Welcome to Seminar 3!Welcome to Seminar 3!We’ll begin on time. We’ll begin on time.

Meanwhile, enjoy chatting.Meanwhile, enjoy chatting.

Where your dreams are concerned, be careful Where your dreams are concerned, be careful not to sell yourself short. Dream a large dream - not to sell yourself short. Dream a large dream -

and then spend the rest of your life making it and then spend the rest of your life making it come true.come true.

Rick WarrenRick Warren

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It’s SHOWTIME !!!!!!!!!!!

Welcome to Seminar #3

How is everyone today?

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Unit 3 Work

1)One Discussion Question

The message board is a large percentage of your grade. To increase your grade, post responses to other students’ postings.

2) Project: Thesis & Key Points (due midnight Tuesday)

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The Project Must Include

A three point thesis statementA topic sentence for each point listed

in the thesis – in the same order as listed in the thesis.

Identify one or two modes of writing that you might use in developing paragraphs to go with the topic sentences.

Explain why those particular modes.

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The Project Example

EXAMPLE

  Thesis: No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has many components such as parent involvement, test

scores and bring students up to grade level.

Topic sentence #1- Parent involvement is one component of NCLB.

Topic sentence #2: Test scores is another component of NCLB.

Topic sentence #3: Bringing students up to grade level is another component of NCLB.

For now, the body paragraphs seem to follow process-analysis mode, so I may use this mode throughout the essay. The body paragraphs also need definitions of things like plagiarism, documentation of sources, paraphrasing, and quoting. I also see a lot of cause and effect in my overall approach to this topic; the sentences say knowledge can cause avoidance of plagiarism

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• Double-space the entire project, including the heading.

• Use only 12 point font, not bold.• Be sure to include a heading with

your name as shown in the sample.

• Number and label each part of the project, as shown in the sample.

• Information such as margins, double-spacing, etc. can be found in doc sharing in Using Microsoft Word or Word 2007.

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Late Work & Seminars

If you post after midnight Tuesday, late discussions are not accepted for credit as they do not serve to further the conversation

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Quick Review: Quick Review: What is a thesis What is a thesis

statement?statement?

Welcome to the CONVERSATIONHow to construct the THESIS STATEMENT for an informative essay

Why do you have to learn how to write a thesis?

. In college, you are entering into a conversation.

No matter what you are majoring in, you will join an academic conversation. Math is having a conversation. History is having a

conversation, even accounting is having a conversation…I don’t personally know what those accountants are talking about, but I do know they are talking about something.

So what does this CONVERSATION have to do with the THESIS?

Most of these academic conversations are written in the form of a ESSAY.

This is why COLLEGE COMPOSITION is the only class that EVERY student must take to complete a Bachelor’s Degree.

This is the class that shows newcomers what the academic conversation looks like and how to formulate writing to add to this conversation.

The essay is the primary way these conversations take place. During this class, we will cover the various part of an essay.

The most important part of the essay is the THESIS STATEMENT.

Why is the THESIS so important?

Without a THESIS STATEMENT, there is no essay. In other words, without a THESIS, you, the writer will not

be heard in the academic conversation.

The THESIS STATEMENT is the place where you, the writer, states your exploration of the topic at hand and three key areas of your investigation

What does the THESIS STATEMENT for an informative essay consist of?

The THESIS STATEMENT consists of THREE PARTS: TOPIC

What topic are you talking about? Key points

What are three parts of this topic that you want to discuss?

How can these THESIS parts be put together?

The THESIS PARTS (topic, opinion and reasons) can be put together in TWO EASY STEPS: The first step in writing a THESIS STATEMENT is to let the

reader know what TOPIC you are going to talk about…. The second step in writing a THESIS STATEMENT is to let

the reader your KEY POINTS of the topic that you want to explore with regard to this TOPIC. For some reason, in academia, the magic number is

three…thus, traditionally, a thesis contains THREE KEY POINTS.

