Karen S. Wright

For writing to be as effective as possible, paragraphs and essays need to include unity, coherence, and deliberate paragraph development.

A paragraph has unity when each sentence develops the idea stated in the topic sentence.An essay has unity when each paragraph has unity, AND when the topic sentence of each paragraph develops the essay’s main idea (thesis).

Unity is spoiled when sentences do not support the topic sentences.

It is difficult to follow an essay where thoughts leap from topic to topic.

Really??

Who’s spoiled?

Did you say spoiled?

By 1000 BC, horse-drawn chariots were standard equipment in most armies and a great nuisance. The chariot was hard to use. A two-man chariot team could manage nicely if one man drove while the other bombarded the enemy with spears and arrows. Arrows were very difficult to make during this time. But when a soldier drove along in the chariot, he had to tie the reins around his waist and control the horses with his body to keep his hands free for fighting.

from Suzane Jurmain Once upon a Horse

Which sentence doesn’t fit?

Hey guys!

Hey guys!

Notice how each sentence supports the topic sentence to produce unity.

Topic Sentence By 100 BC, horse-drawn chariots were standard equipment in most armies, and soldiers had discovered that the world’s greatest weapon was also the world’s greatest nuisance. The chariot was hard to use. A two-man chariot team could manage nicely if one man drove while the other bombarded the enemy with spears and arrows. But when a soldier drove along in the chariot, he had to tie the reins around his waist and control the horses with his body to keep his hands free for fighting.Suzane Jurmain Once upon a Horse

When sentences in a paragraph flow together in such good order, and the relationships between the details are so clear, then a paragraph has coherence.Coherence is achieved in several ways:

Chronological orderSpatial orderOder of importanceLogical sequenceConnections—direct references and transitions

By 1000 BC, horse-drawn chariots were standard equipment in most armies, and soldiers had discovered that the world’s greatest weapon was also the world’s greatest nuisance. In the first place, the chariot was hard to use. Secondly, a two-man chariot team could manage nicely if one man drove while the other bombarded the enemy with spears and arrows. But when a soldier drove along, he had to tie the reins around his waist and control the horses with his body to keep his hands free for fighting.Suzane Jurmain Once upon a Horse

Logical Order=CoherenceLogical Order=Coherence.

Chronological order and clear relationships between the details produce coherence. Which words bind these sentences together cohesively?

“Keep all of your ducks in a row.”

Your Turn

By 1000 BC, horse-drawn chariots were standard equipment in most armies, and soldiers had discovered that the world’s greatest weapon was also the world’s greatest nuisance. In the first place, the chariot was hard to use. Secondly, a two-man chariot team could manage nicely if one man drove while the other bombarded the enemy with spears and arrows. But when a soldier drove along, he had to tie the reins around his waist and control the horses with his body to keep his hands free for fighting.Suzane Jurmain Once upon a Horse

Logical Order=CoherenceLogical Order=Coherence.

Chronological order and clear relationships between the details produce coherence. Which words bind these sentences together cohesively?

“Keep all of your ducks in a row.”

After developing a strong focus through unity and coherence, the next step is to paint a picture in your reader’s mind with examples and detail. How can this be done?

PARAGRAPH

DEVELOPMENT

Process Definition

StatisticsStory

Paragraph Development

Word Picture

AnalogyExplanation

Melton was one of those miserable in-between little places, not large enough to be a town, nor small enough to be a village -- that is, a village in the rural, charming sense of the world. Melton had no charm about it. It was merely a nondescript collection of houses and buildings in a region of farms -- one of those sad American places with sidewalks, but no paved streets; electric lights, but no sewage; a station, but no trains that stopped, save a jerky local, morning and evening. And it was 150 miles from any city at all -- even Sioux City. “Cora Unashamed,” Langston Hughes

A process, definition, story, statistics, word picture, an analogy, or an explanation?

What technique develops this paragraph?

In the following paragraph, there are elements that diminish development. What are they?

Although many people scorn the idea of having one or two four-legged pets thinking they require so much care, there are actually quite a few advantages to keeping pets. First of all, pets welcome their owner home from a long day of work. Related to this, is the second advantage of having pets is that they are incapable of being disloyal. Perhaps pets require some care, but it would be wise to look at all they add to life.

In the following paragraph, there are elements that diminish development. What are they?

Although many people scorn the idea of having one or two four-legged pets thinking they require so much care, there are actually several advantages to keeping pets. First, pets welcome their owner home from a long day of work. Second, pets are incapable of being disloyal. Perhaps pets require some care, but it would be wise to look at all they add to life.

Unity, coherence, and deliberate paragraph development produce organized paragraphs and essays—this kind of “sticking together” makes a unified whole.

Put it All Together