Paragraph
Organization
Topic sentence
NOT ALL PARAGRAPHS
NEED A TOPIC
SENTENCE, SUCH AS IN
A NARRATIVE OR THE
STEPS IN AN
EXPERIMENT
TOPIC SENTENCES ARE
REALLY USEFUL IN
ARGUMENTS AND
ANALYSIS ESSAYS
TOPIC SENTENCES HELP
THE WRITERS TO
DEVELOP THE MAIN IDEA
OF THE PARAGRAPH, TO
STAY FOCUSED AND
GUIDE THEM THROUGH
COMPLEX ARGUMENTS
Main idea developed in a group of
related sentences, known as
"paragraph"
Supporting
Sentences
DEVELOP THE MAIN IDEA EXPRESSED IN THE
TOPIC SENTENCE AND PROVIDE DETAILS SUCH AS
FACTS AND EXAMPLES
ANSWER THE QUESTION THE READER WILL
DEVELOP IN THEIR MINDS AFTER READING THE
TOPIC SENTENCE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE
PARAGRAPH
Concluding Sentences
RETURN THE READER TO
THE TOPIC
ACT AS A CONNECTION
TO LINK THE
INFORMATION WITH THAT
COMMING UP IN THE
NEXT PARAGRAPH
SENTENCES
SHOULD BE
LOGICALLY
ARRANGED AND
FLOW SMOOTHLY.
THE ORDER WILL
DEPEND ON THE
PURPOSE
(CHRONOLOGICAL
OR IMPORTANCE)
USE ENOUGH
LINKING WORDS
TO HELP THE
READERS FOLLOW
THE IDEAS
CLEARLY
REPETITION OF
WORDS ALLOWS
THE WRITER TO
KEEP FOCUSSED
ON THE MAIN
IDEA. EACH
SENTENCE SHOULD
RELATE TO THE
TOPIC AND
DEVELOP ITS
MAIN IDEA
OMIT IRRELEVANT
SENTENCES THAT
DON´T RELATE TO
OR DEVELOP THE
MAIN IDEA
(REVISION
STAGE)
Building a Paragraph
Incorporating Sources
Writers´ ideas must be backed up
with evidence, examples and
experts´ opinions
Incorporating
Sources
THESIS STATEMENT
TOPIC SENTENCE
SOURCES REFERRED
Point of view broadly expressed in the
topic sentence.
It is a brief but very specific statement
of the position the writer will take in
the essay.
It is often re-stated and supported
within the paragraph with more specific
detail and evidence provided.
They back up the writer.
Incorporating
Sources
ADITIONAL COMMENTS
CITATION
They make the writers´ point of
view clear
Words and ideas taken from other
sources must be clearly and
appropriately cited
Types of Paragraphs
Introductory Paragraph
IT PROVIDES THE READER WITH ANY NECESSARY
BACKGROUND INFORMATION BEFORE LEADING
INTO A CLEAR STATEMENT OF THE WRITER´S
POINT OF VIEW: THE THESIS STATEMENT.
IT MAY ALSO PRESENT AN OVERALL PLAN OF
HOW THE ARGUMENT WILL BE DEVELOPED
Sensitive
Intuitive
Charismati
Body Paragraphs
THEY BUILD UP THE WRITER´S POINT OF VIEW
IN DETAIL.
THEY EXPAND ON THE THESIS STATEMENT AND
ARE CLEARLY FOCUSED ON A SINGLE ISSUE
WITH PLENTY OF SUPPORTING DETAIL OR
EVIDENCE FROM CONCRETE AND RELEVANT
EXAMPLES OR SUPPORTING READING.
Sensitive
Intuitive
Concluding Paragraph
IT SUMMARISES THE POINT MADE; REPEATS THE
OVERALL POINT OF VIEW AND EXPLAINS THE
WRITER´S POSITION.
IT MAY ALSO INCLUDE RELEVANT INFORMATION
NOT COVERED IN THE ESSAY.
