how to develop a paragraph in an essay

What this handout is about

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 sentence. In some cases, you may need more than one sentence to express a paragraph’s controlling idea.

Controlling idea and topic sentence — Despite the fact that piranhas are relatively harmless, many people continue to believe the pervasive myth that piranhas are dangerous to humans.

Step 2. Elaborate on the controlling idea

Paragraph development continues with an elaboration on the controlling idea, perhaps with an explanation, implication, or statement about significance. Our example offers a possible explanation for the pervasiveness of the myth.

Elaboration — This impression of piranhas is exacerbated by their mischaracterization in popular media.

Step 3. Give an example (or multiple examples)

Paragraph development progresses with an example (or more) that illustrates the claims made in the previous sentences.

Example — For example, the promotional poster for the 1978 horror film Piranha features an oversized piranha poised to bite the leg of an unsuspecting woman.

Step 4. Explain the example(s)

The next movement in paragraph development is an explanation of each example and its relevance to the topic sentence. The explanation should demonstrate the value of the example as evidence to support the major claim, or focus, in your paragraph.

Continue the pattern of giving examples and explaining them until all points/examples that the writer deems necessary have been made and explained. NONE of your examples should be left unexplained. You might be able to explain the relationship between the example and the topic sentence in the same sentence which introduced the example. More often, however, you will need to explain that relationship in a separate sentence.

Explanation for example — Such a terrifying representation easily captures the imagination and promotes unnecessary fear.

Notice that the example and explanation steps of this 5-step process (steps 3 and 4) can be repeated as needed. The idea is that you continue to use this pattern until you have completely developed the main idea of the paragraph.

Step 5. Complete the paragraph’s idea or transition into the next paragraph

The final movement in paragraph development involves tying up the loose ends of the paragraph. At this point, you can remind your reader about the relevance of the information to the larger paper, or you can make a concluding point for this example. You might, however, simply transition to the next paragraph.

Sentences for completing a paragraph — While the trope of the man-eating piranhas lends excitement to the adventure stories, it bears little resemblance to the real-life piranha. By paying more attention to fact than fiction, humans may finally be able to let go of this inaccurate belief.

Finished paragraph

Despite the fact that piranhas are relatively harmless, many people continue to believe the pervasive myth that piranhas are dangerous to humans. This impression of piranhas is exacerbated by their mischaracterization in popular media. For example, the promotional poster for the 1978 horror film Piranha features an oversized piranha poised to bite the leg of an unsuspecting woman. Such a terrifying representation easily captures the imagination and promotes unnecessary fear. While the trope of the man-eating piranhas lends excitement to the adventure stories, it bears little resemblance to the real-life piranha. By paying more attention to fact than fiction, humans may finally be able to let go of this inaccurate belief.

Troubleshooting paragraphs

Problem: the paragraph has no topic sentence.

Imagine each paragraph as a sandwich. The real content of the sandwich—the meat or other filling—is in the middle. It includes all the evidence you need to make the point. But it gets kind of messy to eat a sandwich without any bread. Your readers don’t know what to do with all the evidence you’ve given them. So, the top slice of bread (the first sentence of the paragraph) explains the topic (or controlling idea) of the paragraph. And, the bottom slice (the last sentence of the paragraph) tells the reader how the paragraph relates to the broader argument. In the original and revised paragraphs below, notice how a topic sentence expressing the controlling idea tells the reader the point of all the evidence.

Original paragraph

Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ first instinct is to flee, not attack. Their fear of humans makes sense. Far more piranhas are eaten by people than people are eaten by piranhas. If the fish are well-fed, they won’t bite humans.

Revised paragraph

Although most people consider piranhas to be quite dangerous, they are, for the most part, entirely harmless. Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ first instinct is to flee, not attack. Their fear of humans makes sense. Far more piranhas are eaten by people than people are eaten by piranhas. If the fish are well-fed, they won’t bite humans.

Once you have mastered the use of topic sentences, you may decide that the topic sentence for a particular paragraph really shouldn’t be the first sentence of the paragraph. This is fine—the topic sentence can actually go at the beginning, middle, or end of a paragraph; what’s important is that it is in there somewhere so that readers know what the main idea of the paragraph is and how it relates back to the thesis of your paper. Suppose that we wanted to start the piranha paragraph with a transition sentence—something that reminds the reader of what happened in the previous paragraph—rather than with the topic sentence. Let’s suppose that the previous paragraph was about all kinds of animals that people are afraid of, like sharks, snakes, and spiders. Our paragraph might look like this (the topic sentence is bold):

Like sharks, snakes, and spiders, piranhas are widely feared. Although most people consider piranhas to be quite dangerous, they are, for the most part, entirely harmless . Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ first instinct is to flee, not attack. Their fear of humans makes sense. Far more piranhas are eaten by people than people are eaten by piranhas. If the fish are well-fed, they won’t bite humans.

