Research Notes: Thesis Statements, Body Paragraphs and Integrating Quotes

Thesis Statements Writing a thesis statement is like giving someone directions. You need a clear beginning and end point, so your reader knows where they are and where they should end up. You need to have clear points you are trying to prove so your reader can naturally follow your train of thought to the end of your essay. The thesis is always the LAST sentence of your intro, it should be the LAST thing the reader reads before going into your argument.

Thesis for Research Your thesis must state your opinion on the issue without using 1 st person (I, me, my, we…etc.) –Ex: I believe the death penalty provides the best form of justice in our judicial system. = BAD The death penalty provides the best form of justice in our judicial system. = GOOD

What your thesis should say… Your thesis should state the three points you are going to discuss in your paper---(3 reasons your opinion is right) –3 paragraphs = 3 points Thesis: Capital punishment is the worst form of justice in our judicial system because it doesn’t allow for rehabilitation, it continues the idea of killing and it could end the life of an innocent person.

Body Paragraphs Made Easy!

One quick thing… In a research paper you want your tone to be FORMAL so… –NEVER, EVER, EVER USE: I, ME, MY, WE, OUR, US –NEVER, EVER, EVER (on threat of failure) USE: YOU IN ANY PAPER

Body Paragraph Each body paragraph will include the following: Topic sentence Quote 1 2 lines of commentary Quote 2 2 lines of commentary Concluding sentence

Body Paragraph: Topic Sentence It is the first sentence in your body paragraph It will be proving one of the points listed in your thesis -must follow the same order as in your thesis It explains what that paragraph is going to be about

Topic Sentence: Example Thesis: Capital punishment is the worst form of justice in our judicial system because it doesn’t allow for rehabilitation, it continues the idea of killing and it could end the life of an innocent person. Topic Sentence: Capital punishment is an unfair form of justice because it does not allow for rehabilitation of criminals.

Body Paragraph: Quotes Your quotes need to help prove your topic sentence Bad example: It is society’s duty, “to act in self defense to protect the innocent " (White 1). – this quote undermines what was said in the topic sentence Good example: Often times it is found that convicted criminals, “repent, express remorse, and very often experience profound spiritual rehabilitation” (Rehabilitation 1). –this reaffirms my topic sentence and overall argument

Body Paragraphs: Commentary Your commentary explains your quote further and how it helps prove your point (ANALYSIS ). When writing commentary never say “This quote proves” or “what this quote is saying is…” Make sure with your commentary you are not repeating the same thing Try to introduce a different or more in depth analysis

Commentary Example: BAD!!! Often times it is found that convicted criminals, “repent, express remorse, and very often experience profound spiritual rehabilitation” (Rehabilitation 1). This quote proves that some criminals are good and want to try. It also prove that people want to be good, even if they have done something bad. –This commentary is very weak and it says the same thing in both sentences.

Commentary Example: Good!!! Often times it is found that convicted criminals, “repent, express remorse, and very often experience profound spiritual rehabilitation” (Rehabilitation 1). While a crime may have been committed in youth, Americans need to allow for the idea of change in a person whether through age or experience. It should also be argued that a lifetime of repentance may be worth more than the “justice” of death. –Expands upon the ideas presented in the quote and offers more such as the idea of a “lifetime of repentance”

Quote and Commentary: After the two sentences of commentary Then have another quote Two more sentences of commentary

Body Paragraph: Concluding/ Transition Sentence Your concluding sentence serves 2 jobs: –1. Summarize what your paragraph was about –2. Transition (gives the reader a clue) to your what your next paragraph is going to be about

Concluding Sentence: Example Capital punishment not only ends a life, it ends the chance for a person to change; and maintains the idea of murder as justice. –chance for a person to change= reminding the reader what my paragraph was about (doesn’t allow for rehabilitation) – maintains the idea of murder as justice= what my next paragraph is going to be about ( it continues the idea of killing- 2 point in my thesis) * Notice I am saying the same thing but always rephrasing, so it doesn’t sound repetitive!!!

Integrating Quotes

SO I have my quotes…Where do I put them? Your quotes should be in your body paragraphs. This is where you are proving a point with and through research. Avoid using quotes in the introduction, thesis statement, and conclusion unless you are using them for an “attention getter” within the introduction. Remember, quotes are best used to support your own analysis. Don’t just drop them anywhere…have purpose in where they go.

Simple Tips: Avoid using long quotes to take up space. – Quotes should be shortened Make your paper sound like it came from YOU. Don’t fill it with quotes! Quotes should be used for support of what YOU are writing about. Let me hear YOUR voice

Let’s Get One Thing Straight… Never let a quote “stand alone.” What does this mean?? –Avoid dropping quotes without an introduction, or signal phrase. Always surround the quote with words. WORDS + QUOTE+ ( optional WORDS)= a GREAT integrated quote!

Examples Bad Example: –“Capital punishment is the death sentence awarded for capital offenses like crimes involving planned murder, multiple murders, repeated crimes, rape and murder etc where in the criminal provisions consider such persons as a gross danger to the existence of the society and provide death punishment.” –There are no words introducing my quote. There must be a signal phrase that introduces the quote. Quote is missing citation.

Good Example: - According to an article in New York Times, “capital punishment is the death sentence awarded for capital offences... where in the criminal provisions consider such persons as a gross danger to the existence of the society” (Times 1). * Introduction to my quote. My quote is not alone, words are by it’s side. Quote includes citation.

Citing Quotes When using a quote, always cite where it came from. To cite: Signal phrase + “Insert quote here” (Parentheses). PERIOD is always AFTER the parentheses!

In-text Citations with One Author from a book or article: Romantic poetry is characterized by the "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (Wordsworth 263). Have author’s last name and page number the quote came from. If there is no page number, place the author’s last name in parenthesis.

In-text Citations for Print Sources with No Known Author We see so many global warming hotspots in North America likely because this region has “more readily accessible climatic data and more comprehensive programs to monitor and study environmental change... ” (“Impact of Global Warming” 6). Use an abbreviated title of the article (first three words of title) and page number

Citing a Work by Multiple Authors The authors state "Tighter gun control in the United States erodes Second Amendment rights" (Moore, Smith, and Yang, 76). List all author’s last names in alphabetical order and include the page number.

Shortening Quotes you Want to Use: Ellipses are three dots {... } to indicate you have eliminated some words from the quotation. Note that there is a space between each dot.

Original Quote: In a recent article in the New York Times, the author states that, "capital punishment is the death sentence awarded for capital offenses like crimes involving planned murder, multiple murders, repeated crimes, rape and murder etc where in the criminal provisions consider such persons as a gross danger to the existence of the society and provide death punishment” (Times 1). Shorten to: In a recent article in the New York Times, the author states that, “capital punishment is the death sentence awarded for capital offenses... where such persons [are] a gross danger to the existence of the society and provide death punishment” (Times 1).

Using Brackets Brackets (square parenthesis [ ] ) allow you to insert words of your own into quoted material to explain a confusing reference or to keep a sentence grammatically correct. For example, sometimes when you use quote bits, you must change the “I” in a quote to “he” or “she” to make the quote read smoothly into your sentence 

Example using brackets: Original Quote: In a recent article in the New York Times, the author states that, "capital punishment is the death sentence awarded for capital offenses like crimes involving planned murder, multiple murders, repeated crimes, rape and murder etc where in the criminal provisions consider such persons as a gross danger to the existence of the society and provide death punishment” (Times 1). Bracket Use: In a recent article in the New York Times, the author states that, “capital punishment is the death sentence awarded for capital offenses... where such persons [are] a gross danger to the existence of the society and provide death punishment” (Times 1).