Is it okay to have a paragraph in excess of 1 page?

[etalns]

on an academic paper? It's double spaced, does just over 1 page. 397 words to be exact.

 

[purbeast0]

no

 

[Whisper]

I'd venture a no as well. There's nothing technically wrong with it, but even with double spacing, I'm willing to bet you could find some way to break that one paragraph up into two. Either that, or elimate multiple phrases and get it down to half a page or so.

 

[DaiShan]

A paragraph is used to separate different topics or ideas. If you only talk about one facet of an argument for one page, then you only need one paragraph, but if you start out talking about the color red and end up talking about the color blue, you'll need two paragraphs and a segue between them so that your paper flows.

 

[DaiShan]

Originally posted by: Whisper
I'd venture a no as well. There's nothing technically wrong with it, but even with double spacing, I'm willing to bet you could find some way to break that one paragraph up into two. Either that, or elimate multiple phrases and get it down to half a page or so.

Using two paragraphs for one topic or idea is improper form. Paragraphs are not used to make a paper look pretty, they are used to separate ideas from each other. Having an extended paragraph is not like having a run-on sentence, there is no definite limit on the length of a paragraph.

 

[Maximus96]

i used to do it all the time in 4th grade.

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: DaiShan

Originally posted by: Whisper
I'd venture a no as well. There's nothing technically wrong with it, but even with double spacing, I'm willing to bet you could find some way to break that one paragraph up into two. Either that, or elimate multiple phrases and get it down to half a page or so.

Using two paragraphs for one topic or idea is improper form. Paragraphs are not used to make a paper look pretty, they are used to separate ideas from each other. Having an extended paragraph is not like having a run-on sentence, there is no definite limit on the length of a paragraph.

Yea but even 1 paragraph on 1 idea that runs the length of more than 1 page could easily be split up.

Look at all of the topics on ATOT. they are all basically 1 thought, but they are always split up into paragraphics if they are too long, because it's easier on the eyes. YAGT's are about girl issues and are generally split up so they are easier on our eyes to read. If they aren't most people will let the OP know.

I dunno, I disagree with you. I think there is an unwritten rule that a paragraph should never be more than 1 page long. And by that I mean like have 1 whole page without a tab. If you have the paragraph start in the middle of the page, where another paragraph ends, then it goes to the middle of the next page, thats fine.

So yah, I guess it's technically correct but it's just easier on the eyes. I already graduated so I don't have to deal w/these dilemmas anymore .

 

[yowolabi]

Theoretically, yes. You could have a one page paragraph that covers one idea. In practice you will rarely encounter one that wouldn't have been best expressed as multiple paragraphs.

 

[Phoenix86]

Originally posted by: Qosis
on an academic paper? It's double spaced, does just over 1 page. 397 words to be exact.

Look at ANY professional publication and tell me.

You will see whole paragraphs dedicated to a single sentence.

Paragraphs prevent bleeding eyes, think of the children.

 

[lederhosen]

Originally posted by: DaiShan
A paragraph is used to separate different topics or ideas. If you only talk about one facet of an argument for one page, then you only need one paragraph, but if you start out talking about the color red and end up talking about the color blue, you'll need two paragraphs and a segue between them so that your paper flows.

I concur.

 

[HN]

yes if you take out the punctuation marks.

 

[dullard]

Just do a Google search. You'll get millions of hits like this.

The length of a paragraph cannot be specifically defined--it depends upon the paragraph topic. However, in business and technical writing, most paragraphs have 2 to 5 sentences and rarely exceed 150 words. A single-spaced paragraph probably will not exceed one-third of a page in length, and a double -spaced paragraph will not exceed half a page in length.

Yes, if you truely have one topic, a paragraph can have no limit of length. It could go over one page. But in most non-legalese writing, the chance of a multipage paragraph having only one topic is quite small.

Thus, try to break up the paragraph if at all possible. If it is not possible, then forget about it, you'll be ok.

 

[everman]

You can if 1 page is justified, but it's more likely that you can rewrite it as 2 or more paragraphs.

 

[zanieladie]

I would vote "no."

 

[Vinfinite]

hell no

 

[SVT Cobra]

I would try to break it up if possible and make a smooth transition, but if you cannot you are fine.

EDIT: Post the example?

 

[Baked]

How levels of sentences do you need to get a point across?

 

[clickynext]

Generally frowned upon because it's unlikely that you can write a well-structured, cohesive paragraph focused on a single point that is that long. It's difficult to navigate for the reader, regardless.