Writing Writing

““Some are born writers. Some Some are born writers. Some achieve writing. Some have writing achieve writing. Some have writing

thrust upon them.” thrust upon them.” ShakespeareShakespeare

The conscious to the unconscious mind. The conscious to the unconscious mind. Plato’s chariot. Plato’s chariot. intervalsintervals Ascend to the abstract.Ascend to the abstract.

know your audience!know your audience!

Readers like to be taught and entertained.Readers like to be taught and entertained. know their location.know their location. indication of beginning, middle, and end.indication of beginning, middle, and end.

The most important sentence in The most important sentence in writing is the thesis statement.writing is the thesis statement.

Before I tell you what a thesis is, let Before I tell you what a thesis is, let me tell you what it is notme tell you what it is not

It is not a topic or title.It is not a topic or title. It is not a statement or purpose.It is not a statement or purpose. It is not about the content or opinion.It is not about the content or opinion. It is not a simple statement of fact.It is not a simple statement of fact. It is not a question.It is not a question.

The following are not thesis The following are not thesis statementsstatements

Repairing a broken friendshipRepairing a broken friendship How to repair a broken friendshipHow to repair a broken friendship This essay will show how a broken friendship can be This essay will show how a broken friendship can be

repaired.repaired. This essay is about repairing a broken friendship.This essay is about repairing a broken friendship. It seems to me that no true friendship can be broken It seems to me that no true friendship can be broken

beyond repair.beyond repair. Centuries ago friendship was taken much more seriously Centuries ago friendship was taken much more seriously

than it is today.than it is today. Is it possible to repair a broken friendship.Is it possible to repair a broken friendship. You get the point!You get the point!

A thesis statement is an A thesis statement is an ASSERTION!ASSERTION!

Repairing a broken friendship is not as easy Repairing a broken friendship is not as easy as it may seem.as it may seem.

Repairing a broken friendship requires Repairing a broken friendship requires humility, courage, and resourcefulness.humility, courage, and resourcefulness.

Repairing a broken friendship is a moral Repairing a broken friendship is a moral obligationobligation

““The art of writing has for a The art of writing has for a backbone some fierce attachment to backbone some fierce attachment to

an idea.” an idea.” Virginia WoolfVirginia Woolf

The thesis = three thingsThe thesis = three things

It is declarative!It is declarative!

An assertion, not the expression of an An assertion, not the expression of an opinion or a speculation.opinion or a speculation.

It is Controversial!It is Controversial!

A statement that must be proved.A statement that must be proved. A statement worth the time of the reader.A statement worth the time of the reader.

It is Verifiable!It is Verifiable! It must be proved and it must be able to be It must be proved and it must be able to be

proved.proved.

Evaluation: SCOPE & SEQUENCEEvaluation: SCOPE & SEQUENCE

Too Broad? Too Broad?

shelf full of booksshelf full of books = too broad. = too broad. A good topic addresses a specific question or A good topic addresses a specific question or

problem.problem. summed up in a word or two, like smoking, school summed up in a word or two, like smoking, school

cheating, education, overweight teens, corporeal cheating, education, overweight teens, corporeal punishment, Korean War, or hip hoppunishment, Korean War, or hip hop

= too broad.= too broad.

Tell me what you are going to tell me

Attention Getter Thesis at end of

intro paragraph Transition

Actually tell me!! Transition Transition Transition Thesis restated at

beginning of concluding paragraph

Retell me what you just told me!!!!

Cont. Thesis?Cont. Thesis?

apply the old who, what, where, when, why, apply the old who, what, where, when, why, and how?and how?

