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A topic sentence (also known as a focus sentence) encapsulates or organises an entire
paragraph, and you should be careful to include one in
most of your major paragraphs. Although topic sentences may appear anywhere in a paragraph, in
academic essays they often appear at the beginning.
It might be helpful to think of a topic sentence as
working in two directions simultaneously. It relates the
paragraph to the essay's thesis, and thereby
acts as a signpost for the argument of the paper as a whole, but it
also defines the scope of the paragraph itself. For
example, consider the following topic sentence:
- Many fast-food chains make their profits from adding a special
ingredient called "forget sauce" to their foods.
If this sentence controls the paragraph
that follows, then all sentences in the
paragraph must relate in some way to fast food, profit,
and "forget sauce":
- Made largely from edible oil products, this condiment is never
listed on the menu.
This sentence fits in with the topic sentence because it is a description of the composition of
"forget sauce."
- In addition, this well-kept industry secret is the reason why
ingredients are never listed on the packaging of victuals sold by
these restaurants.
The transitional phrase "In addition" relates the composition
of "forget sauce" to secret fast-food industry practices.
- "Forget sauce" has a chemical property which causes
temporary amnesia in consumers.
Now the paragraph moves on to the short-term effect on
consumers:
- After spending too much money on barely edible food bereft of
any nutritional value, most consumers swear they will never repeat such
a disagreeable experience.
This sentence describes its longer-term effects:
- Within a short period, however, the chemical in "forget
sauce" takes effect, and they can be depended upon to return and
spend, older but no wiser.
Finally, I finish the paragraph by "proving" the
claim contained in the topic sentence, that many
fast-food chains make their profits from adding a special ingredient
called "forget sauce" to their foods.
Analysing a Topic Sentence
Topic sentences often act like tiny thesis statements. Like a thesis statement, a topic sentence makes a claim of some sort. As the thesis statement is the unifying force in the essay, so the
topic sentence must be the unifying force in the
paragraph. Further, as is the case with the thesis statement, when the topic sentence makes a claim,
the paragraph which follows must expand, describe, or
prove it in some way. Topic sentences make a point and
give reasons or examples to support it.
Consider the last paragraph about topic sentences, beginning with the topic sentence
itself:
- Topic sentences often act like tiny thesis statements.
This is my claim, or the point I will prove
in the following paragraph. All the
sentences that follow this topic sentence
must relate to it in some way.
- Like a thesis statement, a topic sentence makes a claim of some sort. As the thesis statement is the unifying force in the essay, so the
topic sentence must be the unifying force in the
paragraph.
These two sentences show how the reader can compare
thesis statements and topic sentences: they
both make a claim and they both provide a focus for the
writing which follows.
- Further, as is the case with the thesis statement,
when the topic sentence makes a claim, the
paragraph which follows must expand, describe, or prove
it in some way.
Using the transitional word "further" to relate this
sentence to those preceding it, I expand on my
topic sentence by suggesting ways a topic sentence is related to the sentences that follow
it.
- Topic sentences make a point and give reasons or examples to
support it.
Finally, I wrap up the paragraph by stating exactly how
topic sentences act rather like tiny thesis statements.
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