Paragraphs are the fundamental element of any form of academic writing. However, an essay is slightly different from other assignments because it allows authors to express their views on any topic freely.
The paragraphs in the main body of an essay are where you develop the central argument. While the sequence, length, and number of paragraphs can vary depending on the type of essay and topic, each paragraph needs to be relevant, coherent, and cohesive.
- Relevance – Each paragraph must relate to the overall purpose and focus of the paper.
- Coherence – The structure of the paragraph and the organisation of the sentences should be clear and logical.
- Cohesiveness – Every sentence of the paragraph should relate to the main point.
How to Start a Paragraph in an Essay?
To start a paragraph in an essay, begin with a clear topic sentence that introduces the main idea of your essay. Avoid starting with quotes or vague statements and prefer to use linking words like firstly, for example, to guide readers to the conclusion of the prose.
How to Structure Paragraphs in an Essay?
An essay paragraph is a structured piece of writing that presents one main idea supported by evidence, examples, and analysis. Most academic essays follow the PEEL or TEEL (Topic Sentence, Explanation, Evidence, and Link/Conclusion) structure for paragraphs.
You can use any one of the above formats to structure your paragraphs in the essay. Let’s explore the steps to come up with a good essay structure using the TEEL or PEEL technique.
Also Read: How to Organise an Essay?
1. Write a Topic Sentence
A topic sentence is the first sentence of each paragraph, giving readers insight into the central claim or idea. If you have developed an essay outline or plan, you could already have a rough idea of what you intend to discuss in each paragraph of the essay.
However, if you don’t have an essay outline, you might want to use topic sentences to introduce each paragraph’s key idea or argument.
One important thing that needs to be considered when writing a topic sentence is to make sure that it is specific enough so you don’t need several paragraphs to cover the point, and general enough to expand it into a paragraph.
Here is an example of a topic sentence starting a new paragraph;
While Donald Trump was always considered a popular and successful businessman in the United States, he had to invest heavily in time, resources, and finances to gain acceptance as the country’s leading politician.
The above topic sentence.
- Uses a transition word
- Clearly identifies the focus of the paragraph (the coming of age of Donald Trump, the politician)
- This relates to the central argument of the essay.
- Provides sufficient space for supporting evidence and critical evaluation.
2. Provide Explanation
Next, you must explain in detail what you meant by the first sentence. For example, you could explain why and how this point relates to the central theme of your essay.
The political support Donald Trump acquired through his influence, money, and sheer dedication was of utmost importance because he needed that to be taken seriously and become a leading political candidate.
The above sentence expands on the topic sentence and details how Donald Trump managed to gain wider acceptance in the political arena.
3. Provide Evidence
Once you have provided sufficient details pertaining to the central point of the paragraph with the help of a topic sentence and the explanation sentence (s), you will be expected to provide supporting evidence and examples.
The type of evidence and examples you can provide to support your main argument depends on your academic level, essay topic and the academic subject you are studying.
However, in general, your evidence can be available in the form of any of the following qualitative or quantitative sources;
- Journal Articles
- Academic Books,
- Documentary Evidence
- Statistics
- Case Studies
- Quotations from interviews, library texts, and other primary sources
In 2013, Trump was a featured CPAC speaker (Moody & Chris, 2013). In the speech, he railed against illegal immigration while seeming to encourage immigration from Europe, bemoaned Obama’s “unprecedented media protection”, advised against harming Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, and suggested that the government “take” Iraq’s oil and use the proceeds to pay a million dollars each to families of dead soldiers. He spent over $1 million that year to research a possible 2016 candidacy. (Madison & Lucy, 2013).
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How Long Should a Paragraph Be in an Essay?
A strong essay paragraph is usually around 100-200 words long. It should not be too long to discuss several ideas simultaneously. Instead, an ideal paragraph should be short and focus on one main idea, lengthy enough to cover the whole idea with clarity.
3.1: Comment on the Evidence
You will be expected to take into consideration the weaknesses and strengths of the examples and evidence you provided.
The argument you presented in the topic sentence and the explanation sentence (s) need to be supported by evidence and examples.
If the evidence does not relate to the point made in the topic sentence, it will neither endorse nor reject the claim.
The early struggles in the political career of Donald Trump were indicative of the fact that Mr Trump had no political background, and so he had to work hard to get people behind him.
The above sentence adds weight to the evidence by highlighting a specific fact that brought about a significant change in people’s attitude towards how they looked at Donald Trump as a politician.
Now you can repeat steps 3 and 4 multiple times until you have successfully put your point across.
However, with time, political players in the Republican party, as well as the general public in the United States, began to appreciate the contribution Trump could make to the system, particularly when he pursued sizable income tax cuts, deregulation, increased military spending, rollbacks of federal health-care protections, and the appointment of conservative judges consistent with conservative (Republican Party) policies (PBS News Hour, 2019). Change in policies is precisely what the people of America needed at that moment.
The above evidence confirms that people began to realise the importance of what Donald Trump was campaigning for over time. The explanation of the evidence claims that it worked in Trump’s favour because it was also what the people wanted.
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4. Establish the Link
You can conclude the paragraph by establishing a link between the topic sentences, evidence, and explanation sentences to demonstrate how the paragraph relates to the overall argument of your essay.
The example paragraph we have used in this article provides evidence and assessment towards Donald Trump’s recognition as the leader of the world’s most powerful country.
Donald Trump had to campaign for almost two decades before political players and the public of the USA started to perceive him as a genuine contender for the presidential nomination.
The last sentence of the paragraph brings to light the end result of the story.
Reread
It will always help to read through the whole of the paragraph to ensure it flows logically and naturally from one sentence to the next and takes the shape of one coherent and meaningful paragraph.
Frequently Asked Questions
The 5 steps of paragraph writing are:
- Topic sentence introducing main idea.
- Supporting sentences with details or evidence.
- Explanation or analysis of supporting points.
- Examples or anecdotes to reinforce ideas.
- Concluding sentence summarising the paragraph’s focus.
It totally depends on the complexity of your topic and the explanation it requires to present the topic clearly. However, essays usually have 5 paragraphs: one of introduction, 3 of body, and one of conclusion.
You can use transition words like firstly, in addition, moreover, etc, like between to signal the reader that you are moving to the new point, idea, or example.
