Methods of Paragraph Development

Methods of Paragraph Development Methods of development are patterns of organization use to organize ideas about a topic. Although a lot of writing you will come across does not rely solely on one method of development, an understanding of these patterns will help you organize your ideas and get you writing more quickly. An understanding of different methods of development and when to use them can save you valuable time in starting and organizing your essay. Many, if not most, essays by professional writers will contain elements of several types of development. A piece in the travel section of a newspaper could include narration, description, compare and contrast, classification, and illustration or example.
>Narration

Narration is tells a story and explains how something happened. Generally, when writing a narrative paragraph you will usually relate events in the order in which they occurred. Your topic sentence should identify the situation or event and prepare the reader for a story. You can write an engaging narrative about topics like losing your wallet, discovering that a friend has lied to you, or finding or getting fired from your first job. Keep in mind that in a narrative essay your readers are not looking for information: they are looking for some dramatic interest or conflict in your story. They want to be entertained or emotionally engaged. Most narratives are written from the first person (the "I") point of view as in the following example.

>Process

Process paragraph explains to do something in a series of steps. Also it explains how something works. Process writing need not be limited to concrete practical subjects such as building a doghouse or installing drywall. A process paragraph or essay might tell you how to plan a budget holiday, prepare for final exams, get a deal on a used car, or revive a sputtering romance. Pick a subject you know about and explain the process in logical steps. Avoid topics like how to