188  Constructing Paragraphs

Guide the reader through the paragraph by signalling each element in advance and anticipate the reader’s expectations. In general, the topic sentence states your argument, the rest of the paragraph makes your argument. To help the writing process, use the headings from your manuscript outline as topic sentences for paragraphs. Conversely, this should allow the reader to gain a broad understanding of the paper just by reading the topic sentences.

188.1 Topic Sentence

The topic and message of the paragraph are stated at the outset. This tells the reader what to expect from the paragraph. In general, you will have only one key message per paragraph.

188.2 Details

The sentences following the topic sentence present readers with the details of your argument. Every sentence in a paragraph should relate to the topic sentence, providing new information and building on the previous sentence. In general, details that support the paragraph’s line of argument are given first. Details may also be given in increasing or decreasing order of importance, depending on the purpose of the paragraph and its relation to the text as a whole.

Since a paragraph is a stand-alone unit, previously presented information needs to be restated. Therefore, don’t begin a paragraph with “However, …” or “In addition, …”. Instead, make it obvious how the paragraph relates to preceding paragraphs using phrases such as “In support of the above arguments …”.

Supporting details are followed by contradictory material, which should be introduced with a transition word.

As a rule of thumb, there should be a maximum of one change of direction in the line of argument (e.g. a maximum of one however) per paragraph.

Building understandable paragraphs requires a flow of information. Missing details disrupt this flow and make the text difficult for the reader to understand. Out of place information also interrupts the flow, so be sure that only information relevant to the topic sentence is stated. The reader must be able to follow the logic of the arguments presented in the paragraph.

188.3 Concluding Sentence

Paragraphs may benefit from a concluding sentence, particularly when they are lengthy. This restates the central message in a different way and also transitions into the next paragraph by prompting the next topic.