Why the hell are paragraphs so important?

[Craig234]

I don't mean, why are they nice to have, why do they improve readability, obvious benefits.

I mean, why are they basically *mandatory*? If anyone has seen long text - hundreds of words or longer - in one long sentence, we all know it's not 'less pleasant' to read, it's almost impossible to get through. Please respond in fury to such text and refuse to read it.

Why is that?

We get speech two main ways, verbal and written. (ok, for most of us; for trump, verbal).

Verbal doesn't have quite the same issue. It's 'nice' when speakers have little 'breaks', but we can still make sense of it. If they speak too fast to understand, that's a different problem.

Really, when reading text, we have more control - we can read at a speed we want, and we can pause any time we want making our own 'paragraph break'. In theory, it shouldn't be a big deal.

But it is. It's an 'unreadable' deal.

We already have sentences to break text into statements - but for some reason, paragraphs seem utterly needed in a way that's hard to make sense of.

If you have any thoughts beyond the basic 'it's more readable', feel free. I guess the could go on to longer text - chapters in books - but we seem to have high tolerance for some length, in articles and chapters. Then there's songs - and we seem to have a high tolerance for repetition for some reason.

 

[pete6032]

Paragraphs generally indicate the start of a new thought or concept. I can't easily discern when you're starting a new thought or transitioning to a new concept when I'm reading your text without paragraphs.

 

[Craig234]

Paragraphs generally indicate the start of a new thought or concept. I can't easily discern when you're starting a new thought or transitioning to a new concept when I'm reading your text without paragraphs.

I don't think that's it. What if a 'thought or concept' take a whole page of text? Is a page of text suddenly readable in that case? No. It's still broken into paragraph size bites for another reason.

 

[sdifox]

Cuz it's fucking hard to read without paragraphs.

 

[Craig234]

Cuz it's fucking hard to read without paragraphs.

Apparently, it's hard to read OP's, also.

 

[clamum]

I actually think you pose a good question. Beyond increasing readability due to them adding space and denoting different thoughts/concepts (which isn't their sole purpose), I'm not sure.

The mystery must be solved! (see my paragraph there)?

 

[IronWing]

Apparently, it's hard to read OP's, also.

The apostrophe is unnecessary.

Pointless paragraph breaks are also unnecessary. A paragraph should express a complete thought even if that requires many, many lines of text.

Breaking a single thought into multiple paragraphs is bothersome.

It creates a disjointed mess of often redundant half thoughts with no cohesion.

A greeting card replaces a coherent message. On the other hand, it fits in with the soundbite manner of communication prevalent in public verbal discourse.

 

[ctbaars]

Is this a test? I don't know what you are saying.

 

[sdifox]

Apparently, it's hard to read OP's, also.

It's how we are wired. We get lost in a wall of text easily. First we used markers at the beginning of paragraphs, then we decided to add space between them. All so our brain can track where we are on the page.

 

[pmv]

There presumably is something a neurologist or educational psychologist or some such expert could say about exactly _why_ it's hard to read lots of text without paragraph-breaks. But "wall-of-text" is a legitimate complaint - I really feel reluctant to read posts like that. I think too many paragraphs is still better than too few. Too many paragraphs makes it feel jittery and hard-to-follow, but too few and I just think 'argh, I'm not going to bother reading that'.

It seems maybe it works differently on the screen than on the printed page?

 

[Kaido]

I don't mean, why are they nice to have, why do they improve readability, obvious benefits.

I mean, why are they basically *mandatory*? If anyone has seen long text - hundreds of words or longer - in one long sentence, we all know it's not 'less pleasant' to read, it's almost impossible to get through. Please respond in fury to such text and refuse to read it.

Why is that?

We get speech two main ways, verbal and written. (ok, for most of us; for trump, verbal).

Verbal doesn't have quite the same issue. It's 'nice' when speakers have little 'breaks', but we can still make sense of it. If they speak too fast to understand, that's a different problem.

Really, when reading text, we have more control - we can read at a speed we want, and we can pause any time we want making our own 'paragraph break'. In theory, it shouldn't be a big deal.

But it is. It's an 'unreadable' deal.

We already have sentences to break text into statements - but for some reason, paragraphs seem utterly needed in a way that's hard to make sense of.

If you have any thoughts beyond the basic 'it's more readable', feel free. I guess the could go on to longer text - chapters in books - but we seem to have high tolerance for some length, in articles and chapters. Then there's songs - and we seem to have a high tolerance for repetition for some reason.

Depends on what information you're reading. Formatting can help a ton, based on what you're trying to express, because it's easy to lose your place when you stop to think about the text & use your mind's eye to visualize a concept, and then try to go back to a huge wall of text.

Let's rewrite your post, for example - some additional formatting like bolded text & bullet points can make it super-easy to skim through, if you want people to digest it quickly:

I don't mean:

• Why are they nice to have
• Why do they improve readability
• Obvious benefits

I mean, why are they basically mandatory?

• If anyone has seen long text - hundreds of words or longer - in one long sentence, we all know it's not 'less pleasant' to read, it's almost impossible to get through
• Please respond in fury to such text and refuse to read it

Why is that?

• We get speech two main ways, verbal and written
• OK, for most of us; for trump, verbal

Verbal doesn't have quite the same issue:

• It's 'nice' when speakers have little 'breaks', but we can still make sense of it
• If they speak too fast to understand, that's a different problem

Really, when reading text, we have more control:

• We can read at a speed we want and we can pause any time we want making our own "paragraph break"
• In theory, it shouldn't be a big deal

But it is. It's an 'unreadable' deal.

