Paragraph Development
Paragraph Development
Exemplification
Narration
Process
Description
Analogy
Definition
Analysis
Enumeration
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Exemplification
Use exemplification paragraphs to provide instances that clarify your topic statement.
In the following paragraph, the topic sentence is supported inexamples that illustrate,
support, and clarify the main point.
Vitamins and minerals can be added to enrich (replace nutrients lost in
processing) orfortify (add nutrients not normally present) foods to improve
their nutritional quality. Breadsand cereals are usually enriched with some B
vitamins and iron. Common examples offortification include the addition of
vitamin D to milk, vitamin A to margarine, vitamin C tofruit drinks, calcium
to orange juice, and iodide to table salt.
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Narration
Use narration to establish a series of events that tells the reader what happened.
Narrationfollows a chronological pattern of development. It is a convincing mode
of paragraph development to the extent that it tells a coherent story. This pattern or
time line is usually very easy to understand. In the following narrative, the
firstnarrative paragraph is followed by two descriptive paragraphs. Note the use
of transitional words such asthereafter, first, next, and after.
Containment and Treatment of the Love Canal Landfill Leachate
TemporaryTreatment Program
The carbon feasibility studies were completed in October, 1978. Immediately
thereafter, the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) "Blue Magoo" was
dispatched to the site to provideon-site emergency treatment. First,
wastewater generated during construction was collected, pHadjusted,
clarified, sand filtered, and carbon treated. Next, treated effluent was
analyzed and wasfound to confirm Calgon's study findings. After this process,
the New York State Department ofEnvironmental Conservation granted a
discharge permit on October 27, 1978.
On October 29, 1978, the EPA Emergency Treatment System was replaced by a
larger systemprovided by Newco Chemical Waste Systems, Inc. and Calgon
Corp . . .
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Process
Use process in paragraphs to develop sequences that describe how an action is carried
out orhow something works. The following paragraph shows a typical sequential
treatment of a generalphysical phenomenon. Note the concentration of
process verbssuch as to find, samples, sums, andprovides.
Ideally, an image should contain a region of high-intensity pixels that form
the target,and a low-intensity background. To find the target region, the
algorithm first samples the imagesin overlapping windows and sums the pixel
intensities contained in each window. The windowwith the highest sum is
assumed to contain the target, and the average of the remaining windowsis
assumed to be indicative of the background level. Thus, subtracting the
average of the windowsums from the highest window sum provides a measure of
the target strength over thebackground noise level. If an image does not
contain a target, then the different between thehighest sum and the average
sum will be very small. The difference will also be small for
imagescontaining faint targets and high levels of background noise.
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Description
Use descriptive prose to provide a physical picture or a functional view of the subject.
Physicaldescription develops a picture by identifying the shapes, materials, position,
and functions of itssubject. Such prose often serves as the raw material for more
elaborate forms of analyticalprose.
Boundary-Layer Test Section
The test section (0.86 m 2.44 m) of the boundary layer tunnel, as shown in
Figure 2, issituated between the nozzle and the diffuser. It consists of a
flat aluminum test plate, acontoured wall, and two transparent side walls. A
bleed-scoop layer at the leading edge of thetest plate removes the inlet
boundary layer. The contoured wall opposite the test plate generatesthe
required pressure distribution. The two differently-contoured walls used in
this investigationgenerate either squared-off pressure distribution or aft-
loaded pressure distribution.
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For RG-179 coax, a 1,024 1,024 signal is limited to 50 ft; RG-59 rolls off
3 dB at 170 ft. Larger, bulkier cables such as RG-11 can reach up to 250 ft,
but are impractical to install, sincethree such cables are required for RGB
color. Fiber-optic cable, on the other hand, allowstransmission of more than
60 MHz video clock over a mile, and 20 MHz over 2 miles,with no repeaters or
equalizers.
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Analogy
Use analogy to explain one object or process in terms of another. The aptness of the
analogy isgenerally a point of subtle judgment. Some analogies are more valid than
others. Comparing anapple to the space shuttle is not likely to be an effective analogy.
Explaining the Internet byreference to a highway system might make a better analogy.
In the following analogy, a bodyinfection is compared with an invading army of
attack organisms.
The Immunological Defenders and How They Work
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Red shale acid brick. These bricks are manufactured from iron-bearing
sedimentaryclays prepared with low-melting additives. The clay mixture is
extruded through a die and then wire-cut into individual bricks. The units
are fired to form a bond of melted material between the clayparticles. . . .
Glazed ceramic tile. Industrial glazed ceramic tile units are made of
fireclays with aniron oxide content of less than 2%. The clays are processed
and then extruded into various shapes. The shaped parts are coated on the
process side before firing with a glass-forming glaze solution. Then the tile
is fired, the clay body . . .
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Definition
Develop paragraphs by definition when you want to setworking generalizations that
will help control the meaning and scope of important terms. Defining is an effective
way of controlling the scope ofterms. In the following paragraph, an extended
definition is used as part of the introduction to a research article. The intention here is
both to establish the terms of the discourse and to establish the importanceof the
subject. By exploring the meaning of the term bimetals, the writer creates ashared
concept that focuses the discussion that follows. Note the use of other devices, such
asfunctional description and enumeration.
Bimetallic Components
Bimetals are components made up of two separate metallic units, each
occupying a distinctposition in the component. Bimetal rods or wires (also
called clad metal, duo- or dual-metal) aremade of dissimilar metals. The rod
core, a cylindrical body made of one metal, is surrounded bya concentric,
cylindrical sleeve of another metal. Some fibrous metals may also be regarded
asbimetallic; for example, rods made by unidirectional solidification of some
eutectic compositionscontain a metallic (or nonmetallic) compound of fibrous
filaments embedded in an almost puremetallic matrix. The structure of a
present-day Nb-Sn superconducting core can be even morecomplex. It is
multimetallic--containing more than two dissimilar metals. The two elements
of abimetallic product are usually intimately interlocked, so that they
function in unison.
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Analysis
Analysis examines a subject by evaluating one of its aspects--weighing evidence and
possible causal linkages. It resemblesother forms of paragraph
development,especially classification and division. The objectof analysis, however, is
to get to the center of how somethingworks. The following paragraph considers the
link betweencancer, poverty, and stress.
One possible explanation for these statistics on cancer canbe found in the
high levels of stress associated with poverty. Studies have found that stress
can dampen the immune system, thebody's first line of defense against cancer,
and experiments withanimals have shown that a stressful environment can
enhance thegrowth of a variety of tumors. The link between poverty,
stress,and cancer mortality in humans has not been proven, but studieshave
shown a link between stress and other illnesses.
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Enumeration
Use enumeration in paragraphs when you want to itemize or list aset of topics or a
series of some kind. Enumeration is apowerful way to establish a series of
observations and toemphasize each element. In the following paragraph, the itemsare
enumerated in a series of itemized recommendations.
Have your blood cholesterol measured if you've never had itdone. Finger-prick
tests at health fairs and other public placesare generally fairly accurate,
especially if they're offered by ahospital or other reputable health group.
When you know your"number," follow these guidelines from the National
CholesterolEducation Program: