Which sequence best describes a doctor's typical workday according to a topic-comment structure?

Which sequence best describes a doctor's typical workday according to a topic-comment structure?

• A. Topic: DOCTOR. Comment: SEE PATIENTS, DIAGNOSE ILLNESSES, PRESCRIBE TREATMENTS, DOCUMENT IN RECORDS.
• B. Topic: DOCTOR. Comment: PRESCRIBE TREATMENTS, SEE PATIENTS, DIAGNOSE ILLNESSES, DOCUMENT IN RECORDS.
• C. Topic: PATIENT. Comment: DOCTOR SEE PATIENTS, DIAGNOSE ILLNESSES.
• D. Topic: DOCTOR. Comment: DOCUMENT RECORDS, SEE PATIENTS.

Answer: (A)

In this item, the idea is to use a topic-comment structure where the topic sets who we’re talking about (the doctor) and the comment describes what that topic does in a natural order. The best sequence lists the doctor first, then the actions in the typical flow of a day: seeing patients, diagnosing illnesses, prescribing treatments, and documenting the visit in records. This mirrors how a doctor usually progresses through patient encounters and then records what happened. The other options break that flow or switch the topic in a way that doesn’t fit how a doctor’s day unfolds. For example, starting with prescribing before seeing a patient suggests an unrealistic order; using the patient as the topic shifts the focus away from the doctor’s role; and placing documenting records before seeing patients disrupts the natural sequence of a visit.

In this item, the idea is to use a topic-comment structure where the topic sets who we’re talking about (the doctor) and the comment describes what that topic does in a natural order. The best sequence lists the doctor first, then the actions in the typical flow of a day: seeing patients, diagnosing illnesses, prescribing treatments, and documenting the visit in records. This mirrors how a doctor usually progresses through patient encounters and then records what happened.

The other options break that flow or switch the topic in a way that doesn’t fit how a doctor’s day unfolds. For example, starting with prescribing before seeing a patient suggests an unrealistic order; using the patient as the topic shifts the focus away from the doctor’s role; and placing documenting records before seeing patients disrupts the natural sequence of a visit.