• We already have sentences to break text into statements
• But, for some reason, paragraphs seem utterly needed in a way that's hard to make sense of

If you have any thoughts beyond the basic 'it's more readable", feel free:

• I guess the could go on to longer text - chapters in books - but we seem to have high tolerance for some length, in articles and chapters
• Then there's songs - and we seem to have a high tolerance for repetition for some reason

 

[pmv]

Depends on what information you're reading. Formatting can help a ton, based on what you're trying to express, because it's easy to lose your place when you stop to think about the text & use your mind's eye to visualize a concept, and then try to go back to a huge wall of text.

Let's rewrite your post, for example - some additional formatting like bolded text & bullet points can make it super-easy to skim through, if you want people to digest it quickly:

Your rewritten version makes me feel like I'm in a conference room and somone's pointing at a projected screen with a laser pointer while all I can think about is the anticipation of free coffee and sandwiches.

 

[snoopy7548]

Because when you post on the internet, nobody intends to read the entire thing, unlike a story or book. Even an article will get skimmed through. Paragraphs allow you to easily separate the mindless drivel from what you actually want to read.

 

[Kaido]

Your rewritten version makes me feel like I'm in a conference room and somone's pointing at a projected screen with a laser pointer while all I can think about is the anticipation of free coffee and sandwiches.

Haha, it's what I do all day...looooooots of PowerPoints. Although I usually bring in my homemade goodies as a bonus for attending my meetings lol.

 

[IronWing]

Two points:

1. Powerpoint presentations should have no text slides except, possibly, the title slide. That's it. Everything else should be graphs, pics, maps, etc. If it can be said on a text slide, it should come out of your mouth instead.
2. Kaido is invited to all my meetings.

 

[nakedfrog]

Haha, it's what I do all day...looooooots of PowerPoints. Although I usually bring in my homemade goodies as a bonus for attending my meetings lol.

View attachment 8554

holy shit get in my mouth right this second

 

[nakedfrog]

There presumably is something a neurologist or educational psychologist or some such expert could say about exactly _why_ it's hard to read lots of text without paragraph-breaks. But "wall-of-text" is a legitimate complaint - I really feel reluctant to read posts like that. I think too many paragraphs is still better than too few. Too many paragraphs makes it feel jittery and hard-to-follow, but too few and I just think 'argh, I'm not going to bother reading that'.

It seems maybe it works differently on the screen than on the printed page?

I think the difference there may be that generally with a printed page, someone has put specific thought into the fit, flow, and formatting of the text.
Of course, sometimes you get those weird justifications where a single word is "s t r e t c h e d" out, but those are typically exceptions.

 

[nakedfrog]

Two points:

1. Powerpoint presentations should have no text slides except, possibly, the title slide. That's it. Everything else should be graphs, pics, maps, etc. It it can be said on a text slide, it should come out of your mouth instead.
2. Kaido is invited to all my meetings.

It feels like a significant portions of meetings I attend that have a PowerPoint consist of someone reading out the words on the slide, and then expounding on them.

 

[Paratus]

Call out thread.

OP is going after @sportage

Lock her up!

 

[IronWing]

It feels like a significant portions of meetings I attend that have a PowerPoint consist of someone reading out the words on the slide, and then expounding on them.

If information can be conveyed on a text slide then it can be conveyed faster in an email and a presentation is a waste of everybody's time.

 

[nakedfrog]

If information can be conveyed on a text slide then it can be conveyed faster in an email and a presentation is a waste of everybody's time.

I am aware of this.

 

[Kaido]

Two points:

1. Powerpoint presentations should have no text slides except, possibly, the title slide. That's it. Everything else should be graphs, pics, maps, etc. It it can be said on a text slide, it should come out of your mouth instead.
2. Kaido is invited to all my meetings.

My problem is that I get stage fright & my mind goes blank, so I rely on the Powerpoint text to use as speaking points. What I typically do is this:

1. Have a fancy graphic, which takes the focus off me & into the presentation

2. Have it fly in by itself (animated), which captures people's attention

3. THEN fade in the text, which I use to talk about

I mainly do either selling (here's why you need to buy a fancy expensive network or server blah blah blah) or training (here's how to execute this particular procedure for success every time) & the process above actually works pretty well. That, and cookies

 

[Kaido]

If information can be conveyed on a text slide then it can be conveyed faster in an email and a presentation is a waste of everybody's time.

The problem is that people don't always read emails. When you have a meeting, you have a dedicated period of time in which everyone's attention is focused on one thing, instead of just another email notification in the daily busy stream of events.

Lately I've been experimenting with a new meeting format where we do standing meetings. It doesn't work for brainstorming meetings, where you need to generate ideas & you just need to put in the time, but it's pretty good for quick training, pitch, and problem-solving meetings, because nobody wants to stay standing for very long, so it forces you to get through the material in a timely fashion lol.

 

[nakedfrog]

The problem is that people don't always read emails. When you have a meeting, you have a dedicated period of time in which everyone's attention is focused on one thing, instead of just another email notification in the daily busy stream of events.

I am also aware of this
To most audiences I now try to limit emails to 2-3 sentences and I'm happy if there's clear evidence they read past the first one.

 

[Kaido]

I am also aware of this
To most audiences I now try to limit emails to 2-3 sentences and I'm happy if there's clear evidence they read past the first one.

Exactly...I hate this, because I try to be as clear as possible so there's no room for misunderstanding, so I'm pretty wordy in my emails. This year, I switched to sending one-liner emails as much as possible & have been holding quick standing meetings with a clear-cut procedure (the Discussion Matrix) to follow to get through the meeting. Face-to-face unfortunately seems to work best