1. To Kill a Mockingbird Of mice and Men Non fiction articles
Synthesis Essay
To Kill a Mockingbird
Of mice and Men
Non fiction articles

2. Synthesis Essay: Type of Expository Essay
The expository essay is a genre of essay that requires the student to investigate an idea, evaluate evidence, expound on the idea, and set forth an argument concerning that idea in a clear and concise manner. This can be accomplished through comparison and contrast, definition, example, the analysis of cause and effect, etc. (Definition from Purdue Owl)

3. What is a synthesis essay?
To synthesize means to demonstrate understanding of a topic by looking at multiple sources on the subject. This requires the writer to infer relationships among multiple sources (similar to what you did in the beginning of the year when you completed your research PowerPoint). As a writer, you will need to select the best information from each source to include in your paper. This is an important skill as it would be impossible to include every detail from multiple sources.

4. Where should my information come from?
Required Text:
To Kill a Mockingbird
Of Mice and Men
At least three of the following:
Scottsboro Video
“Farmers and The Great Depression”
“Growing Up White in the South”
Literature & Its Times
“Women and The Great Depression”
“The Great Depression, Impact on Families”
Don’t panic!!!

5. Before you begin writing…
Complete pre-writing and decide on your working thesis/claim
Choose quotes (handout)

6. Formal Paper Guidelines
Write in a formal academic voice (avoid slang and contractions)
Use an objective tone (This means you are writing in 3rd person. Do not use I to stand as a pronoun for yourself!)
Use present tense when writing about literature and past tense when writing about the past.
MLA format
In text citations
Works Cited Page
This assignment should be 4-6 pages (no more!)

7. Who is our audience? My teacher Someone who read the books
Someone who is interested in knowing or thinking more about the books and time period
Someone who needs a better understanding of the books and time period
Someone who has not read the books or does not know about the 1930’s.
You

8. Introduction Paragraph
Start with a hook to get your reader’s attention
Introduce the prompt topic and the books including author’s first and last name and the title
Includes the claim (thesis statement)

9. Claim (Thesis Statement)
Needs to be arguable:
To Kill a Mockingbird and Of Mice and Men take place during The Great Depression in the 1930s, and both show differences in treatment of women and African Americans during this time.
Think… What could you argue about the treatment of African Americans and women during the 1930’s? X

10. What to do with your information:
Quote it word for word
Summarize
Paraphrase
Most quotes should come from the novels ( at least 2 each). You can use 1 quote per non-fiction text
A summary is a 2 – 3 sentence overview of the text in your own words.
Ideas are the same, wording is your own. You cannot have more than 2 words in a row the same, if you do, put quotes around the words.

11. Which of the following requires an in-text citation?
Quotes
Summaries
Paraphrases?

12. All of them!
If you are quoting the novels, you need the author and page number.
If you are paraphrasing or summarizing from the novels, make sure it is clear which novel.
All quotes, summaries, and paraphrases from the non-fiction texts require an in-text citation!
Look at the how the citation will appear in the Works Cited. Whatever is listed first (usually the author) will go in parentheses after your information. If there is a page number, use it!

13. Let’s check your introduction…
Does the introduction introduce the 1930’s, the subject of the paper, and Of Mice and Men and To Kill a Mockingbird?
Is the thesis statement clear, specific, and arguable?
Any suggestions?

14. MLA Format for Headings
Section Headings
Writers sometimes use Section Headings to improve a document’s readability. These sections may include individual chapters or other named parts of a book or essay.
MLA recommends that when you divide an essay into sections that you number those sections with a number and a period followed by a space and the section name.
1. Early Writings
2. The London Years
3. Traveling the Continent
4. Final Years
From: The Purdue OWL

15. Overall organization Introduction
Heading 1 (focus on one of your topics)
Heading 2 (focus on your second topic)
Conclusion (talk about both topics together)

16. Organization of body paragraphs within the headings
You can organize by source or by topic
By Source:
Of Mice and Men
To Kill a Mockingbird
Real life examples (non fiction articles)
By topic:
Farmers in the south
Migrant Workers

17. Body Paragraphs Start each body paragraph with a transition sentence
Make sure you have a topic sentence.
Make sure you provide support from the text and incorporate quotations correctly – a quote cannot be a sentence by itself!
Include for all quotes: (Author #)
Make sure you explain all of your quotes and evidence and the connection to your claim is clear
Don’t assume your audience will make the same assumption you want them to make.
End your body paragraph with your warrant / wrap up.

18. Body Paragraphs

19. Transitions…
Transition sentences serve the purpose of connecting your paragraphs and ideas to create flow with your writing.
Traditionally, you are taught that transitions go at the end of your body paragraphs.
However, as you become a more sophisticated writer, you should try putting them at the beginning of your body paragraphs before the topic sentences.

20. Incorporating information from texts…
When do I need to have a citation?
Direct quotations
Summaries
Paraphrases
All of the above

21. Quoting
Quotes can never, never, never, stand alone and be a sentence by itself – never!
Quotes need to be introduced, explained, and cited correctly.
There are three ways to do this:
1. Tagging:
Scout says, “_______________” (Lee 17).
2. Incorporating with the sentence:
The children see Atticus, who is “nearly fifty” and “didn’t do anything” as old and boring (Lee 118).

22. Quoting 3. A complete sentence introduction:
Atticus wants to teach his children the definition of real courage: “It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what” (Lee 149).
You can only do it this way if the introduction and quote are both complete sentences.
Experiment with all three ways and incorporate in your paper.

23. Quoting
It is important that not only you introduce your quote but you also need to explain it.
Don’t assume that your reader will understand and make the assumption you want them to make.
For example: What explanation could you give this quote?
Atticus wants to teach his children the definition of real courage: “It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what” (Lee 149).

24. Long Quotes Quotes of four lines or more have special formatting.
They do not contain quotation marks and instead are in an indented block of text.
Citation goes after punctuation mark – this is different from short quotations!
Example from Purdue Owl: Nelly Dean treats Heathcliff poorly and dehumanizes him throughout her narration: They entirely refused to have it in bed with them, or even in their room, and I had no more sense, so, I put it on the landing of the stairs, hoping it would be gone on the morrow. By chance, or else attracted by hearing his voice, it crept to Mr. Earnshaw's door, and there he found it on quitting his chamber. Inquiries were made as to how it got there; I was obliged to confess, and in recompense for my cowardice and inhumanity was sent out of the house. (Bronte 78)

25. Conclusion Common Core Standard What you should do…
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic). (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W f)
What you should do…
- draw conclusions based on the information presented about your two topics.
- restate your thesis statement
- draw an insightful conclusion on your topic – why does this topic matter?
- New evidence should not be presented in your conclusion.

26. Assignment time table:
Today: work on body of paper
Tomorrow (in classroom): work on additional research, continue writing your paper (BYOD if possible).
Monday: March 9 come to class with rough draft completely finished. We will be back in the lab to complete a peer edit, work on the works cited page, and post drafts to Turnitin.com
Wednesday March 10th – final draft due!

27. Final Steps  Complete the reflection Turn in the following:
Final draft on top
Rubric
Reflection
Rough draft with peer edit checklist
Prewriting

28. Reflection Are you surprised by your grade? Explain why or why not.
Identify one goal that you would give yourself for the next writing assignment. Why is this a good goal for you?