The First and Second Steps in Essay writing

1
The First and Second Steps in Essay writing

• STEP 1
• Begin with a Point, or THESIS
• (THESIS STATEMENT)

2
Understanding Thesis statements

• A good T.S. does two things in an essay!
• It tells the readers an essays topic
• It presents the writers ATTITUDE, OPINION, IDEA,
  OR POINT about that topic.
• Examples
• College life is very stressful for first year
  students.
• Burger King is much better than McDonalds.
• Celebrities are often poor role models.

3
The Donts of Thesis Statements

• 1. Write statements, not Announcements!
• Examples
• The subject of this
  paper will be
• I want to talk about
• In this essay I want to
  express
• My opinion of fast food
  restaurants is
• This essay is about
• I want to explain the
• 2. Avoid statements that are too BROAD!
• Example Men and women are very
  different.
• 3. Avoid statements that are too NARROW!
• Example In Puerto Rico, a person must
  be 18 yrs old in order to vote
• in the elections.
• 4. Write statements that contain only ONE IDEA!
• Example - Group work has many
  advantages, but at the same time it brings
• many difficulties.

4
Writing a Good Thesis

• Limit your topic until you can control it!
• GENERAL TOPIC LIMITED TOPIC THESIS
• Video Games Grand Theft Auto
  The GTA video
• 
  game is too
  violent
• 
  for children.
• Ways to limit your topic
• 1. specific items
  (persons, aspects, things)
• 2. specific
  locations (places)
• 3. specific time
  periods
• 4.
  classifications and categories

5
STEP 2 Support the Thesis with Specific Evidence

• The second basic step is to support the thesis
  with specific reasons or details.
• In a standard academic essay, you should advance
  (3) three main supportive details.
• Example
• TS - Going to the movies
  is a real problem.
• Support 1. Inconvenience of going
  out
• 2. Tempting and
  expensive snacks
• 3. Behavior of other
  moviegoers
• Thesis statement
• The hazards of going out, the expensive snacks,
  and the behavior of other movie goers

6
Practice Exercises

• Directions Limit the following topics and then
  provide a good thesis
• statement for each one by using
  three supportive details.
• GENERAL TOPIC LIMITED THESIS
  STATEMENT
• Sports
• Universities
• Education
• Festivals
• Expensive Cars
• Hospitals
• Camping
• Vacations
• Teenagers
• Fashion Trends