Writing Effective Topic Sentences example essay topic

Strategies For College Writing: Sentences, Paragraphs, Essays Second Edition Jeanette Harris, Texas Christian University Ann Moseley, Texas A&M-Commerce Appropriate Courses Designed for courses in Developmental Writing and Basic Writing. Summary Strategies for College Writing offers full coverage of the basics of writing essays, paragraphs, and sentences with a focus on preparing students for academic writing and reading assignments. The book starts with detailed attention to the writing process at a pace that is comfortable for the developmental student. It emphasizes the importance of the controlling idea, the process of gathering information from both personal experience and other sources, the structure of an essay, and the way in which ideas are arranged and connected. In Part Two, students learn how to use models for each of the patterns of development.

The sentence / grammar material is self-contained in Part Three for flexible use by students studying independently or by teachers who might want to focus on a particular topic. Students learn how to construct different types of sentences and how to use appropriate punctuation. Ample exercise material reinforces the instruction. Part Four, Critical Reading Strategies, focuses on the process of reading and relates it to the process of writing and provides students with effective strategies for summarizing, note-taking, and annotating reading material. Features An emphasis on academic writing and reading assignments prepares students to deal successfully with college work. Integration of reading and writing instruction reinforces how these two fundamental skills complement each other and helps students deal more effectively with academic discourse.

Abundant exercise work includes group activities called "Participating in the Academic Community" at the end of each chapter to help promote active learning through collaboration. Chapters on doing research and conducting interviews and observations support students' efforts to look outside themselves for writing topics. A separate section of readings is grouped thematically and offers material from academic and popular sources for practicing critical reading and writing skills. Sentence exercises, including close and sentence-combining types, allow students to focus on the discrete skill being taught and then to work with the skill in the context of a paragraph or essay in passages provided in the text and in their own writing.

Extensive examples of student writing are included in the writing sections of the book to provide examples that are accessible to students. An extensive instructor's manual supports a variety of course methods and emphases. Contents Each chapter ends with "Chapter Review,"Participating in the Academic Community", and "Writing Assignment". Preface. Introduction: Understanding the Writing Process. I. WRITING PARAGRAPHS AND ESSAYS. 1.

Selecting and Limiting a Topic. Selecting Your Own Topic. Modifying an Assigned Topic. Limiting a Topic. 2. Generating Ideas.

Using Invention Strategies. Using Informal Planning Outlines. 3. Constructing Paragraphs: Topic Sentences. Basic Structure of a Paragraph. Writing Effective Topic Sentences.

Identifying Topic Sentences / Main Ideas in Paragraphs. 4. Constructing Paragraphs: Supporting Details. Using Specific Details to Support Topic Sentences.

Patterns for Structuring Supporting Details. Relevant and Irrelevant Details. 5. Moving from Paragraph to Essay.

Introduction: Stating the Thesis. Body: Developing the Thesis. Conclusion: Re-Emphasizing the Thesis. From Paragraph to Essay.

6. Achieving Coherence. Arranging Ideas. Connecting Ideas. Unifying Ideas. Achieving Coherence in Essays.

7. Revising Your Essay. Revising for Focus and Unity. Revising for Content and Development.

Revising for Organization and Coherence. Strategies for Revising. Editing and Proofreading. 8. Gathering and Documenting Information from Sources.

Using Textbooks and Magazines. Using Library Resources. Using Electronic Resources. Documenting and Citing Sources. Applying the Research Process. II.

PATTERNS OF DEVELOPMENT. 9. Description. Understanding Description.

Writing Descriptive Paragraphs. Writing Descriptive Essays. 10. Narration. Understanding Narration.

Writing Narrative Paragraphs. Writing Narrative Essays. 11. Process. Understanding Process Writing. Writing Process Paragraphs.

Writing Process Essays. 12. Example. Understanding Examples. Writing Example Paragraphs. Writing Example Essays.

13. Comparison and Contrast. Understanding Comparison and Contrast. Writing Comparison and Contrast Paragraphs. Writing Comparison and Contrast Essays.

14. Classification. Understanding Classification. Writing Classification Paragraphs. Writing Classification Essays. 15.

Cause and Effect. Understanding Cause and Effect. Writing Cause and Effect Paragraphs. Writing Cause and Effect Essays. 16. Definition.

Understanding Definition. Writing Definition Paragraphs. Writing Definition Essays. 17 Persuasion. Understanding Persuasion. Writing Persuasive Paragraphs.

Writing Persuasive Essays.. WRITING AND EDITING SENTENCES. 18. Simple Sentences. Essential Elements of the Sentence.

Basic Patterns of the Simple Sentence. Expanding the Simple Sentence. 19. Compound Sentences. Punctuating Compound Sentences.

20. Complex Sentences. Adverb Clauses. Adjective Clauses. Noun Clauses.

Signaling Relationships in Complex Sentences. Punctuating Complex Sentences. 21. Sentence Fragments and Run-On Sentences. Sentence Fragments. Run-On Sentences.

22. Subject-Verb Agreement. Special Problems with Subject-Verb Agreement. 23.

Pronoun Usage. Pronoun Reference and Agreement. Pronoun Case. Using Pronouns with -Self and -Selves. Using a Consistent Point of View. Using Nonsexist Pronouns.

24. Verb and Tenses and Forms. Regular Verbs. Irregular Verbs. Problem Verbs: Sit / Set, Lie / Lay, Rise / Raise.

Special Uses of the Verbs: To Be and to Have. Consistency in Tense. 25. Modifiers.

Adjective or Adverb? Comparatives and Superlatives. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers. 26.

Sentence Style. Avoiding Wordiness. Achieving Sentence Variety. Writing Effective Comparisons. Achieving Parallelism. 27.

Punctuation and Capitalization. Punctuation. Capitalization. 28. Spelling. Personal Spelling Problems.

Commonly Misspelled Words. Spelling Rules and Patterns. IV. CRITICAL READING STRATEGIES. 29. Strategies for Reading Critically.

Developing Critical Reading Skills. Guidelines for Critical Reading. 30. Strategies for Outlining and Summarizing.

Outlining to Study. Summarizing. 31. Strategies for Taking Essay Exams. Understanding Essay Exam Terminology. Guidelines for Taking Essay Exams. V. READING SELECTIONS.

Unit One: Identity Issues. Maya Angelou, Mother and Freedom. Amy Tan, Mother Tongue. Kevin Davis, Does Coming to College Mean Becoming Somebody New? Cumulative Assignments for Identity Issues.

Unit Two: Educational Issues. Mike Rose, Lives on the Boundary. Mary Sherry, In Praise of the F Word. Ethan Bronner, College Valued Less for Learning Than Earning. Cumulative Assignments for Education Issues.

Unit Three: Media Issues. John Vivian, Mass Media Models. Robert MacNeil, The Trouble with Television. Anna Quindlen, TV or Not TV.

Cumulative Assignments for Media Issues. Unit Four: Racial Issues. Martin Luther King Jr., I Have a Dream. Wallace Terry, Racial Preferences Are Outdated. Ferdinand M de Leon and Sally Macdonald, Name Power. Cumulative Assignments for Racial Issues.

Index.