Thesis Statement
True or false? A thesis statement should be one sentence long and typically is the last sentence of an introduction paragraph.
TRUE! For the final, you DO NOT need an introduction paragraph. Instead, you will start with your thesis statement.
True or false? It is okay to start a sentence with a quote (see below). Explain.
"Nobody had to take the trouble of learning anything because the machine... provided any information to anyone" (Bradbury). In the story, the machine does all of the work for humans which results in a decrease of their own individual knowledge.
FALSE! Never start a sentence with a quote. Always introduce in your own words.
In order to earn a 4 on the rubric, you must cite from _____ sources out of the 7.
FOUR!
A thesis statement must be _________. The thesis statement can be holistic or _______ your claims using the three-pronged method.
A thesis statement must be arguable. The thesis statement can be holistic or preview your claims using the three-pronged method.
There are three ways to introduce a quote (lead-off, weave-in, and colon). Which punctuation is normally used when using the "lead-off method"?
A comma!
Example:
A person asked the machine, "What does hybrid mean?"
True or False? It is okay to start your commentary with "this quote shows." Explain your answer.
FALSE. NEVER START COMMENTARY WITH "THIS QUOTE SHOWS." Instead, say what "this" is. Are you talking about an event? A character's actions? SAY THAT!
Example:
DO: The teen suicide rates reveal that there is a correlation between mental health and social media usage.
DON'T: This quote shows that teen suicide is on the rise.
Is the following thesis statement adequate? Is it arguable? Does it use the holistic or three-pronged method?
While there are drawbacks to technology usage, humans greatly benefit from technology in a variety of ways.
Yes, it is arguable & takes a clear stance related to the prompt. The person uses the holistic method. This thesis does not preview the three claims but instead makes an overall argument.
There are three methods to introducing a quote (lead-off, weave-in, and colon). Using the colon method, how would you introduce this quote?
"Nobody had to take the trouble of learning anything because the machine... provided any information to anyone."
The machine replaced education: "Nobody had to take the trouble of learning anything because the machine... provided any information to anyone."
The day of the exam you DO need to add which of the following (since it is not on your prepared outline)?
-Claims
-Context
-Evidence
-Commentary
Context & commentary. You will have your thesis, claims, and evidence prepared on your outline.
Is the following thesis statement adequate? Is it arguable? Does it use the holistic or three-pronged method?
In modern society, people are completely dependent on technology and its overuse will ultimately result in decreased social interaction, learning struggles, and overall unhappiness.
Yes, it is arguable and take a clear stance that relates to the prompt. It also uses the three-pronged method by previewing their three claims. One paragraph will be about decreased social interaction, one will be about learning struggles, and another will be about the unhappiness associated with a dependence on technology.
A student wants to quote from the paragraph below about social media and teen suicide. Which method (lead-off, weave-in, or colon) would be the most beneficial? Why?
In 2009, 58% of 12th grade girls used social media every day or nearly every day; by 2015, 87% used social media every day or nearly every day. They were 14% more likely to be depressed than those who used social media less frequently.
Weave-in. The student could use their own words to break up the statistics instead of quoting it all together as that is a bit awkward.
Why are personal pronouns (I, we, you, us, etc.) never allowed when writing about texts?
You are writing using an academic tone and not a personal narrative. Therefore, you do not need to use these words as it does not fit the tone/purpose of the assignment.
A student is struggling with writing a thesis statement for the exam. They have no idea where to begin. What advice would you give them?
Answers will vary.
A student cannot decide which method (lead-off, weave-in, colon) to use in order to introduce a quote from a poem. What advice would you give them?
Answers will vary
A student writes a claim for the essay and knows there must be two pieces of evidence in the body paragraph to support her claim. She is a bit stuck on what to do next. What are her next steps? Explain.
She will have to ask herself which of the seven sources best fits her claim? After she narrows that down, she will then need to go back and reread those two sources to find the best pieces of evidence to use.