paragraph and to help the students to improve their weaknesses in writing a topic sentence and supporting sentences in an argumentative paragraph.
3. For the English Language Education Study Program
This study will give contribution to English Language Education Study Program to evaluate the curriculum, especially in writing. This study will show
whether or not learning how to write a topic sentence and supporting sentences in the second semester is enough for giving the students awareness in applying
topic sentence and supporting sentences in every time they write a paragraph especially argumentative paragraph.
1.6 DEFINITION OF THE TERMS
1. Writing In this study, writing refers to both a physical and a mental act. At the most
basic level, writing is the physical act of committing words or ideas to some medium. On the other hand, writing is a mental work of inventing ideas, thinking
about how to express them, and organizing them into statements and paragraphs that will be clear to a reader Nunan, 2003.
2. Argumentative Writing Argumentative writing, in this study, refers to kind of writing which shows
the idea, opinion, or argument of something that is arguable Spurgin, 1989. 3. Paragraph
In this study, a paragraph is a group of sentences which contains relevant information about one main or central idea which, at least, consists of topic sentence and supporting sentences Bram, 1995.
4. Topic Sentence In this study, a topic sentence refers to a general sentence which becomes
the center of the paragraph in which the other sentences in the paragraph are developed to explain this sentence and to make it more vivid Moore, 1955.
5. Supporting Sentences In this study, supporting sentences are sentences that develop the topic
sentence by giving reasons, examples, and facts Muhyidin, 1988. 6. Writing Competency
In this study, competency, or in the basic form competence, means that the students have the necessary ability, authority, skill, knowledge, etc in writing a
topic sentence and supporting sentences correctly in a good paragraph composition. Thus, the items which will be measured in this study are the
students’ competency in writing a topic sentence, supporting sentence and the grammar and coherence to support a good writing composition Hornby, 1995.
