Writers Den

Use the following facts to construct a coherent paragraph with a
topic sentence and appropriate transitional expressions in the supporting
sentences.

·
The federal government will penalize medical practices that
don’t adopt electronic medical records (EMRs).

·
Valley Medical Center is considering beginning converting soon.

·
Converting paper-based records to EMRs will be complex.

·
Converting will be technically challenging. It will probably be
time-consuming and labor-intensive.

·
Converting should bring better patient care and maybe even lower
costs in the long run.

·
The federal government provides funds to reimburse the cost of
adopting

Building
Well-Organized Paragraphs

Learning Objective5

Draft
effective paragraphs using three classic paragraph plans and techniques for
achieving paragraph coherence.

A
paragraph is a group of sentences about one idea. To avoid muddledparagraphs,
writers should be able to recognize basic paragraph elements, conventional
sentence patterns, and ways to organize sentences using one of three classic
paragraph plans. They must also be able to polish their paragraphs by building
coherence and usingtransitional expressions.

Well-constructed
paragraphs discuss only one topic. Atopic sentence reveals
the primary idea in a paragraph and usually, but not always, appears first.
Paragraphs may be composed of three kinds of sentences:

Topic Sentence	Expresses the primary idea of the paragraph.
Supporting Sentence	Illustrates, explains, or strengthens the primary idea.
Limiting Sentence	Opposes the primary idea by suggesting a negative or contrasting thought; may precede or follow the topic sentence.

These
sentences may be arranged in any of three classic paragraph plans: direct,
pivoting, and indirect.

Using the Direct Paragraph Plan to Define, Classify, Illustrate, or Describe

Paragraphs
using the direct plan begin with the topic sentence, followed by supporting
sentences. Most business messages use this paragraph plan because it clarifies
the subject immediately. This plan is useful whenever you must define (a new
product or procedure), classify (parts of a whole), illustrate (an idea), or
describe (a process). Start with the topic sentence; then strengthen and
amplify that idea with supporting ideas, as shown here:

Topic Sentence

A social audit is a report on the social performance of a company.

Supporting Sentences

Such an audit may be conducted by the company itself or by outsiders who evaluate the company’s efforts to produce safe products, engage in socially responsible activities, and protect the environment. Many companies publish the results of their social audits in their annual reports. Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, for example, devotes a major portion of its annual report to its social audit. The report discusses Ben & Jerry’s efforts to support environmental restoration. Moreover, it describes workplace safety, employment equality, and peace programs.

You can
alter the direct plan by adding a limiting sentence if necessary. Be sure,
though, that you follow with sentences that return to the main idea and support
it, as shown here:

Topic Sentence	Flexible work scheduling could immediately increase productivity and enhance employee satisfaction in our entire organization.
Limiting Sentence	Such scheduling, however, is impossible for all employees.
Supporting Sentences	Managers would be required to maintain their regular hours. For many other employees, though, flexible scheduling permits extra time to manage family responsibilities. Feeling less stress, employees are able to focus their attention better at work; hence they become more relaxed and more productive.

5-5dDeveloping Paragraph
Coherence

Paragraphs are coherent
when ideas cohere—that is, when the ideas stick together and when one idea
logically leads to the next. Well-written paragraphs take the reader through a
number of steps. When the author skips from Step 1 to Step 3 and forgets Step
2, the reader is lost. Several techniques will help you keep the reader in step
with your ideas.

Sustaining the Key Idea.Repeating a key
expression or using a similar one throughout a paragraph helps sustain a key
idea. In the following example, notice that the repetition of guest and VIP connects
ideas.

Our philosophy holds that every customer is really a guest. All
new employees are trained to treat guests in our theme parks as VIPs. We take
great pride in respecting our guests. As VIPs, they are never told what they
can or cannot do.

Dovetailing Sentences.Sentences are
“dovetailed” when an idea at the end of one connects with an idea at the
beginning of the next.Dovetailing sentences
is especially helpful with dense, difficult topics. It is also helpful with
ordinary paragraphs, such as the following.

New
hosts and hostesses learn about the theme park and its facilities. These
facilities include telephones, food services, bathrooms, and attractions, as
well as the location of offices. Knowledge of offices and the internal workings
of the company is required of all staffers.

Including Pronouns.Familiar pronouns, such
as we, they, he, she, and it, help build continuity, as
do demonstrative pronouns, such as this, that, these, and those. These
words confirm that something under discussion is still being discussed.
However, be careful with such pronouns. They often need a noun with them to make
their meaning clear. In the following example, notice how confusing the
pronoun this would be if the word training were
omitted.

All new
park employees receive a two-week orientation. They learn that every staffer
has a vital role in preparing for the show. This training includes how to
maintain enthusiasm.

Employing Transitional Expressions.Transitional
expressions are another excellent device for showing connections and achieving
paragraph coherence. These words, some of which are shown inFigure 5.6, act as verbal road signs to readers and
listeners. Transitional expressions enable the receiver to anticipate what’s
coming, reduce uncertainty, and speed comprehension. They signal that a train
of thought is moving forward, being developed, possibly detouring, or ending.
AsFigure 5.6 shows,
transitions can add or strengthen a thought, show time or order, clarify ideas,
show cause and effect, contradict thoughts, and contrast ideas. Look back at
the examples of direct, pivoting, and indirect paragraphs to see how
transitional expressions and other techniques build paragraph coherence.
Remember that coherence in communication rarely happens spontaneously; it
requires effort and skill.

Figure 5.6

Transitional
Expressions That Build Coherence

To Add or Strengthen	To Show Time or Order	To Clarify	To Show Cause and Effect	To Contradict	To Contrast
additionally	after	for example	accordingly	actually	as opposed to
accordingly	before	for instance	as a result	but	at the same time
again	earlier	I mean	consequently	however	by contrast
also	finally	in other words	for this reason	in fact	conversely
beside	first	put another way	hence	instead	on the contrary
indeed	meanwhile	that is	so	rather	on the other hand
likewise	next	this means	therefore	still	previously
moreover	now	thus	thus	yet	similarly

Drafting Short Paragraphs for Readability

Although
no rule regulates the length of paragraphs, business writers recognize that
short paragraphs are more attractive and readable than longer ones. Paragraphs
with eight or fewer lines look inviting. If a topic can’t be covered in eight
or fewer printed lines (not sentences), consider breaking it up into smaller
segments.

The
following figure shows transitional expressions, andchecklist summarizing key points in preparing
meaningful paragraphs.

Checklist

Preparing
Meaningful Paragraphs

·
Develop one idea. Each
paragraph should include a topic sentence plus supporting and limiting
sentences to develop a single idea.

·
Use the direct plan. To
define, classify, illustrate, and describe, start with the topic sentence
followed by supporting sentences.

·
Use the pivoting plan. To
compare and contrast ideas, start with a limiting sentence; then, present the
topic sentence followed by supporting sentences.

·
Use the indirect plan. To
explain reasons or causes first, start with supporting sentences. Build to the
conclusion with the topic sentence at the end of the paragraph.

·
Build coherence with linking techniques. Hold
ideas together by repeating key words, dovetailing sentences (beginning one
sentence with an idea from the end of the previous sentence), and using
appropriate pronouns.

·
Provide road signs with transitional
expressions. Use verbal signals to help the audience know where the
idea is going. Words and phrases such as moreover, accordingly, as a
result, and therefore function as idea pointers.

·
Limit paragraph length. Remember
that paragraphs with eight or fewer printed lines look inviting. Consider
breaking up longer paragraphs if necessary.