When organizing a document from an outline, company officers should ensure that each paragraph contains a topic sentence that:

• A. announces and controls the content of the paragraph
• B. ties the parts of the document together
• C. keeps the crew's attention
• D. shows contrast or qualification or indicates continuity

Answer: (A)

Focusing the paragraph with a topic sentence is essential when turning an outline into a document. The topic sentence should state the main idea of the paragraph and set the direction for what follows. By announcing the specific point being addressed, it helps the writer stay on topic and ensures the paragraph develops a single, clear purpose that matches the corresponding outline item. This makes the document easier to follow and ensures consistent progression from outline point to paragraph.

For example, if the outline point concerns establishing incident command roles, the topic sentence would state that the command structure assigns roles and responsibilities to ensure clear delegation and accountability. The rest of the paragraph would then provide the details—who has authority in the span of control, how communications flow, and how accountability is maintained—without veering into other topics.

Tying the parts of the document together is important, but that comes more from transitions and overall coherence between paragraphs rather than the function of the topic sentence within a single paragraph. Keeping the crew’s attention can be aided by clear and concise writing, but the core function of the topic sentence is to announce and control the paragraph’s content. Showing contrast or indicating continuity is more about specific sentence purpose within a paragraph or transitions between ideas, not the primary role of the topic sentence itself.