Problem: the paragraph has more than one controlling idea

If a paragraph has more than one main idea, consider eliminating sentences that relate to the second idea, or split the paragraph into two or more paragraphs, each with only one main idea. Watch our short video on reverse outlining to learn a quick way to test whether your paragraphs are unified. In the following paragraph, the final two sentences branch off into a different topic; so, the revised paragraph eliminates them and concludes with a sentence that reminds the reader of the paragraph’s main idea.

Although most people consider piranhas to be quite dangerous, they are, for the most part, entirely harmless. Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ first instinct is to flee, not attack. Their fear of humans makes sense. Far more piranhas are eaten by people than people are eaten by piranhas. A number of South American groups eat piranhas. They fry or grill the fish and then serve them with coconut milk or tucupi, a sauce made from fermented manioc juices.

Problem: transitions are needed within the paragraph

You are probably familiar with the idea that transitions may be needed between paragraphs or sections in a paper (see our handout on transitions ). Sometimes they are also helpful within the body of a single paragraph. Within a paragraph, transitions are often single words or short phrases that help to establish relationships between ideas and to create a logical progression of those ideas in a paragraph. This is especially likely to be true within paragraphs that discuss multiple examples. Let’s take a look at a version of our piranha paragraph that uses transitions to orient the reader:

Although most people consider piranhas to be quite dangerous, they are, except in two main situations, entirely harmless. Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ instinct is to flee, not attack. But there are two situations in which a piranha bite is likely. The first is when a frightened piranha is lifted out of the water—for example, if it has been caught in a fishing net. The second is when the water level in pools where piranhas are living falls too low. A large number of fish may be trapped in a single pool, and if they are hungry, they may attack anything that enters the water.

In this example, you can see how the phrases “the first” and “the second” help the reader follow the organization of the ideas in the paragraph.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Lunsford, Andrea. 2008. The St. Martin’s Handbook: Annotated Instructor’s Edition , 6th ed. New York: St. Martin’s.

Rosen, Leonard J., and Laurence Behrens. 2003. The Allyn & Bacon Handbook , 5th ed. New York: Longman.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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TOPIC SENTENCE/ In his numerous writings, Marx critiques capitalism by identifying its flaws. ANALYSIS OF EVIDENCE/ By critiquing the political economy and capitalism, Marx implores his reader to think critically about their position in society and restores awareness in the proletariat class. EVIDENCE/ To Marx, capitalism is a system characterized by the “exploitation of the many by the few,” in which workers accept the exploitation of their labor and receive only harm of “alienation,” rather than true benefits ( MER 487). He writes that “labour produces for the rich wonderful things – but for the worker it produces privation. It produces palaces—but for the worker, hovels. It produces beauty—but for the worker, deformity” (MER 73). Marx argues capitalism is a system in which the laborer is repeatedly harmed and estranged from himself, his labor, and other people, while the owner of his labor – the capitalist – receives the benefits ( MER 74). And while industry progresses, the worker “sinks deeper and deeper below the conditions of existence of his own class” ( MER 483).  ANALYSIS OF EVIDENCE/ But while Marx critiques the political economy, he does not explicitly say “capitalism is wrong.” Rather, his close examination of the system makes its flaws obvious. Only once the working class realizes the flaws of the system, Marx believes, will they - must they - rise up against their bourgeois masters and achieve the necessary and inevitable communist revolution.

Not every paragraph will be structured exactly like this one, of course. But as you draft your own paragraphs, look for all three of these elements: topic sentence, evidence, and analysis.

• picture_as_pdf Anatomy Of a Body Paragraph

Paragraph Development

Writers use words to compose sentences that develop ideas. A group of related sentences that develops a particular idea is organized in a unit called a paragraph. Understanding the basic concept of “paragraph” is easy enough, but applying that understanding—that is, writing strong, focused paragraphs—can pose challenges for writers of all levels of accomplishment. The discussion that follows will help you understand effective paragraphing and reinforce good writing habits. Keep in mind that writing is a process, and producing good writing, paragraph by paragraph, takes time. Learning to write effective paragraphs will help you communicate ideas clearly to an audience and help you achieve the purpose of the writing.

