Paragraphing

WHAT IS A PARAGRAPH?

A paragraph is a clearly defined section of text that accomplishes a specific rhetorical task. While we know that the writing produced for college is constructed out of paragraphs, many of us don't pause to consider what makes a good paragraph or question how we might build paragraphs to craft a strong stance, point, or argument. In this badge, we use the term "paragraphing" to point to the activity of building paragraphs in ways that develop and extend a particular idea or point.

WHY DO WE USE PARAGRAPHS TO ORGANIZE OUR WRITING?

We use paragraphs to establish a particular point in our writing. As such, it is often helpful to step back and question the work each paragraph accomplishes in our writing. Does it introduce an idea? Provide an example? Consider an opposing viewpoint? While paragraphs can accomplish just about any goal and there are infinite ways to structure each paragraph you write, we focus here on one approach. While we don't mean to suggest this is the only way to organize a paragraph, the MEAL plan (which emphasizes having a Main idea, Evidence, Analysis, and a Link) provides a solid approach to paragraph organization, in larger terms, invite you to question the work you do in all paragraphs.

WHAT DOES PARAGRAPHING LOOK LIKE?

Read the following paragraph from a review of a popular restaurant in Myrtle Beach, considering the following questions:

Is it unified? That is, is it focused on one idea that is clearly stated?
Is it well developed? That is, does it help the reader understand and buy into the main idea by providing examples and explaining them?

I've visited Banditos Restaurant & Cantina twice since it opened in early August, and both times I've taken pleasure in noticing a deft touch in creating a unique and thoroughly appealing ambiance. First on the customer appreciation list is the sweeping ocean view that can be seen from any seat, whether that seat is inside, out on the covered terrace, under umbrella-topped tables on the deck or down on a sandy area around a bandstand where musicians perform all day, every day. The building's design by Pegram Associates of Myrtle Beach is also impressive, with its ceiling soaring into a dome, plenty of beautiful ceramic tiles and interior columns with a mother of pearl effect. It evokes a feeling of small Mexican town square combined with coastal Caribbean resort so you feel you're dining in a posh restaurant with laid-back sensibilities. Furnishings help toward the comfy/casual feeling. Wood tables and chairs were stained to give a vintage look, and there is a mix of shapes and sizes in the seating, from conventional roomy booths to a cool round booth and tables big enough to seat 8-10 hungry personas.

(From "Gut Reaction" by Becky Billingsley [Sept. 6, 2012 Weekly Surge])

How unified and well developed is this paragraph? Another way to ask that question is: has Becky Billingsley convinced you that Banditos would be a nice place to have dinner? Most readers would probably agree that the above excerpt meets our expectations for a unified, well developed paragraph and that the paragraph is therefore successful in accomplishing it purpose.

It is unified, focused on one idea. The entire paragraph moves us towards one main point, or thesis: the "appealing ambiance" of the restaurant.
It is well developed. The main idea of the paragraph, the pleasant atmosphere of the restaurant, is supported by several details: the location near the ocean, the resort-like design of the building, and the comfortable furnishings. Billingsley explains and analyzes each of these details so that the reader understands exactly how the details work to support the argument that this restaurant has a really nice atmosphere.

OKAY, SO HOW DO I CRAFT A STRONG PARAGRAPH?

Writing such effective paragraphs is not easy, but it can be helpful to follow a plan that helps you remember that each part of your paragraph has an important role to play. That plan is the MEAL plan, where:

M = Main idea. Within your paragraph, the main idea should be explicitly stated; this often happens in the first sentence, but your main idea may appear elsewhere. For example, some writers chose to articulate their main idea in the last sentence of their paragraph as a way to tie together the evidence and analysis presented in their writing. You can play with the placement of your main idea, but remember it should be evident. Stick to one idea per paragraph, and start a new paragraph when you start a new idea.
E = Evidence, or the details that support the main idea. You can have as many details as you need. Sometimes one juicy piece of evidence is enough to make the point convincing. A good rule of thumb is three details per idea, but this is a "rule" that is made to be broken. Use your good judgment when deciding when you have enough convincing evidence. Also remember that evidence can take many forms, depending on the topic and your purpose for writing:
- sensory descriptions
- examples
- anecdotal evidence or short narrative based on personal experience
- quotations from experts or researched sources
- facts
- statistics
A = Analysis, or the explanation for how the details support the main idea. This analysis is crucial for helping your readers understand how the evidence is relevant. Effective Analysis of evidence "unpacks" the details one by one to make your intention clear to the reader. Analysis answers crucial questions about the Evidence you've included:
- Why are you including this Evidence, these details?
- How does the Evidence help to make your Main idea more convincing?
- What role does this evidence play in the overall purpose of the paragraph?
L = Link. The paragraph often (not always) ends with a sentence or two that tie the whole paragraph together and point back to the thesis. The Link is NOT a transition to the next paragraph, but a reminder of how the paragraph fits into the purpose of the whole essay.

So let's return to Billingsley's paragraph to see how she puts the MEAL plan into action:

She states an explicit Main idea in the first sentence of her paragraph, the idea that the atmosphere of Banditos is pleasant.
Evidence in the form of detailed descriptions and examples supports this main idea: the ocean view, the building's design, and the furnishings.
Analysis elaborates on and explains each of these pieces of evidence, answering questions such as "How does the view add to the restaurant's appeal?" and "Why is it important to notice the interior design?"
A Link sentence is not included in this paragraph. If Billingsley had included one, it might have read something like the following: "So the atmosphere played a large part in making my visit to Banditos an enjoyable one." Such a sentence would remind the reader that all of the details and analysis in the paragraph works together to prove the main point, but in a paragraph that is as well focused as this one, it's probably not necessary.

EXPERT'S MODEL

See her paragraph broken down according to these categories.

For citation, use:

Coastal Carolina University, Department of English, First-Year Writing Program. "Paragraphing." Coastal Composition Commons, 24 August 2017, https://ccc.coastal.edu/task/paragraphing-meal-plan/. Accessed xx xxxxxx xxxx.