Thesis Statements
What is another way of describing a "thesis statement" (2 words)?
An arguable claim or main assertion
How do you show a new paragraph when writing? (2 parts)
Start on a new line and indent.
The first step when reading a prompt is to...
Dissect the prompt - determine what to do and how to do it.
True or False: Because you don't have a lot of time, it's okay to skip brainstorming for your essay.
FALSE! Taking time to brainstorm will help you come up with good ideas that will be easier to write about. If you skip brainstorming, your essay will NEVER be as good as if you had taken time to plan.
True or False: A thesis statement should be one sentence.
True. A thesis must be clearly respond to the prompt and state an assertion in one sentence.
Where should the thesis statement be located in an essay?
Thesis statement should be the last sentence of the introduction paragraph.
How many examples/quotes should you have for each reason in your essay?
1 example or quote for each reason that proves your thesis statement.
Name one way to brainstorm ideas for an essay.
-Idea Web
What information comes before the thesis statement?
Background information, definitions, key ideas related to the topic, thesis, or main argument.
What are examples of potential evidence used in your body paragraph?
What is the purpose of the conclusion paragraph?
To restate the thesis, remind the reader of reasons, address counterclaims, extend.
True or False: Outlines for essays need to have complete sentences.
FALSE- an "outline" is just a "skeleton" of an essay. The more planning and organizing you do before writing a 1st draft, the better.
What kind of punctuation should be at the end of a thesis statement?
A period. Thesis STATEMENT, not QUESTION!
How long should your introduction/conclusion be in your essay?
A full paragraph (5 sentences)
Fill in the blank: "_______ are used to prove the thesis statement"
Reasons
Name two things you can do to REVISE your essay. ("Revision" is about making the essay ideas clearer)
-Use an annotation guide to make sure you have included each section/part
-read it aloud to listen for reasoning
-Look for overused words and phrases
-evaluate your counterclaim
-check thesis for clarity
What would be a good thesis statement for the following prompt:
WRITE an essay explaining whether it is important to have a close friend.
-It is important to have a close friend.
OR
-It is NOT important to have a close friend.
One way to begin a counterclaim is...
While some may argue...
Others may say that...
Name the types of information you can include in context.
The Ws: who (author), what (topic), where (document), when (date), why (purpose or point of view)
Name 4 things you can do to EDIT your essay. ("Editing" is about improving the correctness of your essay)
-Check spelling
- Check punctuation (?."!;:)
-Check capitalization (Denver vs. denver)
- check for run-on sentences (grammar)