Table 1 Definitions and examples of Toulmin’s claim, thesis statement and topic sentence
Definition with illustrative examples | |
|---|---|
Toulmin’s claim | Definition: Claim refers to the conclusion to be argued for |
Example: In my opinion, it will be fine for us to keep Marine parks open. (N26) | |
Thesis statement | Definition: The thesis statement is a sentence (or, less frequently, a string of sentences), generally appearing at the end of the introductory |
Example: The violence and cruelty towards animals in marine parks has been a heated topic recently. From my standpoint, marine parks should be permitted to exist only on condition that they ensure animals an environment of comfort. (N88) | |
Topic sentence | Definition: A topic sentence defines what a paragraph is about |
Example: To start with, it is no doubt that marine parks bring us happiness and amazing experience. (N31) |