Developing thesis statement and main points

Assignment:

Step 1. View the OWL Purdue Writing Lab website:  Developing Strong Thesis Statements (Links to an external site.)

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/establishing_arguments/index.html

Step 2. Watch the video:How to Write a Thesis Statement (Links to an external site.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBZKFyykOyM

Step 3. We are now begin building the framework for the Term paper due at the end of

the course. Review the  Term paper assignment: Term paper assignment.docx

Step 4. Based on the topic you have selected to write about for the Term paper assignment, complete the following outline (See two examples below).

     Topic: State the topic in one complete sentence.

     Thesis statement: State the purpose of the essay in one sentence. This sentence will be the same or very similar to the    Topic sentence.

     Main Point #1: In one sentence, state the 1st Main Point that supports your thesis statement. This usually answers the Why?

     Main Point #2: In one sentence, state the 2nd Main Point that supports your thesis statement.

     Main Point #3: In one sentence, state the 3rd Main Point that supports your thesis statement. 

     Main Point #4 (In one sentence, state the 4th Main Point that supports your thesis statement. 

     Main Point #5: (In one sentence, state the 5th Main Point that supports your thesis statement. 

**Please remember to use academic language: Informal vs Formal Writing-2.doc

There are several different academic genres (types) of writing: The genre and the audience determine the formality of the text. For example, genres such as summarization, argumentative, analysis, informative, division/ classification, persuasive, and comparison/ contrast are formal whereas reflective, expository, expressive, opinion, descriptive, journaling, and narrative writing are informal.

• Unless you are writing an informal genre of essay, do not use I, me, my, you, your, we, our, us (see #1).

• Do not use abbreviations (see #2).

• Follow the rule when using acronyms (see #3).

• Do not write as you speak (see #4).

• Do not to use clichés and trite expressions (see #5).

• Do not use the numeric number (1, 2, 3, …) for numbers under 1 – 9 (see #6).

• Do not make an announcement (see #7).

• Do not ask questions (see #8).

1.

1st person – I, my, me (acceptable to use in writing reflective, expository, expressive,

opinion, descriptive, journaling, and narrative essays)

2nd person – you, your (not used in academic writing)

3rd person – we, our, us (used in journaling and narrative essays)

it, her, him, his, hers, them, they, their, the students, citizens, and other specific nouns (used in summarization, argumentative, analysis, informative, division/classification, persuasive, and comparison/contrast reflective, expository, expressive, opinion, and descriptive writing)

Example: Genre = Argumentative

Incorrect - The age to consume alcohol should be lowered to 18 years of age because, by law, we automatically enter adult status at 18 years of age. At age 18, we can be drafted by the military, marry without parental consent, be tried as an adult for a crime, and be held accountable for signing a legal document. Therefore, you should make the legal drinking age 18 years of age in order to be fair to us.

Correct - The age to consume alcohol should be lowered to 18 years of age because, by law, people who are 18 years old automatically enter adult status at 18 years of age. At age 18, people can be drafted by the military, marry without parental consent, be tried as an adult for a crime, and be held accountable for signing a legal document. Therefore, the Maryland legislature should make the legal drinking age 18 years of age in order to be fair to people under age 21.

2. Do not use most abbreviations in your writing.

• use television, not t.v.

• use abbreviation, not abbrev.

• Use Maryland, not MD

• Use versus, not vs.

• Use street, not st.

However, abbreviations such as Dr. for doctor, Mr. for mister, and etc. for etcetera are acceptable.

Sometimes the use of abbreviations is more of a style issue. For example, whether or not to use telephone or phone, or cellular phone, as opposed to cell phone.

3. Using acronyms in your writing - An acronym is the 1st letter of all/ most of the words in a title being put together to create a new shortened title.

For example, Stevenson University (SU)

University of Baltimore (UB)

Community College Baltimore County (CCBC)

New York Police Department (NYPD)

United States Department of Education (USDE)

World Wide Web (WWW)

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Turner Classic Movies (TCM)

BASIC RULE: Write the title out (long hand) the first time you write it, and then

write the acronym in parenthesis immediately following the title.

For example, “Carroll Community College (CCC) is located in Westminster,

Maryland. CCC services approximately 5,000 students from Carroll and

surrounding counties such as Frederick County, Maryland.”

4. When writing, do not necessarily write as you speak. This usually goes hand-in-hand with the use of slang, colloquialisms, regionalisms, and jargon, in your writing.

Slang - A type of language (an informal, non standard language) that consists of words, and phrases, that are regarded as very informal, are more common in speech than writing, and usually peculiar to a particular group.

