1. From The Longman Writer Chapter 3, pages 36-44
Identifying a Thesis
From The Longman Writer
Chapter 3, pages 36-44

2. What Is a Thesis? The essay’s hub The central point
What the essay revolves around

3. Why Use a Thesis? Helps the writer: What does and does not belong
Helps the reader:
Focus on the central point

4. How Do I Create a Thesis? What statement does all this support?
Revisit your prewriting and ask:
What statement does all this support?
What aspects are covered in most detail?
What is the focus of the most provocative material?

5. Work in Progress
You may find that you need to refocus your thesis as you move through the stages of the writing process
See page 38 in The Longman Writer

6. 2 Parts to an Effective Thesis
The paper’s limited subject
Your point of view or attitude
What are you writing about AND what do you have to say about it
See The Longman Writer page 38 for examples

7. Structure May point the way to a pattern of development
i.e. comparison-contrast, cause-effect, argument-persuasion
May include a plan of development:
A concise overview of the essay’s main points in the exact order they will be discussed
Example: Baseball’s inflated salaries hurt the fans, the sport, and most of all, the athletes.

8. Tip 1: Don’t write a highly opinionated statement
With characteristic clumsiness, campus officials bumbled their way through the recent budget crisis
Improved: Campus officials had trouble managing the recent budget crisis effectively

9. Tip 2: Don’t make an announcement
Handgun legislation will be the subject of my paper.
Improved: Banning handguns is the first step toward controlling crime in America

10. Tip 3: Don’t make a factual statement
America’s population is growing older
Improved: The aging of the American population will eventually create a crisis in the delivery of health-care services

11. Tip 4: Don’t make a broad statement
Nowadays, high school education is often meaningless
Improved: High school diplomas have been devalued by grade inflation

12. Practice
In a small group, complete practice activities 1 and 4 on pages 42 and 43 of The Longman Writer

13. Supporting a Thesis with Evidence
From The Longman Writer
Chapter 4, pages 45-53

15. What Is Evidence? Examples Facts Details Statistics
Personal observation
Personal experience
Anecdotes
Expert opinions
Quotations

16. Make Sure Evidence Is: Relevant and Unified Specific Adequate Dramatic
Accurate
Representative
Documented

17. Practice
In a small group, complete practice activity 1 on page 52 of The Longman Writer

18. Outlining: Organizing the Evidence
From The Longman Writer
Chapter 5, pages 54-63

20. Use the Patterns of Development
Volunteer to read aloud the bottom of 54 and page 55 in The Longman Writer

21. Select an Organizational Approach
Chronological
Spatial
Emphatic
Simple-to-Complex

22. Prepare an Outline Helps you: How to: Organize your thoughts
Guide your writing
Determine what comes first
How to:
1: reread and evaluate your prewriting and thesis
2: decide upon a pattern of development
3: decide upon an organizational approach
4: identify and sequence your main and supporting points

23. Outlining Tips Outlining is individualized
Yours doesn’t have to look like anybody else’s
Unless it is a formal essay to be submitted
The amount of detail will vary according to the paper’s length and assignment
Do NOT just create an outline afterwards;
Creating an outline actually SAVES time and frustration
Tables of Content are usually outlines (look at examples)

24. Practice
In a small group, complete practice activities 1, 2, & 4 on pages of The Longman Writer