Take out Work in Progress Folder, Spiral Notebook

and W.O.D. SheetHave outline as

well

Thesis StatementHow to write a thesis statement for a research paper

What is a thesis?Summary of essay

Stating point or argument

A sentence with the main idea of your essay with three main sub-points

How do you write a thesis statement for a research paperAre you arguing a point?

Persuading your reader?

Are you just stating facts?

What are you doing?Stating factsRelating factsDrawing a conclusion

What are you doing again?Stating factsI. Biography of Poet II. Literary works and achievements

Relating factsIII. Example poem

Drawing a conclusionConcluding paragraph

How do we summarize?We TAC it.

Take a fact

Add a fact

Connect the dots

Before you begin…You need to have Roman numerals I and II completed or almost completed

***Your thesis statement for Monday is a rough draft. It will be turned in on a separate sheet of paper so I can make sure you are headed in the right direction***

A note on when to take notesOrange is my favorite color

Whenever you see text in orange you should write down exactly what it says

So… Your thesis statement for Monday is a rough draft. It will be turned in on a separate sheet of paper

You need to have Roman numerals I and II completed or almost completed

STEP 1: Make a List of factsChoose from each of the seven

categories 1 fact that you feel is MOST important

Look for similarities between facts

STEP 2: Choose three factsFrom your list choose three facts that relate to each

other in some way

Two of them must be from Important works and poetic theme

Choose facts that seem to relate best together with your poem and the rest of your facts Ex. Choose: Emily Bronte lived on the English Moors

and Emily Bronte wrote about the English Moors in her book Wuthering Heights

DO NOT choose: Emily Bronte wrote about the English Moors and Emily Bronte died of a cold

Example STEP 1: Penny AnnaChoose one fact from each category:

Family/Friends/Relationships

Biographical facts

Early life

Later life

Important works

Poetic theme/literary time period/reoccurring subject matter

Interesting fact about poet

STEP 1: Penny Annagot in fight with sister Caroleena Cruise over book rights, never

spoke again

Died young at age 24 in a car accident

went to Mexico when six yrs old

Blinded by an automobile accident when 21 years old

Last book ever written: Blind Eyes

Only one Poem, Blind Eyes is considered a serious themed poem

had two different colored eyes, left dark brown and right, gray

STEP 2 which is most important? Choose threeLater life: Blinded by an

automobile accident when 21 years old.

Important works: Last Book ever written: Blind Eyes.

Poetic theme: Only one poem, “Blind Eyes” is considered a serious themed poem.

Now you can TACTake a fact: (talk about something that happened in poet’s life)

Add a fact: (relate to poem of choice and/or poet’s writing

Connect the dots:

TAC: Penny Anna ExampleTake a fact:

talk about something that happened in poet’s life

Penny Anna was blinded by an automobile accident when she was twenty-one years old.

TAC: Penny Anna ExampleAdd a fact:

relate to poem of choice and/or poet’s writing

The last book she ever wrote was Blind Eyes having the most serious theme of all of her poems.

TAC: Penny Anna ExampleConnect the dots: Penny Anna’s automobile accident left a lasting impression on the poet’s life and changed her style of poetry from quirky to serious.

Thesis statement for Penny Anna

Penny Anna’s automobile accident left a lasting impression on the poet’s life and changed her style of poetry from quirky to serious.

Is it a thesis statement? Is it:

a summary of the research essay, yes. Stating point or argument, yes.

A sentence with the main idea of your essay with three main sub-points?

Penny Anna’s automobile accident-biography of poet

Changed her style of poetry-literary works and achievements

From quirky to serious-relates to example poem, “Blind Eyes”

Lets try another exampleHere are three facts about Emily Bronte:Biographical fact: Lived in the English MoorsImportant Work: Wuthering HeightsReoccurring subject matter: talks a lot about

the wild English Moors especially in Wuthering Heights

Follow the TAC method and write your own thesis statement for these facts

Here are some possible sentences: Which is best?Emily Bronte was inspired by the English Moors where she

lived to write the thrilling tale that was her greatest work.

Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte’s only novel was set in her childhood home on the English Moors.

The English Moors where Emily grew up set the scene for some of her greatest works, including Wuthering Heights.

Best statementThe English Moors where Emily grew up set the

scene for some of her greatest works, including Wuthering Heights.

Part I Biography of Poet: The English Moors where Emily grew up…

Part II Literary works: Wuthering Heights

Part III: set the scene for some of her greatest works, example poem is one of those works

Doesn’t have to be perfect

Just working on rough draft

The last part of your thesis can relate to the poem in a general way

Start working on outlineWhen finished with outline start writing your thesis statement

Write thesis statement on a separate sheet of paper NOT on your outline

Bring w.o.d. for tomorrow quiz