Sensitive
Intuitive
Charismatic

Paragraph Organization

  • 1.
  • 2.
    Topic sentence NOT ALLPARAGRAPHS NEED A TOPIC SENTENCE, SUCH AS IN A NARRATIVE OR THE STEPS IN AN EXPERIMENT TOPIC SENTENCES ARE REALLY USEFUL IN ARGUMENTS AND ANALYSIS ESSAYS TOPIC SENTENCES HELP THE WRITERS TO DEVELOP THE MAIN IDEA OF THE PARAGRAPH, TO STAY FOCUSED AND GUIDE THEM THROUGH COMPLEX ARGUMENTS Main idea developed in a group of related sentences, known as "paragraph"
  • 3.
    Supporting Sentences DEVELOP THE MAINIDEA EXPRESSED IN THE TOPIC SENTENCE AND PROVIDE DETAILS SUCH AS FACTS AND EXAMPLES ANSWER THE QUESTION THE READER WILL DEVELOP IN THEIR MINDS AFTER READING THE TOPIC SENTENCE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PARAGRAPH
  • 4.
    Concluding Sentences RETURN THEREADER TO THE TOPIC ACT AS A CONNECTION TO LINK THE INFORMATION WITH THAT COMMING UP IN THE NEXT PARAGRAPH
  • 5.
    SENTENCES SHOULD BE LOGICALLY ARRANGED AND FLOWSMOOTHLY. THE ORDER WILL DEPEND ON THE PURPOSE (CHRONOLOGICAL OR IMPORTANCE) USE ENOUGH LINKING WORDS TO HELP THE READERS FOLLOW THE IDEAS CLEARLY REPETITION OF WORDS ALLOWS THE WRITER TO KEEP FOCUSSED ON THE MAIN IDEA. EACH SENTENCE SHOULD RELATE TO THE TOPIC AND DEVELOP ITS MAIN IDEA OMIT IRRELEVANT SENTENCES THAT DON´T RELATE TO OR DEVELOP THE MAIN IDEA (REVISION STAGE) Building a Paragraph
  • 6.
    Incorporating Sources Writers´ ideasmust be backed up with evidence, examples and experts´ opinions
  • 7.
    Incorporating Sources THESIS STATEMENT TOPIC SENTENCE SOURCESREFERRED Point of view broadly expressed in the topic sentence. It is a brief but very specific statement of the position the writer will take in the essay. It is often re-stated and supported within the paragraph with more specific detail and evidence provided. They back up the writer.
  • 8.
    Incorporating Sources ADITIONAL COMMENTS CITATION They makethe writers´ point of view clear Words and ideas taken from other sources must be clearly and appropriately cited
  • 9.
  • 10.
    Introductory Paragraph IT PROVIDESTHE READER WITH ANY NECESSARY BACKGROUND INFORMATION BEFORE LEADING INTO A CLEAR STATEMENT OF THE WRITER´S POINT OF VIEW: THE THESIS STATEMENT. IT MAY ALSO PRESENT AN OVERALL PLAN OF HOW THE ARGUMENT WILL BE DEVELOPED Sensitive Intuitive Charismati
  • 11.
    Body Paragraphs THEY BUILDUP THE WRITER´S POINT OF VIEW IN DETAIL. THEY EXPAND ON THE THESIS STATEMENT AND ARE CLEARLY FOCUSED ON A SINGLE ISSUE WITH PLENTY OF SUPPORTING DETAIL OR EVIDENCE FROM CONCRETE AND RELEVANT EXAMPLES OR SUPPORTING READING. Sensitive Intuitive
  • 12.
    Concluding Paragraph IT SUMMARISESTHE POINT MADE; REPEATS THE OVERALL POINT OF VIEW AND EXPLAINS THE WRITER´S POSITION. IT MAY ALSO INCLUDE RELEVANT INFORMATION NOT COVERED IN THE ESSAY. Sensitive Intuitive Charismatic