Put Your Paragraphs in a Logical Order

It's now time to organize your body paragraphs.

What is the best order in which to present them? Often, it doesn't really matter. But sometimes it does, so here are two principles to keep in mind.

1) Save Your Best for Last

Imagine that you have written a paper which argues that Syria is a horrible place to visit, and your main arguments are:

Syria is in the midst of a dangerous civil war.
Tourists are often kidnapped and held for ransom.
A shortage of cows in Syria has caused the price of milk to skyrocket.

Obviously, the last paragraph seems trivial compared to the first two; if you leave it for last, your reader may feel let down. The following sequence of paragraphs would be much better.

A shortage of cows in Syria has caused the price of milk to skyrocket.
Syria is in the midst of a dangerous civil war.
Tourists are often kidnapped and held for ransom.

2) Keep Your Paragraphs in Chronological Order

If your paragraphs include dates, make sure they are in chronological order. For example, imagine that you have written a paper that argues that President Harding was a terrible president, and your three main points are:

In 1922, Harding did [some terrible thing]
In 1934, Harding did [some other terrible thing].
In 1919, Harding did [some third terrible thing].

Leaving these paragraphs in the above order would be jarring to the reader, as she would be forced to make a mental leap backward in time. It would be better to organize your paragraphs in strict chronological order, like this:

In 1919, Harding did [some terrible thing].
In 1922, Harding did [some other terrible thing]
In 1932, Harding did [some third terrible thing].

Sequence Words

Having decided the order in which you want to present your three main arguments, add some sequence words to make your organization clear. Here is a complete list of transition words, but I recommend the following three because they are simple and direct:

First,
Second,
Third,

Lesson Steps

Put your three body paragraphs in a logical order.

Add sequence words to your paragraphs. The following transition words are recommended for their simplicity:

First,
Second,
Third,

Congratulations! You're done with this lesson.

Instructions for the Quiz

Answer the questions

Quiz