You have to write an essay or paper for class, or an email
for work, or give a short presentation to update your team on your progress—how
do you structure your ideas so your audience will easily understand your key
points?
Introducing the 5-paragraph writing technique!
Quick disclaimer: Like so many things I will be writing
about in this blog, I did not invent this technique. Once upon a time, the
5-paragraph writing technique was Lesson One taught to elementary school
children to help them organize their writing. Why it doesn’t get taught any
more is beyond me, but I consider it an easy and effective way to organize
writing and speeches. In other words, this is an important tool for your
communication toolbox. So here we go!
In the 5-paragraph technique, you make an argument using a
- An introduction (one paragraph long) in which you discuss the problem and your point of view,
- Three supporting points to your argument (one paragraph each) in which you explain reasons why the problem exists or why you have the point of view you have, and finally
- A conclusion (one paragraph long) in which you review the problem, your point of view.
When should I use the 5-paragraph writing technique?
- You want to express an opinion.
- You have points you want to make.
- You want to analyze something, as in a term paper where you review a particular subject.
- Actually, any writing, speaking, or other communication project will work with the 5-paragraph writing technique.
The beauty about the 5-paragraph writing technique is that
you can use it for anything: Essays, term papers, emails, speeches, business
memos, cover letters, the list goes on.
Over the next few days, I’ll be posting examples of how to
apply the 5-paragraph writing technique to many different types of
communication products including:
Subscribe to this blog’s RSS feed to make sure that you stay informed when these posts go live, and if you have any questions while you’re waiting for the examples, don’t hesitate to leave a comment!
No comments:
Post a Comment