Paragraphing Part 1

This video forms part 1 in a two-part series on paragraphing. These videos will look at:

  • using one idea per paragraph
  • topic sentences
  • coherence (and)
  • cohesion

Don’t worry about these terms as we will explain them as we go along.

So first of all, what is a paragraph? Well, a paragraph is a group of sentences written about a single topic or theme. Think of a paragraph as a ‘packet’ of information. It is the basic building block of a longer piece of text, such as an essay or report.

An important thing to remember is that each paragraph should contain just one idea. A new paragraph signals a change in topic or idea. In this way, paragraphs help the reader to follow your logic, as you build upon your ideas.

There are no strict rules about how long a paragraph should be but typically they are 3-5 sentences long but may be much longer. Paragraphs tend to be more or less the same length throughout the text. Introductions and conclusions are always separate paragraphs, no matter how long they are.

Topic sentences

Now let’s look at topic sentences. A topic sentence introduces the main idea, also known as the purpose or thesis of the paragraph. Each paragraph’s topic sentence must be relevant to the overall purpose of the text. Although the topic sentence can appear anywhere in the paragraph, it is usually the first or second sentence.

An example topic sentence is on your screen. Can you guess what the rest of the paragraph will be about?

  • There are three reasons why the University of XYZ ranks in the top twenty in the world.

You would expect the paragraph to list these three reasons.

A good topic sentence has both a topic and a controlling idea. Here is an example:

  • There are many reasons why pollution in country X is amongst the worst in the world.

The topic is “pollution in country X is amongst the worst in the world”. The controlling idea is “many reasons”.

Here is another one: can you identify the topic and the controlling idea?

  • Crime in poverty-stricken areas occurs as the result of systemic discrimination.

The topic is “crime in poverty-stricken areas” and the controlling idea is “systemic discrimination”.

Now look at these two sentences. Which one has both a topic and a controlling idea?

  • It is important to know about the Net generation and the term digital natives.
  • Recently the idea of a Net generation and the term Digital Native has come under critical scrutiny.

It is the second example. “The idea of a Net generation and the term Digital Native” is the topic while “has come under critical scrutiny” is the controlling idea.

Remember, if you can’t easily identify the controlling idea of a paragraph that you write, it probably means your reader won’t be able to either.

This video forms part 1 in a two-part series on paragraphing.