THE IMPORTANCE OF EXPERIENCE AND OBSERVATION CM223 Unit 2

Welcome! In this session, we will address the following: UNIT 2 SEMINAR AGENDA Welcome! In this session, we will address the following: Initial questions about Unit 1 and CM223 in general Review of the Writing Process Observation and Effective Writing

QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS The course is just beginning, and I’m sure many of you have concerns. It’s no secret that writing isn’t a favorite subject for students, so I want to open the floor to discussion and concerns: What questions do you have? What concerns you most about this class? What do you like/dislike about writing? What can I do to make this term more manageable?

REVIEW: THE WRITING PROCESS Brainstorm Topic Choice Thesis Research Outline First Draft Revision Final Draft

Thesis Exploration We are all currently in the brainstorming stage and the next step in the process will be to create a thesis. We will not actually begin formulating our thesis until later units. However, before we can create an effective thesis, we need to know what one looks like. During the next few slides, we will look at elements that a good thesis should have, and we will look at some examples of good and bad theses. All of this information comes from your textbook: Rules for Writers, Sixth Edition, by Diana Hacker.

Effective Thesis Characteristics According to Diana Hacker, a good thesis sentence is “a central idea that requires supporting evidence; it is of adequate scope for an essay of the assigned length; and it is sharply focused” (p. 23). Consider the following when developing your thesis: Can the topic be adequately developed by researching sources? Is the topic interesting to you as well as other readers? Is the topic something you can prove or develop further? Remember, a thesis cannot just be a description or a fact.

Thesis Example 1 Too Broad: Mapping the humane genome has many implications for health and science. Revised: Although scientists can now detect genetic predisposition to specific diseases, not everyone should be tested for these diseases. Why is the first thesis statement too broad? How is the revised thesis statement better?

Thesis Example 2 Too Vague: The way the TV show ER portrays doctors and nurses is interesting. Revised: In dramatizing the experiences of doctors and nurses as they treat patients, navigate medical bureaucracy, and negotiate bioethical dilemmas, the TV show ER portrays health care professionals as unfailingly caring and noble. Why is the first thesis statement too vague? How is the revised thesis statement better?

Exercise 2-1 In your textbook on pages 24-25, there are 5 pairs of example thesis statements. As a class, let’s do this exercise together and identify which sentence in the pair would make the better thesis for a short paper.

Exercise 2-1; Question 1 By networking with friends, a single parent can manage to strike a balance among work, school, a social life, and family. Single parents face many challenges as they try to juggle all of their responsibilities. Which of these two thesis statements is better? How can the inadequate thesis statement be revised?

Exercise 2-1; Question 2 At the Special Olympics, disabled athletes are taught that with hard work and support from others they can accomplish anything; that they can indeed be winners. Working with the Special Olympic program is rewarding. Which of these two thesis statements is better? How can the inadequate thesis statement be revised?

Exercise 2-1; Question 3 History 201, taught by Professor Brown, is offered at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Whoever said that history is nothing but polishing tombstones must have missed History 201, because in Professor Brown’s class history is very much alive. Which of these two thesis statements is better? How can the inadequate thesis statement be revised?

Exercise 2-1; Question 4 So far, research suggests that zero-emissions vehicles are not a sensible solution to the problem of steadily increasing air pollution. Because air pollution is of serious concern to many people today, several US government agencies have implemented plans to begin solving the problem. Which of these two thesis statements is better? How can the inadequate thesis statement be revised?

Exercise 2-1; Question 5 Anorexia nervosa is a dangerous and sometimes deadly eating disorder occurring mainly in young, upper-middle- class teenagers. The eating disorder anorexia nervosa is rarely cured by one treatment alone; only by combining drug therapy with psychotherapy and family therapy can the patient begin the long, torturous journey to wellness. Which of these two thesis statements is better? How can the inadequate thesis statement be revised?

OBSERVATION AND EFFECTIVE WRITING