Sustainability Spring 2009 Class 4 Jeff Fletcher

Logistics Next Reading Assignment: –Worldchanging: Shelter (pp , can skim pp ) This I Believe part 1 due Fieldtrip—probably Columbia Gorge rather than Mt. Hood (snow and time issues) –Possibilities include…

Thesis Statements Suppose you had chosen the article on Understanding Trade? What would be an example of a thesis statement? –“This article is about global trade.” ?? –“This article is about the pros and cons of global trade.” ??

What is Academic Writing? Academic writing makes arguments A THESIS STATEMENT IS AN INTERPRETATION –of a question or subject, not the subject itself A thesis makes a claim that others might dispute

Acceptable Evidence in Academic Writing Do not use general statements such as “It is obvious that…” or “as everyone knows” Be as specific as possible. Do not claim that justice is X and Y. Instead, argue that a specific author defines justice as A and B.

Audience Always ask “who is my reader?” Is the reader familiar with the text I’m writing about? –Usually we will NOT assume that the reader has read the readings or read the assignment –There are exceptions that will be mentioned in assignment handouts

Location of Thesis Intro Paragraph First set the scene for your reader: tell them what reading(s) you will be discussing. Sometimes need to tell them what part(s) you’ll be discussing. Thesis will be 1-3 sentences in your first paragraph. In longer papers, you may have longer thesis.

Purpose of the Thesis Directly answers question asked of you, or a question you asked yourself. Tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.

Directly Answers a question If you can’t tell someone the question you’re answering in one or two sentence, you probably don’t have a thesis. If everyone would agree with your statement, you have a summary, not a thesis. Ask yourself, what else could someone argue?

Tells the reader what to expect in rest of paper Example: If you say you are against eating meat for environmental reasons, the rest of your paper should be … ?? –In support of this statement! –It should not be about the health benefits of being vegetarian. –While this may be true, it doesn’t follow from thesis.

Academic Essay Structure Thesis statements Paragraphs/Topic Sentences Revising the Thesis Evidence, Claim, Reason Conclusions

Worldchanging : Stuff Svalbard Global Seed Vault (Doomsday Seed Bank) (p. 72)Svalbard Global Seed Vault –Opened last year (on isolated island) –Currently 400,000+ seeds –Lack of tectonic activity and permafrost –Refrigeration units cool the seeds to 0 °F –Even if equipment fails, will stay cold enough for at least several weeks –Surrounding sandstone bedrock is 30 °F (still below freezing

Worldchanging : Stuff Similar Themes (corn, orgainic) –Cotton subsidies (p. 45) US cotton farmers $0.72 vs. world market $0.38 –Non-organic cotton Standard cotton t-shirt 1/3 of a pound of pesticide and fertilizer –Product lifecycles Instead of following food back to origin and seeing where it goes; same for products “Cradle to Cradle” (p. 115)

Worldchanging : Stuff Precautionary Principle (p ) –Is it possible? (see quote) –Genetically Modified Foods –Nanotechnology Nanotubes (fullerenes) –Toxic if ingested