Graduate Writing Center | College of Business Writing Fellows | Consultant Info | Ashland Library | ESL
Paragraph Development
Each paragraph has a clear topic sentence. The topic sentence alerts readers to the essence of the paragraph by stating the central idea and by expressing the writer's attitude toward it.
BODY:
The idea expressed in the topic sentence is adhered to in the development
of the body. The paragraph should be clearly organized. Information must
be arranged in an order that readers can follow easily and that develops
to the point of the paragraph. In the general-to-specific scheme, the topic
sentence comes first followed by increasingly specific sentences. A paragraph
organized spatially focuses readers' attention on one point and scans a
person, object, or scene from that point. When the elements of a paragraph
are arranged chronologically, they appear in order of their occurrence
in time. (In an essay the body information addresses the thesis statement
as well as the topic sentence of the paragraph.)
CONCLUDING SENTENCE:
The concluding sentence draws the paragraph to a close and reflects
the idea(s) expressed in the topic sentence. This doesn't have to be the
last sentence, as you may want to end with a sentence that leads to the
point of the next paragraph.
TRANSITIONAL EXPRESSIONS:
Transitional words give unity and coherence to the paragraph by relating
sentences to each other. Linking words and word groups are called transitional
expressions.
Transitional Expressions:
Addition....also, in addition, too moreover, and, besides, further,
furthermore, equallyimportant, next, then finally.
Example.....for example, for instance, thus, as an illustration, namely,
specifically.
Contrast....but, yet however, on the other hand, nevertheless, nonetheless,
conversely, in contrast, on the contrary, still, at the same time.
Comparison....similarly, likewise, in like manner, in the same way,
in comparison.
Concession....of course, to be sure, certainly, naturally, granted.
Result.... .therefore, thus, consequently, so, accordingly, due to
this.
Summary......as a result, hence, in short, in brief, in summary, in
conclusion, finally, on the whole.
Time...... first, second, third, fourth, next, then, finally, afterwards,
before, soon, later, during, meanwhile, subsequently, immediately, at length,
eventually, in the future, currently.
Place..... in front, in the foreground, in the back, in the background,
at the side, adjacent, nearby, in the distance, here, there.
SUPPORT MAIN IDEAS:
Avoid vague generalities; use concrete words to back your ideas. Study
the modes of writing on the network for ways of developing and supporting
main ideas.