Topic sentence

A topic sentence is a sentence, sometimes at the beginning of a paragraph,

that states or suggests the main idea (or topic) of a paragraph.

Purpose of the Topic Sentence

A topic sentence essentially tells readers what the rest of the paragraph is about.

Examples

 There are many possible contributing factors to global warming.

The topic is "global warming"
 It is important to be ready before buying a house.
The topic is "buying a house"
 Cooking requires a number of different skills.
The topic is "cooking"

Characteristics of an Effective Topic Sentence

 A good topic sentence is concise and emphatic

 It is no longer than the idea requires
 it stresses the important word

Identifying Main Idea

Once you can find the topic, you are ready to find the main idea. The main idea is
the point of the paragraph.

For Example

Summer is a wonderful time to spend at West Beach. It is a beach with light-

colored, soft sand. The coastline goes on for a long way and many people enjoy
walking along it.

 the main idea is that summer is a wonderful time at West Beach

The movie Apollo 13 was a blockbuster for the summer of 1995. It is an exciting
story about space exploration. In the movie, the astronauts get in trouble while
they are trying to return to Earth.
  the main idea is in the first sentence: Apollo 13 was a blockbuster for the
summer of 1995

Difference between facts and opinion

Fact
A fact is a statement that can be proven true or false.

For Example

With fewer cars on the road, there would be less air pollution and traffic noise;
therefore, the use of mass transportation should be encouraged.

Opinion
An opinion is an expression of a person’s feelings that cannot be proven. Opinions
can be based on facts or emotions

For Example

How do you feel about fighting road hugs and bumper to bumper traffic
everyday? Mass transportation is the solution to all these problems.

SQ3R
The SQ3R method is a proven, step-by-step strategic approach to learning and
studying from textbooks. Why is it successful? Because it helps you to discover
the importan t facts and ideas that are contained in your textbook, and master
and retain that information so that you are prepared for an examination.

SQ3R stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review.

SURVEY

This survey should take no more than 10-25 minutes, even on the longest
chapter. The purpose of surveying the chapter is to get a general idea of what it is
going to be about
 QUESTION
Turn each boldfaced heading into a question by using one of the following words:
who, what, where, when, why, or how.
READ
Activily read the section of the text accompanying the heading for an answer to
the question you asked yourself. The purpose of reading is to find the answer to
your question.
RECITE
Recite the answer to each question to yourself. Put the answer into your own
words, or rephrase the author's words. Be sure that you can recall the answer.
REVIEW
To review, cover the answers and ask yourself the questions. If you can't answer
the question, look at your notes and test yourself again. Once you are sure you
know and understand the question and answer, check it off. The purpose for
reviewing is to help you prepare for the eventual test.

Notes taking Techniques

Taking notes is an important part of an active study strategy.

Taking notes can help you to

 improve your understanding by making you convert difficult ideas into your
own words
 prepare for writing fuller, better connected arguments in your essays

The Best Note-Taking Methods

1. The Outline method

2. The Cornell Method
3. The Boxing Method
4. The Charting Method
5. The Mapping Method.
The Outline method
The Outline method is one of the best and most popular note-taking methods for
college students. It lets you organize your notes in a structured form, helping you
save a lot of time for further reviewing and editing.

The Cornell Method

It is a unique note-taking method that finds its application in a variety of
situations. What differentiates it from other methods is the page layout. The page
is divided into three or four sections

The Boxing Method

This method might be still widely unknown but gains increasing popularity.
All notes that are related to each other are grouped together in a box. A dedicated
box is assigned for each section of notes which cuts down the time needed for
reading and reviewing
The Charting Method
It is an ideal method for notes that involve a lot of information in form of facts and
statistics, that need to be learned by heart. The information will be organized in
several columns

The Mapping Method

.It helps organize your notes by dividing them into branches, enabling you to
establish relationships between the topics. Start with writing the main topic at the
top of the map. Keep dividing it into subtopics on the left and right.
Identifying writers main idea
 The main idea is the most important piece of information the author
wants you to know about the concept of that paragraph.

 When authors write they have an idea in mind that they are trying to get
across. This is especially true as authors compose paragraphs.

 An author organizes each paragraph's main idea and supporting details in

support of the topic or central theme, and each paragraph supports the
paragraph preceding it.

 A writer will state his/her main idea explicitly somewhere in the

paragraph.

 That main idea may be stated at the beginning of the paragraph, in the
middle, or at the end. The sentence in which the main idea is stated is
the topic sentence of that paragraph.

Cause and Effect

Cause and effect is a relationship between events or things, where one is the
result of the other or others. This is a combination of action and reaction.
Examples
 When water is heated, the molecules move quickly, therefore the water
boils.

(cause= water is heated, effect= water boils)

  A tornado blew the roof off the house, and as a result, the family had to
find another place to live.

(cause= A tornado blew the roof, effect= family had to find another place to live)
 Because the alarm was not set, we were late for work

(cause= alarm is not set, effect= late for work)

Comparison and Contrast

 Comparison in writing discusses elements that are similar
 contrast in writing discusses elements that are different

Examples

Similarities Example

Spring weather in Vancouver is similar to spring weather in

is similar to
Halifax.
both Both Vancouver and Halifax have rain in the spring.
also Halifax also has a rainy spring season.

Differences Example

on the other
On the other hand, winter is much colder in Halifax.
hand
however However, winter is much colder in Halifax.
but Vancouver has a mild winter, but Halifax has a cold one.
Writing

Self expression in writing

the expression of your thoughts or feelings

Self-expression is the heart and soul of all forms of creative writing from fiction
and poetry to memoirs and essays. We combine our inner thoughts and feelings
with what we perceive in the outer world and put it into words.

How Do You Express Yourself?

it’s healthy to give yourself a personal writing space that isn’t influenced by the
thought of someone else reading what you’ve written. It’s also good writing
practice, because there’s freedom in writing without inhibition. But what if you
want to take your writing to the next level?
 What if you’re ready to turn your self-expressions into poems, stories, or
essays that people will read?
When you write, do you think about how readers will respond? Do you plan your
creative writing projects with an audience in mind or do you focus on self-
expression? How much of yourself do you put into your writing?