Premium Essay

Mit Topic Sentences

In:

Submitted By lunchbox
Words 1164
Pages 5
Topic Sentences: Fact Sheet and Examples
[A student sent me this explanation he found on the internet. Other students have told me the explanation was useful. My comments are in red.]

A topic sentence "brings to the paragraph not only order but also unity," and it "announces the topic and an attitude toward it" (Hall 198). As Rise B. Axelrod notes, [My favorite definition:] "A topic sentence lets readers know the focus of a paragraph in simple and direct terms" (406). Sometimes we say that the topic sentence embodies the paragraph's organizing idea or its controlling idea.
A topic sentence performs at least some of the following functions: 1. Announces the topic: "A polar bear walks in a way all its own." - Barry Lopez [This is the most common function for a topic sentence. In WA 2, look for the sentence that states the topic of most or all of the other sentences in the paragraph.] 2. Makes a transition from the previous paragraph: "Like sensations, ideas are neither true nor false." - Mortimer J. Adler [A more sophisticated topic sentence summarizes the topic of the last paragraph and announce the topic of the current one, which “connects” the two ideas in the reader’s mind.] 3. Asks and answers a rhetorical question: "What about motion that is too slow to be seen by the human eye? That problem has been solved by the use of the time-lapse camera." - James C. Rettie [The “ask-answer” topic sentences is effectively draws in the reader, but use it sparingly. A little goes a long way.] 4. Forecasts sub-topics to be dealt within the paragraph or in a whole section of paragraphs: "Oppressed groups are denied education, economic independence, the power of office, representation, an image of dignity and self-respect, equality of status, and recognition as human beings." - Kate Millett [The “forecasts sub-topics”

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Nt1310 Unit 4 Assignment 1

...This revision was necessary for the comprehension of that sentence as it would have not made grammatical sense before the proofread. Another instance that included outcome four in SA 2.3 was in my revisions tailored to my peer’s comments in, ” "Water For All" is a mission statement of an MIT project that claims that clean water is paramount to a successful society and that there are consequences to inaction toward this problem.” A peer suggested, and I changed, the use of more sophisticated word choice in this sentence as it is a meaningful topic sentence. This was done to create a more profession topic sentence which I much more interesting with more complex synonyms. On the same hand, I used clear and intentional writing on multiple levels in, “The author of "Water" develops their claim by giving their argument, stating water-related challenges, arguing the right to water, setting goals, and lastly, explaining the importance of water to hygiene and sanitation.” This sentence was revised multiple times to achieve the most concise and purposeful sentence possible at both the word and sentence level in describing the goals of the subject...

Words: 570 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Memo of Proposal

...current assignment, you are asked to identify a problem in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue and suggest a plausible solution to it.  Your memo should be addressed to Dr. Ragu Balakrishnan, head of ECE.  Please note that Dr. Balakrishnan will read these proposals and may choose to act on some of them, so your proposal could benefit current underclass and future ECE students. Format:  The proposal should be one single-spaced page and adhere to the following format.  Write in complete sentences and paragraphs using 12 pt. Times New Roman font.  Assume that you are sending the proposal to Dr. Balakrishnan via interoffice mail.  ____________________________________________  DATE:       12/1/11 TO:            Ragu Balakrishnan                   Head, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering FROM:      Joe Boilermaker (replace with your name)                   ECE 400 student Subject:   Proposal to… (complete this phrase with your proposal topic)   ____________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ BODY of the proposal:  Introduction (this and the following headings are not used in a memo) * What is the purpose of this proposal? * What is the problem that needs to be addressed? * What are the limitations on this proposal and why?  Discussion * What is the proposed solution? * How will the proposal solve the problem?  Resources * Who will do the work and...

Words: 421 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Elder

...The Onset of Consumerism on our Youth through Massive Advertising By June 16, 2014 ENGL 101 – B17 LUO Professor Sholes Associates of Arts – Religion Turabian Format Philippians 4:19 reads “but my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus”. Twenty different translations of this text and not once does it mention God supplying wants. Yet, advertisements teach the youth of America today that they should have all of their wants, not just needs. Advertising agencies, through massive and expensive efforts, have infused the idea of ultra-consumerism into the lives of American youth as evidenced by the priorities and ideals exemplified by children at young ages and as adults. Companies have recognized the deep influence of advertising on young Americans as evidenced by their massive amounts of money and effort spent on targeting children. It is not hard to imagine that companies would see children as a true market for their products. In fact, children under eighteen years old being considered consumers is a widely accepted viewpoint. Even as far back as 1958, an American youth, a teenager in particular, was being referred to as a “merchandising frontier.” In 1998, advertising agencies spent $2 billion specifically towards children in order to promote their products. This formidable amount of funding translates to a significant amount of influential ad time. The astounding 40,000 commercials a child views in a year make up approximately...

