When writing the transcript of your TED talk, make sure that you pay attention to writing paragraphs properly. This is expected in all your writing, but it is one of the areas of focus for your assessment on this task. Writing your paragraphs properly will also help with the pace when you deliver your talk to the class. It will help you take a “break” between big ideas.
Guidelines for Paragraphs
- You should start a new paragraph when:
- When you begin a new idea or point. New ideas should always start in new paragraphs. If you have an extended idea that spans multiple paragraphs, each new point within that idea should have its own paragraph.
- To contrast information or ideas. Separate paragraphs can serve to contrast sides in a debate, different points in an argument, or any other difference.
- When your readers need a pause. Breaks in paragraphs function as a short "break" for your readers—adding these in will help your writing more readable. You would create a break if the paragraph becomes too long or the information is complex.
- When you are ending your introduction or starting your conclusion. Your introduction and conclusion should always be in a new paragraph. Some introductions and conclusions have multiple paragraphs depending on their content, length, and the writer's purpose.
- When there is dialogue (speech) from a new speaker. If you have dialogue or speech between two or more different individuals in your writing, you should start a new paragraph for each speaker.
- Other Paragraph Guidelines
- Put only one main idea per paragraph.
- Aim for three to five or more sentences per paragraph.
- Separate paragraphs with a “hard carriage return” – looks like one space between paragraphs.
- Example from our class blog. The first paragraph below talks about the times that I planned to be available for Parent-Teacher Interview. When I began writing about the fact that the times might not fit everyone’s schedules, I began a new paragraph that also included instructions for what to do if that was the case.
Requests for Parent Teacher interview times have been sent home and many students have already returned their forms. I will be available between 3:30 pm and 5:30 pm and from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm Thursday, November 24. I will also be available on Friday, November 25th between 8:00 am and 11:30 am. I will not be available on Friday afternoon.
If these times don’t fit your schedule, please contact me and let me know so that we can set up a different time. Confirmation of times will be sent home with your child’s progress report on November 23rd, but if the time you have selected doesn’t work I will contact you as soon as I see a conflict (so far, everyone has been accommodated).
