Main+Idea

=Paragraphs= A paragraph is a group of related sentences that develop a main thought, or idea, about a single topic. The structure of a paragraph is not complex. There are usually four basic parts: 1. a topic 2. a main idea 3. supporting details 4. a conclusion

The topic sentence states the main point or controlling idea. The sentences that explain this main point are called supporting details. These details may be facts, reasons, or examples that provide further information about the topic sentence.

Example: //There is some evidence that colors affect you physiologically. For example, when subjects are exposed to red light, respiratory movements increase, exposure to blue decreases respiratory movements. Similarly, eye blinks increase in frequency when eyes are exposed to red light and decrease when exposed to blue. This seems consistent with the intuitive feeling about blue being soothing and red being arousing. After changing a school's walls from orange and white to blue, the blood pressure of the students decreased while their academic performance improved.//

There is some evidence that colors affect you physiologically.
 * Topic sentence:**

respiratory movements increase in re light and decrease in blue light
 * Supporting detail:**

findings are consistent with the idea that blue is soothing and red is arousing
 * Supporting detail:**

a change in a school's walls from orange and white to blue decreased student's blood pressure and improved academic performance
 * Supporting detail:**

=Locating Topics= Every sentence in a paragraph in some way discusses or explains this topic. To find the topic of a paragraph, ask yourself, "What is the one idea the author is discussing throughout the paragraph?" 1. Often, the main ideas is expressed in the first sentence of a paragraph. The author states his or her main point and then explains it. 2. The second most likely place for a topic sentence to appear is last in a paragraph. When using this arrangement, a writer leads up to the main point and then states it at the end. 3. If the topic sentence is not the first or last, then it may appear somewhere in the middle of the paragraph. In this arrangement, the sentences before the topic sentence lead up to the main idea. Those that follow the main idea explain or describe it. The main idea is the most general statement in the paragraph. 4. The repeated use of one word or idea is often a clue to the topic.

=Writing Effective Topic Sentences= As a writer, it is important to develop a clear and concise topic sentence that help your readers understand your main ideas and guide them through your paragraphs.

A good topic sentence does two things: 1. it makes clear what the paragraph is about - the topic 2. it expresses a view or makes a point about the topic.

Avoid announcing your topic. Sentences that sound like an announcement are usually unnecessary. Avoid using sentences as "I will explain how to change a tire." try changing it to "Changing a flat tire involves many steps." Remember that in sixth grade, you are often given prompts to answer as you are learning how to write strong topic sentences. In reality, the reader will not know what the prompt is so you can't just answer the question.

For example, if the prompt asks "Do you feel that uniforms should be required for students?" __do not__ start your paragraph with the words yes or no. Instead, include the subject of the prompt as you restate the main idea. School uniforms should be mandatory for all students." or "School uniforms is a topic that has created a lot of controversy over the past few months." and then continue to provide your supporting details for your position. Also notice the words "I feel or I think" are not part of the sentence.

=Supporting Details=

"Good writers provide sufficient details such as examples, facts, quotations, and definitions to support their ideas. Writers use this information, known as **supporting detail**, to explain, clarify, or illustrate their main points. Without such specific material, a writer's ideas remain abstract and unconvincing. Experienced writers try, whenever possible, to //show// rather than simply //tell// their readers what their ideas mean." (Peter S. Gardner, //New Directions: Reading, Writing, and Critical Thinking//, 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press, 2005)

Without strong and vivid supporting details, it hardly matters what a great topic sentence a writer has created for a paragraph. It’s the supporting details, in the form of facts, descriptions, and examples, that back up the claim made in that sentence. The supporting details are important enough that you could think of them as the real meat of any paragraph.

=Practice Quiz=

Take a practice quiz here!

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