America Political 010W Writing

WAC Workshop #2: Revisions

Political Science 10W Winter 2022 WAC TA: Margaret Hanson

ticket-ins • I hope taking the time to go over your TA comments was useful as you plan your revisions! • Remember that the work you did in your ticket-in might also be useful for your cover letter

• explaining how you incorporated your TAs comments • asking for feedback on specific areas 🡪what was helpful?

arguments and thesis statements • As a whole, your paper should make a cohesive, debatable argument that answers the prompt question(s) • In your introduction, you will set up your argument with a thesis statement, which

• Makes a debatable claim • Makes an argument in support of that claim • Can be multiple sentences • Depends on the evidence you will discuss in the rest of your paper • Is clearly stated and fully explained

• Your claim should provide a clear answer to the central question: “Have we failed to achieve our country?”

• In order to create a complete thesis, you also need to make an argument in support of that claim. To construct your argument, answer the prompt’s follow up questions: How has the US achieved/failed its ideals? What has made success possible/impossible?

• In order to answer these questions, you will have to define your criteria for success/failure.

• Your thesis should be based on the evidence you find in the readings • You might change your thesis to better

reflect the arguments in your body paragraphs • read through the paper • compare your conclusion and

introduction • You might change your thesis to

incorporate new evidence • Does the evidence from the new

readings contradict or complicate your argument?

• Did you miss important evidence in your first draft?

• If your evidence is complex, your thesis should be too.

body paragraphs—key components • Together, your body paragraphs should provide enough evidence + analysis to fully support your thesis • Each body paragraph should have a clear focus + point. This should be stated in a topic sentence at the beginning

of the paragraph • The point made in each paragraph should (1) provide support for your thesis and (2) be supported by

evidence • Integrating evidence into your body paragraph

• All quotes/examples should be contextualized + introduced using signal phrases • All examples/details/information should be cited, whether or not you use a direct quote • All quotes and examples should be analyzed: make sure to explain why your evidence is significant and how

it supports your point/thesis • Use transitions + refer to earlier paragraphs to show how your evidence fits together and guide your reader

through the paper

body paragraphs—key components

•If it’s useful, you can remember paragraph components using the acronym TAXES • Topic: a sentence establishing the focus of the paragraph • Assertion: a statement of the paragraph’s argument/main point • eXamples: evidence to support the assertion(s) • Explanation: analysis of how the evidence supports the assertion(s) • Significance: analysis of how the assertions/evidence support the thesis

• I have posted a short reading explaining the TAXES model on canvas.

body paragraphs—grammar and style • All quotes should be grammatically integrated into the sentence • Try to keep quotes under 3 lines, if they are longer, use a block quote

• In general, if a body paragraph should be about half a page. If it gets much longer (over 1 page is too long!), try to break it up • It’s okay if two paragraphs provide different evidence to support the same point

• Parenthetical citations should match the beginning of your works cited entries. For most sources in this class, that will be the author(s)’s name(s).

example: How Democracies Die (60-67)

example: How Democracies Die (60-67) • Each body paragraph should have a clear focus + point. This

should be stated in a topic sentence at the beginning of the paragraph • The point made in each paragraph should (1) provide

support for your thesis and (2) be supported by evidence

• Integrating evidence into your body paragraph • All quotes/examples should be contextualized +

introduced using signal phrases • All examples/details/information should be cited,

whether or not you use a direct quote • All quotes and examples should be analyzed: make sure

to explain why your evidence is significant and how it supports your point/thesis

• Use transitions + refer to earlier paragraphs to show how your evidence fits together and guide your reader through the paper

example: How Democracies Die (60-67) • Each body paragraph should have a clear focus + point. This

should be stated in a topic sentence at the beginning of the paragraph • The point made in each paragraph should (1) provide

support for your thesis and (2) be supported by evidence

• Integrating evidence into your body paragraph • All quotes/evidence should be contextualized +

introduced using signal phrases • All examples/details/information should be cited,

whether or not you use a direct quote • All quotes and examples should be analyzed: make sure

to explain why your evidence is significant and how it supports your point/thesis

• Use transitions + refer to earlier paragraphs to show how your evidence fits together and guide your reader through the paper

example: How Democracies Die (60-67) • Each body paragraph should have a clear focus + point. This

should be stated in a topic sentence at the beginning of the paragraph • The point made in each paragraph should (1) provide

support for your thesis and (2) be supported by evidence

• Integrating evidence into your body paragraph • All quotes/evidence should be contextualized +

introduced using signal phrases • All examples/details/information should be cited,

whether or not you use a direct quote • All quotes and examples should be analyzed: make sure

to explain why your evidence is significant and how it supports your point/thesis

• Use transitions + refer to earlier paragraphs to show how your evidence fits together and guide your reader through the paper

revising body paragraphs • Together, your body paragraphs should provide enough evidence + analysis to fully support your thesis • Each body paragraph should have a clear focus + point. This should be stated in a topic sentence at the beginning

of the paragraph 🡪make sure the opening sentences establish the focus & argument in the rest of the paragraph • The point made in each paragraph should (1) provide support for your thesis and (2) be supported by

evidence • Integrating evidence into your body paragraph

• All quotes/examples should be contextualized + introduced using signal phrases 🡪would a reader unfamiliar with the course be able to tell where your quotes were coming from?

• All examples/details/information should be cited, whether or not you use a direct quote 🡪would a reader be able to find & verify the evidence you’re using?

• All quotes and examples should be analyzed: make sure to explain why your evidence is significant and how it supports your point/thesis 🡪do you explain how your evidence supports your point? If not, can you explain it? Do you need better evidence? Do you need to change your topic sentence?

• Use transitions + refer to earlier paragraphs to show how your evidence fits together and guide your reader through the paper 🡪Do the points in this paragraph connect to, build on, or rely on something you discussed earlier in the paper? Are these connections clear to the reader?

finding evidence • Read with questions in mind • Think about connections between readings • Consider any evidence that relates to your provisional thesis (even if it contradicts your argument)

During the February 7 Lecture (~42:25 on the recording), Dr. Rohr brought up Anderson’s argument about southern politicians efforts to make black economic independence impossible and asked about their motivation.

How would Glaude answer Dr. Rohr’s question?