How to Come Up with Excellent Topic Sentences
September 21, 2021| Category: Writing Tips
Each paragraph of your academic paper, no matter if it is an essay or a research proposal, needs an appropriate topic sentence. The main role of this sentence in a paragraph is to inform the reader about the central point of the whole paragraph.
By writing a topic sentence, you will familiarize your reader with:
- The main point of the paragraph;
- A topic of the paragraph.
Once this sentence is written, you will need to expand on it by providing sufficient evidence and examples. To make your writing well organized, you will need to use appropriate transition words when moving from one idea to another. If you want your papers to be interesting, comprehensive and clear, you should learn how to write perfect topic sentences. Below, you will find many handy suggestions that will help you easily cope with this task.
Writing Strong Topic Sentences
A topic sentence is neither the first nor the last thing you will write when working on your order. To make sure each topic sentence is connected with the main argument of your paper, you need to do the following:
1. Make up a thesis. The first step to creating excellent topic sentences is forming a strong thesis. A thesis will state the purpose of the whole paper.
Thesis statement example:
Improving the ways of food production is necessary for reducing the negative impact of humans on the planet.
2. Create an outline for your paper and draft the topic sentences.
Next, you will need to come up with an outline for your paper, including the points you would like to present to your target audience. At this stage, you can write a topic sentence that will summarize the argument of the paragraph. Pay attention that a topic sentence can be more precise than a thesis statement, but they are always interrelated.
Topic sentence example:
Studies prove that uncontrolled food consumption has a significant environmental effect.
3. Add evidence.
Once the topic sentence is formulated, you will need to extend it by providing appropriate evidence. To support your claim, you will need to add good examples and relevant in-text citations. It will help you make your paragraph focused. In addition, you may add appropriate statistics to convince your target audience that you are authorized to investigate the subject.
4. Refine your topic sentences.
As soon as the whole paragraph is written, you will need to have a look at your topic sentences once again to understand if they are written properly. In case there are some points that should be revised, you should not hesitate to do it, as it will add value to your work.
Transition Words: How to Use Them
As you write a topic sentence, you will need to think about its relation to what you wrote in the previous paragraph. To demonstrate the connections between your ideas, you will need to use appropriate transition words.
Expand
If you need to provide another example to explain your point, your topic sentence should begin with the words that will imply similarity (furthermore, also, what is more, etc.);
For example: In fact, cattle farming plays a significant role in increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
Summarize
If another paragraph discusses a different angle of the same subject, the topic sentence of this paragraph should anticipate the previous information.
For example: Whereas beef has the most dramatic footprint, other products also have a terrible effect in terms of emissions land use.
Compare and contrast
If the next paragraph aims to introduce new information that will oppose the one that was provided before, you will need to include appropriate transition words (yet, however, in contrast, on the other hand, etc.).
Yet, the environmental costs of plant choices are not always rational, as small-scale livestock farming is much more sustainable than the food production of plants.
Writing Good Topic Sentences: Examples
Let`s imagine that you are writing an argumentative essay about the environmental effects of diets. Below, you will find examples of topic sentences that should appear at the beginning of each of the body paragraphs:
- According to recent research, the meat industry has a severe impact on the environment.
- At the same time, many foods based on plants are produced in ways that are environmentally damaging.
- It is important to understand not only what food we eat but also the ways of its production.
By beginning each of your main body paragraphs with these sentences, you will need to add evidence supporting your claims.
Overall, we assure you that topic sentences are very important, as they help you stay focused and make your paper thesis-driven. By adding them to your main body paragraphs, you will make your arguments clear for your readers.