Structuring clear paragraphs is important for effectively conveying your ideas to readers. In an essay, body paragraphs are the paragraphs after the introduction and before the conclusion. This middle section of a paper is your chance to present information and support your main ideas. Each body paragraph should start with a topic sentence, discuss one main idea, provide support, explain the significance of this information, and end with a transition to the next paragraph.
A topic sentence is the first sentence of a body paragraph. As its name suggests, this statement indicates the primary subject of the paragraph. The topic sentence should be your own words. Avoid placing a quotation or citation in the topic sentence. Also, do not list multiple ideas in the topic sentence. Each body paragraph should focus on developing a single idea (not several ideas at once) to clearly convey your point. Remember that the point you are trying to make in any body paragraph should be in support of the position you take in your thesis.
Next, discuss in more detail the main idea mentioned in the topic sentence. Include important background information and descriptions readers will need to understand the topic.
Continue by providing support to develop the main idea of the paragraph. Support could include facts that strengthen your point, quotations, statistics, interviews, relevant personal examples, etc. Remember to cite any information from outside sources.
Explaining the significance of the information is the next step. How does the previously mentioned support strengthen your main idea? What does it show readers? This section allows you to explain how the support connects to your main idea and the overall thesis of your paper.
End the paragraph with a transition. This sentence wraps up the paragraph and serves as a bridge to the next body paragraph. The transition could foreshadow an upcoming topic, indicate how the information in the current body paragraph is similar to the next main idea, or show how the essay will flow in another direction.
The following is an example of a body paragraph that incorporates all these parts:
1The advantages of online learning extend beyond the increase in college enrollment into life skills that benefit students well past their college careers. 2Surviving as an online student requires a level of autonomy beyond what learning in the physical classroom can accomplish. 3Learning online requires self-discipline and time-management skills. According to Michelle Barbian in her article, “5 Benefits of Online Learning,” these skills develop naturally “because you spend a lot of time on your own without someone close to keep you focused” on completing the work involved (“5 Benefits”). 4The online learner needs to be aware of what needs to be done and the deadlines by which class assignments are due. They need to plan out time in their days to read materials, watch video lectures, take notes, complete quizzes, take tests, write papers, and respond to emails and chat discussions. Students attending face-to-face classes have much of the time for these activities carved out for them simply by attending class. 5In-person learners also have the help they need with classroom assignments or technology standing ten feet away, whereas online students need to learn problem-solving skills, figuring out more for themselves. 6Fortunately, the way e-learners need to work is more reminiscent of the self-direction required at most jobs, therefore translating better into “real word” experience. Students often find they are a step ahead of many peers, having developed skills “that will make [them] stand out in the workplace and beyond” (“5 Benefits”). 7This speaks volumes about the positive effects that the Internet has had and can have on the way we read, learn, think, and work, yet there is no mention of these benefits, or any others, in the articles written by critics of online education.
Paragraph structure plays an important role in writing because it provides a framework for organizing your ideas. A well-crafted paragraph makes the main idea clear, places the support for each idea where it belongs, and connects main ideas in logical ways. Without proper structure, an essay might feel too cluttered or confusing to a reader, making them resistant to a thorough reading, even when they are interested in the topic. Conversely, when one idea flows into the next in a logical order, the ideas are easier to follow, guiding the reader effortlessly through your work.
Category: Drafting
Created: C. Jones & E. Raley 6/4/2021
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