makes an effort to help her friends. She drove 30 miles to give a friend a wallet he had dropped. She left work early to take care of a sick friend. She has a stoic work ethic. She always arrives at work on time. She respects and upholds the policies at her job. She is artistic in every sense of the word. When she makes breakfast, she has a tendency of making faces in the food. She tends to sing or hum when she’s bored.

Step 5.
Add transitions between sentences.
Sarah is an amazing person. I know this because she makes an effort to help her friends. On one occasion, she drove 30 miles to give a friend a wallet he had dropped.
Another time, she left work early to take care of a sick friend. She also has a stoic work ethic. For instance, she always arrives at work on time , and she respects and upholds the policies at her job.
Furthermore, she is artistic in every sense of the word. When she makes breakfast, she has a tendency of making faces in the food. She even tends to sing or hum when she’s bored.

Presto.
Be sure the message is clear.
Sarah is an amazing person. I know this because she makes an effort to help her friends. On one occasion, she drove 30 miles to give a friend a wallet he had dropped. Another time, she left work early to take care of a sick friend. She also has a stoic work ethic. For instance, she always arrives at work on time, and she respects and upholds the policies at her job. Furthermore, she is artistic in every sense of the word. When she makes breakfast, she has a tendency of making faces in the food. She even tends to sing or hum when she’s bored.

Practice

Practice
Select one of the following topic sentences.

Practice
Select one of the following topic sentences.
1. The book I’m reading is really interesting.
2. My ______ gives me a lot of problems.
3. _______ is the best _______ in Brownsville.

Practice
Select one of the following topic sentences.
Write a paragraph using the aforementioned method.
1. The book I’m reading is really interesting.
2. My ______ gives me a lot of problems.
3. _______ is the best _______ in Brownsville.

Practice
Be sure to follow the five steps.
1. The book I’m reading is really interesting.
2. My ______ gives me a lot of problems.
3. _______ is the best _______ in Brownsville.

Practice
1. Topic Sentence
2. Three Supporting Points
3. Two Supporting Points for those
4. Condense the Sentences
5. Add Transitions
1. The book I’m reading is really interesting.
2. My ______ gives me a lot of problems.
3. _______ is the best _______ in Brownsville.