Note 03 · Structure
Give each paragraph one useful job
Paragraphs help a reader follow the order of an explanation. Each should add a distinct piece of reasoning or evidence to the point already in view.
Name the job in a few words
Write a short label beside each paragraph: state the problem, explain the cause, give an example or describe the next step. These labels are for revision, not publication. If a paragraph needs several unrelated labels, split it or move the extra material to a better place.
Build from a known starting point
Begin with something the previous sentence or paragraph has made available. Then add the next fact and explain why it matters. A reader should not have to hold an unexplained technical term while searching a later paragraph for its meaning. Move a necessary definition close to its first use.
Check the transitions by reading aloud
Read the last sentence of one paragraph and the first sentence of the next. The relationship should be understandable without a stock transition phrase. If the order feels abrupt, a missing explanation or misplaced example may be the cause. Fix that relationship before adding more introductory words.