poetry

TEC Writing: An Introduction

Why TEC?

—TEC stands for:

· THESIS

· EVIDENCE

· COMMENTARY

· The TEC model is the basic formula for writing an academic paper.

· We will use the TEC structure to organize our thoughts and opinions about the literature that we read this year.

What is a THESIS?

· A thesis is a statement that offers an opinion about a subject or something to prove about a subject.

· Subject + Opinion

· Subject + Something to Prove

· For example, here is a writing prompt about a well-known fairy tale:

· Describe the queen’s attitude about herself in the fairy tale “Snow White.”

· A THESIS statement will answer that prompt:

· In the fairy tale “Snow White,” the queen is vain.

· What is the subject of the thesis?

What is EVIDENCE?

· The evidence sentence offers an example that supports the THESIS statement.

· This evidence, or CONCRETE DETAIL, is a specific example from the text that proves the opinion offered by the THESIS.

· The evidence sentence contains a TRANSITION, CONTEXTUAL LEAD-IN, and CONCRETE DETAIL.

· Think of it as TLC!

· Here is an example of an evidence sentence that proves our thesis about the queen in Snow White:

· THESIS: In the fairy tale “Snow White,” the queen is vain.

· EVIDENCE: For example, when she wakes up every morning, the queen looks into her magic mirror and asks, “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?”

· Where is the transition in this sentence?

· Where is the CLI (contextual lead-in)?

· Where is the concrete detail?

What is COMMENTARY?

· A commentary sentence explains why the EVIDENCE supports the opinion given in the THESIS.

· It further explains the thinking behind your example.

· Here is an example:

· THESIS: In the fairy tale “Snow White,” the queen is vain.

· EVIDENCE: For example, when she wakes up every morning, the queen looks into her magic mirror and asks, “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?”

· COMMENTARY: Looking in the mirror daily and praising her own beauty is self-centered.

· COMMENTARY: The queen is more concerned about her own appearance than anything else in her life.

A few more notes:

· The ratio of evidence to commentary is often 1:2 (one evidence and 2 commentary sentences)

· In TEC Writing, never use:

· “I” “me” or “my”

· “you”

· “this shows” or “this proves”

TECCC?

· We will also add a conclusion sentence to finish out the body paragraph chunk:

· Sentence #1 –Thesis Statement (T)

· Sentence #2 – Evidence (E)

· Sentence #3 – Commentary (C)

· Sentence #4 – Commentary (C)

· Sentence#5 – Concluding Sentence (Summarize / Wrap up what you said)