Topic Sentence + Body + Concluding Sentences

Academic Paragraph
COM/170 Version 7 / 1

University of Phoenix Material

The Academic Paragraph

An Overview

An academic paragraph requires a specific structure. It usually consists of three main parts:

Topic sentence + body + concluding sentences

The topic sentence states the main point of the paragraph and prepares the reader to understand what he or she should expect to read in the paragraph. In academic writing, the topic sentence is usually the first sentence in the paragraph. Sometimes, however, the writer will include a transition sentence before the topic sentence.

The body sentences support or develop the topic sentence. Each body sentence relates clearly back to the topic sentence, and the topic sentence covers all ideas in the body.

The concluding sentence wraps up the paragraph, emphasizes the main point, and ties all ideas together in some way.

First Step: Gather Ideas

To develop a paragraph, begin by listing the ideas you might want to include in your paragraph.

Example:For a paragraph about the benefits of renting an apartment as compared to owning a home, these are ideas that might come to mind:

Easier to move
It’s hard to sell a house
Rental contracts are usually for a year
Renters cannot remodel
Job changes
Economic hardship
Renters do not build equity in the property
Renters often enjoy free swimming pools
Renters often have access to exercise facilities
Pools are expensive to buy and maintain
Some exercise equipment is expensive
Treadmills are big and take up a lot of room in a house

Although this is a thorough and detailed list, there are far too many ideas to include in one paragraph. The ideas need to be narrowed down to those that best fit the focus of this specific paragraph: the benefits of renting an apartment.

Easier to move
It’s hard to sell a house
Rental contracts are usually for a year
Renters cannot remodel(The paragraph is about benefits, and this is not a benefit to the renter. This might belong in a different paragraph.)
Job changes
Economic hardship
Renters do not build equity in the property(This is not a benefit to the renter and does not fit the focus of the paragraph.)
Renters often enjoy access to free swimming pools
Renters often have access to exercise facilities
Pools are expensive to buy and maintain
Some exercise equipment is expensive

Once a list of the most relevant ideas is generated, the next step is to put them into logical order, sandwiched between a topic sentence and concluding sentence.

Second Step: Write a Topic Sentence

As noted above, the topic sentence should present the main point of the paragraph and direct how it will be developed. It isbest to avoid prescriptive statements like, “In this paragraph, I will explain…” or “This paragraph is about….” Instead, just address the topic and not what you are doing as a writer. To create a topic sentence, include the topic and the controlling idea:

Topic + Controlling Idea

Example: Renters enjoy certain benefits that homeowners do not.

The topic is renting, and the controlling idea is that renters enjoy benefits that homeowners do not.

Do not be concerned if your topic sentence is not perfect early on. You can always revise it later in the writing process, especially if the content of your paragraph shifts a bit during your drafting.

Third Step: Develop the Body Sentences

Now it is time to take the ideas from the list generated earlier on in your paragraph drafting process and develop them into a detailed paragraph. Start with the topic sentenceyou havewritten, and then add the details. You can develop these details in several ways: explaining the controlling idea, giving examples, evaluating the examples, providing outside support/evidence, and analyzing connections between ideas.

Example: (The topic sentence is underlined.)

Renters enjoy certain benefits that homeowners do not. When renting, it is much easier to move when a new job opportunity arises in another geographic location, the renter needs to downsize because of financial hardship, or when the renter simply wants a change in living environment. Typical rental contracts bind a person for no more than a year. Selling a house can take longer and might even involve financial loss if the owner needs to move quickly. In addition, apartment renters often enjoy amenities such as a pool or exercise facilities. Homeowners who want a pool or exercise equipment will have to buy the pool or equipment, sometimes will need to pay for installation, and then will have the expense of maintaining the pool or equipment.

Note that a well-developed paragraph is going to be more than two or three sentences long, but not so lengthy that you wander into irrelevant information. You are striving for several unified ideas that are clearly related and coherently discussed.

Fourth Step: End with a Concluding Sentence

The concluding sentence wraps up the ideas shared within the body of the paragraph, emphasizes the main point you referred to in your topic sentence, and connects the ideas in the paragraph. It leaves the reader with a sense of closure.

Example: (The concluding sentence is bolded.)

Renters enjoy certain benefits that homeowners do not. When renting, it is much easier to move when a new job opportunity arises in another geographic location, the renter needs to downsize because of financial hardship, or when the renter simply wants a change in living environment. Typical rental contracts bind a person for no more than a year. Selling a house can take longer and might even involve financial loss if the owner needs to move quickly. In addition, apartment renters often enjoy amenities such as a pool or exercise facilities. Home owners who want a pool or exercise equipment will have to buy the pool or equipment, sometimes will need to pay for installation, and then will have the expense of maintaining the pool or equipment. Clearly, a person’s need for flexibility and recreational interests are significant considerations when choosing between homeownership and renting.

When writing a concluding sentence, make sure that it does not introduce another controlling idea that is not covered in the paragraph, and remember to tailor its structure and style to the type of paragraph you have written. For example, if you are comparing and contrasting two items in your paragraph, ensure that your concluding sentence names both of the items being compared/contrasted.

CompletedDraft of a Paragraph

Your paragraph probably will not be in its final form yet. After you add your body paragraphs to your essay, along with an introduction and a conclusion, you will want to revise and edit the essay as a whole. Your ideas may continue to evolve, and your paragraphs may change yet. However, by following the process outlined above, you will be off to a good start.

A well-developed paragraph goes beyond conveying information; it provides details that impart your reasoning and thinking on a specific topic. The process outlined above can be repeated as needed, with the idea that you will use this pattern to develop each paragraph for the body of your essay. In addition, the use of such a pattern helps readers better anticipate what you will say, making it easier for them to focus on the content of your paragraphs.

Example: (The topic sentence is underlined and the concluding sentence is bolded.)

When you have created paragraphs that are wellorganized, appropriately focused, and correctly developed, they will clearly connect with one another. If the relationships between your paragraphs are evident, your overall purpose and value as a credible writer will become evident to readers.