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    Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences

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    Joyce Cullo
    This document discusses the key elements of writing a research paper, including the thesis statement, plan of development, topic sentences, and outline. It provides examples to illustrate each element. The thesis statement is the main argument condensed to one sentence. The plan of development consists of the three topics that will be addressed in the body paragraphs. Topic sentences restate the items from the plan of development and begin each body paragraph. Finally, the outline is structured with the thesis statement and plan of development forming the basis for the topic sentences and body paragraphs.

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    Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences

    Uploaded by

    Joyce Cullo
    104 views3 pages
    This document discusses the key elements of writing a research paper, including the thesis statement, plan of development, topic sentences, and outline. It provides examples to illustrate each element. The thesis statement is the main argument condensed to one sentence. The plan of development consists of the three topics that will be addressed in the body paragraphs. Topic sentences restate the items from the plan of development and begin each body paragraph. Finally, the outline is structured with the thesis statement and plan of development forming the basis for the topic sentences and body paragraphs.

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    ENG11_MU

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    This document discusses the key elements of writing a research paper, including the thesis statement, plan of development, topic sentences, and outline. It provides examples to illustrate each element. The thesis statement is the main argument condensed to one sentence. The plan of development consists of the three topics that will be addressed in the body paragraphs. Topic sentences restate the items from the plan of development and begin each body paragraph. Finally, the outline is structured with the thesis statement and plan of development forming the basis for the topic sentences and body paragraphs.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    104 views3 pages

    Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences

    Uploaded by

    Joyce Cullo
    This document discusses the key elements of writing a research paper, including the thesis statement, plan of development, topic sentences, and outline. It provides examples to illustrate each element. The thesis statement is the main argument condensed to one sentence. The plan of development consists of the three topics that will be addressed in the body paragraphs. Topic sentences restate the items from the plan of development and begin each body paragraph. Finally, the outline is structured with the thesis statement and plan of development forming the basis for the topic sentences and body paragraphs.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 3

    Thesis Statements

    The Thesis Statement is the main argument of your paper,


    condensed down into one sentence. An easy way to think of a
    thesis is that it is the answer to your research question. For
    example, if I was writing a paper about the plague, I would first
    look at the research question:

    "Is the Black Plague deserving of the negative reputation it


    receives?"

    Based on the research I have done, and everything I have


    learned about the plague, I answer the question:

    "The Black Plague does not deserve the negative reputation it


    receives, because..."

    Plan of Development

    The plan of development consists of the three topics that you will
    address in your body paragraphs. Often, research paper writers
    will include the plan of development in their thesis statement.

    Example:

    "The Black Plague does not deserve the negative reputation it


    receives, because it increased technological innovation, led to
    the growth of cities, and was totally gnarly."
    Topic Sentences

    The topic sentence should be the first sentence of your body


    paragraph. Basically, topic sentences should restate one of the
    items in your plan of development:

    Plan of Development:

    "The Black Plague does not deserve the negative reputation it


    receives, because it increased technological innovation, led to
    the growth of cities, and was totally gnarly."

    Example Topic Sentence:

    The Black Plague led to numerous technological innovations,


    specifically in agricultural machinery.

    The Outline:

    The Plan of Development acts as a map for your paper, and


    forms the basis of the research outline. Each item in the Plan of
    Development should become a topic sentence; each topic
    sentence begins one of your body paragraphs; thus, you should
    have a section of your outline devoted to each of these items.

    Here is the basic format of the Research Outline (which we will


    complete in Noodletools)

    I. Thesis Statement with Plan of development

    II. Body Paragraph #1


    a. Topic sentence: This should introduce the topic of the
    paragraph.
    Ex. The Black Plague led to numerous technological innovations,
    specifically in agricultural machinery.
    b. Supporting Detail #1 (your first notecard)

    c. Supporting Detail #2 and #3 and as many as you need (your


    2nd, 3rd, nth notecards)

    d. Closing sentence: Wrap up your ideas and move into next


    topic.

    III. and IV. Repeat steps from Body Paragraph 1 for Body Paragraph 2
    and 3.

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