Paddling.Paddling. Paddling in grade school. (where) Paddling in grade school. (where) Emotional effects of paddling in grade Emotional effects of paddling in grade

school. (what and where) school. (what and where) Emotional effects of paddling on female Emotional effects of paddling on female

children (what, who) children (what, who)

Hip hop.Hip hop. Hip hop as therapy. (what) Hip hop as therapy. (what) Hip hop as therapy in Japan. (what and Hip hop as therapy in Japan. (what and

where) where) Hip hop as therapy for delinquent youth in Hip hop as therapy for delinquent youth in

Japan. (what, where, who) Japan. (what, where, who)

re-visit and re-write your thesis, re-visit and re-write your thesis, oftenoften

flexible, flexible, not unusual to revise not unusual to revise Often research fits just Often research fits just outside outside the boundary of the boundary of

your thesis your thesis See if your thesis fulfills the following roles:See if your thesis fulfills the following roles:

– Clear and specific DECLARATION Clear and specific DECLARATION – Inherently CONTROVERSIALInherently CONTROVERSIAL– provides structure. provides structure. – supported by the body paragraphs. supported by the body paragraphs. – Objectively VERIFIABLEObjectively VERIFIABLE

http://www.csuohio.edu/academic/writingcenter/_vti_bin/shtml.exe/writproc.html/map1

You are a member of a jury, listening to a You are a member of a jury, listening to a lawyer’s opening argument. lawyer’s opening argument.

guilty or not guilty?guilty or not guilty? Why and how = the planWhy and how = the plan Readers are like jury members: Readers are like jury members: After reading your thesis statement, the reader After reading your thesis statement, the reader

should think, should think, "This essay is going to try to convince me of "This essay is going to try to convince me of

something. I'm not convinced yet, but I'm something. I'm not convinced yet, but I'm interested to see how I might be." interested to see how I might be."

It’s a bet, a contract between writer and reader.It’s a bet, a contract between writer and reader.

Thesis? YES OR NO?Thesis? YES OR NO?

"Reasons for the fall of "Reasons for the fall of communism". communism".

"Communism collapsed in Eastern "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe" Europe"

"The fall of communism is the best "The fall of communism is the best thing that ever happened in thing that ever happened in Europe". Europe".

GENERALIZATIONSGENERALIZATIONS

never be vague, combative or never be vague, combative or confrontational. confrontational.

"Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because communism is evil." evil from because communism is evil." evil from whose perspective? whose perspective?

what does evil mean? what does evil mean?

definable & arguabledefinable & arguable

"While cultural forces contributed to the collapse of "While cultural forces contributed to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, the disintegration communism in Eastern Europe, the disintegration of economies played the key role in driving its of economies played the key role in driving its decline"decline"

clear and specific clear and specific

For example, "Communism collapsed in Eastern For example, "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because of the ruling elite's inability to Europe because of the ruling elite's inability to address the economic concerns of the people" address the economic concerns of the people" versusversus

"Communism collapsed due to societal "Communism collapsed due to societal discontent." discontent."

A new heightA new height

Anticipate the counter-arguments.Anticipate the counter-arguments.. . (Every argument has a counter-argument. If (Every argument has a counter-argument. If yours doesn't, then it's not an argument—yours doesn't, then it's not an argument—

it may be a fact, or an opinion, but it is not it may be a fact, or an opinion, but it is not an argument.) an argument.)

Michael Dukakis lost the 1988 presidential election Michael Dukakis lost the 1988 presidential election because he failed to campaign vigorously after the because he failed to campaign vigorously after the Democratic National Convention. Democratic National Convention.

on its way. on its way. too easy for strong counter- arguments. too easy for strong counter- arguments. For example, one might believe that Dukakis lost For example, one might believe that Dukakis lost

because he suffered from a "soft-on-crime" image. because he suffered from a "soft-on-crime" image. anticipate the counter-argument, anticipate the counter-argument,

While Dukakis' "soft-on-crime" image hurt While Dukakis' "soft-on-crime" image hurt his chances in the 1988 election, his failure his chances in the 1988 election, his failure to campaign vigorously after the Democratic to campaign vigorously after the Democratic National Convention bore a greater National Convention bore a greater responsibility for his defeat. responsibility for his defeat.