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-and

Thesis Statements

Center for Teaching and Learning

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e erm ne your op c…

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ourna s

Writing from a prompt 

 

Become a more proficient writer through practice

Dialogue Journals

Response Journals

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ra ns orm ng

Words, words, words…

Words, words, words…

Words, words, words… Words, words, words…

Words, words, words…

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s ng

Brainstorming and listing go hand in hand.

Subtopics can start a new list.

Helps generate subtopics.

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e ng

Supporting Details

TopicSub-topics

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To icapp ng

Connections

Sub-topics

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ow ar s

Flow Line

Steps Decision making or question

Other Pre-writing Organizers

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reewr ngThe bar was dark and smoky. Cool air whirred from the air-conditioner. All of the customers weremen and no one talked except for an occasional request to the barmaid for a drink. An old manplayed pool. The barmaid had a beehive hairdo, long fingernails and a rouged face. Dark eyelashes

rimmed her eyes. A smell wafted through the bar whenever anyone opened one of the bathroomdoors. Each door was marked with a sign, "KINGS" and "QUEENS." Other signs dotted the bar, NOBEER SOLD TO MINORS by the cash register. Some had naughty connotations like a nut chasing ascrew. That one took me awhile to fi ure out. Dad sat at the bar and I climbed into a stool next to him. From there I could see everything. I liked the old telephone booth. It had a door and a place tosit. When you close the door, a little light comes on above the telephone. When I entered that phonebooth, the world seemed to stand still. I could imagine many things sitting there, staring at the blacktelephone. Of course I had to leave whenever anyone wanted to use it. The ceiling had many lamps

a ung rom go c a ns. ome rem n e me o e merry-go-roun a e a r. o s o r g g sand a few even rotates. The ceiling has so many it reminded me of a checkerboard. The juke boxplayed country music and men over by the window talked. I couldn't hear what they were sayingbecause of the noise of the air conditioner but their hands moved vividly. I liked watching people playpool because of those colored balls. Sometimes those balls strike each other with a loud crack and

the colors spin throughout the table. Dad buys me a Pepsi and he orders a Falstaff from thebarmaid. Other men sitting at the bar seem to be staring so hard at the paneled wall behind the barlike they're trying to solve some puzzle. Dad doesn't talk either, he seems to be thinking aboutsomething in his head. Cigarettes sit in their ashtrys, smoke rising to the ceiling, once in awhile

.

Helping Writers Block

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u n o rac ce…

Mapping

Webbing

Flow ChartsFreewriting

Brainstormin

Journal Entry

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Thesis StatementsSponsored by:

 Learning

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a s a es s s a emen

It is the central message of the essay

’ ’ 

It prepares the readers

States the essay’s topic

States the essay’s purpose

 

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A good thesis statement

nc u es:

Subject that two people would disagree

Corresponds clearly with the assignment

Ex resses one main idea 

Assert your conclusions about the subject

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ep

What do you notice?

What do you notice?

What do you notice?

What do you notice? What do you notice?

What do you notice?

What do you notice?

What do you notice?

What do you notice?

What do you notice?

What do you notice?

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ep

Circle these in your pre-writing activity.

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ep

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av ng rou e

Q: “What are the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade

class?”

A: “The potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class are

. . . .”OR A: “Using computers in a fourth-grade class promises to improve . . . “

  statement for the essay.

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A strong thesis takes some sort of stand.

 

the Banana Herb Tea Supplement.

Vs.

Because Banana Herb Tea Supplement promotesrapid weight loss that results in the loss of

muscle and lean body mass, it poses a potentialdanger to customers.

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A strong thesis justifies discussion.

.

Vs.

While most American families would viewextende family has a burden, African

American families, like my own, rely onextended family for support.

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A strong thesis expresses one main idea.

 

of the Internet, and web pages can provide bothadvertising and customer support.

Vs.

Because the Internet is filled with tremendousmarketin otential, com anies should ex loit

this potential by using web pages that offer bothadvertising and customer support.

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A strong thesis statement is specific.

.

Vs.

Hunger persists in Appalachia because jobsare scarce and farming in the infertile soil

is rarely profitable.

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an ou s

.

Websites that will be useful in the future.

Center for Teaching and Learning contact me:

206-6503 or ctlwrite uis.edu