1. CHOOSING A TOPIC AND DRAFTING A THESIS
Elements of Writing
CHOOSING A TOPIC
AND DRAFTING A THESIS

2. Thesis Statements
A well-structured and well-organized thesis statement will enable your reader to know what to expect as well as provide you with an outline for your essay.
Therefore, the more time and effort you put into writing the thesis, the easier it will be to construct that essay.
Think of your essay as something you are arguing and your thesis statement as how you will prove your argument

3. Thesis Statements Your thesis statement:
should be the last sentence of first paragraph
should have an angle you want to prove
should give the reasons you will use to support your position
should not be a question.
should have a focus or main point with 3 supporting reasons
should be specific in word choice and not vague or broad
For Example:
Melinda Sordino lost her identity, lost her voice, and lost her childhood; however, due to never truly giving up, she learned to speak up, fight back, and to live again.

4. Thesis Statements
Before you even begin to think about your thesis, there are several questions that you should ask yourself. Consider the following:
1. What is the essay question asking?
Look for key words: compare/contrast, discuss, and explain.
Sample from your choice—Choice 2:
Explain the phases her tree art went through, over the course of her freshman year, and how do they represent her. Connect each phase to her own changes and transformation. Use 3 examples.

5. Thesis Statements
2. What aspect of this question will you be writing about? Using 3 pieces of Melinda’s art to represent her own struggle to find her identity.
3. What is your evidence?
In a five-paragraph essay, you should cite three pieces of evidence to support your claim. These examples will later be transformed into topic sentences for your body paragraphs.
a) first piece of evidence (1st reason) Lightning struck tree
b) second piece of evidence (2nd reason) Sculpture
c) third piece of evidence (3rd reason) Final art project

6. Sample Thesis Statement
The Middle is a TV show that all people should take the time to watch because it is funny, because viewers can relate to the characters, and because it offers a realistic depiction of a middle class family’s struggles.
Without knowing the writing prompt, you should be able to determine what the point of the essay is just by looking at the thesis.
Black is the angle which, in this case, is persuasive
First Reason Second Reason Third Reason

7. Thesis Statements
Practice-Write a thesis statement for ONE of the following questions = a point/claim/angle = 3 reasons ---Take 5 minutes and I will call on you
1) Should students be required to take a Physical Education elective? Why or why not.
2) Subject: Should the school employ a dress code? Why or Why not?
3) What is the best restaurant in Strongsville and why?
4)Is there one change the administration at SHS could make to improve student participation and/or academic performance?

8. It’s Your Turn: Sample Thesis Statements
1) Should students be required to take a Physical Education elective? Why or why not.

9. It’s Your Turn: Sample Thesis Statements
2) Subject: Should the school employ a dress code? Why or Why not?

10. It’s Your Turn: Sample Thesis Statements
3) What is the best restaurant in Strongsville and why?

11. It’s Your Turn: Sample Thesis Statements
4) Is there one change the administration at SHS could make to improve student participation and/or academic performance?

12. Homework
Over the weekend, you were to select your choice. Carefully reread your prompt, highlight the key words, and make sure you know what the topic is completely.
Come up with your main point, claim, or angle
Choose 3 examples or supporting reasons that you will use to explain your point
Put them together to make one specific, meaningful thesi

13. Sample Thesis for the Novel Speak
Please remember that this is a sample, not one to be copied and used in your paper 
Through finding solace in an abandoned closet (1st Reason), being in Mr. Freeman’s class (2nd Reason), and defeating Andy (3rd Reason), Melinda finally found a way to be heard. (Angle/claim/point in red)
You do not need to color code or label each reason st, 2nd, or 3rd. This is just to help you see how it is put together.

14. Part 2--Introduction
Your introduction is a bridge or an opening that allows the reader to see what the paper will be about
It is an important roadmap for the rest of the paper
The introduction is what makes readers want to read your paper
Remember, your thesis statement will be the LAST SENTENCE of this paragraph.

15. Strategies for Writing an Effective Introduction
Start by thinking of the prompt you want to explain
Remember, you are not going to start talking about the novel in your first sentence; instead, you will start with an attention-getter/hook that generally relates to your main topic (thesis statement)
The attention grabber/hook is the first sentence of your introduction

16. Introduction: Attention Grabber/Hook
Types of attention grabbers/hooks:
A fact or statistic that relates to your thesis
A quotation—You must cite within text or in a parenthetical
An anecdote (short story) that relates to your topic
A thought-provoking question (no you and always answer questions)—this is actually a difficult hook to do well
A dictionary definition that connects to your thesis—only use when defining a difficult word, not something that is well known of falls into the “common sense” category
Remember, you can’t use 1st person (I, me, we, etc..) or 2nd person (you, your, yours)
Also avoid stating, In this paper I will discuss…this is unnecessary (and you are not to use “I” anyway!)

