Four Basics of a Good Topic Sentence
1. It has a single main point stated in a
sentence.
2. It is something that you can write
about in a paragraph; it is not too
broad.
3. It is something that you can say
something about; it is not a simple
fact.
4. It is a confident statement; it is not
weak and it does not start with I
think, I hope, or In this paper I will.
Four Basics of a Good Paragraph
1. It has a topic sentence that includes
the main point you want to make.
2. It has detailed examples (support)
that show, explain, or prove your
main point.
3. It is organized logically, and the
ideas are joined together with
transitions so that readers can move
smoothly from one idea to the next
4. It has a concluding sentence that
reminds readers of your main point
and makes a statement about it.
Four Basics of a Good Support
1. It relates to your topic sentence
2. It tells your readers what they need
to know to understand your point.
3. It uses details that show, explain, or
prove your main point.
4. The details do not just repeat your
main point; they explain it.
Material quoted from: Anker, Susan. (2014). Real skills
interactive: a guide to writingBedford/St. Martin’s New
York:
Basics of a Good Thesis Statement
1. It fits the size of the assignment
2. It states a single main point or
position about the topic.
3. It is specific
4. It is something you can show,
explain, or prove.
5. It is a forceful statement written in
confident firm language.
Four Basics of a Good Writing
1. It achieves the writer’s purpose.
2. It considers the readers (the
audience).
3. It includes a main point.
4. It has details that support the main
point.
Four Basics of a Good Draft
1. It has a topic sentence and a
concluding sentence.
2. The first sentence, often the topic
sentence, is indented.
3. The paragraph has complete
sentences that start with capital
letters.
4. It has details that show, explain, or
prove the main point.
Four Basics of Revision
1. Take a break from your draft (at least
a few hours)
2. Get feedback (comments and
suggestions) from someone else.
3. Improve your support, deciding what
to add or drop
4. Make sure that your ideas are
ordered and connected in a way that
readers will understand.