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Part 1: Part 1: Writing the ThesisWriting the Thesis

Objectives:What You Should Know After Writing

an Essay

• How to write a thesis sentence that organizes the essay’s main points;

• How to write a title and introduction that will engage the reader’s interest;

• How to construct body paragraphs that are focused and well developed;

• How to write a conclusion that emphasizes the essay’s main point.

Thesis Sentence• Definition: a single sentence that states

the essay’s main point;– It tells the subject of the essay;– It expresses the writer’s opinion about the subject;– It previews the main points of the essay.

If your essay topic was “What is wisdom”?.....

Writing the Thesis Sentence: Do it first, before you begin

the essay• Determine what the prompt is

asking you to do—– Define wisdom

• To define something, you will– List its characteristics (function)– Give examples– Tell what it’s not

List Characteristics/Functio

n

A wise person is. . .

Intellectuallycurious

Compassionate

Empathetic

humble

Open-minded

Joyful

honestFor more brainstorming techniques, see http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/brainstorming.html

Give Examples• A wise person is…

– Albert Einstein– A professor/teacher– A parent– Yoda, (Star Wars)– Aslan (Lion, Witch & Wardrobe)– Ghandi– Abraham Lincoln– Quotes that show someone is wise– Anecdotes about a time someone was wise

Tell what it’s not• A wise person is not

– Necessarily book-smart– One who knows everything– Arrogant or condescending– Someone who imposes his will on others– Necessarily the smartest person in the room– Necessarily the richest or most successful

person in the room

Sample Theses• One you have a few, choose three or

four and write a sentence, listing them in order of importance

• A wise person isn’t a know-it-all, but rather someone who is curious about and receptive to new ideas and experiences.

• Wisdom is the willingness to admit ignorance and the determination to acquire knowledge and use it well.

• A wise person is good humored, compassionate, and kind.

Each of these thesis sentences previews the main points of the

essay (each main point is a different color)

• A wise person isn’t a know-it-all, but rather someone who is curious about and receptive to new ideas and experiences.

• Wisdom is the willingness to admit ignorance and the determination to acquire knowledge and use it well.

• A wise person is good humored, compassionate, and kind.

The thesis should be• A clear, simple sentence• that clearly states the three points

you’re planning to develop in the paragraphs of your essay;

• Once you have a working thesis, you’re ready to begin writing.

EssayEssayEssayEssayPart 2:Part 2:

Title and Introductions Title and Introductions

Once you have a thesis, then

• You can draft the title and• The introduction;• Please Note: Titles and intros are

the most rewritten parts of most essays. Don’t be afraid to revise.

The Title of the Essay• All essays need a title;• The title should…

– Indicate the essay’s subject;– And it should attempt to capture the

reader’s interest.

Writing the Introduction

• An introduction should have three parts:– A lead-in or HOOK, whose purpose is

to capture the reader’s attention;– A transition section, which logically

links the lead-in to the thesis;– And a thesis sentence that previews

the main points of the essay.

Let’s go through the parts of the intro

• The Lead-In/Hook– Its purpose is to capture the attention

of the reader;– It should be one of the strongest,

most polished (most rewritten and tweaked) parts of your entire essay;

– Remember. . .

Here are some lead-in/hook techniques

you can use:• Anecdote

– Tell a relevant story• Quotation

– You can quote from someone famous or someone you know

• Description– Describe a scene, event,

person or thing• Contradiction

– Start off with some variation of the following sentence: “Most people believe A, but actually. . .”

• Question– Just make sure it’s a

question your reader would really ask

• Analogy– Compare the point you’re

going to make with something the reader can relate to

• Allusion– Make a reference to

something in literature, history or popular culture—something your reader will know about and relate to

Transition• If the purpose of the lead-in is to gain

the reader’s attention,• The purpose of the transition is to

prepare the reader for the point the writer makes in the thesis.

• The connection between the two must be logical

Thesis• The last sentence of the

introduction is the thesis sentence– The thesis should preview the main

points of the essay;– It provides a logical roadmap to guide

the reader through the essay.

Thesis: To get from El Paso to

Dallas, a travelermust go throughOdessa, MidlandAnd Fort Worth.

Body Paragraph 2:

Midland

Body Paragraph 1:

Odessa

Body Paragraph 3:Fort Worth

Conclusion:Dallas

Think of the thesis as a road map and each point of the thesis as means of getting to the destination.

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Part 3:Part 3:The Body ParagraphThe Body Paragraph

All body paragraphs have four parts:

• Topic sentence• Explanation of topic sentence• Example• Conclusion/transition to next

paragraph

Topic Sentence• The topic sentence is usually the first

sentence of the paragraph;• It tells the subject of that paragraph;• It expresses the writer’s opinion about

the subject;• It restates a point already made in the

thesis sentence.

For example,• If we use the thesis sentence, Wise people are

even-handed, open-minded and ultimately compassionate

• Then the topic sentence for the first body paragraph is Wise people are generally even-handed.

• The topic sentence for the second body paragraph would be In addition, they tend to be open-minded.

• The topic sentence for the third body paragraph might be These two qualities contribute to the third characteristic—a general compassion for other people.

Explanation of Topic Sentence

• Since every topic sentence expresses an opinion,

• it’s up to you, the writer, to clarify what you mean by your opinion;

• So, following the topic sentence, you should use several sentences to explain what you mean.

Example• Up until now, you’ve only expressed

opinion—you have to prove your point with an EXAMPLE;

• An example is something from the real world (a story, a description, a fact, a quote) that illustrates the truth of your topic sentence;

• Use quotes from a variety of text as examples.

Conclusion• It explains your point.• To write the conclusion, imagine

that someone has asked you, “So what?” and then answer that question.

You’ll repeat the same pattern with the next two

body paragraphs• Topic sentence• Explain the topic sentence• Example• Conclusion

EssayEssayEssayEssayPart 4Part 4

Writing the ConclusionWriting the Conclusion

A conclusion paragraph does three things:

• It loops back to the lead-in:– Whatever you did in the introduction to capture your

reader’s attention,– mention it at the beginning of the conclusion to

signal that the paper is ending

• It briefly summarizes your main points – – One sentence or less!

• It wraps up your thesis– Most important part-it’s where you draw your

conclusion.