Transcript Discuss

Understanding essay titles and
thesis construction
In-sessional (2016)
Stephen Deane
Overview
This section aims to develop/enhance
understanding of writing requirements via
analysis of:
• Task Types
• Key Words
• Components
• Use of question forms
Analysing Titles – Main task types
Four common task types are:
• Description
• Discussion
• Evaluation
• Comparison
Discuss the characteristics of each.
Analysing Titles – Main task types
Task
Characteristic
Description • Give the main information (no need to comment)
• Support this information with evidence and/or
examples
Discussion • Give the main information (need to comment)
• Requires more critical thinking/organising
Evaluation • Requires a clear thesis statement
• Needs selective/critical analysis to achieve this
Comparison • Identify similarities and/or differences
• Can require description, discussion of evaluation
(or a combination of these)
Analysing Titles – Identifying Key Words
Key Word
Definition
Analyse
Examine and explain why
Assess
Evaluate/give strengths and weaknesses of and give reasons
Compare
Write about (usually) two things which have similarities + differences
Examine
Give reasons for, explain how something happened
Contrast
Describe differences
Outline
Give a short description of the main points
Define
Give a specific description for a specific context
Account for
Give good reasons for, explain satisfactorily
In what way
Explain how and say why
Discuss
Look at carefully, consider
To what extent How far do you agree with … How ‘true’ is…
Justify
Express a view/views supporting it with reference to your reading
State
Express carefully, fully and clearly
Infer
Conclude something from the information provided
Analysing Titles – Identifying Key Words
Word/Phrase
Significance
Meaning and importance
Concise
Short, brief
With reference to
Inside the subject of
Factors
Points for consideration
Function
What something does…
Implications
Results that are not obvious…
Limitations
Where the topic/results may be restricted…
In the context of
Related to…
The role of
What part something plays…
Concept
An important idea
Analysing Titles – Identifying Title
Components
Title: The British media claim to be objective in
their reporting of news. Discuss with reference
to either television or the press, and their
coverage of a single recent event in the news
Can you identify the 3 components in this title?
Analysing Titles – Identifying Title
Components
Components:
1) Topic = ‘The British Media’
2) Instruction = ‘Discuss’
3) Restriction/Limitation = ‘either television or
the press’ and ‘coverage of a single event in the
news’
Analysing Titles – Identifying Title
Components
Analyse and account for the
differences between media
representations of single-sex
schooling in England and evidence
from government statistics.
Analysing Titles – Re-writing as Questions
Title: The British media claim to be objective in their
reporting of news. Discuss with reference to either
television or the press, and their coverage of a single recent
event in the news.
How would you interpret this title in question form?.
1) How objective ….
2) In which ways…..
3) What does coverage…
Analysing Titles – Re-writing as Questions
1) How objective was the recent television
coverage of Event X?
2) In which ways did the recent television
coverage of Event X lack objectivity?
3) What does coverage of Event X suggest
about the objectivity of UK news reporting?
Analysing Titles – Re-writing as Questions
Analyse and account for the
differences between media
representations of single-sex
schooling in England and evidence
from government statistics.
Thesis construction
This section aims to consider:
• What a thesis statement is/how it is used in
academic writing
• To think about common problems with
constructing a thesis and how to avoid these
Discussion
1) What is a thesis ?
2) How is it used in an academic essay?
3)What would be an appropriate thesis for:
To what extent were social and geographical factors
responsible for Britain pioneering the Industrial
Revolution in Europe?
Discussion
A good thesis statement should include:
1) An outline/the scope of the essay – the main
ideas in the body paragraphs.
2) An opinion – the main argument used in the
conclusion
Identifying a thesis
1) An outline/the scope of the essay – the main
ideas in the body paragraphs.
It will be suggested that a combination of social
and geographical factors contributed to Britain
appearing at the forefront of the Industrial
Revolution. The social components were …
The geographical influences included…
Identifying a thesis
2) An opinion – the main argument used in the
conclusion
Ultimately, the main contention that will be
presented is that geography, most pertinently its
island status, was the primary factor in Britain’s
pioneering of industry.
Identifying a thesis
Conclusion (Link back to Introduction)
This essay has considered to which degree social
and geographical factors helped to place Britain in
pole position regarding the Industrial Revolution
It has suggested that….
The reasons for this are…
Identifying a thesis
Conclusion (Link back to Introduction)
This essay has considered to which degree social
and geographical factors helped to place Britain in
pole position regarding the Industrial Revolution
It has suggested that the island status is the
single key factor. The reasons for this are…
Common Problems
1)Thesis is too broad
2)Thesis is too narrow
3) Thread of the thesis lost
Broad Thesis
What are the key negative social consequences
of the rise in hard drug use in American society
(1970-1990)
It will be asserted that from 1970 to 1990 the
widespread drug use is proved very detrimental
to American society.
Broad Thesis
What are the key negative social consequences
of the rise in drug use in American society
(1970-1990)
It will be asserted that from 1970 to 1990 the
widespread use of crack cocaine proved
particularly detrimental in encouraging gang
violence.
Broad Thesis
Reasons:
• Failure to use debateable statement
• Read widely enough and/or understand
complexity of issue – E.g. not considered
different perspectives
• Over-simplistic communication and/or
organisation of ideas
Narrow thesis
To what extent were social and geographical
factors responsible for Britain pioneering the
Industrial Revolution in Europe?
This essay will argue that the social factors of
increased levels of education and participation
of women were the key … .
Narrow thesis
This essay will argue that the social factors of
increased levels of education and participation
of women were the key … . Whilst variables in
geography were of less significance..
Narrow thesis
Reasons:
• Failure to read widely enough and/or understand
complexity of issue – E.g. not considered different
perspectives (same as Broad)
• Misinterpretation of the question (importance of key
words, writing title in question form)
• Writer becomes overly focused on one specific
aspect
Thread of thesis
Introduction:
It will be asserted that from 1970 to 1990 the
widespread use of crack cocaine proved particularly
detrimental in encouraging gang violence.
Consequently, this had significant repercussions for
an increase in single mothers and a decrease in
educational opportunity.
Conclusion:
In summary the influx of heroin into U.S. ghettos
and the accompanying healthcare crisis…
Thread of thesis
Introduction:
It will be asserted that from 1970 to 1990 the widespread
use of crack cocaine proved particularly detrimental in
encouraging gang violence. Consequently, this had
significant repercussions for an increase in single mothers
and a decrease in educational opportunity.
Conclusion:
In summary the influx of crack cocaine had a series of
direct negative consequences relating to gangs and
indirectly one parent families and impoverished education
for the subsequent generations
Thread of thesis
Reasons:
• Confusion over title/instructions
• Lack of planning
• Failure to use a systematic approach (E.g. start
to write before finishing reading)
Takeaway Ideas
• Make sure you understand the question
(Ask tutors/classmates – clarify)
• Be systematic in your approach – set deadlines
for reading, planning, drafting (e.g. avoid
having to read after drafting)
• Criticality:
- Research/read a range of sources. Think about
the topic from different perspectives
- Approach reading with a thesis mind-set