Topic Sentences: Developmental Paragraphs

First Sentence in Paragraph:

· Identifies main point

· Ties point to thesis (can be implied)

· Transitions smoothly from the previous point

· Is general enough to invite development

Example:

Thesis: The possible benefits of cheating are not worth the definite drawbacks.

Body:

A. Topic sentence: The stress of cheating really detracts from possible benefits a student might get from it.

B. Topic sentence: Not only is it stressful, but cheating is often counterproductive because it can result in more, not less, work.

C. Topic sentence: Most importantly, even though a cheater may work harder than those students who study, s/he will learn less than they do and may also have difficulty learning in the future.