Click to edit Master title style,Click to edit Master text styles,Second level,Third level,Fourth level,Fifth level,*,*,Click to edit Master title style,Click to edit Master text styles,Second level,Third level,Fourth level,Fifth level,*,*,Thesis Statements,Please take the following notes to help you with your essay.,A thesis statement,presents the writers approach,or insight,toward the topic,presents an opinion about its topic,identifies a new way of examining the topic,provides an answer to an implied question,What is a thesis statement?,Arguable,Thesis statements are presentations of opinion.If everyone(or almost everyone)agrees with what the thesis statement says,it is useless.There is no point in stating the obvious.,Therefore a thesis statement should present an idea that some people will disagree with.,Topic+Debatable Opinion,How to formulate a thesis:,Broad Subject:,To Kill a Mockingbird,Specific Topic:Scout Finch,Question about topic:Why is she important to the story?,Thesis:Scout Finch is a lady.,Check the thesis:,Can the writer identify the topic of the thesis statement?It might be a symbol,a character,a motif,or an aspect of,DIDLS,.,Can the writer identify an opinion?,Does the thesis summarize or only point out an obvious pattern?,Does the diction include vague or abstract words preventing a clear focus?,Thesis without opinion:,Scrooge is forced to remember events from his past.,There are many symbols in the book.,Dickens repeats images of“hands in the novel.,Thesis with opinion:,Scrooges encounters with ghosts illustrate the transformative power of memory.,In,Great Expectations,the hands motif indicates Pips location in the journey toward maturity.,Thesis with opinion:,Huck and Jims friendship moves through three stages:the meeting,the challenge and survival,and developing love.,The diction and imagery Twain uses in relaying Hucks story reveals his personal struggle with freedom and civilization.,Topic:Scout,Thesis:,To Kill a Mockingbird,by Harper Lee focuses the attention of the reader on Scouts growth as she transforms from a carefree child into a true lady,one who is a lady at heart,not just a lady in appearance.,Formulating Topic Sentences,Word Glue:,Use exact words from your thesis statement.,The reader should be able to circle common words in thesis and topic sentences.,See sample essay!,Creating Topic Sentences:,Support the thesis,Show reader how evidence will be organized,Topic Sentence(TS)=,Organizing Element,+,Aspect of Thesis,Topic Sentences Support Thesis:,TS1:As Scouts father,Atticus,plays an important role in teaching her important,values that a true lady,must possess.,TS2:In addition to,Atticus,lessons,Miss,Maudie,Scouts neighbor,helps her,grow up to be a true lady.,TS3:,Contradictory values,of character and,appearance,confront Scout as she becomes a,lady of character,.,Showing-Telling Intro,Grab the readers attention=SHOWING,Clearly states the thesis=TELLING,Techniques:,Quote another literary source,Paraphrase text,Quote the novel you are reading,Create a brief story that is relevant,You must use a transition between showing sentences and telling(THESIS)statement.,Showing introduction,connected to,telling thesis,by,transition sentences,.,A man in black slithers through the shadows along the wall.He caresses the velvet bag filled with gold coins,just to assure himself of its continued existence.The poor soul he swindled it from this time is a widow with little money.He finally reaches the monastery,sneaks through his bedroom window,and falls asleep.,This is not a holy priest.He is a lying criminal who backstabs the helpless for money and,sometimes,sex.,He is the kind of clergyman Chaucer often depicts in,The Canterbury Tales,one who desires wealth,breaks vows,and exploits the common man,.,The Non-Summary Conclusion,Does not summarize the essay or merely restate the thesis;a well-written essay needs no summary because the clarity of its organization throughout makes a summary conclusion redundant,Connects the thesis to a larger issue-to society or other works of literature,Blends thesis,or primary idea,into this larger issue,Example Conclusion-Leadership,Leadership is a quality that has the potential to overlap any obstacle placed in the path of mans upwardly marching accomplishments.Throughout history,times of trial for mankind have been survived due to the efforts of leaders.However,just as true leadership can be utilized for positive ends,leadership can be perverted to serve the needs of those who,through guile and deceit,claim to honor it.An example that springs to mind is the rise to power of Adolf Hitler in post-war Germany.However,just as the leadership of Churchill eventually vanquished Hitlers malice,there is always the hope that positive leadership provides salvation and justice.,