Topic 12: Topic Sentence Conclusions

PHI332 : The Class : Argument ID : Topic Sentence

Topic 12: Topic Sentence Conclusions

Any well written paragraph, and any well written section, contains a topic sentence. Remember topic sentences from high school grammar or English composition? They express the main idea of the paragraph. The topic sentence is usually (not always!) the first or last sentence.

When you are looking at a paragraph that contains an argument, the topic sentence will usually contain the conclusion of the argument of that paragraph. This is a helpful thing to know when you identify arguments in a paragraph. Often, when there is no inference indicator in a paragraph that seems to be giving reasons (as opposed to background information), the topic sentence is the conclusion. If there are no inference indicators, the other sentences in the paragraph (once you have weeded out the background information and discounted statements) will either be independent or linked premises supporting the conclusion.

To complete this topic successfully, do as many of the following exercises as you find necessary to acquire the relevant skill. You have acquired the relevant skill when your answers to exercises are reliably either the same as the given answers or are alternative answers you can explain and defend:

ASSIGNMENT 1: Exercise2.12.1

ASSIGNMENT 2: Exercise2.12.2

ASSIGNMENT 3: Exercise2.12.3

ASSIGNMENT 4: Exercise2.12.4

Once you have completed this module you should:

Go on to Topic 13: Sample Quizzes
or
Go back to Argument ID

E-mail George Rudebusch at George.Rudebusch@nau.edu
or call (520) 523-7091