A paragraph is a self-contained portion of your essay. Paragraphs will begin by making a claim that connects back to your thesis. The body of the paragraph will present the evidence, reasoning and conclusions that prove that claim. Usually, paragraphs will end by connecting their claim or ideas to the larger argument, analysis, or exposition or by setting up the claim that the next paragraph will contain.
How Many Paragraphs Do You Need?
There is no set number for how many paragraphs a paper should have. You will need at least one for an introduction and one for a conclusion, but after that the number can vary. However, you will need at least one paragraph for every claim that makes up your argument, analysis, or exposition.
Paragraphs should be used to develop one idea at a time rather than contain many different ideas and claims. If you have a lot of ideas and claims to address in relation to a main point of development, you may be tempted to combine related claims into the same paragraph. But combining different points in the same paragraph cuts down on how much space you have to develop/argue each point and can lead to paragraphs lacking unity. This will divide your reader’s attention and make your arguments, analyses, and explanations less clear and thorough.
By dedicating each paragraph to only one part of your controlling idea or claim (sub-topical paragraphs) you will give the reader time to fully evaluate and understand each idea or claim before going on to the next one. Think of paragraphs as a way of guiding your reader’s attention – by giving them a single topic, you force them to focus on it. When you direct their focus, they will have a much easier time following your development.
Some writing manuals will direct you to have one paragraph for every point made in your thesis. The general idea behind this rule is a good one – you need to address every point, and you will need at least a paragraph for each. However, do not feel like you can only devote one paragraph to each point. If the content you are presenting is complex or multifaceted, you may need to have subsections (sub-topical paragraphs) for each of your main points. Each one of those supporting points should be its own paragraph.
Using Topic Sentences
Every paragraph usually should begin with a topic sentence that tells the reader what the paragraph will prove/develop. The first paragraph of a main point should contain a clear global topic sentence that provides the reader with expectations at the start of the paragraph; in this way you help them understand where you are, were you are going, and how the paragraph fits in with the global structure of your essay. Further, topic sentences should always connect back/speak, explicitly or implicitly, to your thesis statement – if you cannot find a way to describe a paragraph in relation to your thesis, you probably do not need it.
If you have more than one paragraph for a main point of development (sub-topical paragraphs), be sure to include a local topic sentence for each that indicates you are still on the same main point but are writing about something different or offering further development in relation to it.
Creating Good Paragraphs
If the thesis is to be developed via multiple points or assertions (which is usually going to be the case), each body paragraph should support or justify them, in the order the assertions were originally previewed in the introduction. Thus, the topic sentence for the first body paragraph will refer to the first point in the thesis sentence and the topic sentence for the second body paragraph will refer to the second point in the thesis sentence. Each body paragraph is something like a miniature essay in that they each need an introductory sentence that offers an important and interesting claim or idea, and that they each need a good closing sentence (be it an internal summary or a transition) in order to produce a smooth transition between one point and the next. Transitions from one main point to the next, as well as within paragraphs, are important to add coherence to your paper.
