Organization, Thesis Statements and Quote Integration

1. Organization, Thesis Statements and Quote Integration Adapted from material provided by Ms. Hinkel

2. The “Shape” of Your Paper Introduction Body Paragraphs • Prove/Support/Expand on Your Thesis • Conclusion Revisit Your Thesis • Place it in a larger context to show why it’s important

3. Five Components of an Excellent Introduction • Hook • Introduction of Theme • Context • Thesis

4. What is a thesis statement? • Almost all of us, even if we don’t do it consciously, look early in an essay for a one- sentence condensation of the argument or analysis to follow. IN A SHORT ESSAY, A THESIS SHOULD NOT BE LONGER THAN A SENTENCE. • We refer to that condensation as the thesis statement.

5. Strong thesis statements • A strong thesis statement takes some sort of stand. Evaluate the following theses. Are they strong enough? • “There are reasons both to ban and praise The Lovely Bones.” • “The Lovely Bones should be banned because it contains images inappropriate for the school setting.”

6. Strong thesis statements • Thesis statements should do two things: take a stand, and give an overarching reason why. Evaluate these theses. Do they fulfill both criteria? • The Lovely Bones should be praised. • The Lovely Bones should be praised because it promotes discussion of life-altering events.

7. Where does a thesis belong? • In most writing, a thesis belongs at the end of an introductory paragraph. The sentences before it should ease the reader in; the thesis should be the most specific sentence of the paragraph.

8. Where do these belong?Place the following sentences in the order most appropriate for an introductory paragraph. • Vanilla ice cream is the best flavor because the majority of people like it. • One of the greatest debates in time centers around which ice cream flavor is better: chocolate or vanilla? • After polling thousands of Americans, the answer is clear.

9. Why are quotes needed in writing? • Quotes increase the credibility and validity of your argument. They show that your argument is rooted in fact. Plus, they make your writing appear more professional and thoughtful. • In order for quotes to work, they need to be incorporated into your writing correctly.

10. Don’t Drop Your Quote! • There is a tendency for writers to simply throw a quote in their writing. For example: • Maya’s dad is full of surprises. “A year later our dad came to Stamps without warning” (54). Maya does not expect this.

11. Cradle Your Quote, Then Analyze It • Even if a quote is made up of a full sentence, it is not strong enough to stand on its own. It needs to be introduced (cradled) by words of your own that help to support the quote. For example: • Maya’s father is full of surprises. She writes that “a year later our dad came to Stamps without warning” (54). Although Maya does not seem to mind her father’s unexpected arrival, the reader suspects that her father’s erratic behavior indicates irresponsibility.

12. Cradle Options • He/she says, • He/she writes, • The text explains, • The author indicates… • [The character] suggests… • The writer acknowledges that… • …and so on 

13. Cradle this writing: • Maya Angelou paints beautiful images in writing. “Each year I watched the field across from the Store turn caterpillar green, then gradually frosty white” (6). She uses adjectives well.

14. The “Recap” (Recapitulation/Summary) • After you have proven your case with evidence in the body paragraphs, revisit (do NOT restate!) your thesis towards the beginning of your conclusion • Deeper • More detailed • Show that you’ve learned something

15. “Recap” Example • Original Thesis: Through Montresor, Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” suggests that revenge with impunity is impossible. • Recap: Thus, one can see by Montresor’s sickened reaction to Fortunato’s screams, his obsessively detailed memory of the events that occurred, and the evidence that suggests he may be mentally unstable that guilt torments Montresor during the murder and for the fifty years following.

16. Drawing Out a Message • Move from specific (recapitulating thesis) to general (lesson learned or statement about) • In a certain sense, the murderer has become his own victim.

17. Significance • Parallels the theme statement in introduction • Why is your thesis important or meaningful for all human beings? • Example: Montresor’s tortured memories prove that a criminal may escape the law, but that no criminal escapes justice.

18. Twist on Hook • Play on the idea introduced in your first sentence • Last & strongest sentence of paragraph • Good devices to use here: alliteration, puns, clever, dramatic wording • Find sentence’s most important word and make it the last one

19. Example of “Twist on Hook” • Original Hook Statement: The poet Thomas Moore once wrote, “Those who plot the destruction of others often perish in the attempt.” • Twist on Hook: Upon finishing the story, the reader must ask which would be preferable: the temporary discomfort of a brick and mortar prison or the unbending shackles of a guilty conscience.