Words: 1815 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Society’s Existence and Exposure in Today’s Technology

...trends and connections. The comparison of differences lay between safe internet use and the deceitful barriers that novice users are unaware of, appropriate choices are the key when using the web. In addition, the positive aspects that come into play using the internet consists of many potential business opportunities. You can create businesses online and work from home. When looking for a new position, you can apply to various job sites from major institutions such as indeed.com or monster.com, etc. Blogs can be created to give personal opinions on various subjects. Online shopping purchases are made daily, some enrollment may be required. Major educational institutions such as Stanford, Harvard, Oxford, Berkley, Yale and MIT for example offer free college courses. The courses available include liberal arts and sciences. Although, they are not credit courses, you can educate yourself at your own pace. Free video conferencing is allowed through sites such as Oovoo, Skype and Google hangouts with friends or family. Magazines can be read for free, catching up on the latest news, weather and gossip on celebrities. New social media sites are available to also connect with friends and send messages. Email is used frequently to contact friends or business with no charge. In contrast, the negative exposure that...

Words: 1074 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Poverty in the Philippines

...journals, books, and newspapers) and then place it in logically developed ideas. There are nine steps in writing a term paper, which will be illustrated with brief examples. Step 1: Select a Subject Step 2: Narrow the Subject into a Topic Step 3: State the Objective Step 4: Make a Preliminary Bibliography Step 5: Prepare a tentative Working Outline Step 6: Take Notes Step 7: Prepare a Final Outline Step 8: Write a Draft Step 10: Prepare Final Copy STEP 1: SELECT A SUBJECT To select a subject for a term paper, ask yourself the following questions: • • • • • Am I interested in the subject? Is the subject appropriate for my class? Is the subject too broad? too limited? Is the subject manageable in terms of length and deadline for completing the paper? Is the subject likely to be covered adequately in books, journals, or newspapers? your answers should be YES to most of these questions. Try to choose a subject you are interested in and will enjoy researching. In some courses, your instructor may give you a choice from a list of suggested topics. If you do not have a choice and the subject has been assigned by an instructor, be sure you fully understand the assignment. If you don’t, ask your instructor for clarification. Be careful not to pick a topic that is so broad it will be unmanageable in terms of the length suggested for your term paper. A subject such as "Economy" may be too broad, while one like the "Health Insurance Packages Provided by Kaiser...

Words: 7480 - Pages: 30

Premium Essay

Financial Markets and Institutions

...newspapers) and then place it in logically developed ideas. There are nine steps in writing a term paper, which will be illustrated with brief examples. Step 1: Select a Subject Step 2: Narrow the Subject into a Topic Step 3: State the Objective Step 4: Make a Preliminary Bibliography Step 5: Prepare a tentative Working Outline Step 6: Take Notes Step 7: Prepare a Final Outline Step 8: Write a Draft Step 10: Prepare Final Copy STEP 1: SELECT A SUBJECT To select a subject for a term paper, ask yourself the following questions: • • • • • Am I interested in the subject? Is the subject appropriate for my class? Is the subject too broad? too limited? Is the subject manageable in terms of length and deadline for completing the paper? Is the subject likely to be covered adequately in books, journals, or newspapers? your answers should be YES to most of these questions. Try to choose a subject you are interested in and will enjoy researching. In some courses, your instructor may give you a choice from a list of suggested topics. If you do not have a choice and the subject has been assigned by an instructor, be sure you fully understand the assignment. If you don’t, ask your instructor for clarification. Be careful not to pick a topic that is so broad it will be unmanageable in terms of the length suggested for your term paper. A subject such as "Economy" may be too broad, while one like the "Health...

Words: 7480 - Pages: 30

Premium Essay

Help with Writing

...The only sure-fire way to become a better writer is to sit down, clear your mind, and just fucking write. If we were talking about something more substantial, or perhaps something with constrictive formatting requirements and the requisite audience expectations, I could understand wanting to see some examples of how it's done before you start. But, here, we're talking about 250 words. This is roughly the number of words contained in a flippant, off-the-cuff Quora answer that requires no advance planning or forethought. It's an amount of writing that people will take about thirty seconds to a minute to read, so you barely need to have structure -- just flow your sentences together in a natural voice and you'll get to 250 words before you know it. By looking at samples and prolonging your preparation period (aka, procrastinating), you're spending way more time than you need to on an essay that is ephemeral, at best. Further, by spending so much time thinking about the thing (instead of just doing it), you're building it up to be a big, challenging hurdle instead of the straightforward task it is. Dwelling leads to more procrastination and its attendant guilt, which ignites a self-stoking cycle that's difficult to escape. 250 words is doable in 10 minutes; in the time you're likely to spend preparing for those ten minutes, you could probably write as many as a dozen 250 word essays, from which you could afterwards pick the best. SAN DIMAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RULES Written 29...

