Transcript T-BEAR Notes

Composition Terminology
The basics of good writing
Composition Terminology
• Thesis – a sentence with a subject and opinion
(or analysis). Found at end of introduction.
• Topic Sentence (T)– 1st sentence of body
paragraph. Must have subject and
opinion/commentary for the paragraph. (minithesis)
• Background (B) – 1-2 sentences that gives the
speaker of the quote as well as preliminary
explanations of the topic to put the quote in
context. (What was happening at the time?)
• Evidence – (E) – concrete details, specific facts,
examples, quotes that form the backbone of your
body paragraphs. (This is your proof.)
Thesis Identification Practice
Yes
____ Today the cafeteria is serving the most
disgusting food I’ve ever seen.
No
____ Today the cafeteria is serving pizza.
Yes
____ My high school is the best one around.
No
____ I have gone to Cordova High for three years.
Yes
____ My bedroom is a pigsty.
Yes
____ School is a cool place to be.
No
____ We must take four years of English to
graduate.
Yes
____ I hate going to the mall for Christmas shopping.
Composition Terminology cont’d
• Analysis (A) – your commentary, opinion, or
interpretation about something. Gives meaning
to the quote, not just a restatement of the quote.
(What does the evidence tell us about the
character?)
• Chunk – ONE sentence of evidence and TWO of
analysis. The smallest unified group of thoughts
you can write. (1 E: 2 A)
• Return to thesis (R) – Concluding sentence. Last
sentence in a body paragraph. It is ALL
commentary and comes back to the main idea
your paper or paragraph is trying to prove.
Composition Terminology cont’d
• Introduction – 1st paragraph in an essay.
Minimum 3 sentences and 40 words.
• Body paragraph – middle paragraph of an
essay. Develops a point you want to make that
supports your thesis. Minimum 8 sentences
and 100 words.
• Conclusion – last paragraph in essay. Sum up
ideas, reflect on what you said. Gives essay a
finished feeling. All commentary, NO concrete
details. Restates thesis in different words.
Paragraph Format - TBEAR
• One chunk
– T
– B/E (For example, for
instance, after all,
specifically, as an
illustration…)
– A (This shows that, this is
important because, this is
because, this proves that,
what this shows is, this draws
attention to the fact…)
– A
– R (As a result, Overall,
consequently, in short, in
sum, hence, thus,
therefore, in conclusion)
• Two chunk
– T
– B/E (For example, for
instance, after all, specifically,
as an illustration…)
– A
– A
– B/E (In addition, also,
furthermore, similarly,
likewise, however, in contrast,
on the other hand)
– A
– A
– R (As a result, Overall,
consequently, in short, in
sum, hence, thus, therefore,
in conclusion)
The Quotation “Sandwich”
• Quotations need to be properly embedded in
a paragraph.
• They need to be “sandwiched” between
background and analysis (commentary)
Varying the paragraph structure
• To make the format less
formulaic, you can vary
the structure of your
composition
components. To
sophisticate your writing,
surround the facts (E)
with analysis. (Quotation
sandwich)
•
•
•
•
•
T
A
B/E
A
R
Either format
is acceptable
•T
•B/E
•A
•A
•R
T – In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry is a
champion to many of the more insecure students at
Hogwarts.
A – He cannot stand someone who picks on others.
E – For example, when Malfoy takes Neville’s
Rememberall, Harry gets it back.
A - (This is important because) He is now a hero to
the less fortunate.
R - (As a result) He has found a place
where he belongs and wants to
protect the vulnerable.
Composition
Improving your Analysis
Football is a fun sport. For example, we get
to play in front of lots of people. This shows
that it’s fun to do that. This is important
because I like to play in front of a crowd a lot.
As a result, I have a good time.
What’s wrong with this analysis?
The analysis is redundant.
Composition
A Better example
Football is a fun sport. For example, we get to
play in front of lots of people. This is important
because I like the feeling of having my friends and
classmates cheering me on. This is because it’s
exciting when the crowd encourages us to do our
best to win. As a result I can really get into the
game.
Composition
Improving your Analysis
I like camping more than anything. For
example, the air is clean and clear. This shows
that there isn’t any smog up in the mountains.
This is important because there isn’t the usual
brown haze in the sky that I see most days. As
a result I like camping.
What’s wrong with this analysis?
The analysis is really more evidence. The return to thesis
(concluding sentence) is redundant.
Composition
A Better Example
I like camping more than anything. For
example, the air is clean and clear. This shows
that being in the woods can be good for your
health. This is important because it feels good
to breath it after the smog of Los Angeles. As a
result my lungs always feel healthier after
some time in the mountains.
Sample Quotation Sandwich
1 chunk paragraph
In Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game,” the main
character Rainsford has no compassion for the animals he
________________________________________
hunts. He
feels that because they are inferior to humans,
they
deserve no sympathy. _________________________
For example, when his friend
_____________________
Whitney
tries to convince him that animals have no sense
______________________________________________
of____________________________________
fear, Rainsford dismisses this notion saying, “This hot
weather is making you soft…Be a realist. The world is made
up of two classes – the hunters and the huntees. Luckily,
_________________
you and I are hunters” (Connell 17). He
murders animals
without
giving it a second thought. In his mind, his position
______________________________________________
in___________________________________
the animal kingdom justifies his behavior. According to
Rainsford animals are not capable of feeling emotions,
therefore he refuses to feel for them.