Is using paragraphs a lost art??

TylerJ76
TylerJ76 Posts: 4,375 Member
I mean, have people forgot where the "return" key is?

Replies

  • Crankstr
    Crankstr Posts: 3,958 Member
    NO.
  • _crafty_
    _crafty_ Posts: 1,682 Member
    I refuse to read posts that are just a wall of text with no separation or proper punctuation. I'm a b!tch like that.
  • TylerJ76
    TylerJ76 Posts: 4,375 Member
    I refuse to read posts that are just a wall of text with no separation or proper punctuation. I'm a b!tch like that.

    TRU DAT!

    *hi-five*
  • Some_Watery_Tart
    Some_Watery_Tart Posts: 2,250 Member
    I refuse to read posts that are just a wall of text with no separation or proper punctuation. I'm a b!tch like that.

    Ditto.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    NO.

    Neither is punctuation, or capitalization. I'm an enginerd and struggle with things like spelling but I sure as hell try hard to not sound like an idiot.
  • Pixi_Rex
    Pixi_Rex Posts: 1,676 Member
    Ah the elusive enter/return key. Its one of the greatest mysteries of todays world, where has it gone? Will we ever see it again?
  • diodelcibo
    diodelcibo Posts: 2,564 Member
    Tl;dr.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    This is from wikipedia
    ParagraphFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search A paragraph (from the Greek paragraphos, "to write beside" or "written beside") is a self-contained unit of a discourse in writing dealing with a particular point or idea. A paragraph consists of one or more sentences.[1][2] The start of a paragraph is indicated by beginning on a new line. Sometimes the first line is indented. At various times, the beginning of a paragraph has been indicated by the pilcrow: ¶. A written work—be it an essay or a story—is about an idea or concept. An essay explains it; a story narrates it. To help the reader understand and enjoy it, the explanation or narration is broken down into units of text, or paragraphs. In an essay, each paragraph explains or demonstrates a key point or thought of the central idea, usually to inform or persuade. In fiction, each paragraph serves to advance the plot, develop a character, describe a scene or narrate an action—all to entertain the reader. All paragraphs support each other, leading the reader from the first idea to the final resolution of the written piece of work. Many students are taught to use a minimum number of sentences in a paragraph such as three or five—although length is not a determinant in defining a paragraph.[3]Contents 1 Paragraph breaks 2 Details 3 See also 3.1 Notes 4 References 5 External linksParagraph breaks Professionally printed material typically does not indent the first paragraph, but indents those that follow. For example, Robert Bringhurst states that we should "Set opening paragraphs flush left."[4] Bringhurst explains as follows. "The function of a paragraph is to mark a pause, setting the paragraph apart from what precedes it. If a paragraph is preceded by a title or subhead, the indent is superfluous and can therefore be omitted."[4] The Elements of Typographic Style states that "at least one en [space]" should be used to indent paragraphs after the first,[4] noting that that is the "practical minimum".[5] An em space is the most commonly used paragraph indent.[5] Miles Tinker, in his book Legibility of Print, concluded that indenting the first line of paragraphs increases readability by 7%, on the average.[6]
    Other techniques are possible. Lines can be outdented to signify the start of new paragraphs.[4] Another technique is to insert vertical space between paragraphs. This creates what is sometimes known as "block paragraphs". Some keyboarders use a double carriage return to create this break, whereas typists using word processing applications may use increased leading to create a more pleasing space between paragraphs. Many published books use a device to separate certain paragraphs further when there is a change of scene or time. This extra space, especially when co-occurring at a page or section break, may contain an asterisk, three asterisks, a special stylistic dingbat, or a special symbol known as an asterism. Details In literature, a "detail" is a small piece of information within a paragraph. A detail usually exists to support or explain a main idea. In the following excerpt from Dr. Samuel Johnson's Lives of the English Poets, the first sentence is the main idea: that Joseph Addison is a skilled "describer of life and manners". The succeeding sentences are details that support and explain the main idea in a specific way. As a describer of life and manners, he must be allowed to stand perhaps the first of the first rank. His humour, which, as Steele observes, is peculiar to himself, is so happily diffused as to give the grace of novelty to domestic scenes and daily occurrences. He never "o'ersteps the modesty of nature," nor raises merriment or wonder by the violation of truth. His figures neither divert by distortion nor amaze by aggravation. He copies life with so much fidelity that he can be hardly said to invent; yet his exhibitions have an air so much original, that it is difficult to suppose them not merely the product of imagination.
  • _DaniD_
    _DaniD_ Posts: 2,186 Member
    tumblr_mkh9kkimjQ1rwx83mo1_500.gif
  • SeaRunner26
    SeaRunner26 Posts: 5,143 Member
    Thank you technology. Another advancement to reduce our capabilities.
  • Cliffslosinit
    Cliffslosinit Posts: 5,044 Member
    This is from wikipedia
    ParagraphFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search A paragraph (from the Greek paragraphos, "to write beside" or "written beside") is a self-contained unit of a discourse in writing dealing with a particular point or idea. A paragraph consists of one or more sentences.[1][2] The start of a paragraph is indicated by beginning on a new line. Sometimes the first line is indented. At various times, the beginning of a paragraph has been indicated by the pilcrow: ¶. A written work—be it an essay or a story—is about an idea or concept. An essay explains it; a story narrates it. To help the reader understand and enjoy it, the explanation or narration is broken down into units of text, or paragraphs. In an essay, each paragraph explains or demonstrates a key point or thought of the central idea, usually to inform or persuade. In fiction, each paragraph serves to advance the plot, develop a character, describe a scene or narrate an action—all to entertain the reader. All paragraphs support each other, leading the reader from the first idea to the final resolution of the written piece of work. Many students are taught to use a minimum number of sentences in a paragraph such as three or five—although length is not a determinant in defining a paragraph.[3]Contents 1 Paragraph breaks 2 Details 3 See also 3.1 Notes 4 References 5 External linksParagraph breaks Professionally printed material typically does not indent the first paragraph, but indents those that follow. For example, Robert Bringhurst states that we should "Set opening paragraphs flush left."[4] Bringhurst explains as follows. "The function of a paragraph is to mark a pause, setting the paragraph apart from what precedes it. If a paragraph is preceded by a title or subhead, the indent is superfluous and can therefore be omitted."[4] The Elements of Typographic Style states that "at least one en [space]" should be used to indent paragraphs after the first,[4] noting that that is the "practical minimum".[5] An em space is the most commonly used paragraph indent.[5] Miles Tinker, in his book Legibility of Print, concluded that indenting the first line of paragraphs increases readability by 7%, on the average.[6]
    Other techniques are possible. Lines can be outdented to signify the start of new paragraphs.[4] Another technique is to insert vertical space between paragraphs. This creates what is sometimes known as "block paragraphs". Some keyboarders use a double carriage return to create this break, whereas typists using word processing applications may use increased leading to create a more pleasing space between paragraphs. Many published books use a device to separate certain paragraphs further when there is a change of scene or time. This extra space, especially when co-occurring at a page or section break, may contain an asterisk, three asterisks, a special stylistic dingbat, or a special symbol known as an asterism. Details In literature, a "detail" is a small piece of information within a paragraph. A detail usually exists to support or explain a main idea. In the following excerpt from Dr. Samuel Johnson's Lives of the English Poets, the first sentence is the main idea: that Joseph Addison is a skilled "describer of life and manners". The succeeding sentences are details that support and explain the main idea in a specific way. As a describer of life and manners, he must be allowed to stand perhaps the first of the first rank. His humour, which, as Steele observes, is peculiar to himself, is so happily diffused as to give the grace of novelty to domestic scenes and daily occurrences. He never "o'ersteps the modesty of nature," nor raises merriment or wonder by the violation of truth. His figures neither divert by distortion nor amaze by aggravation. He copies life with so much fidelity that he can be hardly said to invent; yet his exhibitions have an air so much original, that it is difficult to suppose them not merely the product of imagination.

