This document is protected by copyright. It may be used and reproduced only for non-profit educational use.

Outlining Exercise: Day Care Center

Remember:

A thesis or a topic sentence must sound more like a conclusion than like an introduction.
A topic sentence must set up one logical sub-division of the thesis.
The topic sentences must be organized around one basis of sub-division. They should not overlap.
Following are four choices for the thesis sentence for a theme about work. Pick the best choice. The other three are poor thesis sentences.

I had many various problems while working at a day care center last summer.
Working at a day care center was educational but also very frustrating.
Working at a day care center I learned to deal with the kids, the parents, and the supervisors.
Working at a day car center taught me that kids are selfish.

Following are four choices for the topic sentence of the first paragraph of development. Pick the best choice. The other three are poor topic sentences or do not fit the pattern.

My first problem was learning all the kids’ names.
A day care center is a fascinating place to work.
The kids would yell, complain, and throw temper-tantrums to get their own way.
My main responsibility was to supervise the kids.

Following are four choices for the topic sentence of the second paragraph of development. Pick the best choice. The other three are poor topic sentences or do not fit the pattern.

There is much more to running a day care center than supervising kids.
The supervisors and parents were constantly complaining and there were many rules to follow.
Another kids’ tactic was to charm me into letting them have what they wanted.
At a day care center, all the kids want to get their own way.

Following are four choices for the topic sentence of the third paragraph of development (the last middle paragraph not the concluding paragraph). Pick the best choice. The other three are poor-topic sentences or do not fit the pattern.

Each kid was always looking out for Number One, which was him/her.
The most strong-willed kids would resort to violence to assert their will.
Besides trying to please the children, I had many other problems at this job..
The above information shows why I will never again work at a day care center, because kids are just too selfish.

What was the basis for dividing the paragraphs into separate groups?

Answers

Following are four choices for the thesis sentence for a theme about work. Pick the best choice. The other three are poor thesis sentences.

I had many various problems while working at a day care center last summer. This is OK as a thesis, but no topic sentence pattern below supports it.
Working at a day care center was educational but also very frustrating. A thesis should present only one conclusion to unify the paper, and no topic sentence pattern below supports it
Working at a day care center I learned to deal with the kids, the parents, and the supervisors. This is OK as a thesis, but no topic sentence pattern below supports it.
Working at a day car center taught me that kids are selfish.

Following are four choices for the topic sentence of the first paragraph of development. Pick the best choice. The other three are poor topic sentences or do not fit the pattern.

My first problem was learning all the kids’ names. Unrelated to selfish
A day care center is a fascinating place to work. A new thesis
The kids would yell, complain, and throw temper-tantrums to get their own way. Offers the first method kids use.
My main responsibility was to supervise the kids. Unrelated to selfish and offers no conclusion.

Following are four choices for the topic sentence of the second paragraph of development. Pick the best choice. The other three are poor topic sentences or do not fit the pattern.

There is much more to running a day care center than supervising kids. Unrelated to selfish and is too vague.
The supervisors and parents were constantly complaining and there were many rules to follow. Unrelated to topic (kids) and focus (selfish)
Another kids’ tactic was to charm me into letting them have what they wanted.
At a day care center, all the kids want to get their own way. Repeats thesis instead of setting up a sub-division.

Following are four choices for the topic sentence of the third paragraph of development, (the last middle paragraph, not the concluding or closing paragraph). Pick the best choice. The other three are poor-topic sentences or do not fit the pattern.

Each kid was always looking out for Number One, which was him/her. Repeats thesis instead of setting up a sub-division.
The most strong-willed kids would resort to violence to assert their will.
Besides trying to please the children, I had many other problems at this job. Unrelated to topic (kids) and focus (selfish)
The above information shows why I will never again work at a day care center, because kids are just too selfish. Repeats thesis instead of setting up a sub-division
What was the basis for dividing the paragraphs into separate groups? The three tactics that kids used to get what they wanted: tantrums, charm, and violence.

Last updated 09/24/2006