But because of their partly digressive character the author is reluctant to recognise the need to create separate paragraphs to handle them. Especially when they discuss attention points or exhibits that are complex and not designed to be self-contained and easily understood, body and token sentences may blur together, creating text where the mainstream argument becomes hard to distinguish.
The solution to very long paragraphs has to be brutal. Once a paragraph passes words, it must be partitioned, usually as equally as feasible, and separate topic and wrap sentences provided for each part. If the problem arises from an overlong exposition of a token or an exhibit, then the author needs to find a solution that allows a partial digression to be smoothly handled. If a paragraph falls between and words this might be retainable, so long as the wrap sentence can still reconnect readers back to the now rather distant topic sentence.
A paragraph is too short. For a research text this occurs if it falls below words, and especially if it consists of just one sentence or is less than 50 words. Normally, short, bitty paragraphs like this look terrible on the printed page of a journal or a research book, and they undermine the usefulness of paragraphs as argument building blocks. Short paragraphs happen because an author is unsure what to say, or has not properly thought through how a point or a set of points fit together or can be sequenced into the overall argument.
Some reflect miscellanies of points that the author has not acknowledged as such. Orphan sentences and short paragraphs generally should always be merged into their neighbours, so that they disappear.
Two groups of people need to take particular care adapting to this convention of English paragraphing at research level. First, Spanish speakers and related languages often write using multiple, very short or single-sentence paragraphs, organized in subtle thematic ways that English-speaking readers find very hard to follow.
Such an audience will often see only a baffling multiplicity of paragraphs that is interpreted as disorganized thinking. Second, journalists, and now some academic bloggers also, use short paragraphs that look OK in newsprint or on narrow or spaced-out blog columns.
All these types of author should aggregate their short paragraphs into longer ones of at least to words if they want to publish journal articles or research books in English. When writing a paragraph, something to keep in mind is that its communicative purpose must be clear. This purpose, to some extend, guides the way the information is organized. Thanks for your contribution on how to write paragraphs. Your email address will not be published.
Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Search for:. Blog Admin July 17th, How to write paragraphs in research texts articles, books and PhDs 3 comments 81 shares Estimated reading time: 5 minutes. In this case, consider eliminating sentences that relate to the second idea, with the thought that maybe they don't really inform and help support the central research problem, or split the paragraph into two or more paragraphs, each with only one controlling idea.
Transitions are needed within the paragraph. You are probably familiar with the idea that transitions may be needed between paragraphs or sections in a paper. Sometimes they are also helpful within the body of a single paragraph. Within a paragraph, transitions are often single words or short phrases that help to establish relationships between ideas and to create a logical progression of those ideas in a paragraph.
This is especially true within paragraphs that discuss multiple examples or discuss complex ideas, issues, or concepts. AP English Literature and Composition. Edublogs, ; Paragraphing. Centre for Applied Linguistics. University of Warwick. General Structure. Most paragraphs in an essay parallel the general three-part structure of each section of a research paper and, by extension, the overall research paper, with an introduction, a body that includes facts and analysis, and a conclusion.
You can see this structure in paragraphs whether they are narrating, describing, comparing, contrasting, or analyzing information. Each part of the paragraph plays an important role in communicating the meaning you intend to covey to the reader. Introduction : the first section of a paragraph; should include the topic sentence and any other sentences at the beginning of the paragraph that give background information or provide a transition.
Body : follows the introduction; discusses the controlling idea, using facts, arguments, analysis, examples, and other information.
For long paragraphs, you may also want to include a bridge sentence that introduces the next paragraph or section of the paper. In some instances, the bridge sentence can be written in the form of a question. However, use this rhetorical device sparingly, otherwise, ending a lot of paragraphs with a question to lead into the next paragraph sounds cumbersome. NOTE: This general structure does not imply that you should not be creative in your writing.
Arranging where each element goes in a paragraph can make a paper more engaging for the reader. However, do not be too creative in experimenting with the narrative flow of paragraphs. To do so may distract from the main arguments of your research and weaken the quality of your academic writing. Development and Organization. Before you can begin to determine what the composition of a particular paragraph will be, you must consider what is the most important idea that you are trying to convey to your reader.
This is the "controlling idea," or the thesis statement from which you compose the remainder of the paragraph. In other words, your paragraphs should remind your reader that there is a recurrent relationship between your controlling idea and the information in each paragraph. The research problem functions like a seed from which your paper, and your ideas, will grow. The whole process of paragraph development is an organic one—a natural progression from a seed idea to a full-blown research study where there are direct, familial relationships in the paper between all of your controlling ideas and the paragraphs which derive from them.
The decision about what to put into your paragraphs begins with brainstorming about how you want to pursue the research problem. There are many techniques for brainstorming but, whichever one you choose, this stage of paragraph development cannot be skipped because it lays a foundation for developing a set of paragraphs [representing a section of your paper] that describes a specific element of your overall analysis.
Each section is described further in this writing guide. Hint: it's the same order. You don't have to include every single point, but make sure the important ones get in there.
Ending Sentence All the previous sentences have been building up to this: your thesis. Your thesis statement expresses the overall idea of your paper and show where you stand on the topic. Indiana University has a great tutorial for writing thesis statements. Example Here's an introductory paragraph for a paper I wrote. Breakdown: 1st Sentence I lead with a quick factoid about comics. This is also how the body of my paper starts. See how I gave the history first and now give the current issue?
That's flow. Remember if you're picking a side, you give the other side first and then your side. Report a problem. Arkansas State University library astate. Staff Login - LibApps.
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