Words: 572 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Bloody Sunday

...northern Irish city Derry for civil rights and against the British occupation policy on this very Sunday. The Events that took place on Bloody Sunday had been the initial phase for the conflict in Northern Ireland to escalate. As a result, the conflict got worse. Shortly after the declaration of the happenings in Derry, an enraged crowd of northern Irish citizens occupied the British Embassy in Dublin and burned it down. To simplify the enormous amount of the subject matter “Ireland”, in the following lesson, there is going to be a didactical cutback. To begin with, the students are supposed to get to know some basic facts about the divided Ireland. In this one lesson, it is not about representing the topic in all of its details. To a greater degree, it is about approaching the topic particularly with regard to war and peace. The children shall know, what happened on Bloody Sunday and they should be able to classify the events into the historical-cultural background.1 1.2. The Song “Sunday, Bloody Sunday by U2” One of the most famous Bands in the World, U2, was founded in 1983. The Single “Sunday, Bloody Sunday” is the reason for the breakthrough of the band. To this day, “Sunday, Bloody Sunday” is considered as one of the most political songs published by them. Even though the strophes of the song describe the view of an observer of Bloody Sunday, the band emphasizes that the song does not merely refer to the events that took place in January 1972: We're into the politics of...

Words: 3627 - Pages: 15

Free Essay

Health Care Museum

...United States, it is important to understand its history to develop a working knowledge as you progress through the course. You are the curator of the first Health Care Hall of Fame Museum that pays tribute to the five most significant developments in the evolution of health care in the United States. Prepare a proposal of the five main developments you would include. Be specific and draw from your readings or other research to demonstrate your understanding of newfound concepts, theories, and vocabulary. Include evidence-based information and your personal analysis describing why these exhibits should be included and how they shaped the current health care system in the United States. Descriptions and analysis must use complete sentences. Format your proposal consistent with APA guidelines. Part 1: Health Care Hall of Fame Museum Proposal |Development |Description |Analysis (How does the development affect the current U.S. health care system?) | |EXAMPLE |Even though the connection between filth and disease was made in the 1850s,|Once the link between germs and disease had been scientifically established, | | |the wider medical community still did not understand the cause of |hospitals in America became a place for people to come to recover. Before the | | |infectious diseases...

Words: 1617 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Eli Lilly

...Multinational Management (MSc IBM) - Page 1/9 THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER Manchester Business School MULTINATIONAL MANAGEMENT Version 2015-02-09 Academic Year 2014-2015 Course unit Title: Multinational Management Course unit code: BMAN 70012 Credit Rating: 15 credits 1 Instructors Contact details Umair.Choksy@mbs.ac.uk Room: MBS East F3 Office hours: by arrangement Noemi.Sinkovics@mbs.ac.uk www.manchester.ac.uk/research/noemi.sinkovics Phone: (0161) 275 6492 Room: MBS East F11 Office hours: by arrangement Name Umair Choksy (US) Course unit coordinator Dr Noemi Sinkovics (NS) The University of Manchester, Manchester Business School, Booth Street West, Manchester M15 6PB, UK 2 Course unit Objectives This course has three interrelated and equally important objectives: i. ii. iii. 3 Introduce key multinational management concepts, and illustrate their applications. Understand multinational mentalities and develop strategic and critical thinking in relation to multinational management. Understand the management challenges associated with developing strategies and handling the operations of firms whose activities stretch across national boundaries. Learning Outcomes On successful completion of the course unit, students are expected to: i. ii. Demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical and managerial fields of multinational management. Understand how multinational firms are managing in competitive environments, what are on-going tensions between the competitive...

Words: 3318 - Pages: 14

Free Essay

Hcs 235 Health Care Museum

...United States, it is important to understand its history to develop a working knowledge as you progress through the course. You are the curator of the first Health Care Hall of Fame Museum that pays tribute to the five most significant developments in the evolution of health care in the United States. Prepare a proposal of the five main developments you would include. Be specific and draw from your readings or other research to demonstrate your understanding of newfound concepts, theories, and vocabulary. Include evidence-based information and your personal analysis describing why these exhibits should be included and how they shaped the current health care system in the United States. Descriptions and analysis must use complete sentences. Format your proposal consistent with APA guidelines. Part 1: Health Care Hall of Fame Museum Proposal |Development |Description |Analysis (How does the development affect the current U.S. health care system?) | |EXAMPLE |Even though the connection between filth and disease was made in the 1850s,|Once the link between germs and disease had been scientifically established, | | |the wider medical community still did not understand the cause of |hospitals in America became a place for people to come to recover. Before the | | |infectious diseases...

