Are you speaking and writing in English as a second language? Do you get feedback on your academic writing - but you are not really sure what it means? Do you know the rules about paragraph writing? These slides are from a workshop to help everyone write better.

1. Paragraphs
Have a clear purpose
Clear sequence
Support sentencesTopic sentence
First sentence
Introduces main idea
Links argument together
Summarises main idea
Transitions out of the detail
Links to the next idea
Concluding sentence

2. Topic sentence
A
B
C
D
E
Argument
Topic sentence
Topic sentence
Topic sentence
Topic sentence
Topic sentence
Details
Details
Details
Details
Details
Details
Details
Details
Details
Details
Details
Details
Details
Details
Details
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 5

3. Single paragraphs
One sentence = one idea
One paragraph = one main idea
“The paragraph is essentially a unit of thought, not of length.”
H.W. Fowler

4. 1. Descriptive
A number of problems associated with the traditional routines of handover practices
have been identified. Baldwin and McGinnis (1994, pp. 61-64) find that many
handovers are unnecessarily lengthy which means that there is an unacceptable period
of time during each shift when nurses are not available in the ward or unit. Another
area that has received attention is the content and presentation of handover
information…
Thus, many serious problems have been identified in traditional handover practices
which may reflect on the professional standing of nurses in this profession.
une.edu.au/currentstudents/resources/academicskills

5. 2. Descriptive
The water flea Daphnia - a 'new' model system for ecology and evolution? Angelika Stollewerk, Journal of Biology 20109:21 DOI: 10.1186/jbiol212,
Daphnia Ecology and lifestyle
Daphnia are filter feeders that direct small suspended particles into their mouth by a water
current produced by their leaf-like legs (Figure 1). Daphnia's common name of 'water flea'
comes from its jump-like movement, which results from the beat of the large antennae used
for swimming (Figure 1). In a normal growth season Daphnia generates diploid eggs by
asexual reproduction (partheno-genesis). These eggs develop directly into larvae in the
female brood chamber and are released into the water after about 3 days…
This makes Daphnia an ideal system to study the evolution of the molecular processes of
parthenogenesis.

6. Directional
Jacaratia corumbensis O. Kuntze a New Vegetable Source for Milk-Clotting Enzymes Vol.52, n. 1: pp.1-9, January-February 2009 ISSN 1516-8913 Printed in Brazil
Enzyme Extraction
Fresh biological material (Jacaratia corumbensis O. kuntze root) was washed several
times with distilled water and disinfected with sodium hypochloride (10% v/v). After this,
the latex obtained from the root was diluted (1g) in 100 ml 0.9% (w/v) NaCl solution. The
solute, was then stirred at room temperature (25ºC) for 1 h and filtered through a filter
paper and maintained at 4°C. This solution was used for the determination of protein,
proteolytic and milk clotting activities.

7. Informative
Scarry, S & Scarry, J 2011. The Writer’s Workplace with Readings: Building College Writing Skills (7th ed.) Boston
The use of literary works in the second/foreign language curriculum varies greatly
depending on the method dominating the practice. First, literary works were notable sources
of material when the Grammar Translation Method dominated until the end of the
19th century. But they were absent from the curriculum until 1970s when the Grammar
Translation Method was successively replaced by Structuralism Approach, Direct Method,
Audio-lingual Method, Community Language Learning, Suggestopedia, the Silent Way, Total
Physical Response, and the Natural Approach because these methods tend to regard a
second and foreign language teaching as a matter of linguistics….. Afterward, literature
undergoes an extensive reconsideration within the language teaching profession.

8. Given to the new
Most sentences in English have two parts a theme (or topic or a subject) and a rheme
(comment, information or predicate)
The theme is what you are writing about - it is shared information and it has been
introduced to your reader.
The rheme is what you are saying about the theme - it is new information, what you
want to tell your reader. The rheme of one sentence becomes the theme of the next
sentence.
http://www.uefap.com/grammar/gramfram.htm
Themes and rhemes

9. Theme—> Rheme
Theme —> Rheme
Theme —> Rheme
Given to the new
http://www.uefap.com/grammar/gramfram.htm
The complete electrical behaviour of any valve or transistor can be described by stating the
interrelation of the currents and the voltages between all the electrodes. These
relationships can conveniently be displayed graphically, and the various curves are known
as the 'characteristics' of the device. In principle, all the characteristics should be available
to the designer proposing to use the device in a circuit.

10. Given to the new
http://www.uefap.com/grammar/gramfram.htm
Theme —> rheme
Theme —> rheme
Theme —> rheme
Anthropology is the study of humankind, especially of Homo sapiens, the
biological species to which we human beings belong. It is the study of how our
species evolved from more primitive organisms; it is also the study of how our
species developed a mode of communication known as language and a mode
of social life known as culture.

11. Given to the new
http://www.uefap.com/grammar/gramfram.htm
A mix
Darwin’s The origin of species published in 1859 was hugely influential in the field of
science and in society in general. Indeed it has often been referred to as the ‘book that
shook the world’. The book outlined how there could be a relatively gradual change in
the characteristics of successive generations of a species and that higher plants and
animals evolved slowly over time from lower beings. This evolution occurred as a result
of competition within local interacting communities. Darwin’s book helped throw the idea
that there was a complete difference between humans and the animal world into turmoil
as he reinforced the suggestion that humans evolved from lower beings. Prior to this it
was believed in the western world, based on biblical works, that humans were created
superior to other beings.

12. Troubleshooting
1. Starts with a transition word.
2. Starts with a backwards link to the previous paragraph.
3. Starts with a caveat.
4. Starts with a reference.
5. Starts or stops abruptly.
6. Violates given to the new.
https://medium.com/advice-and-help-in-authoring-a-phd-or-non-fiction/how-to-write-paragraphs-80781e2f3054

13. Apply
Review your own paragraph structure:
- Topic position of each topic sentence
- Strength of each topic sentence
- Identify the purpose of each paragraph
- Identify the main idea of each paragraph
- Order of information

14. Organising information over several paragraphs
Arranging paragraphs
Blocks Point-by-point Cycles

15. Blocks
Introduction
(explanation)
Point One
Eg for/compare
(analysing)
Point Two
Eg against/contrast
(analysing)
Conclusion
(outline problem)
Disease #1 & #2 are
contracted by different risk
groups & spread differently
D#1: virus contracted by
factory workers, spreads in
high pollution levels
Unlike D#1, D#2 is a
bacterium, affects people
who work with soil, spreads
fastest in humid conditions
Significant diagnosis
confusion exists despite
clear differences

16. Point-by-point
Introduction
(problem explanation)
Point One
eg for/against
compare/contrast
Point Two
eg for/against
compare/contrast
Conclusion
Disease #1 and disease #2
present similarly when
patients are infected
Patients infected with either
disease present with rapid
onset high fever. D#1 differs
slightly from #2 in that….
Patients infected with either
disease present with rapid
and irregular heart rate. D#1
differs slightly from #2…
Given similarities P2, P3
and P4 it is clear that
diagnosis is challenging

17. Cycles
Introduction
Description
Block x3
Block x3
Conclusion
Introduction
Analysis
Conclusion
Introduction
Process
Block x3
Block x3
Conclusion
Introduction
Exemptions
Conclusion
Block x3
Block x3 Point-by-point x2
Point-by-point x2

18. Apply
1. Number each paragraph on your sample
2. On a new piece of paper, write number 1
3. Look at paragraph 1 and write down the:
1. main idea of that paragraph
2. paragraph purpose
3. topic sentence
4. flow of information
4. Repeat for paragraph 2, paragraph 3…
Reverse outline