Osborne 1

Elise R. Osborne
Professor Dominika Szybisty
English 101 Lab
25 October 2017
2017 Fall Project Tracking My Writing Challenges

Thesis Statements:
URL: http://www.cws.illinois.edu/workshop/writers/tips/thesis/
What is it?
A thesis statement is the sentence that captures your position on the main idea and
focuses your ideas into one or two sentences. It should present the topic of your paper and also
make a comment about your position in relation to the topic. Your thesis statement should tell
your reader what the paper is about and also help guide your writing and keep your
argument focused.
Tip #1: In order to write a successful thesis statement:
1. Avoid burying a great thesis statement in the middle of a paragraph or late in the paper.
2. Be as clear and as specific as possible; avoid vague words.
3. Indicate the point of your paper but avoid sentence structures like, The point of my
paper is
4. Is your thesis statement specific?
Tip #2: Check your thesis:
Are there two large statements connected loosely by a coordinating conjunction
(i.e. "and," "but," "or," "for," "nor," "so," "yet")?
Would a subordinating conjunction help (i.e. "through," "although," "because,"
"since") to signal a relationship between the two sentences?
Or do the two statements imply a fuzzy unfocused thesis?
If so, settle on one single focus and then proceed with further development.
Example of a Revised Theses:
Original thesis:
There are serious objections to today's horror movies.
Revised theses:
1. Because modern cinematic techniques have allowed filmmakers to get more graphic,
horror flicks have desensitized young American viewers to violence.
OR
2. The pornographic violence in "bloodbath" slasher movies degrades both men and women.
Today's slasher movies fail to deliver the emotional catharsis that 1930s horror films did.

Development:
URL: http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/ccds/how-write-essay
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Creating an Outline
Writing an outline is invaluable to help organize your thoughts and the structure of your essay
informally, in order to check strengths and relevance of arguments, consistency with thesis, and
flow. Your outline doesnt have to be fully written out, as if you are handing it in to be marked,
scribble it on a napkin, carve it into your desk, whatever helps you to outline your arguments and
explain the flow to yourself. It will help you to pick up contradictions and weaknesses in your
arguments before you start writing and it keeps you from going off-track.
Introduction
The main point of an introduction is to capture the attention of the reader and draw them
in. This is why your first sentences should be well thought-out to engage and interest the
reader. Always think of an introduction as an upside down triangle. Also accept that if
you write your introduction first, you will probably have to re-write it or at least tweak it
depending on how the rest of your paper turns out.
Literature review. The size and detail of this depends on the size of the paper. Mainly it
addresses the main arguments and debates in the literature on your topic and how your
line of argument is consistent or different from those.
Provide background information on your topic, country case, political context, etc.
Define the terms relevant to your paper. This is really important as it defines the scope
of your paper.
Answer the questions so what? / why is this important? / who cares? / why
should we care?
Body
You should also ensure that there is transition and flow between each paragraph and between
each argument. Try to explain specifically and clearly how each argument relates to your thesis
to make sure your essay sounds more cohesive. Also remember that paragraphs are limited to
one idea and should also make a clear point that connects to your argument and thesis.
Building a strong argument
Reading good journal articles will help you write better by observing how academics develop
their arguments. Every argument should have the following structure:
Claim (because of) Reason (based on) Evidence (acknowledging & responding to)
Objections/Alternatives.
However, to make your argument more clear, you also need warrant. Warrant is a fancy term that
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basically shows the relevance of the claim. It is the principle that lets you connect reason and
claim. It is the logical connection between a claim and a supporting fact (or evidence).
Addressing counterarguments is also an important part of developing a strong argument. It shows
you have done extensive research and you have a good understanding of the topic in question.
You should acknowledge existing and possible objections to your arguments and respond to
them, discrediting them or showing why they dont hold true in your case. Evidence is the last
component you need to make a strong argument. Evidence supports your claims and convinces
the reader. Evidence should be relevant, reliable, and representative of your reasoning. It is also a
good idea to use several pieces of evidence for each argument, rather than just one. Here are
some different types of evidence:
Direct quotations (check out verbs for citing and verbs for introducing quotations
Statistics
Historical data
Case studies
Specific examples (i.e. of projects or experiences of specific groups)
Credible newspaper articles
Photos, sound recordings, or videos (i.e. the CBC Archives)
Conclusion

The conclusion should bring it all together, showing that you have proven your thesis. Opposite
to the introduction, it should start narrow and become broader. The most important point in a
conclusion: do not introduce new arguments! Here are some general guidelines on what
conclusions should include:
Paraphrase your thesis and demonstrate how you have proven it with your arguments.
Answer again the questions so what? and why is this important?
Outline some of the lessons learned.
Discuss some of the implications of your findings and analysis.
Relate it to the wider context on the subject, course themes, or discipline.
Identify some of the future areas for research that your paper opens up.
Reading Comprehension:
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URL 1: http://www.readingrockets.org/helping/target/comprehension
What kids can do to help themselves
Use outlines, maps, and notes when you read.
Make flash cards of key terms you might want to remember.
Read stories or passages in short sections and make sure you know what
happened before you continue reading.
Ask yourself, "Does this make sense?" If it doesn't, reread the part that didn't
make sense.
Read with a buddy. Stop every page or so and take turns summarizing what
you've read.
Ask a parent or teacher to preview a book with you before you read it on your
own.
As you read, try to form mental pictures or images that match the story.
URL 2: https://www.learningrx.com/reading-comprehension-help-for-adults/
Step 1: Pre-read what you will be reading.
This step can be as simple as scanning the table of contents, reading the introduction, browsing
chapter titles, skimming the whole article for subheadings, or jumping ahead to the last page to
see where the article will be taking you. Of course, what you are reading will determine what
pre-reading looks like, but you get the idea. The point is to take a few minutes to familiarize
yourself with the scope of the material. In effect, you are creating a mental map of what youll
be reading.
Step 2: Review any questions you want to answer.
These might be formal questions (such as questions on a quiz, or questions at the end of a
chapter), but they dont have to be. These might be questions you come up with yourself
regarding the kind of information youre looking for. ;Even as an adult, its easy to become
overwhelmed by all the content of an article, report, or book (and even easier to get distracted by
all the information that is available on the internet!). Staying focused on the answers you need
can keep you from getting pulled off-task, and help you recognize the information you need
when you see it.
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Step 3: Interact with the content as much as you can.

While you are reading, find ways to interact with the content. Write things down. Use a yellow
highlighter. Take audio notes. If you are reading something on a digital device, there are
applications that will let you apply sticky notes. Draw something to represent an insight you
just got. Read aloud. The more you can interact with the, the easier it will be to understand,
remember, and apply this information when you need it.
Step 4: Go back to the questions from the second step.
Remember the questions you identified in the second step? Did you get the answers you needed
from the material you read? If not, go back and look again (especially if formal questions were
provided). Not sure where to look? The mental map you created when you pre-read the
material in Step 1 may help you know where to look.
Stronger cognitive skills can help reading skills
Adults can also improve comprehension skills by strengthening the brains core cognitive skills.
Here is a description of three of the cognitive skills the brain depends on for successful reading: