patterns of paragraph developmentpatterns of paragraph development

When you are writing to persuade or to argue a point, your purpose is to convince your reader that your opinion is the right one. However, as Minnesotas 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 students educational experience. The St. Martins Handbook: Annotated Instructors Edition, 6th ed. The whole process is an organic onea natural progression from a seed to a full-blown paper where there are direct, familial relationships between all of the ideas in the paper. It is composed of warm-up activity, lesson proper, and assessment/ evaluation. Division illustrates differences, while classification focuses on similarities. The Allyn & Bacon Handbook, 5th ed. Remember, it is not your writing that matters, but how well your writing gets read. Far more piranhas are eaten by people than people are eaten by piranhas. 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. The organization you choose will depend on the controlling idea of the paragraph. It includes all the evidence you need to make the point. Outside, crickets sang, tree-frogs chirruped. When confronted with humans, piranhas first instinct is to flee, not attack. The New York Times. New York: Longman. While holding the pole up, pull its guyrope tight and peg the guyrope down, so that the pole is held up by the guyrope and the pegs on opposing sides of the tent bottom. For example, a paper with a persuasive purpose, written for an audience that does not share the writers view may need more development in each paragraph in order to present a convincing case. Even carpenters who make a livelihood in construction lack the skills and equipment required for barn preservation. The writer must think carefully of the needs of their audience and the purpose for the writing, and develop each point accordingly. Basically, a park is a place to go for outdoor recreation-to swim, picnic, hike, camp, walk the dog, play tennis, paddle your canoe, and, in some places take rides in miniature trains or swish down a waterslide. 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. Seven Types of Paragraph Development Annotated examples of narration, exposition, definition, classification, description, process analysis, and persuasion. While the trope of the man-eating piranhas lends excitement to the adventure stories, it bears little resemblance to the real-life piranha. 450 Ridge Road Each of these parts can be one or more paragraphs long, and the paragraphs in each part have a different purpose. They use certain recurring forms of communication. Although most people consider piranhas to be quite dangerous, they are, for the most part, entirely harmless. After you have all four poles in place, lift one of the poles. For example, telling a story with narration often includes description. When people use language, they dont reinvent it every time they want to say something. The next movement in paragraph development is an explanation of each example and its relevance to the topic sentence. In most writing, these modes are mixed in natural combinations. But soon you find that writing well brings a profound responsibility: You have to be trustworthy. ThoughtCo. But extraordinary moments happen only when there is a functional, effective, comfortable background of ordinary moments. Park is difficult to define in Florida, because there are so many kinds of parks. Any cracks, inconsistencies, or other corruptions of the foundation can cause your whole paper to crumble. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Several times a month, ranger Rod Torres of OLeno State Park said, people get scared and leave the park in the middle of the night. Those people picked the wrong kind of park to visit. Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/31/us/ohio-sues-pharmaceuticaldrug-opioid-epidemic-mike-dewine.html?_r=1, https://search.proquest.com/openview/49d7ee537168e132960671e4bef70582/1.pdf?pqorigsite=gscholar&cbl=25066. At night, OLeno wraps itself with the silence of crickets and owls. You need to make every effort to be right. 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. You can use different methods for paragraph development. CarolinaGo for iOS, The Writing Center 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 drugs benefit (Perez-Pina, 2017). Gerald Grow is a retired journalism professor. writing_center@unc.edu, 2023 The Writing Center University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 License. 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. 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. The example paragraph is unified on one topic: the opioid epidemic. What should readers understand after reading the paragraph? Next, snap Together all four external tent-poles (they are held together by shock cords to make sure you get the pieces matched up). The writer begins with an opposing viewpoint to appeal to readers who may be critical of educational technology. Some of the modes of discourse (to use the formal name) such as narration, have been expertly used by humans since the first storytellers, and persuasion has existed since the first argument. 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. 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, When you walk at Lloyd Beach, you have to be careful to step over the picnic baskets, umbrellas, jam boxes, and browning bodies. The purpose of narration is to tell a story or relate an event. This is finethe topic sentence can actually go at the beginning, middle, or end of a paragraph; whats 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. Notice that the example and explanation steps of this 5-step process (steps 3 and 4) can be repeated as needed. Paragraph development begins with the formulation of the controlling idea. WebParagraphs are the building blocks of papers. Despite the fact that piranhas are relatively harmless, many people continue to believe the pervasive myth that piranhas are dangerous to humans. More than one pattern of development may be used in a series of Although most people consider piranhas to be quite dangerous, they are, for the most part, entirely harmless. You want to write things that stand out, leap from the page words that get up and dance. Lunsford, Andrea. Ideally, paragraph lengths should invite readers in, neither seeming too daunting to read through nor appearing incomplete. The following paragraphs have been devised in an attempt to emphasize the characteristics of each mode of writing. After appearing intermittently in scattered sinkholes, the river rises three miles downstream in a big boil, then continues on to meet the Suwannee and the sea. Is the content organized in a logical, easy-to-understand manner? Will readers understand the relationship of the supporting details to the point of the paragraph and the larger point of the essay? Rosen, Leonard J., and Laurence Behrens. 