With three of my students writing their theses this year, I decided to formalize some advice on a clear writing style. Yes, writing is an art form, yet I find that following these simple rules would produce understandable technical writing - a vast improvement over not following rules at all.

Here are my notes on how to make a paragraph flow.

1. Pick a keyword/phrase/concept/idea that you would want to focus in the paragraph. This keyword should remain the focus of individual sentences throughout the paragraph.  This simple trick helps the paragraph “flow”.
2. The first sentence of a paragraph should announce what you intend to communicate in the paragraph. For example, “Below we show that …”. Remember you are writing to be easily understood.
3.  The last sentence should summarize the paragraph and possibly pre-announce what would happen in the following paragraph tying the paragraphs together.
4. "Square" rule - typically a paragraph should not occupy more than a "square" on a printed page, i.e., the height of the paragraph should not exceed the column width. Shorter paragraphs are fine. If longer, strongly consider breaking the paragraph in two.
5. Read  the paragraph ALOUD - even a non-native speaker would be able to tell if the writing "feels" right.

Additional notes: Do not mix passive and active voice in a paragraph.