1. AcDv B61: Understanding Paragraphs
Bakersfield College
Jessica Wojtysiak
Fall 2016
AcDv B61: Understanding Paragraphs

2. General and Specific Ideas
General Ideas: Broad term that applies to many items
Specific Idea: A more detailed and specific item

3. Specific Idea Examples of Ideas General Ideas Countries U.S., Mexico
Schools
Types of Context Clues
Specific Idea
U.S., Mexico
Stanford, MIT, BC
Synonyms, definitions, examples

4. What general idea best describes this group of specifics?
General IDeas
What general idea best describes this group of specifics?
Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter
Ice cream, Cheesecake, Chocolate Cake

5. Brainstorm some specific ideas described by the general idea:
College Courses
Flowers
Sports

6. Ideas and Paragraphs General ideas provide the topic of the paragraph
Specific ideas tend to be supporting details
To ID the topic, ask yourself: What is the author discussing throughout the paragraph/section? (p. 61, 62, 64)

7. Topic sentences guide the content of a paragraph
They are often the most general statement

8. Finding Topic Sentences
To find the topic sentence, ask yourself what sentence is broad enough to describe all of the sentences in the paragraph.

9. Topic Sentences Most often the first sentence of the paragraph.
The author starts with a broad idea and then offers specific examples or evidence to support that broad idea.
Most commonly taught in academic writing

10. Topic sentences are 2nd most often the last sentence
But…
Topic sentences are 2nd most often the last sentence
In this case, the writer builds up to the main idea
This is common when the thesis is the last sentence of the first paragraph (introduction) of an essay or article.

11. And…
Thesis sentences can also be found in the middle of a paragraph.
The early sentences lead up to the main idea
The later sentences explain the main idea

12. Repeating Topic Sentences
Sometimes, the main idea will be stated twice in the same paragraph
First and last sentence
For emphasis
(Practice: 70-71)

13. Missing Topic Sentences
Sometimes writers do not explicitly write a topic sentence
Instead, the topic is implied
The paragraph contains many specific details
You have to figure out the main idea (p. 79)