Topic + Key point #1 + Key point #2 + Key point #3 = THESIS

Using this formula, let’s say the TOPIC was The novel Tale of Two Cities and your key points are the characters, the theme and the setting

Some items to note about the THESIS

The THESIS is ONE SENTENCE

The THESIS is NOT A QUESTION

The THESIS is the LAST SENTENCE in the INTRODUCTION PARAGRAPH

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What is a topic What is a topic

sentence? sentence?

Continuing the CONVERSATIONHow to construct the TOPIC SENTENCE

Why do you have to learn how to write a topic sentence?

. In the last powerpoint, you learned a way to write a thesis statement…which is the beginning to an academic conversation

Topic sentences are how you keep the conversation going, because these provide organization.

As an academic writer, you want to create a voice of authority…being organized is one step towards achieving this.

Why is the TOPIC SENTENCES so important?

Without a Topic sentence, there is no organization.

The TOPIC SENTENCE is the place break your THESIS STATEMENT into PARTS in order to prove your thesis to be true.

What does the TOPIC SENTENCE consists of?

The THESIS SENTENCE consists of Two PARTS: TOPIC (from thesis)

What topic are you talking about? ONE Key point (from your thesis)

What was one of the key points that you stated in your thesis?

How can these TOPIC SENTENCE parts be put together?

The THESIS PARTS (topic, opinion and ONE reason) can be put together in THREE EASY STEPS: The first step in writing a TOPIC SENTENCE is to restate

the TOPIC that you used from the THESIS STATEMENT The second step in writing a TOPIC SENTENCE is to

restate the ONE of the Key points for your thesis For some reason, in academia, the magic number is

three…thus, traditionally, thus, you will usually in a research ESSAY have 3 TOPIC SENTENCES.

Remember the Thesis Formula ???Topic + Opinion + Reason #1 +Reason #2 + Reason #3 = THESIS

Introducing the TOPIC SENTENCE FORMULA- Topic + Key Point = TOPIC SENTENCE

Using this formula, let’s say THESIS was No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has many components such as parent involvement, test scores and bring students up to grade level. The topic sentence for the first body paragraph would be…

Using this formula, let’s say THESIS was “No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has many components such as parent involvement, test scores and bring students up to grade level.” The topic sentence for the SECOND body paragraph would be…

Using this formula, let’s say THESIS was No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has many components such as parent involvement, test scores and bring students up to grade level.” The topic sentence for the THIRD body paragraph would be…

Some items to note about the TOPIC SENTENCES

Topic sentences are the first sentence in every body paragraph

Topic sentences come straight from the thesis statement If it isn’t in the thesis statement, it shouldn’t be in

the topic sentence Topic sentences are one sentence. Topic sentences are never a question Topic Sentences are not quotations or paraphrases.

Thus, topic sentence should never have in text citation after them as well.

Yes, this formula may leave our writing (for now) a bit repetitive.

However, I suggest you use this formula until you feel comfortable writing topic sentences.

When you feel comfortable writing topic sentences, then I suggest start using synonyms and rewording the TOPIC and Key Reasons.

Heed this advice, because TOPIC SENTENCES is the place where students make the most mistakes, because of the desire to want add more. DON’T ADD MORE!!

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Unpacking the Thesis

• Once you arrive at your destination, you have to unpack. That is what you will do, also. Now that you have your three main ideas “packed” into your thesis, it’s time to unpack them.

• Each item you take out of your suitcase gets hung up. Each main idea you take out of your thesis gets made into a topic sentence.

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Unpacking the Thesis to Make Topic Sentences

• Thesis: Based upon the crime scene evidence, witness statements, and police officer reports, a grand jury will decide whether the shooting was justified or if officers should defend their actions before a jury.– 1) Crime scene evidence will be an important

component in helping the grand jury decide if the shooting was justified.

– 2) Another important factor in the grand jury’s decision will be the statements of witnesses.

– 3) The grand jury will also consider the reports from the officers involved in the shooting and from others who were involved in the case.