THE PURPOSE OF THE PARAGRAPH

Paragraphs are the basic units of a piece of writing. Whether informative, persuasive, expository/explanatory, or another mode of writing, paragraphs express the beginning, middle, and end of a discussion in the form of an introduction, body, and conclusion. Each of these parts can be one or more paragraphs long, and the paragraphs in each part have a different purpose. The focus of this tutorial is on body paragraphs. The purpose of body paragraphs is twofold: 1) body paragraphs work together to develop a discussion about a topic within the scope of the thesis or main idea about that topic, and 2) each body paragraph works individually to develop one point of the discussion with supporting details and language that connects the paragraph to the rest of the paper.

THE QUALITIES OF AN EFFECTIVE PARAGRAPH

Unity, Coherence, and Development

An effective paragraph will have unity, coherence, and development. Unity means that each sentence provides information that relates to the established focus of the paragraph. Coherence means each sentence logically leads to the next sentence, and the writer has provided transitions and guidewords to make the movement fluid for the reader and the different ideas come together cohesively. Lastly, development refers to sustaining and building the discussion by providing enough supporting details that the point of the paragraph is clearly communicated to an audience. While paragraph length can vary, effective paragraphs contain enough substantive content that readers do not have lingering questions.

Example Paragraph

One major contributor to the opioid epidemic has been the aggressive marketing of prescription painkillers by pharmaceutical manufacturers. Perez-Pena (2017) concluded that while the healthcare industry was attempting to effectively and efficiently treat patients with chronic pain, pharmaceutical companies were providing funding to prominent doctors, medical societies, and patient advocacy groups in order to win support for a particular drug’s adoption and usage. In fact, pharmaceutical companies continue to spend millions on promotional activities and materials that deny or trivialize any risks of opioid use while at the same time overstating each drug’s benefit (Perez-Pina, 2017). Although aggressive marketing by pharmaceutical companies has played a large role in opioid addiction, patients also play a role in the problem when they take advantage of holes in the healthcare provider system in order to remedy their addiction.

Perez-Pina, R. (2017, May 31). Ohio sues drug makers, saying they aided opioid epidemic. The New York Times . https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/31/us/ohio-sues-pharmaceuticaldrug-opioid-epidemic-mike-dewine.html?_r=1

The example paragraph is unified on one topic: the opioid epidemic. It is cohesive; the ideas move from fact to evidence to example and include guiding words such as “one,” “while,” “in order to,” “in fact,” and “although,” which lead the reader from one sentence to the next. The paragraph is well-developed as it sustains discussion on the opioid epidemic and builds it with a new point about a contributing factor, which is presented with evidence from research and supporting details. It also uses language (e.g. “although”) that connects the paragraph topic, the role that pharmaceutical companies play, to the topic that will be discussed in the next paragraph, the role that patients play.

CONSIDERATIONS FOR WRITING AN EFFECTIVE PARAGRAPH

Limit the Focus to One Distinct Idea

The sentences in a paragraph work together to develop one distinct idea by sharing the same focus. One way that writers establish this focus is with a topic sentence at the beginning of the paragraph. The topic sentence not only expresses the topic of discussion for the paragraph but also asserts a controlling idea that limits the focus of that topic. To create this limited focus, writers provide facts, opinions, definitions, examples, anecdotes, and descriptions, for example, support or explain the controlling idea.

Develop Paragraphs With the Audience and Purpose in Mind

The information given in the paragraph will also depend on the audience and purpose of the writing. To develop a paragraph with the audience in mind, the writer needs to consider what the audience already knows. Discussions are generally developed by adding new information to known information. The same topic would be discussed differently to an audience that does not know anything about the topic versus an audience who are already very familiar with it. The writer must also consider the purpose of the writing. An informative paragraph, for example, seeks to enlighten or educate the reader about the topic whereas a persuasive paragraph seeks to change the reader’s mind or behavior through the discussion of the topic.

Critics have argued that technology will dehumanize education; in fact, technology can actually personalize education. For example, once a print textbook is adopted, schools will stay with the curriculum until the next textbook adoption cycle. However, as Minnesota’s Byron Independent School District (ISD) realized when they designed their own online curriculum, teachers can adapt an online curriculum as needed to individually personalize a student’s educational experience. For example, Byron’s teachers made real-time adjustments to a particular math unit if a particular student was struggling to master an intended learning objective (Fulton, 2013). The Byron ISD experiment suggested technology, combined with a thoughtful pedagogy, can have a lasting, personal and positive impact on student learning.

Fulton, K. (2013, September 1). Byron’s flipped classrooms. Education Digest , 79(1), 22-26. https://search.proquest.com/openview/49d7ee537168e132960671e4bef70582/1.pdf?pqorigsite=gscholar&cbl=25066

The example paragraph is limited in focus on one idea about the topic—that technology provides opportunities to personalize education. Each sentence works to support this idea in the form of facts, examples, and anecdotes. The paragraph is also tailored to a specific audience and purpose. The writer begins with an opposing viewpoint to appeal to readers who may be critical of educational technology. The purpose of this paragraph is to persuade, so by presenting the opposing viewpoint then counterarguing it with research-based examples, the reader is more likely to see the writer’s viewpoint as logical and change their own opinion about the topic.

