Thesis Builder and Essay Organizer

1
Thesis Builder and Essay Organizer

• Interdis World Cultures
• Adapted from
• http//ozline.com/electraguide/thesis.html

2
Part 1 Creating your thesis statement

• On a separate post-it answer each of the
  following questions in short phrases (not full
  sentences).
• Number each post-it.
• The program will provide you with examples for
  each of the questions.

3
1. What is the topic you want to write about?

• Sample

1 Operation Desert Storm
Note you will not really use this post-it, but
identifying your topic is an essential first step
4
2. What is your main opinion on this topic? (use
the topic somewhere in this statement)

• Sample

2 Operation Desert Storm was a hollow victory
for the United States
5
3. What is the strongest argument supporting your
opinion?

• Sample

3 It did not overthrow Saddam Hussein
6
4. What is a second strong argument supporting
your opinion?

• Sample

4 It strengthened anti-American sentiment in the
Arab world
7
5. What is the main argument against your opinion?

• Sample

5 It significantly weakened Saddam Husseins
power
8
6. What is a possible title for your Essay?

• Sample

6 Less than Victory in Iraq
9
Make three additional post-its
7 Even though
8 because
9 and
10
Create your thesis statement by organizing your
post-its in the following order 7-5-2-8-4-9-3
7 Even though
5 it significantly weakened Saddam Husseins
power
2 Operation Desert Storm was a hollow victory
for the United States
8 because
4 it strengthened anti-American sentiment in
the Arab world
9 and
3 it did not overthrow Saddam Hussein
11
Part 2 Essay Organizer

• Write your title (Post-it 6) at the top of the
  first page of your essay.
• Use the following format for each paragraph of
  your essay

12
Introductory Paragraph

• Begin with an interesting quotation, statistics,
  anecdote, or background information to get your
  readers attention and bring him/her into the
  topic
• Use a phrase or sentence to transition from the
  attention-grabber to your thesis
• Clinch with your thesis statementfix the grammar

Even though it significantly weakened
Saddam Husseins power, Operation Desert Storm
was a hollow victory for the United States
because it strengthened anti-American sentiment
in the Arab world, and it did not overthrow
Saddam Hussein.
13
Body Paragraph 1

• Begin with a topic sentence derived from your
  post-it 5.
• Operation Desert Storm weakened Saddam Hussein
  in two significant ways.
• Provide evidencefacts, examples, quotations, or
  statistics--that supports the topic sentence.
• Explain how your evidence supports the topic
  sentence.
• Transition
• Another example that shows how Operation Desert
  Storm affected Hussein is. . .
• Provide more evidencefacts, examples,
  quotations, or statisticsthat supports the topic
  sentence
• Explain how this second piece of evidence
  supports the topic sentence.
• Clincher

14
Body Paragraph 2

• Begin with a topic sentence derived from your
  post-it s 7-5-2-8-4.
• Although Saddam Hussein had less control over
  Iraqi affairs as a result of Operation Desert
  Storm, the war also increased anti-American
  sentiments throughout the Arab world.
• Provide evidencefacts, examples, quotations, or
  statistics--that supports the topic sentence.
• Explain how your evidence supports the topic
  sentence.
• Transition
• Provide more evidencefacts, examples,
  quotations, or statisticsthat supports the topic
  sentence
• Explain how this second piece of evidence
  supports the topic sentence.
• Clincher

15
Body Paragraph 3

• Begin with a topic sentence derived from your
  post-it 3.
• The most important reason that Operation Desert
  Storm was a hollow victory is that it did not
  overthrow Saddam Hussein.
• Provide evidencefacts, examples, quotations, or
  statistics--that supports the topic sentence.
• Explain how your evidence supports the topic
  sentence.
• Transition
• Provide more evidencefacts, examples,
  quotations, or statisticsthat supports the topic
  sentence
• Explain how this second piece of evidence
  supports the topic sentence.
• Clincher

16
Conclusion

• The topic sentence for your conclusion restates
  your thesisUse slightly different words for
  interest and impact.
• Return to your attention-getter from the
  introduction.
• End with a powerful So What statement i.e.
  tell your readers why they should care about the
  topic