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your topic sentences to see if the logic of your argument is clearer. Let’s consider how we 2
might develop a topic sentence to support the second example thesis from page 96:
Because early start times have detrimental effects on the health and education of our
adolescents, high schools should start no earlier than 8:30 a.m.
A topic sentence to support the claim that early start times harm students’ health could
look like this:
Studies have shown that lack of sleep can affect the health of young people which in turn
affects their academic performance.
This topic sentence addresses the part of the thesis that claims school start times have
detrimental effects on students’ health. The sentence goes beyond a general statement
to establish a specific line of reasoning by making the connection between students’ Section 2 / From Reading to Writing: Crafting an AP ® Argument Essay
physical health and their ability to perform well academically, which is presumably a
shared concern of all stakeholders.
Writing Topic Sentences activity
Using the example thesis statement you developed in the activity on p. 97, write three
topic sentences that each put forward a claim to support the overarching argument of
the thesis. Be sure there is a clear connection between your topic sentences or claims
and the argument your thesis is making.
Choosing Evidence
As you develop your arguments, you should consider what types AP TIP
®
of evidence you will use and how your evidence will support the For a refresher on the types
claims you make in each of your topic sentences. How you use of evidence, see pp. 68–74.
evidence, and which types you use, is a strategic choice. Your evi-
dence should always support your argument in at least one of three ways: it should strengthen the
validity and reasoning of your argument, relate to your audience’s emotions or values, or increase
your credibility as a writer. That sounds like a lot to accomplish — but if you focus on choosing
relevant and sufficient evidence, your line of reasoning and your argument will be solid and
convincing.
Evidence is relevant when it specifically applies to the argument being made. Evidence about a
car’s maintenance record would be relevant in an argument about a car’s superior dependability, but
talking about its hand-tooled leather seats would not. Generally, good writers do not leave the rele-
vance of a piece of evidence to the reader’s imagination; they spell out the relationship between the
evidence and the argument at hand.
Presenting sufficient information is about both its quality and its quantity. You should avoid mis-
representing your evidence or presenting the information out of context, and make sure you have
enough evidence to be convincing. Having several examples of more than one type of evidence is a
good way to make sure your evidence is ample and credible.
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