17. Connecting the hook to the thesis
The next information in your introduction should connect the hook to your thesis.
Give comments and background information on the topic in order to connect it to your thesis.
This is where you will introduce the author and the title of the novel
You can also choose to provide brief statements connecting to your 3 points that will be further developed in your paper

18. Example Introduction
Essay Prompt: How does Melinda discover her voice?
Hook: Maya Angelou, celebrated poet and civil rights activist once said, “Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with more meaning.”
---Attention Grabbing Device—Direct Quote—You must always give credit to an outside source immediately in your text either within the sentence or in a parenthetical citation. (Angelou 2) = last name of author and pg ##

19. Introduction--Background
One’s voice is extremely important to the self. It is important to be able to take a stand and freely express one’s point of view. All people should have the right to voice their feelings and opinions. In Laurie Halse Anderson’s novel Speak, Melinda Sordino has lost her ability to use her voice and speak up due to a traumatic event. The novel takes the reader on a journey through Melinda’s life as she struggles to find her voice. *** Always mention author and novel title in intro

20. Thesis
Through finding solace in an abandoned closet , being in Mr. Freeman’s class, and defeating Andy, Melinda finally found a way to be heard.
This statement is the last sentence of the introduction and the primary focus of the paper.
The main point is in red
The three points (three body paragraphs) are underlined

21. Now, put it all together
Maya Angelou, celebrated poet and civil rights activist once said, “Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with more meaning.” One’s voice is extremely important to the self. It is important to be able to take a stand and freely express one’s point of view. All people should have the right to voice their feelings and opinions. In Laurie Halse Anderson’s novel Speak, Melinda Sordino has lost her ability to use her voice and speak up due to a traumatic event. The novel takes the reader on a journey through Melinda’s life as she struggles to find her voice. Through finding solace in an abandoned closet , being in Mr. Freeman’s class, and defeating Andy, Melinda finally found a way to be heard.

22. Sample Intro
Hook
Are all students so alike that there should only be a “one size fits all” format of education? No, each child is an individual with intellectual strengths and weaknesses that differ from any other person.
Attention grabber is a thought provoking question with a response

23. Background info leading to thesis or Main Point
As for development and growth, every student needs his/her own educational plan that might place him/her in self-contained, remedial, or even advanced classroom settings. Providing the same curriculum, expectations, and standards’ demands in one educational “setting” or classroom is not only hindering the student’s success in education, but it is also “labeling” every student as cognitively identical instead of encouraging academic individuality.

24. Providing a definition for Background Info
Differentiation is a teaching technique that is used to cultivate the educational demands of each student in order to tailor to his/her own academic strong points and limitations.
This definition precedes or comes right before thesis because the main point is about differentiation, which must be defined in introduction so that the reader is fully informed of upcoming explanation.

25. Thesis Statement
In today’s society where a student’s learning abilities are so different from one person’s to the next, a differentiated curriculum is necessary in order to “individualize” each student’s learning process, modify the material to meet all students’ needs, and to ensure academic success for every learner.
Main argument is in green
3 reasons/points are underlined

26. Put It All Together
Are all students so alike that there should only be a “one size fits all” format of education? No, each child is an individual with intellectual strengths and weaknesses that differ from any other person. As for development and growth, every student needs his/her own educational plan that might place him/her in self-contained, remedial, or even advanced classroom settings. Providing the same curriculum, expectations, and standards’ demands in one educational “setting” or classroom is not only hindering the student’s success in education, but it is also “labeling” every student as cognitively identical instead of encouraging academic individuality. Differentiation is a teaching technique that is used to cultivate the educational demands of each student in order to tailor to his/her own academic strong points and

27. Intro Continued
Limitations. In today’s society where a student’s learning abilities are so different from one person’s to the next, a differentiated curriculum is necessary in order to “individualize” each student’s learning process, modify the material to meet all students’ needs, and to ensure academic success for every learner
NONE OF THE SAMPLES PROVIDED TO YOU HAD “IN THIS ESSAY, I WILL DISCUSS” OR “THAT IS WHAT I WILL BE DISCUSSING” OR “THESE WILL BE DISCUSSED IN THIS ESSAY,” ETC. SO DO NOT DO!!!!!

28. Homework
You will go home a draft an intro paragraph that includes the following:
4 line MLA heading written on line 1 of notebook lined paper
Original title that connects to your chosen topic
Indented paragraph that skips lines
Only written in between margins—do not go past red lines on notebook paper
Must have a HOOK that is original, creative, and connects to point
Must include at least 3 background info statements
Must include a well developed 3 PRONG THESIS STATEMENT = MAIN POINT OR CLAIM PLUS 3 REASONS
You will begin working on your graphic organizer tomorrow due Thursday—You can start working on it tonight after drafting your intro

29. Your Turn You will now be given a graphic organizer. For HW, you will
Start looking for 3 quotes, one per body paragraph that ties to your supporting reason to explain, develop, and/or prove your thesis.
You will finish the quotes, citations, and transitions on Wednesday in class or for homework.