Public Policy Writing That Matters, 2nd Edition by David Chrisinger

Author:David Chrisinger [Chrisinger, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

Writing with a consistently deductive structure will also help you write more unified paragraphs. What do I mean by unified? It’s simple. A unified paragraph has one main point—and only one main point. Do yourself a favor and commit this mantra to memory: “One paragraph, one point.” If you try to pack too much into a paragraph, your readers will feel like they’re lost at sea, and readers don’t like to feel that way.

An illustration of deductive paragraph structure

TOPIC SENTENCES

The best way I know how to ensure that paragraphs are both deductive and unified is to write strong topic sentences. By beginning with a strong topic sentence, you’ll be able to determine what you should include in the paragraph and, perhaps more importantly, what you should leave out.

It can be helpful to think about your reader’s expectations and whether your paragraph fulfills them. If, after reading your topic sentence, your reader finds key terms and concepts developed in the remainder of the paragraph, then your writing will seem unified and logical. If, however, your reader does not find key terms and concepts developed in the subsequent sentences—or if they find other, unrelated key terms and concepts developed—your writing will seem disorganized and illogical.

One thing to keep in mind is that not all topic sentences are created equal. Some are so broad that the writer could write practically anything in the rest of the paragraph:

Draft: Military veterans face many challenges when they return home from war.

Revision: Some of the most pressing challenges veterans face when they return home include finding meaningful employment, reestablishing connections with friends and family, and alcohol abuse.

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