Writing Paragraphs
A distinct division of written or printed matter that
begins on a new, usually indented line, consists of
one or more sentences, and typically deals with a
single thought or topic or quotes one speaker's
continuous words.
From Greek word, “paragraphos.” Means a line
showing a break in sense or a change of speakers
in a dialogue
Presented by The Write Place © 2014
(Revised by C. Mohrbacher)
Workshop Goals

Attendees should
 Have a better idea about when to paragraph
 Learn strategies for writing a unified paragraph
 Better understand what makes a coherent
paragraph
 Learn methods for organizing paragraphs
 Learn about how transitions contribute to a
better paragraph
When to Paragraph
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Whenever you move from one major point to another.
During the past fifteen years, I have also worked closely with
writing centers, watching them evolve from places which emphasize
skills and drills to places which provide sophisticated and supportive
counseling about the range of writing processes. While my education is
far from complete, I have learned what you too must know: that teaching
writing is teaching re-writing.
During that time, however, I have also learned that for novice
writers, learning to re-write is an alien activity that doesn’t come easily
....
In contrast, I am convinced that revision is the primary way that
both thinking and writing evolve, mature, and improve (156).
From “Responding to Texts: Provocative Revision” by Toby Fulwiler. St. Martin’s Handbook for Writing Tutors 3rd
ed. Eds. Christina Murphy and Steve Sherwood.
When to Paragraph (cont.)
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Whenever you move your readers from one time period or
location to another.
These classical rhetoricians all agree that style must include
clarity, propriety, and elegance. . . . Aristotle, Cicero, and Quintilian
defined style in terms of its functions. They generated taxonomies of
stylistic devices and classifications of language levels which
supported a perspective of style as a number of rhetorical
enhancements and a level of gracefulness.
Of the contemporary definitions of style, Richard Ohmann’s is
one of the broadest—“A style is a way of writing” (135). Style, for
Ohmann simply means that another writer would have written a
particular work in a different way (3).
From “Style, Definition, and the Teachable” (2000) by Carol Mohrbacher
When to Paragraph (cont.)

Whenever you introduce a new step in a process or sequence.
First she asked herself , “Is there a problem?” Her visit to
Earl Grey only confirmed to her that the client had a problem that
needed to be solved . . . .
Second, she began answering the question, “What is the
problem?” The RFP seemed to be suggestiong that Earl grey
needed more office space. . . .
Finally, she began thinking about what kind of proposal she
would need to write. It seemed as though the people at Earl
Grey had a pretty good grasp of their problem (25).
From Writing Proposals: Rhetoric for Managing Change by Richard Johnson-Sheehan.
When to Paragraph (cont.)

When you want to emphasize an important idea.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to
compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with
circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous
ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high
Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their
friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has
endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian
Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all
ages, sexes and conditions.
From the Declaration of Independence
When to Paragraph (cont.)

Every time a new person speaks (dialogue).
He replied with some asperity, “It might surprise you what
them beasts can pull through.”
“When they get started?” she asked.
“He smiled for a second. “Yes. When they get started.
“Well,” said Elisa, “I think you’ll save time if you go back to
the Salinas road and pick up the highway there” (362).
From “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck in Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing 2nd Compact Ed.
Eds. Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs
When to Paragraph (cont.)

