How to Write Paragraphs
This Resource Page will help you:
- Learn strategies to organize ideas and write effective paragraphs.
There are several strategies for writing paragraphs. They depend on the writing purposes, the type of text, and the writer's preferences. In this resource page you will find some frequently used strategies to organize ideas and draft paragraphs. This resource page will explore five strategies:
Sentence Sorting
Getting started on paragraph writing isn’t always easy. When this happens, a good idea is to start brainstorming ideas as sentences. Here are some practical tips:
Clustering
Clustering is a flexible strategy for organizing ideas and points when constructing a paragraph. There is not a single way to use it. The choices will depend on your needs and purposes in your writing. You can define your own categories, hierarchies and relationships among the concepts and ideas, combining and presenting them as you deem pertinent. You can even discard some of them. It is an exercise of choices that allows you to craft your paragraph content according to your intentions.
Have a look at the following example where the process is illustrated.
Funnel
A funnel is a cone-shaped object that is broad at the top and narrows down at the bottom. It looks like an inverted triangle, as depicted in the image on the right.
In academic writing, the funnel strategy is used to organize information within paragraphs from broader ideas to narrower ideas. In other words, it helps place information containing broad ideas at the top, and as you continue downward, the paragraph gradually narrows its focus to more specific information.
Usually, the broader information at the top includes statements, contextual information, and rhetorical elements like quotes, questions, or topic identification. As we move through the funnel to the narrow part, the information incorporates arguments, underpinning points for the argumentation, examples, and more specific and detailed data.
In the example below, the information of the paragraph on the left follows the funnel strategy (from broad to narrow), as shown in the picture on the right.
American higher education is becoming more diverse now than at any previous time (Zhao, Kuh & Carini, 2005). Behind this trend are international students who constitute an increasingly relevant and important source of diversity on college campuses. During the past decade, American colleges and universities have witnessed a steady increase in international studying abroad is an overwhelming transition there are specific adjustment problems. One problem is English language proficiency. Specific evidence of this problem student enrollments. From 1958 to 2005, the population of international students enrolled in U.S. higher education institutions increased from 43,000 to over 560,000 (Open Doors, 2005). Among that population, Asian students comprise the largest proportion, approximately 58 percent, of all international enrollments (Open Doors, 2005).
Brainstorm Supporting Sentences
Brainstorming and jotting down supporting sentences is helpful when the main idea for your paragraph is clear but you are unsure about how to expand it. This strategy requires you to
- write your main idea in a topic sentence format (which can change and be improved as drafts evolve)
- brainstorm a list of ideas you think support and expand the main idea.
This strategy also helps you identify “weak” areas where you may need to do more reading to ensure you build a strong argument.
Supporting sentences require as much attention as topic sentences to ensure unity, coherence and clarity. Crafting supporting sentences might not be easy – weaving ideas together may require several attempts until your produce a clear outcome that is logically and organically connected to the topic sentence.
Have a look at the following example where the process is illustrated.
Instructions: Click on the arrows below the progress bar to go to the next page or the previous page.
Sandwich
The “sandwich" strategy helps organize ideas, hierarchies, and roles within the paragraph. The word sandwich is helpful to visualize the structure of the paragraph, having a bun on top representing the topic sentence, the filling as the collection of examples, evidence, and concrete supporting ideas, and the lower bun as the concluding/transition sentence.
Check the example below showing the structure of a paragraph using the sandwich strategy.
You can also check the examples above in the document below:
For users with accessibility needs: this example shows the structure of a paragraph using the sandwich strategy.
Our Tips
If you find yourself saying or wondering any of the following when crafting paragraphs or longer pieces of writing, these tips are for you!
Break down your ideas in small chunks. Avoid writing overly long paragraphs, as they might be more confusing to your readers. Try to be as consistent as possible, ranging from 4 to 6 sentences in a paragraph. Although paragraphs can be longer, you may run the risk of adding unnecessary information.
Don’t assume that your readers are already familiar with the information you are conveying. While you might have a thorough understanding of your subject matter, it is important to recognize that your readers might not share the same level of knowledge. To guide your readers through your content, use clarifications, definitions, and cues to walk your readers through the arguments you present within paragraphs. To learn more about guiding your readers through using specific vocabulary, check our resource page on signposting.
Redundancy may be a sign that the ideas you are trying to convey are still unclear and need further thinking. Redundancy can be a helpful resource in longer papers or in some academic writing types like dissertations; however, within paragraphs it can be a problem against clarity, as it obscures the main points of your paragraphs. Repeating the same information gives readers the impression that not much is being said. Instead, focus on elaborating solid and simple topic sentences and provide enough and different evidence that can make your ideas clear and on target.
Paragraphs require proofreading. While proofreading can be time-consuming, it is an essential step. Make sure you set your draft aside for a while, then start the proofreading phase with fresh eyes. Go through your paragraphs one by one so you will perceive your own draft as a reader would. For more proofreading strategies, check our resource page on Revising, Editing & Proofreading.