Paragraphs

Paragraphs, like sentences, should be concise, especially since you have only a few seconds to capture a reader’s attention. Short paragraphs are easy to scan and understand. Follow these basic guidelines:

• Build every paragraph on one idea or topic.
• Front-load the essential point. Put the most important information—a topic sentence or a conclusion—first. In journalism and online, if readers aren’t hooked by the first few words in a paragraph, they probably won’t read further.
• Keep paragraphs short—two or three sentences is often enough.

Example
Before
Creating a financial portfolio is fast, easy, and free. You can create and maintain as many portfolios as you like with a single account. If you don’t yet have an account, you will need to register for one before you can create a portfolio (registration is free and also allows you to take advantage of our many other products and services). We currently offer several different ways to track your portfolio (select a link to learn more):
(Too many ideas in one paragraph)

After
Creating a financial portfolio is fast, easy, and free. With a single account, you can create and maintain as many portfolios as you like.
If you don’t have an account, you must register for one before you can create a portfolio. Registration is free and allows you to take advantage of our many other products and services.
We offer several ways to track your portfolio. Learn more now.
(Each idea gets a separate short paragraph)