It’s SHOWTIME !!!!!!!!!!! Welcome to Seminar #3: Thesis Statements & Writing Modes How is everyone today?

Project: Choose an historical figure who showed courage in “crossing the threshold.” Be creative! Try to choose someone others might not think of right away. Let's talk about this week's work:

This assignment asks you to do 4 things: 1.Provide a definition of courage and what it means in your own words to cross the threshold. 2.Identify an historical figure who is an example of courage. Explain how he or she embodies your definition of courage. Use specific examples and details to illustrate your point. 3.Identify what thresholds he or she had to cross. Explain how this person overcame adversity with specific examples and details to illustrate your point. 4.Finally, in one sentence, summarize the main idea of your response.

Reading: Make sure you complete the reading for the week before working on the project and the Discussion! Discussion: You have 1 discussion question this week.

The message board is a large percentage of your grade. To increase your grade, post your responses to other student's postings! REMEMBER: The Discussions are Important!

 If you post after midnight Tuesday, your me and inform let me know that you have posted. I will then go in and grade them for you.  If you post late, I won’t know they are there unless you let me know. Thanks! Another Reminder:

Week 3 Assignment:  REMEMBER:  Your Unit 3 project, is due Tuesday night. Please make sure and submit your work each week on time!  Let’s talk more about the thesis statement. It seems to be the one area of writing that “stumps” students!

What is a thesis statement?

Thesis Statements  Thesis = topic + point or main idea  A thesis is ONE SENTENCE that tells the point you are going to make in the paper.  Once you know your topic, one great way to generate a thesis is to think of a research question first. Fill in the questions "what, where, when, why, who, how" and choose one to research.

 Once you have figured out what you are asking, your thesis is simply the answer. For example, let's say your topic was keeping children safe online. You would ask questions about your topic:  WHO are child molesters? WHO are their targets? WHAT do they do to children online? WHEN do they do it? HOW do they do it? WHY do they do it? WHERE do they do it? Thesis Statements

You would then pick one of the questions and answering that question would be your essay. You would probably need to do research in order to answer that question. As you found information, you'd take the answer and make it a thesis. For example, if you chose "WHO" your thesis might be: "Anyone could be a child molester" or "Children who lack online supervision are frequently the target of child molesters." Thesis Statements

Since this is to be an informative essay, your thesis should never contain the words "should" or "need to" because those words indicate persuasion.Since this is to be an informative essay, your thesis should never contain the words "should" or "need to" because those words indicate persuasion. If you find yourself with a thesis containing those words, save it for the next essay and brainstorm a new thesis statement. Also, do not tell the reader how to solve the problem. Telling the reader what to do is persuasive.Also, do not tell the reader how to solve the problem. Telling the reader what to do is persuasive. Thesis Statements

 What is a paragraph and how do you know when to start a new one?

Paragraphs  A paragraph is a group of related sentences. Each paragraph should focus on one idea because you will confuse your readers if you switch ideas or jumble too many different ideas together. Paragraphs should be indented. Do NOT skip an extra line between paragraphs.

Paragraphs  Begin a new paragraph when you begin a new concept, take the next step in an argument, end the introduction, beginning the conclusion, shift to a new speaker in dialogue, shift to a different time or place, or need a logical pause that gives the reader a breather.  Remember: Readers prefer shorter paragraphs. If you find yours are too long, look for a place to break.

Modes of Writing  Comparison and/or contrast – Often explaining how things are alike or different, or how they were and how they have changed will present new information. This strategy can be useful in showing relationships; by showing the comparisons and/or contrasts we provide clarity and insight, and, therefore, we understand each one more clearly.  Definition – This strategy is necessary to define key terms, vague terms, or ambiguous terms. You reader needs to know exactly what you mean so that he or she can understand your points.

A la Mode  Process analysis - Sometimes explaining how something is done, made, or works, or how it came to be will clarify a topic for a reader. Writing of this type analyzes the process, breaks it into steps and shows how the process works.  Cause and Effect - By explaining or analyzing the causes, effects (or both) of something, and the whys and what happened, or will happen, your readers will be able to understand and sometimes cope with the new ideas.  Classification - Writers often use this "sorting out" tactic to clarify a complicated or complex topic. The writer looks at the topic and breaks it into the components or subgroups that can be more easily understood. Each component is described and explained in relationship to the others. The individual components as well as the relationship between them can be more easily understood by the reader.

What do you do if you get stuck while writing?

Even professional writers suffer from writer’s block sometimes.  Some of the greatest writers in literature such as Leo Tolstoy, Virginia Woolf, Katherine Mansfield, Joseph Conrad, and Ernest Hemingway were tormented by writer's block. However, if you have ever looked at War and Peace, you would not believe that Tolstoy had any problems writing!  Don't let writer's block stop you. Writer Jack London gave the following advice: "You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club." (LOL)

Strategies to Use if You Get Stuck  1. Go ahead and write drivel at first, as long as you write. Out of your nonsense and ramblings, however, believe that something good will come, some idea will catch fire right there on the page, there will be sparks, and patterns will emerge.

Stuck Strategies!  Be willing to throw stuff out. It's all right. Do you think Shakespeare didn't litter his kitchen floor with balled-up pieces of paper?

More Stuck Strategies!  One nice thing about the word- processor is that you're not wasting paper and trees; you're just exercising the delete key. But this is no time to worry about the environment. Fill that wastebasket with paper and trust that something will come of all this scribbling. It will.

Strategy #2: Physical Exercise  People who tell you that physical exercise is important for mental activity are telling the truth.  If nothing's happening on the computer screen or paper, take a walk around the block. Hit the treadmill or tennis courts or drive to the gym. But take your notebook with you. Fresh blood will be flowing through your brain and jogging might just jog something loose in your head. It happens.  Now you know why it's called "jog"ging. LOL

Strategy #3: Start in the Middle  Another trick is to start in the middle of your writing project.  Avoid the problem of getting started by starting on a part of the project that interests you more and then come back to the introductory matter later. This sounds a bit like starting to earn your second million dollars before you've earned your first, but it's really not a bad idea in any case, because sometimes it's easier to say where you're going after you know where you've been. After all, your readers will never know you wrote the introduction last.

Strategy #4: Tape Recorder Strategy #5: Read & Take Notes  4) Another maneuver around the old writer's block is to talk about your topic into a tape recorder. Play the tape back and write down what you hear in clusters of ideas.  5) Many people read and take more notes at times like this. Since reading will make you think, you should write out all of the ideas and insights that come to you as you read. Soon you will have plenty of new material to add to your paper.

Strategy #6: Free Writing Strategy #7: Talk  6) Try free writing, which is writing fast, in phrases or sentences, on your topic without imposing any structure or order. Then do some more reading and follow that with additional free writing. Getting words on the page in any form is what it takes for some writers to break out of a block.  7) It is also extremely useful to talk about your ideas for your paper with someone else to get fresh insights and solve some of your writing problems. Or ask someone else to read a draft of your paper and to write some comments on it. This will provide you with insights and ideas to get you moving again. This is the idea behind using peer groups! You have a ready made group of readers!

Finally, give yourself permission to write a less than perfect first draft.  You can paralyze yourself by trying to produce a finished draft on the first try. Lower your expectations for the first draft, and remind yourself that you can always go back later and fix it. Used with permission Debbie Ridpath Ohi

Creating a time line for your paper: Why bother?

Creating a Timeline  If you wish to write a credible paper, you will need to give yourself adequate time.  If your normal writing habit is to simply sit down and do everything on the night the paper is due, you are not likely to be successful in this class.  Therefore, it would be a good idea to map out when you plan to complete the varying parts of the paper.

Writing Help!  The next few slides offer some help and “tips” on some writing issues that all writers suffer with. We are going to talk about the comma and semicolon!  Let’s get to it!

Semicolons ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;  A semicolon can be used where a period can be used.  The dog barked. The cat ran.  The dog barked ; the cat ran.  Error: A comma can not be used where a period can be used.  Comma Splice (error): The dog barked, the cat ran.

Comma Rules,,,,  Introductory Elements  Use a comma after introductory words & transitional expressions  Yes, that’s a good idea.  First, get out your paper.  Next, take notes.  Examples: Consequently, nevertheless, no, moreover, similarly, in fact, as a consequence  I studied for the test; in fact, I studied all week.

Comma Rules: Use a comma after introductory phrases. Introductory prepositional phrases:  After a very big dinner, dad always falls asleep. Introductory infinitive and participial phrases:  Covered with mud, the little boy ran into the house.  Crying loudly, the little boy ran to his mother.  To help clean the house, the little boy poured water on the floor.

Comma Rules: Use a comma after introductory clauses. Introductory subordinate clause (Begins with a subordinator)  Rules:  S, M [subordinate clause, main clause]  After I finished my homework, I called my friend.  MS [main clause subordinate clause]  I called my friend after I finished my homework.

Comma Rules: Compound Sentences  The dog barked. The cat ran.  Comma + FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)  Note1: The comma goes BEFORE the “FANBOYS.”  Note2: You must have two separate subject and verbs.  S V, FANBOYS SV  The dog barked, so the cat ran.  The dog ran after the cat, but he couldn’t catch her.  The dog ran around the house looking for the cat, and then he ran around the house again.  The poor dog was confused, for (because) he could not find the cat.  The dog was tired, yet he still continued his search.  The dog could not find the cat, nor could he find his bone.

Sentence Errors: Run-On Sentences  Rule: You can not join two sentences without any punctuation.  The dog barked. The cat ran.  Run-on (error): The dog barked the cat ran.  Raoul drove by his uncle’s house he waved at his cousins. Corrections:  Raoul drove by his uncle’s house. He waved at his cousins.  Raoul drove by his uncle’s house; he waved at his cousins.  Raoul drove by his uncle’s house; in addition, he waved at his cousins.  Raoul drove by his uncle’s house, and he waved at his cousins.  When Raoul drove by his uncle’s house, he waved at his cousins.  Rauol waved at his cousin as he drove by his uncle’s house.

Sentence Errors: Comma Splices  Rule: You can not join two sentences with a comma.  The dog barked. The cat ran.  Comma splice (error): The dog barked, the cat ran.  Do not use a comma where you could use a period.  I wanted a dog for Christmas, my parents gave me a cat.  Corrections:  I wanted a dog for Christmas. My parents gave me a cat.  I wanted a dog for Christmas; my parents gave me a cat.  I wanted a dog for Christmas, but my parents gave me a cat.  I wanted a dog for Christmas; however, my parents gave me a cat.

Writing Tip : There, Their, & They're  There = a place.  Example: I am going there after dinner.  Their = ownership.  Example: That is their car.  They're = they are.  Example: Did you know that they're [they are] going out?

“Time” to Go! Questions? Concerns? Comments? Please Let Me Know How I Can Help! Have A Fantastic Week!!