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Structuring a Paper

Knowing how to organize an essay or paper is key to ensuring that a reader (or instructor) can follow your ideas. This section will cover the benefits of a well structured paper as well as the general elements of a paper: introduction, thesis, body paragraphs, and conclusion. 

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• The paper is easier to write: when you know what content goes where, you have structure to your paper before you even sit down and write. 
• The paper is more organized and easier to read: it will be easier for the reader (ex: instructor) to follow your train of thought when your paper is complete. 

It might be helpful to think of an essay as a story that has a:

• Beginning (introduction)
• Middle (body paragraphs) and
• End (conclusion)

Please note that each body paragraph needs a focus (main idea) with supporting points. 

Introduction and Thesis

Introduction.

• Hook: draws the reader in by introducing the general topic (1st sentence)
• Transition sentences: provides background or context for your topic, and eventually leads to the thesis.
• Thesis: provides a clear, specific focus for your paper. It tells your reader what your paper is about. The thesis is usually the last sentence in the introduction. 

Check out the example introduction to the right.

Notice how general (broad) the hook is compared to how specific the thesis statement is.

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Thesis Statement

See the example to the right.

Notice how specific the thesis statement needs to be.  

Example has been adapted from:  The Canadian Writer's World: Paragraphs and Essay, 2nd Canadian Edition.

For more information on hooks or grabbers, check out the handout below from George Brown College. For examples of different kinds of thesis statements such as analytical or argumentative , have a look at OWL Purdue's webpage.

• Hooks and Attention Grabbers (George Brown College PDF)
• Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements (OWL Purdue website)

Body Paragraphs

It's helpful to think of body paragraphs as their own mini-story with a beginning (topic sentence), middle (supporting sentences), and end (wrap-up sentence).

• Supporting sentences: this is where you build your idea and support it with quotes, paraphrases, or examples. 
• Wrap-up: concluding sentence. Usually this is where you close the paragraph before moving on to the next one. 

Source: example to the right is from RMIT University's English Teaching Materials . 

Check out the link below for extra guidance on how to write a coherent paragraph:

• 4 Steps to Writing a Coherent Paragraph (PDF document from STU)

The goal of the concluding paragraph is to summarize the main ideas. You could try the following when writing your conclusion:

• Restate the thesis but use different words and expressions
• Summarize the main key points (but don't include details or supporting ideas)
• Wrap-up with questions for further study, solutions, or recommendations. We only suggest this if it is part of your instructions for your paper/assignment. 

Youtube Videos

Want a quick video on writing a well structured essay? Check out the link below. 

• How to Write an Essay - 4 min step-by-step guide (Youtube video)
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• Academic Paragraph Structure | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

Academic Paragraph Structure | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

Published on October 25, 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on March 27, 2023.

Every piece of academic writing is structured by paragraphs and headings . The number, length and order of your paragraphs will depend on what you’re writing—but each paragraph must be:

• Unified : all the sentences relate to one central point or idea.
• Coherent : the sentences are logically organized and clearly connected.
• Relevant : the paragraph supports the overall theme and purpose of the paper.

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Table of contents

Step 1: identify the paragraph’s purpose, step 2: show why the paragraph is relevant, step 3: give evidence, step 4: explain or interpret the evidence, step 5: conclude the paragraph, step 6: read through the whole paragraph, when to start a new paragraph.

First, you need to know the central idea that will organize this paragraph. If you have already made a plan or outline of your paper’s overall structure , you should already have a good idea of what each paragraph will aim to do.

You can start by drafting a sentence that sums up your main point and introduces the paragraph’s focus. This is often called a topic sentence . It should be specific enough to cover in a single paragraph, but general enough that you can develop it over several more sentences.

Although the Braille system gained immediate popularity with the blind students at the Institute in Paris, it had to gain acceptance among the sighted before its adoption throughout France.

This topic sentence:

• Transitions from the previous paragraph (which discussed the invention of Braille).
• Clearly identifies this paragraph’s focus (the acceptance of Braille by sighted people).
• Relates to the paper’s overall thesis.
• Leaves space for evidence and analysis.

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The topic sentence tells the reader what the paragraph is about—but why does this point matter for your overall argument? If this isn’t already clear from your first sentence, you can explain and expand on its meaning.

This support was necessary because sighted teachers and leaders had ultimate control over the propagation of Braille resources.

• This sentence expands on the topic and shows how it fits into the broader argument about the social acceptance of Braille.

Now you can support your point with evidence and examples. “Evidence” here doesn’t just mean empirical facts—the form it takes will depend on your discipline, topic and approach. Common types of evidence used in academic writing include:

• Quotations from literary texts , interviews , and other primary sources .
• Summaries , paraphrases , or quotations of secondary sources that provide information or interpretation in support of your point.
• Qualitative or quantitative data that you have gathered or found in existing research.
• Descriptive examples of artistic or musical works, events, or first-hand experiences.

Make sure to properly cite your sources .

Many of the teachers at the Royal Institute for Blind Youth resisted Braille’s system because they found the tactile method of reading difficult to learn (Bullock & Galst, 2009).

• This sentence cites specific evidence from a secondary source , demonstrating sighted people’s reluctance to accept Braille.

Now you have to show the reader how this evidence adds to your point. How you do so will depend on what type of evidence you have used.

• If you quoted a passage, give your interpretation of the quotation.
• If you cited a statistic, tell the reader what it implies for your argument.
• If you referred to information from a secondary source, show how it develops the idea of the paragraph.

This resistance was symptomatic of the prevalent attitude that the blind population had to adapt to the sighted world rather than develop their own tools and methods.

• This sentence adds detail and interpretation to the evidence, arguing that this specific fact reveals something more general about social attitudes at the time.

Steps 3 and 4 can be repeated several times until your point is fully developed. Use transition words and phrases to show the connections between different sentences in the paragraph.

Over time, however, with the increasing impetus to make social contribution possible for all, teachers began to appreciate the usefulness of Braille’s system (Bullock & Galst, 2009). Access to reading could help improve the productivity and integration of people with vision loss.

• The evidence tells us about the changing attitude to Braille among the sighted.
• The interpretation argues for why this change occurred as part of broader social shifts.

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Finally, wrap up the paragraph by returning to your main point and showing the overall consequences of the evidence you have explored.

This particular paragraph takes the form of a historical story—giving evidence and analysis of each step towards Braille’s widespread acceptance.

It took approximately 30 years, but the French government eventually approved the Braille system, and it was established throughout the country (Bullock & Galst, 2009).

•  The final sentence ends the story with the consequences of these events.

When you think you’ve fully developed your point, read through the final result to make sure each sentence follows smoothly and logically from the last and adds up to a coherent whole.

Although the Braille system gained immediate popularity with the blind students at the Institute in Paris, it had to gain acceptance among the sighted before its adoption throughout France. This support was necessary because sighted teachers and leaders had ultimate control over the propagation of Braille resources. Many of the teachers at the Royal Institute for Blind Youth resisted learning Braille’s system because they found the tactile method of reading difficult to learn (Bullock & Galst, 2009). This resistance was symptomatic of the prevalent attitude that the blind population had to adapt to the sighted world rather than develop their own tools and methods. Over time, however, with the increasing impetus to make social contribution possible for all, teachers began to appreciate the usefulness of Braille’s system (Bullock & Galst, 2009). Access to reading could help improve the productivity and integration of people with vision loss. It took approximately 30 years, but the French government eventually approved the Braille system, and it was established throughout the country (Bullock & Galst, 2009).

Not all paragraphs will look exactly like this. Depending on what your paper aims to do, you might:

• Bring together examples that seem very different from each other, but have one key point in common.
• Include just one key piece of evidence (such as a quotation or statistic) and analyze it in depth over several sentences.
• Break down a concept or category into various parts to help the reader understand it.

The introduction and conclusion paragraphs will also look different. The only universal rule is that your paragraphs must be unified , coherent and relevant . If you struggle with structuring your paragraphs, you could consider using a paper editing service for personal, in-depth feedback.

As soon as you address a new idea, argument or issue, you should start a new paragraph. To determine if your paragraph is complete, ask yourself:

• Do all your sentences relate to the topic sentence?
• Does each sentence make logical sense in relation to the one before it?
• Have you included enough evidence or examples to demonstrate your point?
• Is it clear what each piece of evidence means and why you have included it?
• Does all the evidence fit together and tell a coherent story?

Don’t think of paragraphs as isolated units—they are part of a larger argument that should flow organically from one point to the next. Before you start a new paragraph, consider how you will transition between ideas.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. (2023, March 27). Academic Paragraph Structure | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved September 3, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-paper/paragraph-structure/

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