More FAQs and Revising Ideas
I. Thesis Statements
Thesis =
(1) The subject / topic of the paper +
(2) How you feel about it / Your assertion about it / Your point of view about it
Other Information about Thesis Statements:
1.) Your thesis must "cover" your entire paper -- and all of its main ideas -- like an umbrella covers everything underneath it.
2.) Everything in your paper -- especially the main idea of each body paragraph -- must relate to, or connect to, or "support" your thesis statement.
3.) Sometimes, in an early draft, the thesis statement might be found in the conclusion. Writers sometimes need to write a while to find out exactly what they want to say; that is why the thesis might initially end up in the conclusion.
4.) Thesis statements are usually found in the introductory paragraph, and usually at the end of the introduction. However, exceptions to these "rules" are sometimes possible.
Tips for Finding and/or Writing a Thesis Statement:
1.) Look in your early drafts to see if something in the introduction might be the "seed" of a thesis statement.
2.) Look in your early drafts to see if something in the conclusion might be the "seed" of a thesis statement.
3.) Use the "thesis equation" -- see above -- to draft an original thesis statement.
Example:
Thesis =
Reasons for going to college +
I feel that I have picked 4 reasons why most people go to college =
Possible Thesis Statements
* There are four reasons why most people go to college, and each of these reasons also applies to my own situation. (OR)
* There are four reasons why most people, including myself, go to college. (OR)
* There are four reasons why most people go to college; however, not all of these reasons apply to me. (OR)
* There are four reasons why most people go to college; however, some of these reasons are better than others.
4.) Write down -- on a separate sheet of paper -- the main idea or the topic sentence of each paragraph. Then, try to write 1-2 sentences which describe how all the main ideas connect together or what they all "add up to.
Example:
B.P.1 = One reason people go to college is to change their identity.
B.P.2 = Another reason people go to college is to find a major which will lead to the career of their dreams.
B.P.3 = In addition to changing their identity and finding the best career path, some people go to college is to learn things which will help them not only in their careers but also in their lives in general.
B.P.4 = A fourth reason why some people go to college is to make new friends and to socialize.
Possible Thesis Statements
* People go to college for four main reasons.
* People go to college for four main reasons: to change their identity, to find a major which will lead to a good career, to learn new things which will help them in life, and to make new friends and socialize.
* There are four main reasons why [I think] people go to college. However, [I think] some reasons are better than others.
* While I agree that people should go to college to begin the path to a good career and to learn things that will help them throughout life, I don't think people should go to college to change their identities or just to meet new people and socialize.
Thesis Statements / Final Check:
When you have finished drafting and re-drafting several thesis statements, check to be sure that the thesis does "cover" the entire paper, that it "predicts" what the paper will be about, that the paper delivers what the thesis statement "promises."
Also, if you choose to "list" or "forecast" your main ideas in your thesis statement, be sure that your main ideas and body paragraphs "match" the order of ideas in your thesis statement -- and vice versa. If you like the order of your paragraphs, it might be easier to rewrite the thesis statement to match them. But if your thesis statement makes sense the way you wrote it, see if you can reorder the body paragraphs to match it. (However, remember to then go back and change all of your transitions.)
II. Introducing Authors and Providing Citations
When you first mention another writer in your paper, the "convention" in academic writing is to use the author's FULL name (correctly spelled). Thereafter, when you mention the same writer, use the LAST name only. NEVER refer to another writer by first name only.
If you are "quoting" another writer's words/ideas, you MUST use quotation marks " " and you MUST quote carefully and accurately. In addition, you MUST include the page number where the quote can be found in parentheses, for example (56).
If you are putting another writer's ideas into your own words, you must still use the writer's name to introduce the idea; however, giving the page number where the idea can be found is optional.
III. Transitions
Check LSH _____ for information about transitions.
Click here for another list of transitions.
Strive for variety as much as possible in transitions.
Trying to work in a transition to the next paragraph at the end of a preceding paragraph is difficult for me, but if it works for you, or if you can find a way to do it, great.
Instead, I often begin a paragraph by referring back to the previous paragraph before going on to introduce my next main idea.
Questions?