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. A narrative differs from a mere listing of events. By contrast, Lloyd Beach State Recreation Area, near Fort Lauderdale, is dominated by the oily bodies of sun-worshippers who crowd into it every summer weekend. Give your description away as generously as the world gives away sights. Paragraphs and essays can be developed in many different ways. The example paragraph is limited in focus on one idea about the topicthat technology provides opportunities to personalize education. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/development-composition-term-1690383. The modes are ways of thinking that literacy has made into almost universal, shared, powerful ways to communicate meaning through words. Paragraph development progresses with an example (or more) that illustrates the claims made in the previous sentences. The idea is that you continue to use this pattern until you have completely developed the main idea of the paragraph. He heard his wife, Wanda, hold her breath; she was awake, too. So do the writer and the reader. Far more piranhas are eaten by people than people are eaten by piranhas. Discussions are generally developed by adding new information to known information. Our paragraph might look like this (the topic sentence is bold): Like sharks, snakes, and spiders, piranhas are widely feared. Reasons to begin a new paragraph include. Types of modes include description, narration, comparison and contrast, example, definition, cause and effect, analogy, and analysis. The purpose of And nothing is more frustrating for readers than a missing step. When confronted with humans, piranhas first instinct is to flee, not attack. Despite using them as big garages, barns tend to be taken down rather than repaired. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive email notifications of new posts. Narration: Tell a story. Narration. It gives a sequential presentation of the events that add up to a story. Assemble the two remaining tent poles in a similar manner. More often, however, you will need to explain that relationship in a separate sentence. To persuade people to change their minds or take an action, more is needed than your opinion or sense of conviction. One North Carolina man found quite a surprise last year while fishing in the A working thesis functions like a seed from which your paper, and your ideas, will grow. Find out what parks are available, and what they are like. When people read and go to school, among the most useful tools they learn are these modes of discourse, which become so internalized that they function without notice. Education Digest, 79(1), 22-26. https://search.proquest.com/openview/49d7ee537168e132960671e4bef70582/1.pdf?pqorigsite=gscholar&cbl=25066. This paragraph is a small example of the kind of writing used widely in editorials and columns, and it uses a direct, exhortatory approach: Believe Me and Do It! So, the top slice of bread (the first sentence of the paragraph) explains the topic (or controlling idea) of the paragraph. By contrast, short paragraphs can seem choppy and undeveloped. To readers, these are modes of thought, and they work unnoticed to interpret what was written. Now, you will familiarize yourself with two of the, most common patterns of paragraph development exemplification and classification., , Whats in, As you unravel Understanding the basic concept of paragraph is easy enough, but applying that understandingthat is, writing strong, focused paragraphscan pose challenges for writers of all levels of accomplishment. But even this is too costly for a structure that barn owners consider functionally obsolete. Even starlight failed to penetrate the 80-foot canopy of trees the camper was parked beneath. usually emerge in the process of revision. Adopt a strategy that makes your description into a little story: move from far to near, left to right, old to new, or, as in the example above, down a river, to give your description a natural flow. Rhetorical modes help writers think about their topic and organize their ideas. At home in New Jersey, the nights are filled with the busy, sounds of traffic. Description. Around 2 a.m. something woke Charles Hanson up. The purpose of a paragraph varies according to the type of writing, but Depending on the audience and purpose, a writer may need to include more or less information. 2003. 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. By paying more attention to fact than fiction, humans may finally be able to let go of this inaccurate belief. This family was a victim of a problem they could have avoideda problem that, according to Florida park rangers, hundreds of visitors suffer each year. 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. These parts are the topic sentence, development and Does anything need to be added or deleted. If you can help them formulate and deepen that opinion, they will be glad they read your work. Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. While paragraph length can vary, effective paragraphs contain enough substantive content that readers do not have lingering questions. When you learn to write effectively, people will start to believe you. Gerald Grow is a retired journalism professor, cartoonist, and photographer. Click on the link for more information on Definition Paragraphs. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Use the description to make your point, or to move your story along. Think of what pieces readers need, in what order, to construct a scene. Narration is normally chronological (though sometimes it uses flashbacks). A paragraph needs to be developed in a logical manner, and readers need to be guided through that development. Where OLeno gives you so much quiet you can hear the leaves whispering, Lloyd Beach is a place of boisterous activity. You might, however, simply transition to the next paragraph. Their fear of humans makes sense. Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. It was then he decided to pack up and move to a motel. The second is when the water level in pools where piranhas are living falls too low. But if you want to stand at the edge of civilization and look across time into an older natural world, OLeno is the park to visit. Materials and resources for the review of basic English grammar, mechanics, paragraph writing, and an introduction to college-level writing. 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 paragraphs main idea. Paragraph length is dictated first by content and purpose. Most of the modes, however, gained so much power with the invention of writing and printing that it was as if they were reinvented then. Exposition can be an incidental part of a description or a narration, or it can be the heart of an article. WebHow do I organize a paragraph? You need to be fair, truthful, open about your limits, ready to learn from your mistakes. A number of South American groups eat piranhas. Cause and Effect: Paragraph Patterns Classification-Division This pattern allows you to either divide a topic into it's component parts, or to categorize (or classify) a Unfold the tent so that the corners of the waterproof bottom form a square. Something felt wrong. No matter what pattern you follow (in other words, what the purpose of your paragraph is) your paragraphs will all include three main components. Often, the controlling idea of a paragraph will appear in the form of a topic sentence. For example, the promotional poster for the 1978 horror film Piranha features an oversized piranha poised to bite the leg of an unsuspecting woman. Their fear of humans makes sense. Web.3 Paragraph Development Develop paragraphs in a variety of patterns that reflect your thinking about the material. Thread each pole through the two loops leading toward the top of the tent. And, the bottom slice (the last sentence of the paragraph) tells the reader how the paragraph relates to the broader argument. Long paragraphs can be divided and reorganized into two or more focused paragraphs. But there are two situations in which a piranha bite is likely. Think that your language is not so much describing a thing as describing a frame around the thinga frame so vivid that your reader can pour imagination into it and see the thingeven though you never showed it. This pattern allows you to either divide a topic into it's component parts, or to categorize (or classify) a group of related items or events. For each step there is an explanation and example. What else should you keep in mind as you begin to create paragraphs? 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. For example, once a print textbook is adopted, schools will stay with the curriculum until the next textbook adoption cycle. CarolinaGo for Android Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When dividing you begin with one central topic and break that down into multiple parts. Develop Paragraphs With the Audience and Purpose in Mind. To make matters worse, razing an old barn is often easier than saving it. There are many techniques for brainstorming; whichever one you choose, this stage of paragraph development cannot be skipped. At first, this sounds great! Is the development sufficient for the audience and purpose? When confronted with humans, piranhas first instinct is to flee, not attack. A process paragraph gives your reader instructions on how to accomplish something, or an account of how some event occurred. 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. It also uses language (e.g. Gerald Explanation for example Such a terrifying representation easily captures the imagination and promotes unnecessary fear. https://www.thoughtco.com/development-composition-term-1690383 (accessed July 1, 2023). The final movement in paragraph development involves tying up the loose ends of the paragraph. In other words, your paragraphs should remind your reader that there is a recurrent relationship between your thesis and the information in each paragraph. Isolate the steps: number then, use bullets, put them in separate paragraphs. They often leave the reader craving more information. You always have the comforting knowledge that other people are all around you. Chapel Hill, NC 27599 The bold and italic formatting in the following example shows the PIE method at work: Despite preservation efforts, barns are in jeopardy, a reflection not only of economics but also of the fading family farm. 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. WebParagraph Development A paragraph is a group of related sentences that are centered on a main idea. These ordinary modes may, indeed, be enough by themselves, because most articles dont need to sing and dance they just need to help readers learn in 10 minutes something that took you 10 hours (or 10 weeks!) All Rights Reserved. Use illustrations keyed to the steps when appropriate: People can often read diagrams better than they can read lists of steps. Remember, you never just describe something: The description is always part of a larger point. Remember: Readers are interested in only one opiniontheir own. These rhetorical modes also show writers the options available to them when composing paragraphs. Every paragraph in a paper should be: There are many different ways to organize a paragraph. To develop a paragraph with the audience in mind, the writer needs to consider what the audience already knows. 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. If a person is telling a story about their seven-year-old daughter, they are narrating. The sentences in a paragraph work together to develop one distinct idea by sharing the same focus. Get good information on what to expect, and what your options are. The first is when a frightened piranha is lifted out of the waterfor example, if it has been caught in a fishing net. Perez-Pina, R. (2017, May 31). Click on the link for more information on Process Paragraphs. 