A Definition of Topic
A topic is the main organizing principle of a discussion, either
verbal or written. Topics offer us an occasion for speaking or writing and a focus
which governs what we say. They are the subject matter of our conversations, and the
avenues by which we arrive at other subjects of conversations. Consider, for instance,
a recent class discussion. Although your instructor determined what topic you discussed
initially, some students probably asked questions that led to other topics. As the subjects
of our discussions lead to related subjects, so do the topics we write about lead to related
topics in our academic studies. However, unlike the verbal conversations we have, each
individual piece of writing we produce usually focuses on a single topic. Most effective
writers learn that when they present a well-defined, focused, and developed topic, they
do a better job of holding their readers' attention and presenting appropriate information
than if they had not attempted to place boundaries on the subject of their writing.
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