Transcript More Than One Idea

Chapter Three
The First and Second Steps
in Essay Writing
College Writing Skills with Readings
The First Two Steps
point, or thesis.
the thesis with
specific evidence.
Begin with a Point, or Thesis
Common Errors in Writing a Thesis
• ANNOUNCEMENTS
rather than statements
• Statements that are
•Statements that are
•Statements that contain more than one idea
Announcements rather than Statements
Ex.: I want to talk about the
crime wave in our country.
The sentence above merely tells
the subject of the paper.
A thesis statement must advance a point
about a limited subject.
A Good Thesis
A good thesis is neither too broad nor too narrow:
too
broad
Crime is a major concern of everyone in our country.
too
narrow
My parents had only one child.
JUST RIGHT
A honeymoon is perhaps the worst way to begin a
marriage.
Statements That Contain More
Than One Idea
Ex.: My parents helped me grow in
important ways, although in other
respects I was limited.
In the statement above, the reader is asked
to focus on two separate points, each of which
more logically belongs in an essay of its own.
Support the Thesis with
Specific Evidence
Write down a brief version of your
thesis and then jot down the three
points that will support it.
The Importance of Specific
Details
Develop your supporting points with specific
details.
WHY? Because
•details excite the reader’s interest.
•details serve to explain a writer’s
point.
The Importance of Adequate
Details
Provide enough
specific details
to fully support the point
in a body paragraph.
Review: Thesis Statements
Too Broad, Too Narrow,
Announcement, More Than One Idea
or OKAY?
©2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Too Broad
Computers have changed our
society.
Announcement
The subject of this paper is
alcoholism.
More than One Idea
My childhood was
extremely stimulating,
although in many ways I
was sheltered.
Announcement
I will discuss the problem
of drug addiction in this
essay.
Okay!
There are three important
steps we could take to deal
with the problem of drug
addiction in this country.
Too Narrow
When I was a kid, my
favorite movie was "Star
Wars."
Too Broad
We must do something
about crime.
More Than One Idea
Television programs
promote many stereotypes,
yet they also can contain
positive messages.
Too Narrow
There are more children
who are homeless now
than there were during the
depression.
Okay!
Celebrities lead very stressful
lives, for no matter how
glamorous or powerful they
are, they have too little
privacy, too much pressure,
and no safety.
As a Class
• Activity 1, pages 51, 52
Group Activities
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Activity 2, page 53
Activity 3, pages 59-60
Activity 5, pages 64-65
Activity 8, page 67-68
Activity 9, page 68-69
Activities 10-13, pages 70-72