Colloquialism - An informal expression that is more often used in casual conversation than in formal speech or writing.

Regionalism - A linguistic term for a word, expression, or pronunciation favored by speakers in a particular geographic area.

Jargon - The specialized language of a professional, occupational, or other group, often meaningless to outsiders.

Examples:

Spoken – Every chance I get, I go to the Y to shoot some hoop with my boys. (slang)

Written – I usually spend my free evenings playing basketball with my friends at the

YMCA .

Spoken – I have a lot to do at night before I put the kids down. (colloquialism)

Written – I have many tasks to accomplish at night before I put the children to bed.

Spoken – Do you do the speed limit in residential areas? (colloquialism)

Written – Do you drive the speed limit in residential areas?

Spoken – For the most part, I do the speed limit in residential areas. (colloquialism)

Written – For the most part, I drive the speed limit in residential areas.

Spoken – Man, I paid $3.29 for gas in D.C. yesterday (regionalism)

Written – I paid $3.29 for regular unleaded gas in Washington, D.C. yesterday.

Spoken – The people in my family are just not built for doing a lot of heavy lifting

because they’re small-framed. (regionalism)

Written – Many of my family members do not have the physical make-up to endure

lifting heavy items because they have smaller frames.

Spoken – I do not plan to pull an all-nighter to get my homework done!

(colloquialism)

Written – I do not plan to stay up all night to complete my homework.

Spoken – My co-worker called in a 10-13, and all of the officers rushed out of the

building to help. (jargon)

Written – My co-worker, a fellow police officer, called the on her radio for help

because she need assistance with an arrest.

5. Try not to use clichés and trite expressions.

Trite expressions, sometimes called clichés, are expressions which have grown stale through too frequent use. Originally fresh and effective, they have been used so much that they have lost any freshness and originality they once had. Clichés suggest laziness and a lack of originality in the writer who uses them. They come to mind so easily when you are writing that unless you consciously guard against them, they will seriously weaken your style. The simple, straightforward statement of an idea is preferable to the use of a worn-out expression.

Examples:

Stay on the straight and narrow, and you won’t get into any trouble.

I don’t know which route is shorter; it’s pretty much six in one hand, half dozen in the other.

She’s not old, but she’s certainly not a Spring chicken.

Since he lost weight and continues to exercise, he’s fit as a fiddle.

More clichés:

bury the hatchet - stop fighting, make peace

at loose ends - disorganized

on speaking terms - friendly

fair and square - completely honest

at death's door - near death

busy as a bee - very busy

fair and square – to be fair

6. Write out the number for nine and under i.e. one, two … five, six … eight, nine, 10, 11 … 15, 16, etc.

7. Do not make an announcement about what you are going to say, prove, discuss, etc. For example, it is not necessary to state, “I think”, “I believe,” “I am going to tell you,” “I disagree with Dr. Kenneth Cottrell’s statement because…”, “In my paper I will…”, etc.

INCORRECT: I believe the drinking age in Maryland should be lowered to 18 because a person is considered to be an adult at age 18.

CORRECT: The drinking age in Maryland should be lowered to 18 because a person is considered to be an adult at age 18.

8. Do not ask questions. Asking questions is much to informal.

EX: There are many different reasons people should travel, for traveling exposes a person to other cultures. This can indirectly provide a person with a better understanding of their own culture and existence. Is not traveling fun? Most people enjoy visiting other places.

9. Be mindful when using exclusive language. Use words such as all, everyone, always, never, etc. It is better to use language such as for the most part, most, mostly, some, etc.

INCORRECT: Everyone enjoys visiting the zoo.

CORRECT: Most people enjoy visiting the zoo.

INCORRECT: All babies cry when they are hungry.

CORRECT: For the most part, babies cry when they are hungry.

CORRECT: When purchasing a vehicle, one should always check Internet prices.

CORRECT: Everyone who is able should vote in the 2020 Presidential election.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Outline Example:

Topic (one sentence): People should wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thesis statement (one sentence): People living in the United States should responsively wear face masks to help decrease the spread of the  COVID-19 virus.

Main Point #1 (one sentence): Wearing a face mask has been proven to decrease the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Main Point #2: (one sentence): Wearing a face mask shows people are being accountable and responsible for protecting themselves and others from contracting the virus.

Main Point #3 (one sentence): Not wearing a face mask causes discord, mistrust, and hysteria throughout communities.

Main Point #4 (one sentence): People must unites and work together to effectively battle the pandemic.

Main Point #5: (one sentence): Wearing a face mask is not cost prohibitive or difficult to wear, and it can even be fashionable.