    amazingc.gif
  • SpeSHul_SnoflEHk
    SpeSHul_SnoflEHk Posts: 6,256 Member
    It's not just using the carriage return/enter key either.

    Use good structure as well. Each sentence should contain a complete thought. Each paragraph should have a series of thoughts with a similar point summarized by a topic sentence.
  • hsmaldo
    hsmaldo Posts: 115 Member
    paragraphs, sentence structure??? What is this you speak of??
  • bronx1101
    bronx1101 Posts: 48
    If a post is more than a few sentences long, I don't read it at all. But yes, I've noticed that people don't care much about correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. They don't think it's important on a social networking site, I presume.

    Also, let me say, I teach high school English. On a diagnostic essay at the beginning of the school year, I had SEVERAL students use "text talk" in their responses. <sigh>
  • SeaRunner26
    SeaRunner26 Posts: 5,143 Member
    paragraphs, sentence structure??? What is this you speak of??

    it's an ancient form of communication that was lost decades ago we don't understand where it went it was possibly developed by aliens and integrated into our culture i suspect that just conspiricy thinking though do you think that this could happen by itself
  • homerjspartan
    homerjspartan Posts: 1,893 Member
    i agree with you tyler i personally dont understand why anyone on this site cannot due the things right and not get them wrong and always be smart and funny and cute and cuddly and nice and booby and cute did i say cute oh yeah i did and funny and dani and nice and silly and puppies and cute
  • _DaniD_
    _DaniD_ Posts: 2,186 Member
    i agree with you tyler i personally dont understand why anyone on this site cannot due the things right and not get them wrong and always be smart and funny and cute and cuddly and nice and booby and cute did i say cute oh yeah i did and funny and dani and nice and silly and puppies and cute

    tumblr_mev0ccsBOO1r0ftodo1_500.gif
  • fitnh
    fitnh Posts: 238 Member
    I am going to add something to your thread...how about capitalization? Always using lower case letters. I can see maybe the typing may go faster, however...
  • fitnh
    fitnh Posts: 238 Member
    I am going to add something to your thread...how about capitalization? Always using lower case letters. I can see maybe the typing may go faster, however...

    @homer...you may be a little guilty of the above mentioned addition to this thread :)
  • bookworm_847
    bookworm_847 Posts: 1,903 Member
    I refuse to read posts that are just a wall of text with no separation or proper punctuation. I'm a b!tch like that.

    I'll read them sometimes. I like a challenge. :wink:
  • Ashwee87
    Ashwee87 Posts: 695 Member
    I GUESS IT IS BETTER THAN ME YELLING BECAUSE MY CAPS LOCK IS STUCK!

    Gah, and it just gets worse and worse every year too. I am that person, when texting, even BEFORE Swipe and touch screens, my *kitten* would sit there and type out full sentences and yes, it annoyed people. But you know what? I didn't care because there is no way in hell I am going to use "chatspeak" while talking.

    Also, I am from Mississippi with a Mississippi education (that ain't sayin much people) and I have shoddy grammar/spelling. But, I still manage to make-do.

    No excuses people!!!

    :flowerforyou: