What is a Thesis Statement?

What is a thesis statement? A thesis statement:

•         tells the reader your position on the importance of the subject matter.

•         tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper. •         directly answers the question asked of you.

•         usually is a single sentence somewhere in your first

paragraph. However it can be elsewhere!

How do I develop a thesis?

A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading a writing prompt. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as similarities or differences), and think about the significance of these relationships.

How do I know if my thesis is strong? To determine if your thesis is strong, ask yourself these questions:

•         Do I answer the question?

•         Have I taken a position that others might challenge?

 •         Does my thesis do more than just provide a fact?

 •         Is my thesis specific rather than vague or general?

If you answer “yes” to all of the above questions, then you have a strong thesis sentence.

If your answer is “no” to any of the above questions, then you need to revise your thesis sentence.

Revising your thesis is part of the editing process.  

REVISED Week 3 Classwork and Homework

Week 3   English 9 A

Reading Standard 2.8 Evaluate the credibility of an author’s argument or defense of claim by critiquing the relationships between generalizations and evidence, the comprehensiveness of evidence, and the way in which the author’s intent affects the structure and tone of the text.

Writing Standard 2.4 Write persuasive compositions and use specific rhetorical devices to support assertions.  Use the logical appeals!  Appeal to logic through reasoning ( logos), appeal to emotions ( pathos), appeal to ethics ( credibility, character of author).

Aug.  26 Author’s Intent or purpose    

            Do Reading Check and Test Practice pp. 21

            Begin Constructed Response Essay

Select either Oliver Stone’s or Kirk Douglas’s Op-Ed article, and write a 5-paragraph evaluation of the author’s argument. First explain the writer’s purpose, or intent, and the main opinion, or claim, the writer is defending. Then, describe the means of support the author uses (facts, examples, loaded words, anecdotes and so forth). Next describe the tone of the piece. Finally, comment on how successful the author was in convincing you with his argument. Was your heart touched? Your mind? Both?

Use Evidence Organization Chart posted on blog to help organize your essay.

            Essay Structure

I.               Attention Grabber/Hook (anecdote, quote, question, Striking Fact)

a.     Introduction

II.             Writer’s Intent/Purpose – Choose either Oliver Stone or Kirk

III.           Writer’s Opinion or Claim

IV.            Evidence and other Support (Research)

V.              Credibility of Argument

a.     How successful?  Touch heart? How? Touch Mind? How?

b.     Conclusion

Skip Lines if you are printing, Triple-space draft if you are typing (bonus if you type). All final drafts MUST be typed.  Free Printing at LACER in Cafeteria and Library everyday after school. College Center opens at 7:30 am daily.

August 27 All Classes Meet in Library

                        Peer Review of Essays Wednesday.

                   Bring RED Pen to Class tomorrow for Peer Review

August 28    Photo ID Day  begin Peer Review Essay and Revise for Homework

August 29     Peer Review Day 

• Final Draft Essay due at beginning of class Due Tuesday Sept.3, Typed, Stapled, and printed out by beginning of class! 
• Primary and Secondary Sources Read, Highlight, and Annotate pp. 22-24 in purple workbook.
•   Begin Unit 1 Vocabulary Book C Do Unit 1 Definitions and Completing the sentence. Pp. 21-25

 Use Quizlet.com to study words Vocabulary Test Every Friday

Checklist and Rubric for Analyzing and/writing a Persuasive Essay

5 paragraph Essay Checklist and Grading Rubric for

Analyzing and/or Writing A Persuasive Essay or Speech

ACTION	Check off
Student uses correct paragraph form
Student has all major parts of essay including introduction with a thesis, body paragraphs with evidence/support, counterargument, rebuttal and conclusion and call to action. Student defends positions with facts, concrete data, expert opinion, eyewitness information, and quotations.
Evidence from the text is introduced (The author writes… notes, expresses, states….)
Evidence from the text is explained (This shows, proves, illustrates, demonstrates…)
Student does not have sentence fragments
Student uses commas appropriately
Student’s syntax does not cause confusion
Student’s essay is free from contractions
Student does not use first or second person in essay
Student uses subject-verb agreement and pronoun-antecedent agreement correctly
Student correctly identifies rhetorical devices (appeal to logic through reasoning, appeal to emotion or ethical belief, relate a personal anecdote, case study, or analogy).
Student correctly identifies types of argument contained within the text (causality, analogy, authority, emotion, and logic)
Student makes clear connections between the author’s theme/message/assertion and the structure of the text.
Student writes neatly/legibly or types as required

5-Paragraph Persuasive Essay Model

Color Coded 5 Paragraph Essay Model

Five Paragraph Persuasive Essay Structure

  

Catchy Title for Persuasive Essay

Introductory Paragraph (Give thesis statement/assertion with three significant pieces of supporting evidence)

Attention Grabber (Ask a question, tell an anecdote, or find a relevant quotation about the issue).

Thesis Statement-write a clear assertion introducing at least 3 major pieces of evidence that support your thesis.                 RED Pen                                          

Example: For example, the author, Mr.or Ms. X writes, " ..." BLUE Pen                                       

Quote from text or expert with Introduction (Transition Word Underlined)   As evidence        …                                                            Black Pen

Commentary/Explanation: This shows that …This also proves that…             

 This is significant because...                                     GREEN Pen                                                  

Concluding Sentence                                            RED Pen

Body Paragraph 1- Reason 1

Topic Sentence (Supporting Evidence 1)                               RED Pen

Example:  For example, the author, Mr. or Ms. X believes that,"..." BLUE Pen                                       

Quote from text or expert with Introduction (Transition Word Underlined)

Similarly  …                                           SAY     BLACK Pen

Commentary/Explanation: This shows that …This also proves that…           This is significant because...                 Green Pen                                    

                                           Mean and Matter

Concluding Sentence                                           RED Pen

Body Paragraph 2-Reason 2

Topic Sentence (Supporting Evidence 2)                               RED Pen

Example, “For example the author claims, "... "     BLUE Pen                                  

Quote from text or expert with Introduction (Transition Word Underlined ) Furthermore ...                                                                   BLACK Pen

Commentary/Explanation: This shows that …This also proves that…        This is significant because...              Mean and Matter                                               GREEN Pen    

Concluding Sentence                                          RED Pen

Body Paragraph 3-Reason 3

Topic Sentence  (Supporting Evidence 3).            RED Pen                                                

Example, “For example”                                          BLUE Pen

Quote from text or expert with Introduction (Transition Word Underlined) ….                                                                                  BLACK pen

Commentary/Explanation: This shows that …This also proves that…       This is significant because... Mean and Matter        GREEN Pen

Concluding sentence                                           RED Pen

Conclusion (give the audience/your reader something to think about or do regarding your assertion)

Restate/reiterate thesis using different words.                                                            RED Pen

Give Counterargument            “Others May believe that…                                                Blue Pen

Give Rebuttal     However…                                                                                       GREEN Pen

Concluding sentence (Give reader something to think about or do/call to action).     RED Pen

Bibliography  MLA Format References

Alphabetized

SAY Mean Matter

SAY	MEAN	MATTER
What does the text say? What happened? Cite text (quotation) or paraphrase.	What does the author mean? How do I interpret this? Read “between the lines.”	Why does it matter to me or others? Why is this important? What is the significance? What are the implications?

FAT Thesis

The FATt  Thesis Sentence Demystified What’s a FATt? (Also known as a “text reference sentence.”)

The FATt sentence combines the essential reference information for a specific work you want to discuss and includes a brief summary of the focus or main point the author strives to convey.

What does FATt stand for?

F: FOCUS

This is comprised of a brief plot summary and the author’s main point/moral/thesis.

A: AUTHOR’S NAME

Always use the author’s full name the first time you mention him/her. Check spelling carefully. Every subsequent mention of the author should be last name only since you aren’t on a chummy first name basis.

T: TITLE OF THE WORK

Check the mechanics of your title. Books are underlined or italicized—NEVER BOTH, and articles, poems, and essays are put in quotation marks.

t: text type

Clarify for the reader what kind of text it is. For example, you could be referring to an article, editorial, memoir or autobiography, novel, or essay. Be as specific as you can; don’t write book when you mean novel.

Note!

The above elements of a FATt sentence can appear in a variety of orders. We’ll practice working with the order of information so that you don’t get stuck in a writing rut, relying on a stock sentence pattern. After all, sentence variety is one of the spices of life.

Week 2 2013 Syllabus

Week 2   English 9 A

Reading Standard 2.8 Evaluate the credibility of an author’s argument or defense of claim by critiquing the relationships between generalizations and evidence, the comprehensiveness of evidence, and the way in which the author’s intent affects the structure and tone of the text.

Writing Standard 2.4 Write persuasive compositions and use specific rhetorical devices to support assertions.  Use the logical appeals!

Aug.  19   Finish SOApStone PowerPoint

Constructed Response 5-paragraph Essay p. 14 Draft due Wednesday

            Answer questions 1-4 pp.13 and do test practice 13 and 14

            Complete Graphic Organizer on pp. 14 in your teams

            Essay Structure

I.               Attention Grabber/Hook (anecdote, quote, question, Striking Fact)

a.     Introduction

II.             Writer’s Intent

a.     Hebert

b.     Cooke

III.           Writer’s Opinion or Claim

a.     Herbert

b.     Cooke

IV.            Evidence and other Support

V.              Credibility of Argument

a.     Herbert

b.     Cooke

c.      Conclusion

Skip Lines if you are printing, Triple-space if you are typing (bonus if you type). All final drafts MUST be typed.  Free Printing at LACER in Cafeteria and Library everyday after school. College Center opens at 7:30 am daily.

August 20 New Media Academy Orientation Day

                   Vocabulary Quiz Academic Language p 3 and Op-Ed Pieces
 Click here to study Vocabulary: 
Quizlet.com Flash Cards for Collection 1 Academic Vocabulary

                   Constructed Response 5-paragraph Essay p. 14 due tomorrow

                   Bring RED Pen to Class tomorrow for Peer Review

August 21   Peer Review Essay and Revise for Homework

August 22   Essay Due

August 23    Read and Annotate Oliver Stone and Kirk Douglass articles

                                    Where I find My Heroes and Heroes with Solid Feet pp. 15-20

                        Answer Reading Check Questions Pp. 21 on a separate sheet of paper