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How are the thesis and topic sentences related?

If you are writing a traditional academic essay, like the informative essay, you will write as a final project in this class, then your topic sentences should all tie into your thesis statement.

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Where does the thesis belong?

Your thesis statement belongs after your introduction and is usually found as the last sentence of the introduction. Ideally, the thesis should be not only the end of the introduction, but also the transition into the overall theme of the essay.

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What are the modes of writing?

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Modes of Writing

Narration is telling a short, nonfiction story, usually about your personal experiences or the experiences of someone whom you know or have read about.

Readers like stories because stories help to make your ideas easier to understand.

Be sure the story supports your ideas. Do not let your stories overwhelm your

essay.

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Modes (slide 2)

Description – Painting word pictures helps your readers to see, hear, smell, taste, and feel what you are describing. It makes your writing more vivid and interesting, as well as adding length to your essay. [LOL]

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More Modes (slide 3)

Compare and contrast Compare means to find the ways in which two

things, people, or ideas are the same. Contrast means to find the ways that they are

different. In order to do either, you must have things,

people, or ideas that can be compared in some ways.

Also, one of the things being compared must be familiar to the reader.

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Comparing & Contrasting

Comparing and contrasting can be objective (informative) or persuasive.

Objective (informative): Opponents of gay marriage say that it differs

from heterosexual marriage because of traditions, nature, and religion.

Two forms of marriage are being compared. Objective review of others’ opinions – what

“opponents” say, not what the writer says. Does not give writer’s opinions

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How to Write a Comparison There are two ways to write a comparison,

but for either way, you must select the categories that you will use to compare the two things.

Example: Living in New York vs. Living in Florida

Categories: 1) weather, 2) cultural activities, 3) housing

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Ways to Compare: Divided Comparison I. Living in New York

A. Weather B. Cultural Activities C. Housing

II. Living in Florida A. Weather B. Cultural Activities C. Housing

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Ways to Compare: Alternating Pattern (easier for reader) I. Weather

A. New York B. Florida

II. Cultural Activities A. New York B. Florida

III. Housing A. New York B. Florida

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Modes (slide 4)

Definition – You can’t assume that the reader understands all

of your terms, particularly if your topic contains words not used in ordinary conversation.

Definitions can be short or they can be extended. In fact, you could spend an entire essay just defining a term.

For example, if you wanted to define “global warming” in detail, you could spend pages explaining exactly what the term means.

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Definition (continued)

Definition can include dictionary definitions, quotes from experts in the field, word derivation, information from encyclopedias and journals, etc.

This can also include both denotative definitions (dictionary or literal meaning) and connotative definitions (associated feelings and meanings, can be favorable or unfavorable)

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A la Mode (slide 5)

Process analysis – This means explaining how something is

done or made. Understanding the steps involved can help the reader understand your concepts.

This also includes explaining how something works or giving directions.

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Process Analysis(continued) Analyzes the process behind doing

something and breaks it down step by step. Can be more difficult than it sounds, particularly

when giving directions because anything you fail to explain will cause the reader to become lost.

Have any of you ever tried to put together something following incomplete directions? I have put together book cases with directions that seemed to have been translated from Chinese since they made no sense in English.

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Modes (slide 6)

Cause and Effect – This involves explaining what “caused”

the problem involved with your topic and/or what the results or “effects” of the problem are.

This type of writing requires clear, logical thinking and strong evidence.

Evidence must be provided for each cause or effect.

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One Last Mode (slide 7)

Classification – If your topic is complex, break it into its

parts. It may be easier for your readers to

understand the parts than the complex whole, but be sure to also explain the relationships between the parts themselves and their relationship to the whole.

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How to Use the Modes

If your thesis was “Experts in the field of memory recommend eating chocolate on a daily basis,” here are ways you could use modes. What causes memory loss? Describe what it is in chocolate that helps with

memory retention. Analyze how the process works. Give examples & descriptions. Compare to other food products.