Editing Paragraph (section)

==Typographical considerations==
Professionally printed material in English 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."<ref name="Bringhurst2005">{{cite book |title= The Elements of Typographic Style|last= Bringhurst|first=Robert|year= 2005|publisher= Hartley and Marks|location= Vancouver|isbn= 0-88179-206-3|page=39}}</ref> Bringhurst explains as follows:

<blockquote>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.<ref name="Bringhurst2005" /></blockquote>

''The Elements of Typographic Style'' states that "at least one [[En space|en [space]]]" should be used to indent paragraphs after the first,<ref name="Bringhurst2005" /> noting that that is the "practical minimum".<ref name="Bringhurst2005a">{{cite book |title= The Elements of Typographic Style|last= Bringhurst|first=Robert|year= 2005|publisher= Hartley and Marks|location= Vancouver|isbn= 0-88179-206-3|page=40}}</ref> An [[em space]] is the most commonly used paragraph indent.<ref name="Bringhurst2005a" /> [[Miles Tinker]], in his book ''Legibility of Print'', concluded that indenting the first line of paragraphs increases [[readability]] by 7%, on average.<ref>{{cite book |title= Legibility of Print|last=Tinker|first=Miles A.|year= 1963|publisher= Iowa State University Press|location= Iowa|isbn= 0-8138-2450-8|page=127}}</ref>

When referencing a paragraph, typographic symbol {{unichar|00A7|SECTION SIGN|nlink=Section sign|html=}} may be used: "See § Background".

In modern usage, paragraph initiation is typically indicated by one or more of a preceding blank line, [[indentation]], an "[[Initial]]" ("drop cap") or other indication. Historically, the [[pilcrow]] symbol{{nbsp}}({{char|¶}}) was used in Latin and western European languages. Other languages have [[Pilcrow#Paragraph signs in non-Latin writing systems|their own marks with similar function]].

[[Widows and orphans]] occur when the first line of a paragraph is the last in a column or page, or when the last line of a paragraph is the first line of a new column or page.