To signal the end of your introduction and the beginning of
your conclusion.
Also, if it is as important to Sally as she says it is to
establish a rapport with writers, did she do enough to call
attention to what Portia did right in her essay? . . . . Did Sally
recognize these qualities in Portia’s writing or was Sally
blinded to them because she felt defensive and threatened?
[End of the body of the essay; conclusion follows]
Writing center sessions are dynamic and unpredictable
events. Like a theatrical production, at any moment the plot
can take a hairpin turn, leading writers and tutors to
unexpected revelations or disastrous endings. There’s one
major difference, though, between the theater and the writing
center: in real-time sessions, there is no script (22).
How to Unify Paragraphs
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
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Develop a single idea.
Use topic sentences that state the main idea of the
paragraph.*
Other sentences should support the idea expressed
in the topic sentence.
For support, use examples, data, or logical
progression.
*In some situations, you may not need a topic sentence. For example: if
a topic is covered over the course of 2 paragraphs. Or in some
narrative or descriptive paragraphs an explicit topic sentence may
seem forced or artificial.
Example of Unified Paragraph
(topic sentence at beginning—the most common method)
(
I was a listening child, careful to hear the very different sounds
of Spanish and English. Wide-eyed with hearing, I’d listen to
sounds more than words. First there were English (gringo)
sounds. So many words were still unknown that when the
butcher or the lady at the drugstore said something to me,
exotic polysyllabic sounds would bloom in the midst of of their
sentences. Often the speech of people in public seemed to
me very loud, booming with confidence. The man behind the
counter would literally ask, “What can I do for you?” But by
being so firm and so clear, the sound of his voice said that he
was a gringo; he belonged in public society.
--Richard Rodriguez, Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood
Another Example
(topic sentence at end)
These sprays, dusts and aerosols are now applied almost
universally to farms, gardens, forests, and homes—
nonselective chemicals that have the power to kill every
insect, the “good” and the “bad,” to still the song of the birds
and the leaping of fish in the streams, to coat the leaves with a
deadly film, and to linger on in soil—all this though the
intended target may be only a few weeds or insects. Can
anyone believe it is possible to lay down such a barrage of
poisons on the surface without making it unfit for life? They
should not be called “insecticides,” but biocides.”
--Rachel Carson, “The Obligation to Endure”
Writing Coherent Paragraphs
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Organize paragraphs appropriately.
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Use transitional words and phrases
between paragraphs and sentences, if
necessary
Organizing Paragraphs
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Spatial order For example: top to bottom, near to far, room to
room, inside to outside. Generally used for description.

Chronological order or time sequence. Uses transitions such
as: at first, then, yesterday, and later. Generally used for
narrative, process, or procedure paragraphs.

Logical order presents details or ideas in terms of their logical
relationships to one another. For example: general to specific,
specific to general, most important to least important
Generally used for analyzing or developing an idea or
argument.
Paragraph Without Transitions
Napoleon certainly made a change for the worse
by leaving his small kingdom of Elba. He went back
to Paris, and he abdicated for a second time. He
fled to Rochefort in hope of escaping to America.
He gave himself up to the English captain of the
ship Bellerophon. He suggested that the Prince
Regent grant him asylum, and he was refused. All
he saw of England was the Devon coast and
Plymouth Sound as he passed on to the remote
island of St. Helena. He died on May 5, 1821, at
the age of fifty-two.
Paragraph With Transitions
Napoleon certainly made a change for the worse by
leaving hes small kingdom of Elba. After Waterloo, he went
back to Paris, and he abdicated for a second time. A hundred
days after his return from Elba, he fled to Rochefort in hope of
excaping to America. Finally, he gave himself up to the
English captain of the ship Bellerophon. Once again, he
suggested that the Prince Regent grant him asylum, and once
again, he was refused. In the end all he saw of England was
the Devon coast and Plymouth Sound as he passed on to the
remote island of St. Helena. After six years of exile, he died
on May 5, 1821, at the age of fifty-two.
--Norman Mackenzie, The Escape from Elba
Frequently Used Transitions
To Signify Sequence or Addition
again, also, besides, first . . .second . . .third, furthermore,
In addition, moreover, one . . . another, too
To Signal Time
afterward, as soon as, at first, at the same time, before, earlier,
finally, in the meantime, later, meanwhile, next, now, soon,
subsequently, then, until
To Signal Comparison
also, by the the same token, in comparison, likewise, similarily
To Signal Contrast
although, but, despite, even though, however, in contrast, instead,
Meanwhile, nevertheless, nonetheless, on the contrary, on one hand . . .
on the other hand, still, whereas, yet, conversely
More Transitions
To Introduce Examples
for example, for instance, namely, specifically, thus
To Signal the Narrowing of Focus
after all, indeed, in fact, in other words, in particular, specifically, that is
To Introduce Conclusions or Summaries
as a result, consequently, in conclusion, in other words, in summary
therefore, thus, to conclude, finally
To Signal Concession to Another Perspective
admittedly, certainly, granted, naturally, of course
To Introduce Causes or Effects
accordingly, as a result, because, consequently, hence, since, so, then, therefore
Finis
Any Questions?