Every paragraph needs unity, which means it develops one main idea that is stated in the topic sentence. That main idea must then be developed and explained adequately to be interesting and convincing.
Next, that fully-developed idea must be organized in a logical way for the reader to understand it. Finally, the developed and well-organized idea in the paragraph must be clearly linked to the thesis of the essay and the paragraphs around it with strong transitions.
In this workout, you will work on the third of the core building blocks of a good paragraph – Organization.
Let’s get started.
Organization and Understanding
Every paragraph needs coherent organization which means it is possible to read through it without getting confused!
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Many video games teach math skills, such as multiplication, in a fun way. Despite the risks of overuse, video games can help children learn basic math skills. Games encourage children to solve puzzles and problems (to advance in the game) so that they are empowered in their learning. For example, players can unlock levels or shoot space ships as they multiply. Used in moderation, video games are an effective tool for math education. |
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Despite the risks of overuse, video games can help children learn basic math skills. Many video games teach math skills, such as multiplication, in a fun way. For example, players can unlock levels or shoot space ships as they multiply. In addition, games encourage children to solve puzzles and problems (to advance in the game) so that they are empowered in their learning. Used in moderation, video games are an effective tool for math education. |
The problem:
Organization is important. Without it even the most interesting and well-developed ideas are very difficult to follow and understand. In the first paragraph, the ideas have been mixed around. It begins with a specific reason and this takes our brain in one direction; but the second sentence does not follow in that same direction and so we are lost. Our pattern of expectation and fulfillment does not work.
Fix the problem:
We write down ideas as they occur to us. But the crafting of a paragraph comes later. We need to take the time to change all our ideas into a well-designed piece of writing that the reader can follow without getting confused or lost. The topic sentence provides the key to logical organization of the paragraph.
Practice Logical Organization (Practice)