Paragraphs
This handout will help you understand how paragraphs are formed, how to develop stronger
paragraphs, and how to completely and clearly express your ideas.
What is a paragraph?
Paragraphs are the building blocks of papers. Many students define paragraphs in terms of length: a
paragraph is a group of at least five sentences, a paragraph is half a page long, etc. In reality, though, the
unity and coherence of ideas among sentences is what constitutes a paragraph. A paragraph is defined
as “a group of sentences or a single sentence that forms a unit” (Lunsford and Connors 116). Length and
appearance do not determine whether a section in a paper is a paragraph. For instance, in some styles
of writing, particularly journalistic styles, a paragraph can be just one sentence long. Ultimately, a
paragraph is a sentence or group of sentences that support one main idea. In this handout, we will refer
to this as the “controlling idea,” because it controls what happens in the rest of the paragraph.
How do I decide what to put in a paragraph?
Before you can begin to determine what the composition of a particular paragraph will be, you must
first decide on an argument and a working thesis statement for your paper. What is the most important
idea that you are trying to convey to your reader? The information in each paragraph must be related to
that idea. In other words, your paragraphs should remind your reader that there is a recurrent
relationship between your thesis and the information in each paragraph. A working thesis functions like
a seed from which your paper, and your ideas, will grow. The whole process is an organic one—a natural
progression from a seed to a full-blown paper where there are direct, familial relationships between all
of the ideas in the paper.
The decision about what to put into your paragraphs begins with the germination of a seed of ideas; this
“germination process” is better known as brainstorming. There are many techniques for brainstorming;
whichever one you choose, this stage of paragraph development cannot be skipped. Building paragraphs
can be like building a skyscraper: there must be a well-planned foundation that supports what you are
building. Any cracks, inconsistencies, or other corruptions of the foundation can cause your whole paper
to crumble.
So, let’s suppose that you have done some brainstorming to develop your thesis. What else should you
keep in mind as you begin to create paragraphs? Every paragraph in a paper should be:
, Unified: All of the sentences in a single paragraph should be related to a single controlling idea (often
expressed in the topic sentence of the paragraph).
Clearly related to the thesis: The sentences should all refer to the central idea, or thesis, of the paper
(Rosen and Behrens 119).
Coherent: The sentences should be arranged in a logical manner and should follow a definite plan for
development (Rosen and Behrens 119).
Well-developed: Every idea discussed in the paragraph should be adequately explained and supported
through evidence and details that work together to explain the paragraph’s controlling idea (Rosen and
Behrens 119).
How do I organize a paragraph?
There are many different ways to organize a paragraph. The organization you choose will depend on the
controlling idea of the paragraph. Below are a few possibilities for organization, with links to brief
examples:
Narration: Tell a story. Go chronologically, from start to finish. (See an example.)
Description: Provide specific details about what something looks, smells, tastes, sounds, or feels like.
Organize spatially, in order of appearance, or by topic. (See an example.)
Process: Explain how something works, step by step. Perhaps follow a sequence—first, second, third.
(See an example.)
Classification: Separate into groups or explain the various parts of a topic. (See an example.)
Illustration: Give examples and explain how those examples support your point. (See an example in the
5-step process below.)
Illustration paragraph: a 5-step example
From the list above, let’s choose “illustration” as our rhetorical purpose. We’ll walk through a 5-step
process for building a paragraph that illustrates a point in an argument. For each step there is an
explanation and example. Our example paragraph will be about human misconceptions of piranhas.
Step 1. Decide on a controlling idea and create a topic sentence
Paragraph development begins with the formulation of the controlling idea. This idea directs the
paragraph’s development. Often, the controlling idea of a paragraph will appear in the form of a topic
This handout will help you understand how paragraphs are formed, how to develop stronger
paragraphs, and how to completely and clearly express your ideas.
What is a paragraph?
Paragraphs are the building blocks of papers. Many students define paragraphs in terms of length: a
paragraph is a group of at least five sentences, a paragraph is half a page long, etc. In reality, though, the
unity and coherence of ideas among sentences is what constitutes a paragraph. A paragraph is defined
as “a group of sentences or a single sentence that forms a unit” (Lunsford and Connors 116). Length and
appearance do not determine whether a section in a paper is a paragraph. For instance, in some styles
of writing, particularly journalistic styles, a paragraph can be just one sentence long. Ultimately, a
paragraph is a sentence or group of sentences that support one main idea. In this handout, we will refer
to this as the “controlling idea,” because it controls what happens in the rest of the paragraph.
How do I decide what to put in a paragraph?
Before you can begin to determine what the composition of a particular paragraph will be, you must
first decide on an argument and a working thesis statement for your paper. What is the most important
idea that you are trying to convey to your reader? The information in each paragraph must be related to
that idea. In other words, your paragraphs should remind your reader that there is a recurrent
relationship between your thesis and the information in each paragraph. A working thesis functions like
a seed from which your paper, and your ideas, will grow. The whole process is an organic one—a natural
progression from a seed to a full-blown paper where there are direct, familial relationships between all
of the ideas in the paper.
The decision about what to put into your paragraphs begins with the germination of a seed of ideas; this
“germination process” is better known as brainstorming. There are many techniques for brainstorming;
whichever one you choose, this stage of paragraph development cannot be skipped. Building paragraphs
can be like building a skyscraper: there must be a well-planned foundation that supports what you are
building. Any cracks, inconsistencies, or other corruptions of the foundation can cause your whole paper
to crumble.
So, let’s suppose that you have done some brainstorming to develop your thesis. What else should you
keep in mind as you begin to create paragraphs? Every paragraph in a paper should be:
, Unified: All of the sentences in a single paragraph should be related to a single controlling idea (often
expressed in the topic sentence of the paragraph).
Clearly related to the thesis: The sentences should all refer to the central idea, or thesis, of the paper
(Rosen and Behrens 119).
Coherent: The sentences should be arranged in a logical manner and should follow a definite plan for
development (Rosen and Behrens 119).
Well-developed: Every idea discussed in the paragraph should be adequately explained and supported
through evidence and details that work together to explain the paragraph’s controlling idea (Rosen and
Behrens 119).
How do I organize a paragraph?
There are many different ways to organize a paragraph. The organization you choose will depend on the
controlling idea of the paragraph. Below are a few possibilities for organization, with links to brief
examples:
Narration: Tell a story. Go chronologically, from start to finish. (See an example.)
Description: Provide specific details about what something looks, smells, tastes, sounds, or feels like.
Organize spatially, in order of appearance, or by topic. (See an example.)
Process: Explain how something works, step by step. Perhaps follow a sequence—first, second, third.
(See an example.)
Classification: Separate into groups or explain the various parts of a topic. (See an example.)
Illustration: Give examples and explain how those examples support your point. (See an example in the
5-step process below.)
Illustration paragraph: a 5-step example
From the list above, let’s choose “illustration” as our rhetorical purpose. We’ll walk through a 5-step
process for building a paragraph that illustrates a point in an argument. For each step there is an
explanation and example. Our example paragraph will be about human misconceptions of piranhas.
Step 1. Decide on a controlling idea and create a topic sentence
Paragraph development begins with the formulation of the controlling idea. This idea directs the
paragraph’s development. Often, the controlling idea of a paragraph will appear in the form of a topic
