Consider the following topic sentence;
The Godfather is the greatest movie of all time.
How can I support this topic sentence? I can begin with my first subtopic sentence (to which I’ve added a few statistics);
For one thing it won three Academy Awards including Best Actor, Best Picture and Best Screenplay, and it was nominated in 8 other categories.
That may not be enough to convince the reader. So I’ll add another subtopic sentence (along with a few statements from authorities);
It also received glowing reviews from acclaimed critics. Vincent Camby of the New York Times said, “Francis Ford Coppola has made one of the most brutal and moving chronicles of American life ever designed within the limits of popular entertainment.” Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times said, “The story by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola is a brilliant conjuring act, inviting us to consider the Mafia entirely on its own terms.” Edward Guthman of the San Francisco Chronicle said, “In scene after scene ... Coppola crafted an enduring, undisputed masterpiece.”
That’s better, but I like to give at least three types of support for my topic sentences. So, I’ll add my third subtopic sentence (along with a personal opinion to support it);
But the most compelling reason that I think the Godfather is the greatest movie of all time is this; no other movie in the history of the world captures the essence of what it means to be part of a family--functional or dysfunctional--the way that the Godfather does.
I hope you find this information helpful in developing your articles. All it takes is a little practice and before you know it you’ll find that the article writing process becomes much easier. After all it is a process and if you follow the rules of that process you should be successful. Just like baking a cake.
