Where is the topic sentence in an argumentative essay?
Pretend youre a pirate out on the high seas searching for treasure.Lets say you have it on good authority that theres a chest of gold buried on a nearby remote island. Show
While you may have an idea which way you need to sail in order to get to the island, if you dont know where to dig once you get there, it may be a long and frustrating treasure hunt. Now lets say you have a treasure map.How does that change things? It makes life a little easier, right? Having a treasure map means you have a step-by-step guide to help you get to your ultimate goalthe buried treasure. Topic sentences are a lot like treasure mapsthey provide a step-by-step guide through your paper. Looking for a few ideas to help create a treasure map of topic sentences for your paper? Check out these examples of good topic sentences. 12 Examples of Good Topic Sentences (and Why They Work)An introduction or thesis statement for a narrative essay is different than an introduction or thesis in an argumentative essay. It makes sense, then, that youll write different types of topic sentences for different types of papers. To help you see the difference between topic sentences, Ive divided this list by type of papers: narrative essay, argumentative essay, and compare and contrast essay. If you want a quick refresher on writing good topic sentences, matey, read the following post: Here Is the Right Way and the Wrong Way to Write Topic Sentences. 4 narrative essay topic sentences
Why these narrative topic sentences workA strong narrative essay keeps readers interested and wanting more of the story. A good narrative topic sentence helps hold readers interest by providing an overview of the upcoming paragraph. Each of these topic sentences provides a clear idea of what the focus of the paragraph will be, yet theyre also intriguing enough to build suspense. Readers wonder how the events will unfold and keep reading to see how the story ends.
It can be easy to use the word then throughout your narrative essay to connect events that occur in chronological order, but dont do it! Using then to connect your ideas will make your writing sound like this: First, we boarded the ship. Then we found our way to our cabins.Then we headed straight to the pool. It certainly doesnt make for very compelling reading. Not sure what other transitions to use? Here are 97 transition words to help! Looking for more examples of narrative essay topic sentences? Take a look at these example essays to see what other writers have written. 4 argumentative essay topic sentences
Why these argumentative essay topic sentences workThe goal of an argument essay is to convince readers. To do that, you need lots of examples and evidence to support your arguments. This means that your paragraphs will each focus on one key argument, and thus your topic sentences should do the same. These topic sentences clearly identify the argument to be expressed in the paragraph.They also allude to the broad focus of the thesis statement to remind readers of the goal of the paper. While this strategy may not always be necessary (especially in shorter papers) it can be useful in longer essays as it keeps readers focused.
If these types of transitions arent working for you, try using headings (if your assignment allows). Check out this sample paper to seeone way to use headings when writing in MLA 8 format. Want to see argument essay topic sentences and transitions in action? Check out this example essay about internet piracy from our database. 4 compare and contrast essay topic sentences
Stuck on Your Essay?Check out thousands of example essays.Yes! Show me examples.Why these compare and contrast essay topic sentences workCompare and contrast essays examine similarities and differences, so it only makes sense that your topic sentences do the same.Notice that each of the topic sentences includes both items to be used for comparison. For instance, #11 compares Hollywoods portrayal of pirates to historical accounts of what pirates really looked like. This type of topic sentence construction provides a clear path for readers. It allows them to see the exact points to be compared in the upcoming paragraph.
Here are a few transitions you might use in your own writing:
Interested in seeing how other writers have used topic sentences and transitions in compare and contrast essays? Take a look at these example essays. The End of Your VoyageCongratulations! Youve navigated the raging waters of topic sentences and have safely reached the end of your voyage, my friend. Now that youve got sea-worthy skills for writing good topic sentences, make sure you keep your paragraphs anchored to those topic sentences so that each paragraph supports your thesis statement. And if youre still not seasick and would like additional suggestions for choosing the perfect words for your topic sentences, check out these resources:
Worried that your professor might make you walk the plank if you turn in your current draft? Let our expert editors help with revisionto ensure youve written good topic sentences. |