Paragraphs Topic Sentences Most paragraphs need a topic sentence. Although they do not necessarily have to be at the beginning of the paragraph this is the logical place for them to be so that the reader knows immediately what the paragraph is going to be about. As the name implies, it depicts the topic of the paragraph, but does not necessarily state the writer’s position on that topic. A paragraph may not require a topic sentence if it is merely continuing a point from a previous paragraph or if it is a narrative work. Remember that each paragraph should only deal with one topic! Topic sentences can lead into a viewpoint, a list of events, examples, or evidence to make the point.Just as paragraphs in an essay need to be in a logical order so that the whole piece flows well, so too do the contents of the paragraphs. The evidence to prove or reinforce the topic sentence needs to be presented in a rational way. Again, this can be least to most important or vice versa, chronological, or ordered in the steps of a process, causes followed by effects, etc. As long as it’s ordered plausibly, it doesn’t matter how. Interesting Beginnings for Paragraphs A captivating way to start a paragraph and gain the reader’s attention is to use a question as the topic sentence. This is quite effective but only, obviously, when not overused. Remember also that just as starting sentences in different ways makes them more interesting, so too is this important when applied to paragraphs. This is even more intensifying as it is the first word of a block of text after a break and therefore in an extremely important position to be noticed and make the writing more forceful and compelling. For ideas on starting sentences and paragraphs in interesting ways go to after writing improvements. Paragraph Cohesion Paragraphs also need to follow on well from the previous paragraph and this is done through a variety of cohesion techniques. The last sentence of a paragraph could lead naturally into the next topic. E.g. The results of this clinical trial were the best yet. This would logically lead to the actual results being stated in the next paragraph. Questions can also be used which are then answered in the following paragraph, e.g. What did this mean to society? The following paragraph would then start with either the main repercussion for society, or a list of them to be explored in more detail. Other cohesive devices such as transitional markers, repeated words and pronouns, also lend paragraphs, as well as sentences, a necessary continuity. For more examples of different types of Paragraphs and their structures, please visit the University of Victoria Writer ’s guide.
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