College students in the United States often become confused with academic-

composition terminology. They hear teachers talking about topic sentences that are
too general or thesis statements that are too broad. They are asked to compose
paragraphs and expand them into more comprehensive essays about the topic. How
can students better understand the structures of these two writing structures in the
English? Perhaps discussing similarities and differences between the two would help.

The structure of an essay is like the structure of a paragraph. Just as the

controlling idea of a paragraph is expressed in the topic sentence, the controlling idea
of an essay is expressed in the thesis statement. The topic sentence of a paragraph is
generally placed at the beginning of the paragraph, and the thesis statement of an
essay is placed in the introductory paragraph. In both paragraphs and essays, specific
support in the form of facts, details, and examples is needed to validate the opinion
expressed in the controlling idea. Finally, both paragraphs and essays tend to restate
the controlling idea at the end of the discussion rather than simply coming to an
abrupt stop.

The difference between a paragraph and essay is primarily one of development.

Whereas a paragraph usually deals with only one dimension of a topic, an essay can
turn a thought through several dimensions. Once a writer starts to make notes on a
subject, he may discover that the complexity of the subject demands more than a one-
paragraph treatment. The paragraphs of an essay treat a sequence of key points; each
of the paragraphs in turn focuses on the one key point the writer assigns it. Thus, the
writer turns the thought just to a certain point in each of the body paragraphs. When
the essay is successful, the totality of the turns unlocks a complex sequence of
thoughts which the writer can share with the reader.
Perhaps an analogy would help. A person spending weekends or only a few
days in the mountains would require very little space: room for a bed, limited cooking
supplies, a restroom or outhouse, and perhaps a chair or two. On the other hand,
someone who lives in the mountains all of time would require much more space and
materials for survival. In the same way, a person writing only briefly about a topic
might skim major aspects of that topic in an essay whereas someone wishing to
elaborate more on a broader topic might choose to develop ideas through an essay.
T. Johnston and J.Gonzales ‘The Writers Advice Book’p. 130
Questions:

1. Suggest a title to the essay

2. How many paragraphs are there in the body of the essay?
3. Do the paragraphs start with topic sentences? If yes double underline them.
4. Does the concluding paragraph seem logical?
5. Why did the writer compare living for few days in mountains, and living all
the time in mountains?
6. What was his point by making a such comparison?