Primary and Secondary Development in Paragraphs
By definition, a paragraph is the “development of a single idea.” Topic sentences in paragraphs announce the main idea that will be developed in the body of the paragraph. Writers use various patterns in their responses to main ideas—argument, classification, comparison/contrast, cause/effect explanation, process explanation, description, interpretation, etc. The development of the body can also be characterized as a combination of “primary” and “secondary” development.
“Primary” development is any word, phrase, or sentence that responds to or comments about the main idea in the topic sentence. In other words, it is the “explanation of the main idea.”
“Secondary” development is any word, phrase, or sentence that responds to or comments about some idea in primary development. In other words, secondary development is the “explanation of the explanation of the main idea.”
The following paragraph is an example of a combination of both primary and secondary development.
Marketing exhibitions to
shopping centers is becoming difficult. Marketing directors are shifting their
emphasis from "dog and pony shows" to strictly profile advertising.
This shift is due, in great part, to merchants who find it difficult to relate
displays to merchandizing. Recent research suggests also that shoppers don't
come to the mall primarily to see the “soap” stars or ceramics displays by
local artists. In addition to shifts in marketing strategies, the recession has
had its impact on the “saleability” of exhibitions. The budgets of many
merchants associations have collapsed, sometimes almost overnight. Budgets for
promotions are dependant upon merchant contributions each month. When sales are down, merchants can't keep
their commitments to the marketing budgets. If it comes to a choice between a
contract for an exhibit and the salary of the marketing director, the
exhibition will be cancelled, contract or no contract. Exhibitors dependent primarily
on shopping centers are facing some hard times.