Paragraph

Division of text into paragraphs is individual one and the same passage may be either broken up into a number of paragraphs or presented as a whole. A change of topic often signals a beginning of a new paragraph.

A block of text developing one of the textual themes and made up of two, at least, or more paragraphs should be called a subtext. As far as the logical development patterns are concerned, subtexts can be divided into the same types as paragraphs: deductive, inductive, and framed.

A subtext is an intermediate unit that is always superior to a paragraph and inferior to the whole text.

A paragraph is a basic unit of scientific texts. The beginning of each paragraph is a signal to the writer or the reader that a new step in the development of the subject has been reached. Paragraphing is a method of punctuation that helps to understand the author’s thought. A well-constructed paragraph should possess: unity, continuity, integrity.

Unity in paragraphs

A topic sentence is the sentence in a paragraph that states the principal thought. It may occur anywhere in the paragraph, in most paragraphs the topic sentence is placed first. In some paragraphs the topic is implied, but is not stated in any one sentence. All the sentences of the paragraph are closely related as they develop the same thought or topic.

The topic sentence is usually developed by so-called supporting sentences in which arguments, reasons, explanations, illustrations, comparisons or examples are given to convince the reader in the objectiveness of the writer’s position.

There are two main types of paragraphs in developing the topic or the principal thought: analytical/deductive and synthetic/inductive paragraphs. In the former the general idea is developed to specific details, in the latter the general idea is built up step by step from specific details. In fact, in analytical paragraphs there is a move away from the topic sentence (from a conclusion to the evidence), while in the synthetic paragraphs there is a move towards it (from the evidence to the conclusion).

An inductive-deductive (pivotal) pattern is a logical structure in which the key thought occupies a medial position. The paragraph beginning in this case is inductive whereas the part introduced by the key sentence is developed deductively.

A deductive-inductive (framed) structure is formed by two key-sentences which frame the paragraph. One of these initiates the key idea; the other restates it as a generalized conclusion.

There are paragraphs devoid of any generalization – implicit type. In other words there are no key sentences to be found in them; consequently all the sentences that go to make up a paragraph like this should be of equal semantic value. As the main thought underlying the paragraph of this kind cannot be borrowed “ready-made” from the text, it must be formulated by the reader. The reader is supposed to build a summarizing sentence of his own to express the main idea of a paragraph of this type.

There is another type of paragraphs – that of isolated statement. Such paragraphs do not need to be expanded upon (a series of conclusions consisting of simple sentences).