Elements of a strong paragraph

A good paragraph is structured like a miniature essay. It should have a clear beginning,
middle and end. Strong paragraphs combine focus and attention to detail to develop a
single idea thoroughly, and they help the reader transition from one idea to the next.

Focus on one idea with a good topic sentence

The first sentence of a paragraph, called the topic sentence, is the most important sentence
of the paragraph, and it deserves special attention. A good topic sentence should focus the
readers attention on the subject of the paragraph. Lets look at the topic sentence in this
paragraph, because it clearly introduces the idea that will be developed.
A paragraph is a collection of related sentences dealing with a single topic. Learning to write good
paragraphs will help you as a writer stay on track during your drafting and revision stages. Good paragraphing
also greatly assists your readers in following a piece of writing. You can have fantastic ideas, but if those ideas
aren't presented in an organized fashion, you will lose your readers (and fail to achieve your goals in writing).
(Source: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/606/01/#resourcenav)

Develop the paragraph with supporting details

Notice how the sample paragraph gives additional details to develop the idea introduced
in the topic sentence. All the supporting details are clearly focused on developing the
main idea of writing a good paragraph, as defined generally in the topic sentence.

Move to the next idea with a solid transition

The last sentence of the sample paragraph opens the door for additional development in
the next paragraph. There are many ways the writer of our sample paragraph could move
forward. Most likely, he or she will offer ways to create effective paragraphs and
emphasize the importance of good paragraphing.

Three types of paragraphs

Opening the opening paragraph, or introduction, gives the reader an overview of the
entire essay and offers the main idea, or thesis statement. The sample paragraph above is
an introductory paragraph.
Developing the developing paragraph provides details to support the essays main idea.
Closing the closing paragraph, or conclusion, summarizes the essay, reminds the reader
of the main idea and offers a call to action or suggests further research.

For more information about writing strong paragraphs, visit the Trinity Writing Centers
website at http://www.trinitydc.edu/offices/writing/index.html.

Trinity Writing Center 5/08