A perfect data arrangement, catchy hook, compelling content, and excellent formatting are the basic requirements for any academic paper. However, these are not all the structural parts that may influence the quality of the text.
Although the magnitude of the thesis statement and topic sentence are frequently underestimated, these are the items that can either contribute to the relevance of the paper or affect the final result.Â
No matter if you are an experienced writer or a complete amateur, you should pay due attention to these items. At this point, it is essential to mention that the vast majority of learners are unaware of key peculiarities and specifications on these essay parts, considering them to be interchangeable.Â
So, what is the difference between a topic sentence and a thesis statement? This is a prominent question you should ask before you start creating any college-level text. Remember that the key objective of both items is to draw the reader’s attention to the core idea of the text. Nonetheless, the thesis statement emphasizes the key specks of the whole paper, while the topic sentence is used to reveal the quirks of a particular paragraph.Â
Basic Definitions: Thesis Statement and Topic Sentence in Detail
While the general idea behind these two definitions is clear from the previous point, it is essential to dive deeper into the characteristics of the items to use them more efficiently.Â
The thesis statement is the fundamental stand the writer takes. It incorporated the generalized idea of the essay, including the author’s perspective of the topic and the key points included in the text. Striving to make this part influential, the learner should fixate on the topic, limit it, and narrow it down, presenting only the most significant and appealing info. The scope of this essay part will depend mainly on the length, goal of the writing, and the prospective audience.Â
As for the topic sentence, it resembles the thesis but has a much narrower meaning. As the name implies, it introduced the principal theme but is restricted to a particular passage. As you read the topic sentence, you will get detailed info about the essence of the passage, its objectives, and conclusions. Here are the prime specifications of the topic sentence:
- it contains the dominating idea of the passage;
- it is short and concise, but informative and influential;
- it is presented as a first sentence in the paragraph;
- it is descriptive and argumentative;
- it is a declarative sentence that contains relevant and valid information only.Â
Core Similarities of the Paper Parts
Before you deal with the critical discrepancies of the topic sentence and thesis statement, you should pay due attention to their similarities. It will help you succeed with academic essay writing and achieve the desired goal. Look through the list of core features that make these items alike:
- they are full sentences that communicate a coherent idea;
- they should show and describe the content;
- they should be neither too broad nor too narrow.Â
Thesis Statement vs Topic Sentence: Discrepancy to Mind
When the definitions, specifications, and objectives of the thesis statement and topic sentence are acknowledged, the dissimilarities between these items become obvious. However, if you have failed to grasp the core idea, you have another chance to discover the three peculiarities that make the items different. First of all, it is critical to mention the position, information, and function that can make a significant difference.Â
All these points should mandatorily be taken into consideration if the learner strives to make the essay highly appreciated. Double-check your awareness of the sentence place and essence, which may become critical for the success of your work. Â