WRITING INTRODUCTIONS, CONCLUSIONS AND THESIS STATEMENTS Changing the Terror…

…INTO SOMETHING TERRIFIC

THE INTRODUCTION  Your introductory paragraph should do the following: Be a minimum of 4-6 sentences Tell the audience what to expect from your discussion (thesis) Move from general to specific, with the thesis as the last sentence in the intro Get the reader’s attention Set the tone for the rest of the essay

STRATEGIES FOR WRITING INTRODUCTIONS Providing background information Telling a personal anecdote Beginning with a quotation Asking a question

THE CONCLUSION  The concluding paragraph should Contain a minimum of 4 sentences Refer back to the main point, but not simply repeat the thesis Make an observation on what is written NOT introduce any new ideas Create a sense of closure

WHAT IS A THESIS STATEMENT  It is a one- or two- sentence statement that explicitly outlines the purpose or point of your paper.  It is generally a complex, compound sentence

WHERE DOES IT GO?  A thesis is normally placed at or near the end of the introductory paragraph.

CHARACTERISTICS  The thesis sentence must contain an arguable point.  A thesis sentence must not simply make an observation -- for example, "Writer X seems in his novel Y to be obsessed with lipstick."  Rather, it must assert a point that is arguable:  “Writer X uses lipstick to point to his novel's larger theme: the masking and unmasking of the self."

MORE  The thesis sentence must control the entire argument.  Your thesis sentence determines what you are required to say in a paper.  It also determines what you cannot say.  Every paragraph in your paper exists in order to support your thesis.  Accordingly, if one of your paragraphs seems irrelevant to your thesis you have two choices: get rid of the paragraph, or rewrite your thesis.

A THESIS STATEMENT IS A TEMPLATE  The thesis sentence should provide a structure for your argument.  A good thesis not only signals to the reader what your argument is, but how your argument will be presented.  In other words, your thesis sentence should either directly or indirectly suggest the structure of your argument to your reader.  Say, for example, that you are going to argue that "Writer X explores the masking and unmasking of the self in three curious ways: A, B, and C.”  In this case, the reader understands that you are going to have three important points to cover, and that these points will appear in a certain order.

TAKE A STAND  it takes a side on a topic rather than simply announcing that the paper is about a topic (the title should have already told your reader your topic). Don't tell readers about something; tell them what about something. Answer the questions "how?" or "why?”  it is sufficiently narrow and specific that your supporting points are necessary and sufficient, not arbitrary; paper length and number of supporting points are good guides here.

AN EQUATION  thesis statements are basically made up of your topic and a specific assertion about that topic, therefore,  THESIS = TOPIC + SPECIFIC ASSERTION

WHAT IS NOT A THESIS STATEMENT  A thesis is never a question: “Have you ever thought about the Alamo?”  A thesis is not an announcement of purpose: This paper is about How Global Warming Is Affecting the Planet.  A Thesis is not a Laundry List: “California has many problems such as air pollution in Los Angeles, traffic on I-5, earthquakes in San Francisco, high cost of living in San Jose and the government has a lot of debt.”  It is not a topic.  A thesis is not a fact!

WHAT DOES A STRONG THESIS LOOK LIKE?  Surprises readers with new information  Challenges the reader  Changes your reader’s perspective  See a theme going?

THREE RULES 1) Answers the question. Be specific. 2) Takes a position. The reader should be able to agree or disagree with your position. 3) Mentions the topics for your supporting paragraphs. Tell how your paper is going to be organized.

MORE IDEAS FOR A GOOD THESIS  Don’t use first or second person – I, you, we  Don’t use qualifiers that make you sound uncertain such as might, maybe, perhaps, etc.  Don’t use absolute qualifiers that mean everything, all, none, always, never. These are too hard to prove!  Don’t use “to be” verbs – am, are, is, was, were, be, being, been. They aren’t descriptive enough.  Do use relative qualifiers which show real-world variation such as often, primarily, frequently, too often, regularly, some, many, most. These are much easier to prove!

Question: How are deserts of the world the same and different? Thesis 1: I am going to tell you about the deserts of the world. Thesis 2: Deserts of the world, including ones in North and South America, Antarctica, Africa, Australia, and Asia are the same and different. Thesis 3: Although the deserts of the world have many similarities, they are vastly different in terms of temperature, vegetation, and size.

Question: Why did the North and South fight the Civil War? Thesis 1: The North and South fought the Civil War for many reasons, some of which were the same and some different. Thesis 2: While both Northerners and Southerners believed they fought against tyranny and oppression, Northerners focused on the oppression of slaves while Southerners defended their own right to self- government.

BEFORE AND AFTER STATEMENTS  Jot down a before and after statement about the subject of health care in America.  I thought about health care this way ________  Now I think about health care this way ________.

A THESIS WITH TENSION  Moving your reader from the familiar to the unfamiliar  “Surprising reversal” – contrast your surprising answer to a question with your targeted audience’s common answer.  Many believe X (commonly held view), but lately there has been discussion about how we can examine this. I will show Y (this new and surprising view)

GIVE YOUR READER THE “SO WHAT?”

GOOD OR BAD?  What causes violence in children?

GOOD OR BAD?  Advertising has bad effects on all of society.

GOOD OR BAD?  Toy ads on television teach children to be greedy, competitive, and snobbish.

GOOD OR BAD? I would like to discuss how teachers and students can develop better relationships.

GOOD OR BAD?  Honesty and trust play an important role in successful teacher-student relationships.

EXERCISE Question: How did Christopher Columbus’ trip to the Americas change the world? Thesis: The life of Christopher Columbus had a lasting impact on the world. Does the thesis: 1)Answer the question? 2)Take a position? 3)Give topics for supporting paragraphs?

 The End