Paragraph Development

Volunteer State Community College
Learning Commons

Introduction
This mini ebook will help you understand how paragraphs are formed and how to develop stronger paragraphs.

What is a paragraph?
Students typically define a paragraph in terms of length or the number of sentences it contains; however, paragraphs are really identified by their unity and coherence.

Lunsford and Connors define a paragraph as “a group of sentences or a single sentence that forms a unit” (116).

Length and appearance do not determine whether a section in a paper is a paragraph. Ultimately, a paragraph is a sentence or group of sentences that support one main idea. In this handout, we will refer to this as the “controlling idea,” because it controls what happens in the rest of the paragraph. This is also called the thesis.

What should I put in a paragraph?
Before you can begin to determine what information you should include in a paragraph, you must first decide on an argument and a working thesis statement for your paper. You can come up with a working thesis statement by asking this question: “What is the most important idea that I am trying to convey to my reader?” The information in each paragraph must be related to that controlling idea.

Each paragraph typically discusses one aspect (or subtopic) of the controlling idea. This subtopic is usually stated in the form of a topic sentence at the beginning of the paragraph. In a five-paragraph essay, the thesis statement usually includes three subtopics.

There should be only one main idea in each body paragraph.

Collegiate writing often leaves the subtopics out of the thesis statement because they tend to be too limiting and formulaic for collegiate writing, which encourages deeper more creative thesis statements. Whether the subpoints are listed in the thesis statement or not, each paragraph serves the purpose of supporting the thesis statement by focusing on one separate subtopic Here are some examples from the UNT Dallas Learning Commons:

1.
2.

3.

Here is an example of a thesis statement.

*Note that the

Ex: Regularly visiting the

The main topic explores the idea that regularly visiting the writing center will help you become the best writer on the planet, and the subtopics further expand this opinion with three distinct examples: 1) tutors, 2) technology, and 3) the handouts.

The paper should be organized around the subtopics. For example, for the thesis written above, the writer would write one body paragraph about the tutors, one about technology, and one about the handouts.

Classroom Scenario

writing center at UNC Dallas

current technology,

will help you become the best writer on the planet

because it offers

and

superhero tutors,

fantastic handouts.

A thesis statement for a 5-paragraph essay
contains three parts:

The controlling Idea:

A topic:

the main idea of the essay

Here's the outline that corresponds with the
example above:

what you want to say about the topic

The subtopics:

usually 3 examples/reasons
you will discuss in your paper

topic

is in

red,

the

controlling idea

is in

pink,

and the

subtopics

are in

purple.

1. Introduction (paragraph 1)

a. Introduce the topic of tutoring
b. Thesis (last sentence of intro): Regularly visiting the
Writing Center at UNT Dallas will help you become
the best writer on the planet because it offers
superhero tutors, current technology, and fantastic
handouts.

2. Body Paragraphs

a. Paragraph 2:
i. Topic sentence
ii. Examples

b. Paragraph 3:
i. Topic sentence
ii. Examples

c. Paragraph 4:
i. Topic sentence
ii. Examples

3. Conclusion

a. Restate thesis
b. Summary of remarks
c. Concluding remarks

develop certain ideas; therefore; every paragraph, sentence, and word in your paper must relate to this controlling idea

Here are some examples of thesis statements:
*Note that the

the tutors

A collegiate thesis statement often leaves out the subpoints.

the technology

idea

is in

pink.

topic

is in

red

and the

controlling

the handouts

Baseball,

addiction,

the new interest in more violent sports.

has lost its popularity

once a national pastime and even an

because of

Since

the American people with any substantial, practical returns,

the space program

has yet to provide

it is a waste of money and

should be dissolved.

To stop the alarming

rise in the number of

A thesis statement for a long or collegiate
essay contains two parts:

violent crimes

courts must hand out tougher sentences.

committed every year, our

Detective stories

appeal to the basic human

A topic:

the main idea of the essay

desire for thrills.

The controlling Idea:

what you want to say
about the topic

Hemingway's war stories

a new prose style.

helped to create

Throughout the paper, your thesis promises your readers that you will prove specific facts or

Bronte utilizes

emotional expressions of the characters.

light and fire

to symbolize the