Read something by a writer you admire. Find one or two paragraphs that impress you in some way, and analyze them, using the questions in the At a Glance box. Try to decide what makes them effective paragraphs.

Examine two or three paragraphs you have written, using the guidelines in 8a, to evaluate the unity, coherence, and development of each one. Identify the topic of each paragraph, the topic sentence (if one is explicitly stated), any patterns of development, and any means used to create coherence. Decide whether or not each paragraph successfully guides your readers, and explain your reasons. Then choose one paragraph, and revise it.