1. 02.02.2011 THE THESIS SENTENCE English II CP | Mr. Smith

2. Warm-up: STUDY Look over your notes on the writing process and essay terms. The quiz will begin promptly after the bell.

3. The Thesis Sentence

4. Whats a thesis? The subject of your essay + your opinion about it A single sentence that formulates both your topic (subject) and your point of view (opinion) Your answer to the central question or problem you have raised Explains the purpose of your paper Answers the question Whats your point? From The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 6 th ed, by Joseph Gibaldi.

5. A strong thesis should… …be a complete sentence. …be debatable. …be specific. …be a strong statement that takes a stand. …communicate your opinion or idea about a topic. Adapted from Thesis Statements (available online at http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/thesis_statement.shtml).

6. good thesis…or not? World hunger has many causes and effects. This thesis is too general to be useful. NOT

7. good thesis…or not? Hunger is a problem in African countries because jobs are scarce and farming is rarely profitable. This thesis takes a standhunger is a problemand gives specific reasons for that problem. GOOD

8. good thesis…or not? There are positive and negative aspects to Banana Herb Tea supplement. This thesis does not take a standis Banana Herb Tea good or bad? NOT

9. good thesis…or not? Because Banana Herb Tea supplement promotes rapid weight loss that results in the loss of muscle and lean body mass, it poses a potential danger to customers. This thesis takes a standBanana Herb Tea is dangerousand gives specific reasons for that stand. GOOD

10. good thesis…or not? Welding is a good career choice. While this thesis does focus on one idea, its not yet specific enough to be helpful. NOT

11. good thesis…or not? Kanye West is a talented rapper, but Jay-Z is good, too. This thesis has more than one ideaits not clear whether the paper is going to be about Kanye or Jay-Z. NOT

12. good thesis…or not? Barack Obama is the current President of the United States. This is a true statement, but theres nothing about it thats up for discussion. NOT

13. good thesis…or not? Blues guitar is a unique art form because of the opportunities for expression and self-reflection it offers the musician. This thesis is a single, specific sentence that clearly explains what the paper will be about. GOOD

14. More practice Complete the worksheet on your own Compare with your neighbor Discuss with the class

15. Practice Fishing is fun to do when Im with my dad. English is my favorite class. Its exciting going to a new school. Tacos are my favorite food. I like radio station Q106 the most.

16. African Proverbs

17. Reading tips Some may contain difficult words – use a dictionary if necessary Many involve metaphors – think about what types of people, events, or other things the characters in the proverb might represent

18. Poster project Pick a proverb Illustrate it Explain its meaning Tell why you think its important Create an original proverb and repeat the process

19. Homework

20. For tonight: Visual vocab