Reading with an eye for paragraphs
Read something by a writer you admire. Find one or two paragraphs that impress you in some way, and analyze them, using the guidelines Quick Help: Editing the Paragraphs in Your Own Writing. Try to decide what makes them effective paragraphs.
Thinking about your own use of paragraphs
Examine two or three paragraphs you have written, using Quick Help: Editing the Paragraphs in Your Own Writing, 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.