PARAGRAPH WRITING: TYPES AND TECHNIQUES:STRUCTURE

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Journalistic Writing MCM310

LECTURE 20

PARAGRAPH WRITING: TYPES AND TECHNIQUES

What is a paragraph?

A paragraph is a collection of related sentences dealing with a single topic. To be as effective as possible, a

paragraph should contain each of the following: Unity, Coherence, A Topic Sentence, and Adequate

Development. As you will see, all of these traits overlap. Using and adapting them to your individual purposes

will help you construct effective paragraphs.

1. Unity:

The entire paragraph should concern itself with a single focus. If it begins with a one focus or major point of

discussion, it should not end with another or wander within different ideas.

2. Coherence:

Coherence is the trait that makes the paragraph easily understandable to a reader. You can help create

coherence in your paragraphs by creating logical bridges and verbal bridges.

Logical bridges:

· The same idea of a topic is carried over from sentence to sentence

Successive sentences can be constructed in parallel form

Verbal bridges:

· Key words can be repeated in several sentences

Synonymous words can be repeated in several sentences

Pronouns can refer to nouns in previous sentences

Transition words can be used to link ideas from different sentences

3. A topic sentence:

A topic sentence is a sentence that indicates in a general way what idea or thesis the paragraph is going to deal

with. Although not all paragraphs have clear-cut topic sentences, and despite the fact that topic sentences can

occur anywhere in the paragraph (as the first sentence, the last sentence, or somewhere in the middle), an easy

way to make sure your reader understands the topic of the paragraph is to put your topic sentence near the

beginning of the paragraph. (This is a good general rule for less experienced writers, although it is not the only

way to do it).

4. Adequate development

The topic (which is introduced by the topic sentence) should be discussed fully and adequately. Again, this

varies from paragraph to paragraph, depending on the author's purpose, but writers should beware of

paragraphs that only have two or three sentences. It's a pretty good bet that the paragraph is not fully

developed if it is that short.

Some methods to make sure your paragraph is well-developed:

· Use examples and illustrations

Cite data (facts, statistics, evidence, details, and others)

Examine testimony (what other people say such as quotes and paraphrases)

Use an anecdote or story

Define terms in the paragraph

Compare and contrast

Evaluate causes and reasons

Examine effects and consequences

Journalistic Writing MCM310

· Analyze the topic

Describe the topic

Offer a chronology of an event (time segments)

TYPES OF PARAGRAHS:

SIMPLE LISTING PARAGRAPHS:

Structure:

1. Topic Sentence (central idea or focus)

2. Body

3. Conclusion

Example 1:

I need a water bottle for the hike in case I get thirsty. A sweater is useful if it gets cold. A compass will help me

go in the right direction. Sandwiches will be an easy to carry snack. I can use a camera to take picture of usual

or attractive places.

Example 2:

City has many interesting areas. Chinatown is a neighborhood where you can eat good Chinese food. On Fifth

Avenue, you can see many beautiful stores. Greenwich Village has interesting clubs and restaurants. Broadway

is the center of American theater. Truly, New York has something for everyone.

Simple Listing Paragraphs: Practice

Write simple listing paragraphs on the followings:

· My courses at university

My favorite things

my favorite places in Pakistan

The people in my family

ORDER OF IMPORTANCE PARAGRAPH

Difference between listing and order of importance paragraphs: In the body.

Compare the following paragraphs. Of course the second one is Order of Importance Paragraph.

When we choose a car, we must think about many things. It must be big enough for the number of people

we want to carry. It must not cost more than we want to spend. It should be fuel efficient. We want a

car that looks good. It can be difficult to find the right car.

When we choose a car, we must think about many things. The most important is that it must be big

enough for the number of people we want to carry. The second most important thing is that it must

not cost more than we want to spend. Third, it should be fuel efficient. Last, we want a car that looks

good. It can be difficult to find the right car.

STRUCTURE:

Topic sentence

1st importance + 2nd importance + 3rd importance

Conclusion

Example:

"What Makes a Good Boss?"

There are three important qualities necessary in a good boss. The most important is

fairness. If the boss is fair, workers can feel that if they do a good job, their work will be appreciated, and their

efforts will be rewarded. The second most important quality is leadership. The boss should be an example and

Journalistic Writing MCM310

a teacher. This allows workers to learn from a boss so that they can increase their job skills and get promoted.

The third most important factor is that the boss acts with consistency. That way the workers know what to

expect each day. They know how they'll be treated and what their share of the workload will be. I would hire a

boss with these qualities for myself.

Order of Importance Paragraph: Practice

Write order of importance paragraphs on the following topics:

The three biggest cities in you country

The three most important historical places in your country

The most interesting places in your hometown

Source: Connor. Express Yourself in Written English. Illinois: NTC. 1990

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