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Thesis Statements (definitions of) The single, specific claim that your essay supports a short statement, usually one sentence, that summarizes the main point or claim of an essay, research paper, etc., and is developed, supported, and explained in the text by means of examples and evidence. The statement serving as the organizing principle of the text and usually appears in the introductory paragraph often at the end. A controlling idea for an entire paper or a book A good thesis statement will usually include these attributes: 1) take on a subject upon which reasonable people could disagree 2) deal with a subject that can be adequately treated given the nature of the assignment 3) express one main idea 4) assert your conclusions about a subject (Indiana University) Elements in a thesis statement 1) 2) 3) Subject precise opinions “blueprint” of reasons (or how you’re going to show to the reader you’re point of view – these are the details you’ll expand on in the body of your essay) Based on these wedding invitations, what do you expect? Revisiting Introductions You never get a second chance to make a first impression. What are you introducing in your introduction? Your topic (and it’s importance) Your writing style Your approach A reason to keep reading Strategies… What’s the question? What’s the context? What question are you trying to answer? (Seriously, write it out…) your thesis is the answer Who is your audience? What did they want you to learn?/What do you want them to learn? When introducing… Introduce the topic with some indication of its inherent interest or importance, and a clear definition of the boundaries of the subject area Indicate the structure and/or methodology of the essay, often with the major sections of the essay or its structural principle clearly stated State the thesis of the essay, preferably in a single, arguable statement with a clear main clause Approaching your introduction. You do NOT have to write the introduction first. Five pitfalls 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The place holder introduction. The restated question introduction. The Webster’s Dictionary introduction. The “dawn of man” introduction. The book report introduction. Introducing your introduction an intriguing example After Huck and Jim have reacquainted, Huck learns that there is a reward out for Jim, but that there is no suspicion about his (Huck’s) whereabouts. Already a safe distance away, Huck could have pursued his own freedom more safely alone. Instead, Huck returns to find Jim and he binds their fates together: “Git up and hump yourself Jim…They’re after us.” a provocative quotation Mark Twain, author of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, once said, “A successful book is not made of what is in it, but of what is left out of it.” a puzzling scenario It’s the antebellum south on the Mississippi River, and there is a raft holding two middle-aged white men, a thirteen year old boy, and a man in chains who has seemingly been painted blue and is wearing a sign that says, “Angry Arab.” anecdote Last Sunday, I was at Starbucks frantically trying to prepare for my quiz the next day when a man at the table next to me asked me what I was reading. “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – it’s required for my English class,” I responded. “Required!” he snorted. "It ought to be banned. That book is racist!” a thought-provoking question While teaching Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, my teacher decided not to say the controversial “N” word that is littered throughout the text. Why then, did this same teacher reject using Allan Gibben’s 2011 publication that does the exact same thing? For tomorrow: Choosing from today’s suggestions (a puzzling scenario, an anecdote, a provocative quotation, a thoughtprovoking question, an intriguing example) write an introduction for your paper. Bring a working/starter thesis for your paper (the answer to the question). The introduction…so how is it? What do you expect the paper to discuss? What kinds of evidence the paper will use? What the tone of the paper will be? Conclusions Conclusions (or so what??) Let’s just tell your reader WHY they’ve read this paper. Conclusions Conceptualize your conclusion. If the introduction was an invitation, think of the conclusion as a parting gift If the introduction is a bridge into the word of the paper; conclusion as a bridge to take your paper into the world Conclusion as real world reason to read your essay --------------------------------------------------------------- Conclusion as a “last word” in an argument Conclusion as a call to action. Conclusions Pitfalls for conclusions: “That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.” Ending with a rephrased thesis statement without any substantive changes Overused phrases “In conclusion,” “in summary,” or “in closing” (often indicates “That’s my story and I’m sticking to it) Sherlock Holmes Stating the thesis for the first time in the conclusion Grab bag Introducing a new idea or subtopic in your conclusion. Uninformed political speech Making sentimental, emotional appeals that are out of character with the rest of an analytical paper. Last grab Including evidence (quotations, statistics, etc.) that should be in the body of the paper. In complete sentences, please answer: How do the points of my paper fit together? (Synthesize) 2. What is interesting about these points? Or… Answer at least one of the following takeaways: 1. What can the reader take away that is useful when reading AOHF? What can the reader take away that is useful in their own life? What can the reader take into the world around them? ROUGH DRAFT TIME MLA (format only) 1. Did you use the template? 2. Are there one inch margins all around your paper? 3. Is the entire paper double spaced? 4. Do you have your name, my name, the class, and the date – “European style” -- on the paper? 5. 6. Is your last name and page number in the upper right hand corner of the paper? Is your title centered above your text (it should not be underlined or italicized)? Introduction (see slides 4 – 10) 1. In the left hand margin, write WHICH (puzzling scenario, etc.) introduction you sampled from our class lesson. 2. If you didn’t choose to use one, say what one you tried and why you didn’t choose it. 3. Ask yourself if your introduction FITS with your paper. Does your introduction speak to the same things that your paper explores? Rough Draft Work Check list Thesis 1) 2) 3) Statement (see slides 1-3) Circle your roadmap Underline your “claim that a reasonable person could argue with” Write your topic Structure Compare and Contrast 1) 2) 3) 4) Make a box around transitions. Using arrows, connect boxes to their points of comparison. Ask yourself what the structure of your essay is, and write this in a mini-outline format at the top of the paper (Intro, A/B, A/B, A/B Conclusion; Intro A, B, A+B=C) In the right margin, write the purpose of your paragraph, and then ask if every element (transition, quote, analysis)fits with that purpose. Quotes – visit each set BEFORE the quotation, verify that you properly chose a comma, colon, or nothing (especially with as and that) to introduce your quote? 1. After ensuring it’s correct, put a square around all punctuation that introduces a quote. When quoting a text, did you use the QUO PAR PUNC Method? 1. Put a square around this, too. Analysis 1) 2) In each body paragraph, circle a piece of analysis. Ask yourself it this analysis is interesting AND appropriate for your paper? Writing 1. Sentence Variety: Underline any NOUN that falls at the first word of a sentence. 2. Parallel Construction: issues (look with lists, not only…but also; either….or, etc.) 3. Look for subject-verb agreement (think of “weird” ones – nobody, one, each, neither, etc.) 4. When a sentence begins with a dependent clause, is there a comma afterwards? Onto conclusions DON’T come our of nowhere Answer “So What?” Come full-circle. Return to the theme from the introduction with parallel concepts and/or images. Synthesize, don’t simply summarize. Propose a course of action, a solution to an issue, or questions for further study. * Point to broader implications.