Identifying and crafting creative topic sentences

IDENTIFYINGANDCRAFTINGEFFECTIVETOPICSENTENCES/ARGUMENTS Usually, anessayhas3-4(well developed) bodyparagraphs, excludingtheintroductionandconclusion.Thetopicsentenceisthefirst sentenceintroducingthemainidea, andshouldsumupthegist of eachbodyparagraph. Effectivetopicsentences/argumentsconsist of anassertionwhichengagesdirectlywiththeessayquestion’skeywords, andthereasonfor theassertionbeingmade.ARGUMENT=ASSERTION[WHAT]+REASON[WHY/HOW] QUALIFIEDASSERTION•linkclearlytothequestion•qualifyyour assertionbyindicatingthecontext/conditions/towhomyour argument applies •rephrasethekeywordstodisplayyour understandingof their meaning REASONSubstantiateyour assertionwitharationalethat previewsacharacteristicof thestakeholder(e.g. stakeholder’svaluesor power/capabilities). Notes:•thequestionsraisedinyour questionanalysisshouldhelpyouunearththesecharacteristics. •Whencraftingyour topicsentences, youshouldensurethat eachaddressesanewidea Q: Towhat extent ischaritablegivingdesirable?Examples Cynicswouldclaimthat charitablegivingisconsideredundesirablewhenit createsanunsustainablesolutiontoapre-existingproblem. Thisisseenineffortstoprovideaidtopeople whoarealreadyentrenchedwithinacertain wayof life. It must alsobeacknowledgedthat thereareinstancesof charitablegivingignoringtheneeds of recipientsandinsteadfocusingontheselfish mindset of thedonor, whichislessdesirable. Donorsseecharitydrivesasdumping groundsforunwanteditemsandexpiredfood toget ridof thingstheynolongerwant. QualifiedAssertion(what, instatedcontext)+ Reason(what) QualifiedAssertion(what, towhom) +Reason(what)

'Theartsarenothingmorethanaluxury.'How faristhistrueof yoursociety? “Beautyisintheeyesof thebeholder.” Whileitis truethat peoplefromall backgroundswouldbe abletoappreciatetheartsintheir ownway,admittedly, not everyoneisprivilegedenoughto beabletoappreciateart for itsacademicpurposes. Thus, appreciatingtheartsasanactivityisaluxurytothoselesswell-educated, QualifiedAssertion(what, towhom) +Reason(what) especiallytheoldergenerationswhodonot managetoobtainmuchformaleducation duringSingapore’sfoundingyears. Despiteall thesebarrierstotakingonthearts,Singaporestill recognisestheimportant rolethat theartshasinsocietyasacreativeplatformfor all. Assuch, theSingaporegovernment has takenstepstoensurethattheartsaremore accessibletoeveryone.Tolessenthefinancial burdenthat pursuingtheartsmight bring, the government highlysubsidiseslearningplatforms liketheSingaporeNational YouthOrchestraandSingapore’sChildrenChoir whicharefreeforSingaporeanstojoin. QualifiedAssertion(what, context) +Reason(what) EXERCISE:Samplesof topicsentencesaregivenbelow.i Identifythereasonandassertioninthetopicsentencesbelow.ii Givereasonswhyyouthinkthetopicsentencesareeffectiveor ineffectiveinaddressingthequestion.Considertheviewthat consumersareat themercyof corporations. (DHSY62015EOY) (a) Just 37yearsago, therewere50companiesinchargeof most Americanmedia. Now, 90%of themediaintheUnitedStatesiscontrolledbyjust sixcorporations: AT&T, CBS