English 1301 6th weekSECTION 15/16

What is the most difficult thing about writing a thesis statement?

When to quote, summarize, paraphrase (see STM Ch.13)

When do we quote? You need to consider whether the exact wording is significant for your

analysis. i.e particular diction or metaphor. You also do not want to quote an anecdote since it becomes way too length.

When do we paraphrase? You need to consider whether it is an idea/a manner of presentation you

need to emphasize. i.e. for instance, you cannot quote the structure of an article nor can you quote satire (unless there is an appropriate line). In these cases, you paraphrase rather than quote.

When do we summarize? For this course, English 1301, you use summary to make your point clear. It

usually works if you provide a summary as contextual information for your audience to understand in what context an author uses a rhetorical choice you are about to discuss.

How to quote and etc. How to treat quotes within a quote?

You need to change original quotation marks from “” to ‘’. When you paraphrase or quote, you always need to CITE.

You need to provide in-text citation at the end of the sentence in which you quote/paraphrase. i.e. (Diamond 556)

You don’t have to put the last name of an author if you mention his/her name in the sentence. i.e. (556)

Use accurate verbs and synonyms. Does he depict? suggest? state?...don’t always rely on “write”

or “tell”

How to find rhetorical choices and their significances

When you find a rhetorical choice in an article you need to ask why authors uses such a rhetorical choice.

Imagine if it is NOT there; what kind of difference does it make? After imagining the absence of a rhetorical device, you should

be able to recognize its effect. How does it work? What kind of effect does it produce (especially to the reader)?

Remember, a rhetorical choice is always intentional. It is deployed to produce a particular effect on the reader’s interpretation.

What does it mean by “how it works”?

Your job is not to explain what a quote means. For instance, when you quote statistic, you’re not

going to explain what the statistic depicts; rather, how having the statistic influences on the audience and allows the author to achieve the purpose.

Your focus needs to be on the function of a rhetorical choice.

How reference to authority works here?

The components of an introduction

Introduce the article and the author.Contextual information of the article.

Where it is published.What the article is about.Who the author is.Purpose and audience.

A thesis statement.

The components of a body paragraph

A topic sentence (a sentence briefly explains what the paragraph is about)

AnalysisBring in evidenceYour discussion of the evidence

How a rhetorical choice contributes for the author to achieve the purpose.

How a rhetorical choice works for the audience.A conclusive sentence (your conclusion of the

paragraph)

Rhetorical choicesMetaphorSimileRhetorical QuestionAppeal to nostalgia

Template for a thesis statement of rhetorical analysis[Author] uses [rhetorical choice1],

[rhetorical choice2], and [rhetorical choices3] to persuade [audience] to [purpose].

Audience may require some creativity here since you want it simple. If necessary, you need to just put “the audience.” The point here is to make it as terse as possible.

Group workCome up with a thesis statement for

Birkerts’s article.

Assignment for next week 1BA4 (due 3/1) Objective: To develop new strategies for writing a thesis

statement. Purpose: One key to writing a successful essay is to develop

a focused thesis statement. This assignment will enable you to do so.

Assignment for next week (BA4 cont.)

Description: For your draft 1.1, you will write a rhetorical analysis. See the description of Draft 1.1 for a discussion of what a rhetorical analysis is and what you will be expected to do.

In this assignment, you will continue your preparation for writing your rhetorical analysis by writing thesis statements suitable for it.

Using three texts (Budiansky, Jaschik, Rosenberg) 1) identify the audience and purpose of each text and explain what

those are in about 75- 100 words. 2) create a thesis statement for a rhetorical analysis of each text.

Assignment for next week (BA4 cont.)

Some extra information Be as concise as possible in writing Purpose & audience.

Don’t forget to mention where it is published in your articulation of the audience.

Absolutely no quote Thesis statement is A statement; it does not explain why you

think, for example, anecdote is used. Plain and simple is the best.

However, watch out what you put on the purpose. If you get this wrong, your thesis statement doesn’t sound well.

Participation assignment Choose 2 rhetorical choices you are sure that you’ll use for your longer

paper. Then write a rhetorical analysis paragraph for each (which, ideally,

becomes one of the body paragraphs of your paper). Remember what you need to have for a paragraph (topic sentence,

evidence, discussion and conclusive sentence). To be successful, you need to have at least two or three examples of

your rhetorical choices from the article. It must be about 300 words, typed and bring it to class.

Reading assignment

St. Martin's Handbook: Chapter 3f-g, "Planning," "Drafting,"

First-Year Writing: Ch. 10 pp. 197-207, pp571-2, 574-6