How to Write Nursing Essay Topic Sentences Overview

How to Write Nursing Essay Topic Sentences Overview

How to Construct Nursing Essay Topic Sentences Overview

To grasp the role of the topic sentence in developing paragraphs, envision each paragraph as a miniature essay with its thesis, supporting details, and conclusion. The elements of a paragraph can be aligned with those of an essay:

Essay Level | Paragraph Level
– Thesis statement | Topic sentence
– Body paragraphs | Supporting details, explanation, analysis
– Conclusion | Wrap-up sentence(s)

Just as an effective essay starts with an introduction that presents the thesis statement and outlines the specific claim or argument, each paragraph should commence with a topic sentence that highlights the paragraph’s focus. This alerts the reader to the particular subtopic that the paragraph will provide evidence to support.

A robust topic sentence should be positioned at or near the beginning of a paragraph. Additionally, it should concentrate on a specific issue, avoid direct quotations, and allow room for support and analysis within the paragraph’s body. Read on for more insights into crafting an effective topic sentence.

Nursing Essay Writing – Academic Arguments

Placement of Topic Sentences

The topic sentence need not always be the first sentence in the paragraph. However, it should appear early in the paragraph to immediately orient the reader to the paragraph’s focus. Occasionally, a transition sentence may precede the topic sentence to create continuity between topics.

– Topic Sentence to begin paragraph:

In the novel Sula, Morrison uses the physical bonds of female friendship to propel her characters into self-awareness.

– Transition Sentence + Topic Sentence to begin paragraph:

However, Morrison does not only use the emotional and spiritual bonds between her female characters to initiate their coming-of-age. In addition, the author uses the physical bonds of female friendship to propel her adolescent protagonists into self-awareness.

Specificity

Your topic sentence should be more narrowly focused than your thesis sentence. Ensure that the claim you make can be supported, argued, and analyzed within the paragraph.

Example: In the novel Sula, Morrison uses the physical bonds of female friendship to propel her characters into self-awareness.

In this topic sentence, the writer argues that physical bonds of friendship, specifically, make the female characters more self-aware. Because this idea can be both refuted and supported by readers based on examples and analysis from the novel, and because the claim is narrow enough for a single paragraph, this topic sentence is effective.

Direct Quotations (Best Avoided)

While starting a paragraph with a compelling quotation might be tempting, as a general guideline, topic sentences should express the main idea of the paragraph in your own words. Direct quotations are better placed later in the paragraph as evidence or support for the topic sentence.

Needs Improvement: As Morrison (1982) conveyed, the girls’ “friendship let them use each other to grow on…they found in each other’s eyes the intimacy they were looking for” (p. 52).

Better: In the novel Sula, Morrison uses the physical bonds of female friendship to propel her characters into self-awareness. Pointing to the connection of eyes meeting and bodies growing together, Morrison makes coming-of-age an interactive physical process between the adolescent protagonists. Specifically, Morrison describes how Sula and Nel have used “each other to grow on…they found in each other’s eyes the intimacy they were looking for” (p. 52).

In this revised paragraph, the topic sentence comes first, introducing readers to the main focus of the paragraph. The quotation is used later in the paragraph as evidence that supports the topic sentence.

Additional Tips on Writing Nursing Essay Topic Sentences

If you find it challenging to create effective topic sentences, consider outlining before you start writing your paper. The points and subpoints in your outline can become the topic sentences for your paragraphs.

Additionally, because the topic sentence plays a similar role at the paragraph level as the thesis does at the essay level, you may find it helpful to review information on constructing thesis statements. Our resource on paragraphs also provides valuable insights into the scope of a paragraph. Remember that paragraphs measure more than just length; they measure ideas. Each paragraph in an academic paper advances a new claim, building on previous claims to establish the paper’s position conclusively.