writing the paragraph

UNIFYING THE IDEA

how to unify a paragraph
Develop a single idea.
Use topic sentences that state the main idea of the paragraph.*
Other sentences should support the idea expressed in the topic
sentence.
For support, use examples, data, or logical progression.

*In some situations, you may not need a topic sentence. For example: if a topic is covered over
the course of 2 paragraphs. Or in some narrative or descriptive paragraphs, an explicit topic
sentence may seem forced or artificial.
example of unified paragraph
(topic sentence at beginning—the most common method)

I was a listening child, careful to hear the very different sounds of Spanish and English. Wide-
eyed with hearing, I’d listen to sounds more than words. First there were English (gringo)
sounds. So many words were still unknown that when the butcher or the lady at the drugstore
said something to me, exotic polysyllabic sounds would bloom in the midst of their sentences.
Often the speech of people in public seemed to me very loud, booming with confidence. The
man behind the counter would literally ask, “What can I do for you?” But by being so firm and so
clear, the sound of his voice said that he was a gringo; he belonged in public society.

--Richard Rodriguez, Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood

another example
(topic sentence at the end)
These sprays, dusts and aerosols are now applied almost universally to farms, gardens,
forests, and homes—nonselective chemicals that have the power to kill every insect, the “good”
and the “bad,” to still the song of the birds and the leaping of fish in the streams, to coat the
leaves with a deadly film, and to linger on in soil—all this though the intended target may be
only a few weeds or insects. Can anyone believe it is possible to lay down such a barrage of
poisons on the surface without making it unfit for life? They should not be called “insecticides,”
but biocides.”

--Rachel Carson, “The Obligation to Endure”

writing with coherence
Organize paragraphs appropriately.

Use transitional words and phrases between paragraphs and

sentences, if necessary
organizing the paragraph
Spatial order For example: top to bottom, near to far, room to room, inside to outside.
Generally used for description.

Chronological order or time sequence. Uses transitions such as: at first, then, yesterday, and
later. Generally used for narrative, process, or procedure paragraphs.

Logical order presents details or ideas in terms of their logical relationships to one another. For
example: general to specific, specific to general, most important to least important Generally
used for analyzing or developing an idea or argument.
paragraph without transitions
Napoleon certainly made a change for the worse by leaving his small kingdom of Elba.
He went back to Paris, and he abdicated for a second time. He fled to Rochefort in hope of
escaping to America. He gave himself up to the English captain of the ship Bellerophon. He
suggested that the Prince Regent grant him asylum, and he was refused. All he saw of England
was the Devon coast and Plymouth Sound as he passed on to the remote island of St. Helena.
He died on May 5, 1821, at the age of fifty-two.
paragraph with transitions
Napoleon certainly made a change for the worse by leaving hes small kingdom of Elba.
After Waterloo, he went back to Paris, and he abdicated for a second time. A hundred days after
his return from Elba, he fled to Rochefort in hope of excaping to America. Finally, he gave
himself up to the English captain of the ship Bellerophon. Once again, he suggested that the
Prince Regent grant him asylum, and once again, he was refused. In the end all he saw of
England was the Devon coast and Plymouth Sound as he passed on to the remote island of St.
Helena. After six years of exile, he died on May 5, 1821, at the age of fifty-two.

--Norman Mackenzie, The Escape from Elba

 frequently used transitions
To Signify Sequence or Addition To Signal Comparison
again, also, besides, first . . .second . . .third, also, by the the same token, in comparison,
furthermore, likewise, similarily
In addition, moreover, one . . . another, too
To Signal Contrast
To Signal Time although, but, despite, even though, however, in
afterward, as soon as, at first, at the same time, contrast, instead,
before, earlier, Meanwhile, nevertheless, nonetheless, on the
finally, in the meantime, later, meanwhile, next, contrary, on one hand . . .
now, soon, on the other hand, still, whereas, yet, conversely
subsequently, then, until
more transitions
To Introduce Examples To Signal Concession to Another Perspective
for example, for instance, namely, specifically, admittedly, certainly, granted, naturally, of
thus course

To Signal the Narrowing of Focus To Introduce Causes or Effects

after all, indeed, in fact, in other words, in accordingly, as a result, because, consequently,
particular, specifically, that is hence, since, so, then, therefore

To Introduce Conclusions or Summaries

as a result, consequently, in conclusion, in
other words, in summary
therefore, thus, to conclude, finally
prelim exam: write a paragraph
Develop a paragraph on your own writing from these ideas. Remember, choose only one idea to
develop.
Writing and me
What draws me to words
Why I don’t like /love/hate/stop writing
What makes me want to write
What I fear about writing
Why I keep a journal
I’d rather ________ than write
I love reading, but I hate writing
format and deadline
Times New Roman, 12
Letter size
1.5 space
Minimum 300 words, max at 500 only
docx file (not PDF. PDF files will not be recognized)
Deadline: September 9, 2022 @ 12noon