Words: 1617 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Rhetorical Analysis Of Amy Chua Is A Wimp By David Brooks

...His essay makes sense from the start, but it lacks credibility. He gives evidence but not from credible sources, or further expanding his reasons. For example, Brooks starts a sentence with “Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Carnegie Mellon have found” and finishes the sentence without even expanding it. He just says that a research was conducted, but he doesn’t give names of the researchers completing it. His whole essay is filled with things he says are true, but aren’t supported by any evidence. His lack of evidence leads to Ethos, David Brooks himself is credible, but the evidence and its “sources” not so much. He lacks credible sources leading his whole essay lose some credibility. One rhetorical appeal that can clearly be found is Pathos, “There’s a reason Asian-American women between ages of 15 and 24 have such high suicide rates” and by using the statistic he makes his essay emotional by blaming Asian parenting for the suicides. Even this statistic...

Words: 1156 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Assessment Task 1

...School/Portfolio: | The Business School | Course Code/ID: | BUMGT5921 | Course Title: | Organizations: Behaviour, Structure, Processes | Teaching Location: | Melbourne Institute of Technology | Program(s): | Master of Business Administration | Coordinator: | Dr Syed Uddin | Level: | Introductory | Semester: | 2/2013 | Prerequisite(s): | Nil | Corequisite(s): | Nil | Exclusion(s): | Nil | Credit Points/Progress Units: | 15 | ASCED Code: | 080307 | Adopted Reference Style APA 1 COURSE ORGANISATION: 1.1 Student Responsibility It is the responsibility of every student to be aware of the requirements for this course, and understand the specific details included in this document. For full details of programs and school procedures, please refer to the University of Ballarat handbook (http://www.ballarat.edu.au/future-students/handbook ) and The Business School Programs Handbooks available at http://www.ballarat.edu.au/business/handbooks Students should be aware of the content of the handbooks, particularly: * * Special Consideration process and forms * Assignment Coversheet * Submission of tasks and assignments * Grading codes * Appeal process * Unsatisfactory progress - Early Intervention * Appeal process * Unsatisfactory progress - Early Intervention * Grading codes 1.2 Staff The most appropriate contact is your teacher. If necessary they will contact the Course Coordinator at...

Words: 4040 - Pages: 17

Free Essay

Critical Wriitng

...This pack contains tasks for discussion in lectures and tasks for preparation and discussion in tutorials. Please refer to the lecture PowerPoint slides to understand the purpose of these tasks in the lectures. Lecture 2 Task Standing on the shoulders of giants: Summarising and Paraphrasing Sources A researcher is investigating how different universities approach the issue of academic integrity. He has found the following case study on the website of iParadigms, which developed the software package Turnitin for plagiarism detection. He decides he wants to use some of the information in the report. Strengthening Honour Codes through Plagiarism Detection[1] Academic integrity was suffering at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Each of the university’s schools had an ethics committee to investigate charges of academic dishonesty, but there was no uniformity in how standards were applied or enforced. There was also no mechanism for sharing information between schools regarding serial cheaters. And because it was faculty-run, the students had little investment in the system and therefore took it lightly. To address these shortcomings, the University reinvented their approach to honour codes on campus. Instead of faculty-run ethics committees for each school, they established a Student Honor Code Council, serving the entire campus, which was responsible for writing the honor code and evaluating cases of honour code violations. The university administration, faculty...

Words: 8787 - Pages: 36

Free Essay

Environmental Scan

...In rapidly changing environments, one rule of thumb applies: If you don't adapt, you don't endure. That's the core idea behind environmental scanning. Definitions of the term abound, but in essence it refers to the means by which organizations gather information on changing conditions and incorporate those observations into a process where necessary changes are made. The right information, combined with the right adaptations, can determine an organization's future viability. A body of knowledge on environmental scanning is developing, but unfortunately much of it is oriented toward for-profit companies and doesn't fully recognize the unique conditions of membership organizations. (See sidebar below for more information on resources ASAE is developing on environmental scanning for nonprofits.) But environmental scanning needn't be complicated or intimidating for association executives. Here are five steps to help begin that effort. 1. Consider Your Scanning Type Your first order of business is to set some parameters on the type of scanning you will be doing. There are two fundamental scanning types: "social intuitive" and "formal analytical." If you run a scanning process in which people investigate a wide range of sources and then produce a report by a given date, you are in formal-analytical mode. "Social intuitive" is a less rigorous type of scanning: The term acknowledges the fact that everyone scans their environment for useful information about what's coming down the pike...

Words: 2473 - Pages: 10