A topic sentence is to a paragraph what a thesis statement is to an essay. Just as a thesis announces the main point of an essay, a topic sentence states the main point of a paragraph. In addition, each paragraph’s topic sentence must support the thesis of the essay. An effective topic sentence should be focused, support the thesis, and be placed appropriately (usually at the beginning of the paragraph).

A topic sentence should make clear what the paragraph is about (its topic) and express a view or make a point about the topic.

It should use specific and detailed language to tell readers what the paragraph is about. Avoid vague, general, or unfocused statements.

If you have trouble focusing your topic sentences, review the guidelines for writing an effective thesis statement in Chapter 6, many of which also apply to writing effective topic sentences.

A topic sentence may suggest the order in which details are discussed in the paragraph, so readers know what to expect.

Readers can expect a discussion of anger management first, followed by a discussion of mediation.

Each topic sentence must in some way explain the thesis or show why the thesis is believable or correct. For example, this sample thesis could be supported by the topic sentences that follow it.

TOPIC SENTENCES

All of these topic sentences support the thesis because they offer valid reasons for keeping adoption files closed.

The beginning of the paragraph is the most common and often the best position for a topic sentence: You state your main point, and then you explain it. The topic sentence tells readers what to expect in the rest of the paragraph, making it clear and easy for them to follow.

Advertising is first and foremost based on the principle of visibility — the customer must notice the product. Manufacturers often package products in glitzy, even garish, containers to grab the consumer’s attention. For example, one candy company always packages its candy in reflective wrappers. When the hurried and hungry consumer glances at the candy counter, the reflective wrappers are easy to spot. It is only natural for the impatient customer to grab the candy and go.

When one or two sentences are needed at the beginning of a paragraph to smooth the transition from one paragraph to the next, the topic sentence may follow these transitional sentences.

However, visibility is not the only principle in advertising; it is simply the first. A second and perhaps more subtle principle is identity: The manufacturer attempts to lure the consumer into buying a product by linking it to a concept with which the consumer can identify. For instance, Boundaries perfume is advertised on television as the choice of “independent” women. Since independent women are admired in our culture, women identify with the concept and therefore are attracted to the perfume. Once the consumer identifies with the product, a sale is more likely to occur.

If you want to present convincing evidence before stating your point about the issue, you may want to save your topic sentence until the end of the paragraph. This allows readers to draw their own conclusions based on the details you have provided. This strategy is common in argumentative writing (especially when readers may not be sympathetic to the writer’s position).

The saying “Guns don’t kill people; people kill people” is deceptive in the same way that the statement “Heroin doesn’t kill people; people kill themselves” is deceptive. Naturally, people need to pull the trigger of a gun to make the gun kill other people, just as it is necessary for a person to use heroin for it to kill him or her. However, these facts do not excuse us from the responsibility of keeping guns (or heroin) out of people’s hands as much as possible. People cannot shoot people unless they have a gun. This fact alone should persuade the government to institute stiff gun control laws.