243 3 2 Q KX) ? + 2 # Patterns of Paragraph Development jfhs jfhs Oh +'0 ( H T ` Suppose that we wanted to start the piranha paragraph with a transition sentencesomething that reminds the reader of what happened in the previous paragraphrather than with the topic sentence. If the fish are well-fed, they wont bite humans. This impression of piranhas is exacerbated by their mischaracterization in popular media. 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. This persuasive paragraph also serves as the ending to this little article and brings a sense of closure in the form of, OK, now get up and act!. Specific details always help a story, but so does interpretive language. The explanation should demonstrate the value of the example as evidence to support the major claim, or focus, in your paragraph. 2008. This handout will help you understand how paragraphs are formed, how to develop stronger paragraphs, and how to completely and clearly express your ideas. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Go chronologically, from start to finish. That is why so many editors slash through passages of good writing, with a note like: Replace this fluff with something you had to get off your butt and go find out.. (919) 962-7710 Each is followed by a brief commentary. 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. In describing how a process happens or how to perform a series of actions, always think of your readers: Can they follow this? The paragraph above is the beginning of a definition, to be continued as the article goes on. Paragraphs are the basic units of a piece of writing. The discussion that follows will help you understand effective paragraphing and reinforce good writing habits. To create this limited focus, writers provide facts, opinions, definitions, examples, anecdotes, and descriptions, for example, support or explain the controlling idea. Learning to support your main ideas with pertinent details. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handouts topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial. When confronted with humans, piranhas first instinct is to flee, not attack. WebA pattern of development is the way the essay is organized, from one paragraph to the next, in order to present its thesis and the relevant, authoritative support for it, in a coherent and And light: At home he can read in bed by the glow of the streetlight. Finally, unroll the front flap to form an awning. 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. English 100 - Interactive Writing. Click on the link for more information on Persuasive Paragraphs. One person can set up the FamilyProof Tent, though it is easier with two. In reality, though, the unity and coherence of ideas among sentences is what constitutes a paragraph. When confronted with humans, piranhas instinct is to flee, not attack. Paragraphs developed with audience and purpose in mind, Various rhetorical modes considered for developing and organizing paragraphs, Transitions and guidewords connecting parts. Length and appearance do not determine whether a section in a paper is a paragraph. Dr. Richard Nordquist is professor emeritus of rhetoric and English at Georgia Southern University and the author of several university-level grammar and composition textbooks. As you write the topic sentence and its supporting sentences, look You need to supply them with the information, analysis, and context they need to form their own opinions, make their own judgments, and take action. Dont wind up in the wilds when you want to be near Disney World, and dont wind up on a concrete RV pad when you really want the forest primeval. In this handout, we will refer to this as the controlling idea, because it controls what happens in the rest of the paragraph. https://bowiestate.libguides.com/english_100, Classification/Division: Paragraph Patterns. Choose the pieces. Portray, yes, but mainly. Far more piranhas are eaten by people than people are eaten by piranhas. More at longleaf.net. At it's most basic level, cause and effect is a question of what happened first, and what happened second. Well walk through a 5-step process for building a paragraph that illustrates a point in an argument. Narration usually contains characters, a setting, a conflict, and a resolution. Always ask an outsider to read your process analysis to see if it can be followed. Ohio sues drug makers, saying they aided opioid epidemic. Writers use words to compose sentences that develop ideas. Nordquist, Richard. 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. Paragraphs are the building blocks of papers. We consulted these works while writing this handout. If the fish are well-fed, they wont bite humans. Once you commit to a down or across strategy, stick with it till the end of the comparison. A paragraph is defined as a group of sentences or a single sentence that forms a unit (Lunsford and Connors 116). "Development in Composition: Building an Essay." Our example offers a possible explanation for the pervasiveness of the myth. Fulton, K. (2013, September 1). 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 drugs adoption and usage. Use sensory language. Their fear of humans makes sense. A diving platform marks a good place to swim in the soft, cool waters of the Santa Fe, and canoeing up this dark river is like traveling backwards in time in the direction of original Florida. Narration is an especially useful tool for 2. Nordquist, Richard. In a story, often something happens near the end that echoes the beginning, or resolves it. The cognitive difficulty in description is simple: People see all-at-once. WebPatterns of Development in Writing When beginning to write, it is helpful to determine the patterns of development that are most effective for your purpose and audience. The focus of this tutorial is on body paragraphs. thinking about the material. Ultimately, a paragraph is a sentence or group of sentences that support one main idea. In composition, development (also known as elaboration) is the process of adding informative and illustrative details to support the main idea in a paragraph or essay. Good writing cannot substitute for the hard, detailed, careful, thoughtful, ethical work that makes it worth reading. If you're writing instructions, steps should be listed in the order that they should be performed and if you're describing a past event, it's generally best to follow a chronological order. Byrons flipped classrooms. G 0 : ( h J >.