What is the best college paragraph length?

Paragraphs are the basic aspect of any writing. Try to read this-

“His name is John.

He has an excellent academic record.

Not only this, he is the captain of the college basketball team.”

Did you find it engaging? Of course not. 

Now read this – “His name is John. He has an excellent academic record. Not only this, he is the captain of the college basketball team.” Although both texts are the same, reading them in a paragraph is more engaging than reading them point-wise. However, as a student knowing the perfect length of writing the college paragraph is also very important. So what is the perfect length of the paragraph?

Quick Takeaways

• A paragraph is a solo section of writing that discusses a single subject or argument.
• Usually, the length of the paragraphs should be short but it depends upon various factors. 
• Also, it is recommended that you must not add more than 100 words in a paragraph.

However, you must read till the end so that you do not miss any important information related to what is the right length of a paragraph.

What is a paragraph?

The Greek word “Paragraphos,” which means to write besides, gives the word paragraph. A paragraph is a solo section of writing that discusses a single subject or argument. It is a combination of several sentences that are organized around the main idea of the context. The single paragraph’s content is focused on a single idea. A topic sentence will be used to begin the “ideal” paragraph. It will begin with a thesis statement, move toward detailed sentences, and end with a conclusion. It might present examples relating to the subject or it might provide details about it.

How to know the correct length of the college paragraph? – What is the best college paragraph length?

While writing the essay one very important thing is that you have to get engaged with your audience. To keep their eyes on your content, you will have to look after every aspect of your writing. Paragraphs are the most important part of your essay. If you add very long paragraphs it may become boring for the readers whereas very short paragraphs may make your audience feel that the length of your writing is too long. Thus it is crucial to know about what is the right length of the paragraphs. 

Usually, it is advised not to exceed 100-200 words in a paragraph. Yes, it is true that in general, you should keep small paragraphs but that is not true for every case. To determine the right length for each paragraph, you need to keep the following points in your mind-

1. Type of document

There are various types of writings like essays with dialogues, dissertations, blog posts, etc. Every writer has their own needs. The length of their paragraphs depends on the nature of the writing. For example, if we talk about academic writing, you will generally find paragraphs whose length is long. So you should draft your paragraphs according to the type of your work. 

2. Purpose of the paragraphs

There are several types of paragraphs that you may use in your writing. The purpose of each paragraph is based on the type of paragraph that you are including. Introduction paragraphs are generally small in length whereas the main body paragraphs may be longer than the introduction paragraphs.

Also, you may have to cover a topic that has two different elements then you have to cover both aspects in different paragraphs. Suppose the central idea of your writing is to give a detailed review of something. And you need to cover a topic that will determine the advantages and disadvantages of using it. So you will be using two different paragraphs under the same topic – one for advantages and the other for disadvantages.

3. Consistency and mixing up

Another thing that you should keep in mind while writing is that you should keep consistency in your paragraph’s length. If you have started with small paragraphs then try to keep other paragraphs of the same length. This will help you to attract the attention of your viewers to your content. Also, you can try to mix up your paragraphs. If you find some extra long paragraphs in your writing then try to divide it into two paragraphs. 

4. Proofreading

Once you have completed your writing, you should go proofread it. Proofreading will help you to know if the paragraphs are getting to fit your content or not. You can edit paragraphs that you find are too long or too short.

If you think that some paragraphs are too long then you must try to divide them into different sections. But if you find that some paragraphs are too short, then you can see the other topics that may be related to them. If you find such related paragraphs then you should club them together. 

What is the purpose of the paragraphs?

Paragraphs are used to break long texts into shorter sections. It makes it easy for the readers to read and understand the text easily. But along with that, it helps to give an idea about a specific topic. Suppose you get an assignment on a topic like how to get admission to a specific university, then every paragraph included in your assignment would describe a different point. 

Every paragraph has its purpose. If you are writing an introduction paragraph, the main aim of it would be to give an introduction to your writing. The points that you will be adding to it will depend on the introduction of your topic. However, if you are writing a descriptive paragraph, you will add information that will describe your subject. Suppose you are writing about the symptoms of covid 19, then you would describe the symptoms in it. Similarly, your ending paragraph will include the conclusion of whatever is written in your writing. As you can see the purpose of the paragraph depends on the type of paragraph that you are writing. It will also depend upon the type of essay like compare and contrast essays.

Conclusion

Paragraphs are the foundation of any writing. It keeps the content organized and gives it a clear look. They help the reader to understand the content with better understanding. Paragraphs play a crucial role in their writing and therefore, it is very important to know the right length of it. The ideal word limit in a single paragraph is 100-200 words. Although, there are other factors like its type, purpose, etc that help to determine what should be the length of the paragraph.