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The Thesis The main point of your essay summed up in a single sentence. Tells the reader where you stand on the issue, what subtopics you intend to cover, and in what order. Write your thesis down so you do not deviate from it Every thesis contains key words…these are the ideas that the essay must amplify with definitions, examples, and explanations.

Characteristics of a Good Thesis Predicts Contains a discussible idea while also suggesting to the writer a method of developing it. Being a student reporter for the local paper means conducting interviews at odd hours and in strange places. At what odd hours and in which strange places Method of development for this thesis is by illustration/exemplification (example) Because of the computer revolution and the premium it places on educational skills, many people over the age of twenty-one are enrolling in colleges today. This is a reason why thesis Development would be by analysis of cause

Characteristics of a Good Thesis Control By restricting you to a specific order of topics or by presenting an obvious organizing principle for the essay. Today, religion is no longer the uncontested center and ruler of human life, because Protestantism, science, and capitalism have brought about a secularized world. Implicit in this thesis are a certain number and order of subtopics. A description of medieval society when religion was the center of human existence An explanation of Protestantism secularized the world An explanation of how science secularized the world An explanation of how capitalism secularized the world.

Characteristics of a Good Thesis Control – continued My religious outlook has been shaped by three distinct phases of belief and disbelief in my life. Chronological organization Personal essay only A winning tennis strategy requires a player to have a grasp of the geometry of the playing surface and to work to cut off the angle of an opponent’s shots. Spatial pattern

Characteristics of a Good Thesis Obligation You are obligated to write about your thesis and only your thesis. Do not digress!

Nine errors to avoid 1. The thesis cannot be a fragment 2. Do not word a thesis as a question – in fact the thesis is the answer to the question 3. The thesis should not be too broad for a short (5- paragraph or 500 word) essay. 4. The thesis should not contain unrelated elements An expression of a single and unified purpose should be your overriding aim in drafting your thesis You are trying to prove one point, make one case, dramatize one situation. Avoid using compound sentences in your thesis

Nine errors to avoid 5. A thesis should not contain phrases like “I think” or “in my opinion” – they weaken your argument 6. Do not use vague language in your thesis 7. Don’t muddle your language – the thesis must express exactly the opinion or viewpoint you intend to cover in the essay 8. A thesis should not be expressed in figurative language 9. A thesis must not be nonsensical…it has to make sense!

Explicit vs. Implicit Explicit thesis is a requirement of academic writing Once you become a more accomplished writer you can begin to write with an implicit thesis.

The Literary Paper Write an intelligent exploration of a work’s meaning Straightforward discussion of one or two of it techniques. Don’t discuss what you liked..make a critical judgment Provide a reasoned opinion based on a close reading of the text Disagreements in interpretation can then be referred to the text, and evidence can be gathered to support one view or another Interpretations that cannot be supported by the text may be judged far-fetched or simply wrong; those that can be supported may be judged more right. Don’t go symbol hunting – don’t find obscure meanings. Make sure your interpretations can by supported by the text and that other passages do not contradict your thesis.

The In-Class Essay You may be asked to find and express the theme, analyze an action, interpret a symbol, or comment on form. Theme Emphasis of the work After you decipher the theme of a piece of work you need to make a statement and prove it. Proof can be in quoted lines, and passages.

The In-Class Essay Analyzing Character and Action How common people might react in uncommon situations; we can then draw moral lessons, psychological principles, and philosophical insights from their behavior Develops skills in social analysis If you understand the emotions that motivate characters then you can understand yours or a peers emotions. When you state that a certain character behaves a certain way, the burden of proof is on you. In every instance, you must quote passages that prove your interpretations.

The In-Class Essay Interpreting Symbols In literature a symbol is created when an author invests an object, an idea, or an action with a significance far beyond itself. In literature symbolism is implicit – the reader is left to unravel the meaning of the symbol Symbols are rarely cut and dry. Variation in the interpretation of symbols is extremely likely. Whatever your interpretation, it must be supported by material quoted from the text.

Commenting on Form Whenever possible use the formal names of any techniques present in a work. Keep one thing in mind…famous literary works, especially works regarded as classics, have been thoroughly studied to the point where prevailing opinion on them has assumed the character of orthodoxy. Don’t assume that you are the first to notice something in a literary work.