Minggu, 10 Oktober 2010

FINDING THE MAIN IDEA IN THE TOPIC SENTENCE & FINDING THE MAIN IDEA WHEN IT’S NOT IN THE TOPIC SENTENCE

A well-organized paragraph supports or develops a single controlling idea, which is expressed in a sentence called the topic sentence. A topic sentence has several important functions: it substantiates or supports an essay’s thesis statement; it unifies the content of a paragraph and directs the order of the sentences; and it advises the reader of the subject to be discussed and how the paragraph will discuss it. Readers generally look to the first few sentences in a paragraph to determine the subject and perspective of the paragraph. That’s why it’s often best to put the topic sentence at the very beginning of the paragraph. In some cases, however, it’s more effective to place another sentence before the topic sentence for example, a sentence linking the current paragraph to the previous one, or one providing background information.
Although most paragraphs should have a topic sentence, there are a few situations when a paragraph might not need a topic sentence. For example, you might be able to omit a topic sentence in a paragraph that narrates a series of events, if a paragraph continues developing an idea that you introduced (with a topic sentence) in the previous paragraph, or if all the sentences and details in a paragraph clearly refer perhaps indirectly to a main point. The vast majority of your paragraphs, however, should have a topic sentence.
All three paragraphs start out well with a topic sentence. A topic sentence is a sentence whose main idea or claim controls the rest of the paragraph; the body of a paragraph explains, develops or supports with evidence the topic sentence's main idea or claim. The topic sentence is usually the first sentence of a paragraph, but not necessarily. It may come, for example, after a transition sentence; it may even come at the end of a paragraph.
Topic sentences are not the only way to organize a paragraph, and not all paragraphs need a topic sentence. For example, paragraphs that describe, narrate, or detail the steps in an experiment do not usually need topic sentences. Topic sentences are useful, however, in paragraphs that analyze and argue. Topic sentences are particularly useful for writers who have difficulty developing focused, unified paragraphs (i.e., writers who tend to sprawl). Topic sentences help these writers develop a main idea or claim for their paragraphs, and, perhaps most importantly, they help these writers stay focused and keep paragraphs manageable. Topic sentences are also useful to readers because they guide them through sometimes complex arguments. Many well-known, experienced writers effectively use topic sentences to bridge between paragraphs.
A main idea sentence is the key to cohesive, effective writing. The main idea is the leading point that guides your readers so they easily can decipher the point of your writing. Main idea: the general overall subject matter of what a paragraph is about a few words. Main events: the sequence of what is going in a paragraph. 1st this, 2nd that, etc.Topic sentence: The sentence in the story that expresses what the paragraph is about. There are some resources that switch the main idea and topic sentence; they call it the topic and the main idea sentence . A few simple steps can produce effortless main idea sentences. There are five step to write a main idea sentence :
 Identify the topic. All writing has a topic, and the topic is the most general idea in a piece of writing. The topic can usually be condensed into one word. Some examples include "children," "music" or "food."
 Pick a direction. The direction is how you want to talk about a topic or what you want to say about it. If you were writing about children, you might decide to write specifically about the stresses involved in parenting or the money requirements inherent in raising a child. Both would be suitable directions.
 String the two together. When you join a topic and direction, you have a topic sentence. An example might be, "Raising children requires financial stability to avoid undue stress on parents." In this case, "raising children" is the topic while "requires financial stability to avoid undue stress on parents" represents the direction.
 Think of an umbrella. A main idea sentence is sort of like an umbrella in that it covers all of the possible examples you might use in your writing. Once you write a topic sentence, decide whether you can expand it into a paragraph or essay without repeating yourself or including extraneous details to fill space.
 Put your main idea sentence to use. As you write your paragraph or essay, let your main idea keep you on track. Do not write anything that does not fall under the umbrella of your main idea sentence. Repeat your main idea at the end of your writing to bring a piece full-circle.

Looking the example paragraph and make the topic sentence and main idea: Before the introduction of the computer search, library research was a long and tedious task. Now, Instead of spending long hours looking through the card catalogue and periodical indexes for book and articles on your subject. You can have a computer do the looking for you. All you need to do is give your subject to the computer. This is not easy as it sounds, howeever because you must knowexactly what your subject is, searches it is memory for books and articles about your subject. It takes less than a second for the computer to complete it is search. Finally, it prints a bibiliography a list the authours and titles of the books and articles it has found for your subject.
So the topic of this paragraph : computer research
And the main idea of this paragraph: A computer search Can save time in the library research.
And the ather example: When I was growing up, one of the places I enjoyed most was the cherry tree in the back yard. Behind the yard was an alley and then more houses. Every summer when the cherries began to ripen, I used to spend hours high in the tree, picking and eating the sweet, sun-warmed cherries. My mother always worried about my falling out of the tree, but I never did. But I had some competition for the cherries — flocks of birds that enjoyed them as much as I did and would perch all over the tree, devouring the fruit whenever I wasn't there. I used to wonder why the grown-ups never ate any of the cherries; but actually when the birds and I had finished, there weren't many left.
No sentence is completely irrelevant to the general topic of this paragraph (the cherry tree), but the sentences Behind the yard was an alley and then more houses and My mother always worried about my falling out of the tree, but I never did do not develop the specific idea in the first sentence: enjoyment of the cherry tree.


SOURCE:
Murpy., Murphy.(1998). “English Grammar In Use”. Eds Seventh. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
(2008).“English Matriculation Program”. Jakarta: Fakulatas Ekonomi Universitas Indonesia.
Usman., Lucky.(2005).”Practical English”. Jakarta: PT.Grasindo
http://www.ehd.org/flash.php?mov_id=163language=40&illustrated=1
http://www.daltonstate.edu/faculty/mnielsen/implied_main_idea1.htm

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