So what? Your secret paragraph power
- Stuart J
One of my mantras is, “Good writing is hard work.”
And the more I read student work, the more I am convinced that clear and thoughtful paragraphs are vital to good writing. But they don’t come easily; they take conscious effort and careful training, until at last, they begin to come regularly.
Some of us like to write to formulas and structures, while others of us recoil from such restrictions. But sometimes they help us become more skilful writers, better students, and better communicators of God’s grace in Christ. So let me share with you a couple tips on writing effective paragraphs.
Paragraphs need one succinct idea.
Your school teachers probably told you this till you either got it or got sick of it. If you cannot summarise your paragraph in a single, clear sentence, then you don’t yet have a clear paragraph. To sharpen your thinking and your communication, stop and force yourself to think:
What is my overall argument in this assessment?
What point does this paragraph contribute?
Does it clearly contribute to it? If not, be ruthless and delete it. Then write a fresh, better paragraph, with one relevant idea.
A good guide is the tried-and-tested TEEL or PEEL paragraph.
Again, you may have learned this at school. They didn’t teach it to you because you were children; they taught it to you because it is effective. It simply describes effective writing for any age. So, it is not childish but wise to use it now.
TEEL (or PEEL) is:
Topic (or Point) sentence – What is your one big idea in this paragraph? Take a risk by stating an arguable position.
Explanation sentence – Expand your topic sentence.
Evidence or Examples – Multiple points, as needed.
Linking sentence – This rounds off the paragraph.
First sentences (topic sentences) are vital.
The first sentence of every paragraph should tell your reader what they are about to read –the point of your paragraph.
A good test is to ask someone to read only the first sentence of each paragraph in an assignment. If they can follow your argument easily, then you have likely written good paragraphs and a clear assignment.
If your topic sentences do not convey a clear argument, then you are not clear. Go back and work more on your argument.
Your paragraphs should argue or explain, and not merely describe or report.
Education at our level is not merely accumulating facts. It is about developing skills to use that information, feed God’s sheep, and better reflect Jesus.
In your writing at College, you want to do more than report or reorganise information; you want to analyse positions, situations, and texts, and argue for your considered opinion. (That’s why your own academic voice is vitally important.) Every paragraph needs to contribute to your argument, or you should delete it.
The final sentences often clinch your point.
The final sentence of your paragraph should round it off and drive it home. Three good ways to finish a paragraph are:
Link backwards and reinforce the overall point of the paragraph, and thus of the topic sentence. This is useful when giving information or points in sequence.
Link forward and lead into the next paragraph. This is useful for showing your readers the logic of your next step, or moving to a question that has arisen and demands attention.
Give your “So what?” – Explain the significance of the information in your paragraph.
This is a secret essay power, and a neglected academic skill. Here’s an excursus on it.
Excursus: The paragraphing superpower of So what?
Read the following paragraphs from an essay on Blind Bartimaeus in Mark 9. Notice the very clear topic sentences in bold, and the concluding sentences underlined for each paragraph.
The first quality of Bartimaeus’ faith is that he sees who Jesus is. This is shown in his cry ‘Son of David, Jesus, have mercy on me!’ The two components of this cry reveal Bartimaeus’ understanding. Lane sees in the second part of the cry, ‘have mercy on me!’ (Mark 10:47) an echo of the cries of the afflicted to God in the Psalms.
Comment: This is a decent paragraph, with a clear topic sentence and good evidence after that. But it is words without interpretation; and the reader has to work out its significance when the writer should be telling them. Too many students stop here!
Now look at the difference when the writer concludes with a So what? sentence:
The first quality of Bartimaeus’ faith is that he sees who Jesus is. This is shown in his cry ‘Son of David, Jesus, have mercy on me!’ The two components of this cry reveal Bartimaeus’ understanding. Lane sees in the second part of the cry, ‘have mercy on me!’ (Mark 10:47) an echo of the cries of the afflicted to God in the Psalms. When directed towards Jesus, this cry recognizes that Jesus is the conduit for God’s mercy and salvation.
Comment: Now the writer has interpreted their evidence, has told readers their point, and has written a paragraph that actively contributes to the essay.
Notice the same in the following two paragraphs:
The second quality of Bartimaeus’ faith is that his faith overcomes fear. In Mark, fear is an obstacle to faith that must be overcome (Mark 4:40-41; 5:33-34; 5:36). When Bartimaeus cried out for mercy, the crowd tried to quiet him (Mark 10:48). But rather than be silent out of fear of their disapproval or worse, Bartimaeus cried out all the more. When Jesus called for Bartimaeus to come to him, those who spoke to Bartimaeus ironically exhorted him to have courage (Mark 10:49). However Bartimaeus shows that he needed no exhortation by his eager movements in throwing aside his cloak and jumping to his feet (Mark 10:50). His faith overcomes the fear of the crowds’ opposition.
The third quality of faith that Bartimaeus displays is faith that saves. When Bartimaeus comes to Jesus, Jesus asks him “What do you want me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51). Jesus’ question highlights Bartimaeus’ need for healing, and his answer, “Your faith has saved you”, draws the reader back into the preceding chapters to understand what it means to be saved by faith in the context of being healed. . . So when Bartimaeus is healed and told, “Go, your faith has saved you”, it should be understood that by faith he has been saved from death and given life. Like the little children, he has come in complete dependence to Jesus and entered the Kingdom of God.
Comment: Notice again how these concluding sentences move these paragraphs from mere description (and commensurate grades) to explicit argument (and much better grades).
Do you want to communicate the Gospel better, earn better grades, and think better? Start with better paragraphs. Try this:
Point and structure of your assignment: Decide what you are arguing for in your assignment. You need to argue for a point someone could disagree with. Figure that out, and then figure out the argument and paragraphs you need to make and defend it. Then go TEEL:
Topic sentence: Sharpen the focus of each paragraph. Work out a crisp, clear topic sentence for each paragraph.
Explanation or expansion: Expand it if you need, with a second sentence.
Evidence and examples: Work out which content to include and which to exclude (only enough to support your point, and nothing that does not clearly support your point. This is the bulk of your paragraph.
Closing Link: Finally, close off each paragraph with a linking sentence. You might link back and reinforce your topic sentence; you might link forward to the next paragraph. But often this should be a So what? showing the point of your paragraph.
Now, go forth, write well, and Happy paragraphing!
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