A paragraph works when its parts contribute to a clear purpose in the larger piece. Length alone does not determine quality. A concise paragraph may be complete, while a long one may combine several jobs that need separate explanation.
Name what the paragraph does
Write its main contribution in a margin: establishes a pattern, explains a cause, examines an objection, or interprets evidence. Choose a focus that supports the broader argument. A topic label such as technology is too vague to reveal the paragraph’s job. A sentence explaining how a tool changes access gives you a direction. If you cannot name the contribution, decide whether the paragraph belongs or what claim it needs.
Connect evidence and explanation
Provide the example, quotation, data, or observation the claim requires, then explain its relevance. Do not assume the reader will draw your intended conclusion simply because evidence appears nearby. Point to the specific feature that matters and show the reasoning. Some disciplines require several pieces of evidence; others require a close examination of one. Let the intellectual task determine the pattern rather than forcing every paragraph into an identical number of sentences.
Check unity and progression
Read the paragraph without surrounding text and ask whether each sentence advances the same job. Move tangents, divide competing claims, and restore context when needed. Then read it in sequence to check its relationship with adjacent paragraphs. Beginners can label claim, evidence, and explanation. Experienced writers can vary order while preserving clarity. End when the reasoning is complete, not when you reach an arbitrary sentence count or repeat the opening in different words.
Put it into practice
Put it into practice
- Choose a paragraph from your draft.
- Name its reasoning job and label claim, evidence, and explanation.
- Remove or relocate a sentence that serves another purpose, then add any missing connection a reader would need to understand why the evidence supports the claim.
Sources & further reading
- Harvard College Writing Center: Strategies for Essay Writing ↗
- George Mason University Writing Center: Revising ↗
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