Review and clarification

Thesis Quiz: Find the Better Thesis Statement

Which of the following pairs of thesis statements would be better for a research paper? Think about it. Choose statements that avoid being neutral, offer a point of view (a position of some sort), and express that view specifically within the statement.

A.) In the last two decades, many new diseases such as AIDS, West Nile Virus, and SARS have appeared on the scene.

B.) Newly discovered diseases such as AIDS, West Nile Virus, and SARS are a serious threat to the health of millions of people the world over.

The Writing Process and Peer Revision

2

A.) The fast food industry has taken much of the

blame for America’s health problems, but recent

research suggests the problem is far more

complex.

B.) Because health concerns have become a

widespread problem in America, many people have

begun to avoid fast food and to eat healthier

foods.

3

A.) Unlike many other

professional

sports, baseball provides

no way of keeping small

market teams competitive

with teams from larger

cities.

B.) Unable to keep up with

competition from other

sports, Major League

Baseball has become an

outdated institution in

need of serious reform.

4

A.) The USA PATRIOT Act, however well intentioned, deals a serious blow to the civil liberties of all Americans.

B.) The USA PATRIOT Act gives the government access to voice mail and electronic surveillance, not to mention other means of investigating suspected terrorists.

What makes an effective thesis?

One idea or topic

Opinion or idea about the topic

Prewriting

- Thoughts, ideas, research

- Outline format

- Block

- Alternating

Creating the essay:

Introduction Paragraph

Thesis Statement

Subtopic Statement

Hook

Body Paragraphs – based on outline format choice

Conclusion – restating thesis

Reading aloud

Proofing –

Grammar mistakes

Word choice

Transitional Words, phrases, sentences

logical organizational pattern

Peer Feedback

Works Cited items are listed alphabetically at the end of the

research paper and should be double-spaced. Parenthetical

references are items referred to in the body of the paper.

Scholarly Journal Article, Print (One Author)

Works Cited:

Myerson, Joel. "A Calendar of Transcendental Club Meetings." American Literature 44

(1972): 197-207. Print.

Parenthetical:

(Myerson 199)

Scholarly Journal Article, Print (Two Authors)

Works Cited:

Brown, Cecelia M., and Lina Ortega. "Information-seeking Behavior of Physical Science

Librarians: Research and Practice." College & Research Libraries 66 (2005): 231-247. Print.

Parenthetical:

(Brown and Ortega 237)

Works Cited:

Cook Mariana. "Cousin Kay." Victoria Nov. 2001: 27-28. Print.

Parenthetical:

(Cook 28)

Works Cited:

Johnston, David Cay. "Got Game? Got Old Game?" New York

Times 11 July 2003, late ed. Print.

Parenthetical:

(Johnston F1)

Works Cited:

"Magna Carta." The New Encyclopedia Britannica. 15th ed. 1998.

Print.

Parenthetical:

("Magna Carta" 521)

Works Cited:

Johnson, Charles Richard. Middle Passage. New York:

Atheneum, 1990. Print.

Parenthetical:

(Johnson 176)

Leakey, Mary D. and Louis S. B. Leakey. Some String Figures from

North East Angola. Lisboa: Museu do Dundo, 1949. Print.

Parenthetical:

(Leakey and Leakey 92)

Electronic Book

Works Cited:

Hartog, Hendrick. Man and Wife in America: A History. 2002.

Web. 27 August 2007.

Parenthetical:

(Hartog)

Item from a Library Database

Clark, Zsuzsanna. "From Saturday-Night Poetry to Big Brother." New

Statesman 132 (21 July 2003): 32. Academic Search Complete. Web. 15

Sept. 2010.

Parenthetical:

(Clark)

Scholarly Electronic Journal Article

Works Cited:

Scott, Jonathan. "Advanced, Repressed, and Popular:

Langston Hughes During the Cold War." College Literature

33, no. 2 (Spring 2006): 30-51. Web. 15 Sept. 2010.

Parenthetical:

(Scott)

http://www.easybib.com/

This is a free source but you still need to know

what information you need for citing and

check for accuracy

• Quiz

• Peer Review

• Complete Revision and Draft 2

• Including citing sources

September 22 Introduce Essay 3 Analysis

The Writing Process:

Thesis Statement

Prewriting

Critical Reading and Thinking

Drafting

Focus: Word Choice

Due: Draft 2 - Essay 2

Compare/Contrast for grading

Study: 448-454

Study: 849 - 860