Use Various Rhetorical Modes for Developing and Organizing Paragraphs

Rhetorical modes refer to the patterns of development available to the writer. In other words, modes are the particular manner in which writers develop their thoughts, and quite typically the mode comes to us naturally depending on what we are trying to accomplish. If someone is talking to an auto mechanic about a problem with their car, they are describing. If a person is telling a story about their seven-year-old daughter, they are narrating. If one is talking about the types of books they like to read, they use examples. Whatever a person is trying to convey, they will do so with one or more patterns of development or rhetorical modes.

Types of modes include description, narration, comparison and contrast, example, definition, cause and effect, analogy, and analysis. Usually, the focus of the paragraph lends itself to the use of one primary mode, but even so, most paragraphs utilize more than one pattern of development. For example, if a student is taking a United States history course, they may be asked to compare and contrast the South before and after the Civil War. While the predominant rhetorical mode used in paragraphs will be comparison and contrast, the student will also probably use examples, include description, and offer analysis as you compare the old South to the new South.

Rhetorical modes help writers think about their topic and organize their ideas. These rhetorical modes also show writers the options available to them when composing paragraphs.

When to Begin a New Paragraph

Paragraph length is dictated first by content and purpose. A new paragraph signals a pause in thought and a change in topic, directing readers to anticipate what is to follow or allowing them a moment to digest the material in the preceding paragraph. Reasons to begin a new paragraph include

• beginning a new idea,
• emphasizing a particular point,
• changing speakers in dialogue,
• allowing readers to pause, and
• breaking up lengthy text, usually moving to a subtopic.

Transitions and Signal Words

A paragraph needs to be developed in a logical manner, and readers need to be guided through that development. Writers need to help readers by using transitional expressions and other appropriate words to guide them through the development of the paragraph. Transitional expressions function like glue—they hold a piece of writing together and give it order.

Paragraph Length

Long paragraphs of as much as a page or more often lack a well-defined focus. They do not allow readers an opportunity to assimilate one point before another is made. Long paragraphs can be divided and reorganized into two or more focused paragraphs.

By contrast, short paragraphs can seem choppy and undeveloped. They often leave the reader craving more information. The writer must think carefully of the needs of their audience and the purpose for the writing, and develop each point accordingly. For example, a paper with a persuasive purpose, written for an audience that does not share the writer’s view may need more development in each paragraph in order to present a convincing case. Depending on the audience and purpose, a writer may need to include more or less information. Ideally, paragraph lengths should invite readers in, neither seeming too daunting to read through nor appearing incomplete.

PIE METHOD OF PARAGRAPH DEVELOPMENT

One good way to go about developing paragraphs is to use the PIE method: The writer makes a strong point as expressed in the topic sentence; illustrates the point with supporting details and evidence; then explains how the evidence supports the point of the paragraph and relates to the thesis. The bold and italic formatting in the following example shows the PIE method at work:

P – Point

I – Illustrate

E – Explain

Despite preservation efforts, barns are in jeopardy, a reflection not only of economics but also of the fading family farm. To make matters worse, razing an old barn is often easier than saving it. Many people who own an unused barn are reluctant to spend money on keeping the building standing, and if the barn is already in rough shape, they usually neglect it until it falls down or is taken down. Preservationists say that in the majority of cases, ailing barns simply need to be stabilized by replacing the sills around the perimeter of the structure. But even this is too costly for a structure that barn owners consider functionally obsolete. Despite using them as big garages, barns tend to be taken down rather than repaired. Even carpenters who make a livelihood in construction lack the skills and equipment required for barn preservation.

Take-Aways for Writing an Effective Paragraph

• Focus limited to one distinct idea
• Paragraphs developed with audience and purpose in mind
• Various rhetorical modes considered for developing and organizing paragraphs
• Transitions and guidewords connecting parts
• Content developed and organized by PIE

When Revising Paragraphs, Consider the Following Questions

• What is the topic and controlling idea?
• What should readers understand after reading the paragraph?
• Is the topic sentence clear and limited in focus?
• Are all of the supporting details unified on the controlling idea?
• Will readers understand the relationship of the supporting details to the point of the paragraph and the larger point of the essay?
• Is the content organized in a logical, easy-to-understand manner?
• Is the development sufficient for the audience and purpose?
• Does anything need to be added or deleted?

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