A Military Writer's Handbook
Paragraphs

Paragraphs: Introduction

The paragraph is the basic unit of meaning in a piece of writing. A paragraph takes an idea and gives it substance and form. Depending on the writer's purpose, that substance may involve analysis, description, illustration, definition, or some other way of furthering a discussion or argument. In order to emphasize its point, the paragraph may be constructed according to a particular pattern. Ordering and connecting ideas and sentences in a paragraph is essential for a coherent discussion of a topic. And, not the least, a paragraph breaks your essay into manageable, digestible chunks for the reader.

Contents

Paragraph Coherence
     Constructing a Paragraph
     Topic Sentences
     Paragraph as Essay in Miniature
Paragraph Purpose
    Narrative
    Description
    Example
    Definition
    Classification
    Analysis
    Compare/Contrast
    Analogy
    Process
Paragraph Patterns
    Direct
    Climactic
    Turnabout
    Interrogative
Introductions and Conclusions