Teaching Writing I. Higher Order

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Thesis

A Strong Thesis --A strong thesis is specific, clear, insightful, and argumentative --A thesis should also have a meaningful stake

A Weak Thesis --Too obvious or based in summary --”X is a theme in the text” --For helping this specific problem, I try and ask what the text is saying about X and how it's saying it

Teaching Thesis Writing --set out several days before their first paper for 15-20 minute lectures on writing --periodically take strong claims from students' comments and work out a thesis together on the board

Student's Comment --“It seems like Dr Jekyll’s friends don't help him because they are worried about what people will think about them, which is like the reason why Dr Jekyll creates Mr. Hyde—so he can do things without society's judgements” --unpack it piece by piece: what is the text in question (DJ&MH), what is the evidence (the actions of DJ and his friends), what is suggested: that people's actions are influenced by exterior expectations(social judgements)

--From here ask the students to try and push things further: what do these characters and their actions SAY ABOUT these values? Is the creation of a split person good? Do DJ's friends meet his needs when he is in trouble? --Give them a template on the board: “In (Text), the (actions, characters, symbols) cause/s (some sort of event or effect) suggesting that (the moral, ethical or political ramifications in question).

Our “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” example might emerge: In (“Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”) the (characters' concern for social convention) causes (them to ignore their friend, Dr. Jekyll,) suggesting (the negative effect of social pressure on individuals).

Refining --These will usually be rudimentary and underdeveloped; explain that they'll want to refine and make them more specific to give further implications. --further help them develop by asking the students to frame a follow up sentence. “Instead, the text suggests....”

Evidence --Going back to this thesis we developed: what sort of evidence would you use to prove this? --Are there three or four key scenes you can look at? --Are there a few characters who you could consider? --What sort of symbols, or motifs contribute to this interpretation?

Signposting Have them write out a road map of their argument, even if they end up cutting it.

Conclusions --Draw out the bigger implications of the argument, impart to them the importance of not just restating but going further