Writing Terms used in 8th Grade Literary Analysis/Extended Response

Extended Response Format TS – Topic Sentence TLQ 1 – Transition, Lead-in, Quote #1 E – Elaboration or Analysis TLQ 2 – Transition, Lead-in, Quote #2 TLQ 3 – Transition, Lead-in, Quote #3 T+CS – Transition + Concluding Statement

Thesis Statement An overall statement or claim you are making about the essay or story including subject and opinion about the prompt. If you are writing a thesis statement involving literature, ALWAYS include the title(s) and author(s) of the novel, story, or poems.

Thesis continued Questions writers should ask about thesis: Is my thesis an idea or opinion and not a fact or a question? Is my thesis exactly what I want to address? Is it as specific as possible? Is my thesis/claim clear? Is there only one claim I want to support or did I add more than one?

And a little more about thesis… A thesis written for literature (story, poem, etc.) should be written in present tense. A thesis written for history (SS) should be written in past tense.

More on thesis writing…Instead of using “The story is about” use: Examines Deciphers Illustrates Compares Determines Contrasts Utilizes Accentuates Discovers Analyzes Transforms Characterizes

TLQ How to imbed quotes in text. When using quotes in writing there are three parts you must include: TRANSITION A LEAD IN THE QUOTE

Transitions in TLQs Transitions are words and phrases that take your reader smoothly from one idea to another. Examples: For example, For instance, In fact, Specifically, To illustrate, In addition, Furthermore, Additionally,

Transitions continued You must start the quote with a transition. While learning, use the following transitions in your paragraph: For example, – first quote In addition, – the second quote Furthermore, – the third quote Transitions are always followed with a comma.

Lead-ins A lead-in is a phrase that sets up the quote and pinpoints when the quote happened and sets the scene for the quote. The lead-in comes after the transition. Lead-ins usually begin with place referenced words such as: During, when, after, since, before, while, as etc.

Example of a TLQ from “Monkey’s Paw” For instance, in the exposition of the story the author describes the night’s setting as “cold and wet” (page 360, line 1).

Quotes Quotes must be written exactly as they appear in the text. They are the author’s words. Quotes support what you are proving in your topic sentence. Quotation marks MUST be at the beginning and at the end of the quote. Page number references are a part of the quote and need to appear in parenthesis after the quote, followed by a period.

Examples of TLQs For example, after being warned to wish sensibly, Mr. White states, “I wish for two hundred pounds; that’ll just do it” (364). In addition, when Mrs. White pleads with her husband for Herbert’s return from the grave, Mr. White whispers, “I wish my son alive again” (368). Furthermore, as to stop Herbert’s corpse from coming through the door at any moment, “He heard the creaking of the bolt as it came slowly back, and at the same moment he found the monkey’s paw, and frantically breathed his third and final wish” (370).

Elaboration or Analysis Elaboration/Analysis adds depth and interest to an essay. Synonyms for elaboration are: anecdotes, scenarios, examples, definitions, statistics and facts, a quotation, descriptions, or reasons.

Elaboration or Analysis 1. Anecdote – a short narrative inserted into an essay that develops an idea 2. Examples – provides more specific information about an idea 3. Definition – restates an unfamiliar word or phrase and tells what it means 4. Statistics and facts – the numbers (data) and information that help support your ideas.

Concluding Sentence (CS) Leads with a concluding transition and is the last sentence in a body paragraph. It strongly restates the subject and opinion in the TS with new and upgraded words.

How to use an ellipses in quotations: The ellipses can be used to shorten a quote as long as critical content is not removed from the quote. It can be used at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end. The three dots … are used in place of what is being removed from the quote.

Examples: “…Mr. Donnegan said I was the best janitor he ever had because I like my job and do it good and never come late or miss a day except for my operashun” (197). “I showed them and everyone laffed when I told that Mr. Donnegan said I was the best janitor he ever had…” (197).