Paragraph unity requires the thoughtfully planned development of the controlling idea through details and/or examples. 'Unity' is the degree of relationship among the sentences in the body of the paragraph. Notice also that the topic sentence and concluding sentence are similar in structure and meaning. Notice that there are three statements that support the topic sentence and that each of these statements has details that explain more completely.

Detail: I learned to use subways and buses.Ĭoncluding sentence and final thought: Even though at first I had doubts about studying in New York, it was a good decision.Detail: …difficult to become lost because the city streets and avenues are perpendicular to each other.Supporting sentence: I found I could get around easily in New York. Detail: They had much information to share.Ĭ.Detail: Both have researched in the field for many years.Supporting sentence: I knew and respected my two advisors. Detail: …accepted work from other programsī.Detail: I could work in Rochester and travel to New York only for special meetings.Supporting sentence: Columbia University allowed individualization of programming. Topic sentence: Even though I didn't relish the idea of being in New York City, I decided to attend graduate school there for several important reasons.Ī. Even though at first I had doubts about studying in New York, it was a good decision. When I became braver, I learned to take the subways as well as the buses instead of taxis and saved myself a lot of money. Streets and avenues run perpendicular to one another, so it was difficult to become lost. Despite my reservations about spending time in New York City, I found that once I became familiar with the part of Manhattan where Columbia is located, I could get around easily. They have much information to share and I knew I could learn a lot from them. Both people have taught and researched in the field for many years. Besides the coursework, I knew and respected the two professors who would be my advisors.

The university also accepted work I had previously done and applied it to my degree. Perhaps most important, I learned on my first visit to the university that the professor who would be my advisor would allow me to do much of my work in Rochester and travel to New York only for special meetings. First of all, Columbia University allowed individualization in programming. The following sample paragraph adheres to this general structure:Įven though I didn't relish the idea of being in New York City, I decided to attend graduate school there for several important reasons. The details, listed under these supporting sentences provide further explanation of the points of support.

In this outline sentences A, B, and C provide support for the topic sentence. Some sentences serve to further delineate or explain a point of support.Ī basic outline for a stand-alone paragraph looks like this: Not all body sentences provide direct support for the controlling idea, however. Supporting sentences are details or examples, or a combination of both, which reinforce, explain, or discuss the writer's perspective on the topic. The body of the paragraph is the support for the topic sentence.

A few moments later definition