Relationships with PeopleWriting Skill: Thesis Statement Identification and Creation

Writing Goals- SS10There are discipline-specific skills, language and style that are important to be specifically taught, emphasised and practiced.

http://twp.duke.edu/writing-studio/resources/writing-for-specific-disciplines

Skills Products for Mastery

Identify and develop strong thesis statements.

Develop styles of argumentation. Develop process of writing in

stages. Build citation practices for all

citation needs: direct quotes, referenced ideas.

Expand review and editing procedures to include thesis defence and peer critique.

• Thesis statement.• Extended essay outline.• Annotated bibliography.• Persuasive/Researched

Essay.

Today’s Goal: Thesis Statement

Role and function of a thesis statement.

Identifying thesis statements.

Skill Building; Effective Thesis Statements

Skill Practice: Creating an Effective Thesis Statements

Thesis Statement: Purpose

Sets the tone, approach and discipline.

Alerts the reader to the topic.

Alerts the author to potential lines of argumentation.

Clarifies focus for the writer.

Serves as part of executive summary in academic papers.

Sets Tone and Point of the paper.

Likely (and preferably)… your thesis statement will be continually revised as you write.

Thesis Statement: Identifying

Using the sample papers provided, highlight the thesis statement.

Answer the questions in your group:What does the thesis statement achieve? (Clarity? Interest? Setting up argument?)

Based on the thesis statement, what would you expect the paper to be focussed on?

What is effective in the thesis statement?

What revisions or edits would you make to the thesis statement?

A thesis statement is:Clear and conciseWritten in third

personSubject of the

essay.

A thesis statement:States an opinionGives insight into

argument

An effective thesis:Tells us something we

don’t already know.Contradicts an

existing belief.Offers a solution to an

existing problem/issue.

Thesis Statement: Skill Building

An effective thesis: Tells us something we don’t already

know. Contradicts an existing belief. Offers a solution to an existing

problem/issue.1) “Chinese immigration has changed in many ways due to factors in both China and Canada.”

2) “The manor courts were the most fair due to various reasons.”

3) “The Chinese Exclusion Act and the xenophobic feelings towards the Chinese in Canada were necessary to/for the proper integration of Chinese culture into the Canadian mosaic.”

4) Canada’s multiculturalistic society is causing the merging, erosion and death of many cultures in its borders and should end as a policy.

Thesis Statement: Skill Building

Thesis Statement: Skill Practice

Create three thesis statements (one for each of the 3 characteristics).

For each statement, select one of the unit or class questions to respond to.

Share your three statements with a partner. Together establish:

Which statement is based on which characteristic.

Between your 6 statements, which 2 are the strongest thesis statements? What makes them strong?

If you were reading the thesis statement, what would you expect the author to include in the paper that follows?

An effective thesis: Tells us something we don’t already

know. Contradicts an existing belief. Offers a solution to an existing

problem/issue.