The%20Thesis%20Machine

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The Thesis Machine

• TPR and Polish

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What is a THESIS Statement?

• A road map for the rest of
• the paper
• It must be both arguable and
• provable.
• It is an assertion, a central argument around
  which the essay revolves.

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Step 1 TOPIC

• State the topic under consideration.
• cats
• grades
• Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

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Topic

• Whats a better pet? Cats or dogs?

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Step 2 POSITION

• State the specific issue in the form of a
  debating propositiona this is what I believe
  statement
• Cats should be subject to leash laws.
• Grades are unnecessary in college.
• Twains HF is about hypocrisy.

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Step 2 Position

• I believe _____ are better pets

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Step 3 RATIONALE

• Using a because clause, convert the resolution
  into a sentence that states your position on the
  issue and provides a main rationale for that
  position. A this is what I believe and this is
  why statement
• Cats should be subject to leash laws because they
  are inveterate wanderers.
• Grades are unnecessary in college because
  students learn more rapidly without them.
• Twains HF is a book about one persons ethical
  stand against the hypocritical practice of
  antebellum Southern society.

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Step 3 Rationale

• I believe cats are better than dogs because they
  are more independent and dont need to be walked.

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Step 4 POLISH QUALIFY (WASABI clause)

• Refine the rough thesis Use WASABI and spice it
  up! Add any qualifications and consider dropping
  overt use of because.
• A complex thought deserves to be written in a
  complex sentence (dependent clause independent
  clause).
• W Whether, While, When
• A Although
• S Since
• A After
• B Because
• I If

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Step 4 Polish and Qualify

• Although dogs are used to protect homes, cats and
  their independent, hunting nature makes them the
  better pet.

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WASABI

• Because of the crowded nature of city life, the
  cat's instinctive wanderlust demands that it be
  restrained.
• While there may be a legitimate need to evaluate
  the work of college students, the traditional
  grading system hinders learning and stifles
  creativity.
• Although Huckleberry may not realize it, the
  Mississippi River serves as a symbol of freedom
  between the lands of chaos, hypocrisy and
  destruction in Mark Twains HK.

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Evaluate on a 1-10 scale. Effective or not?

1. William Faulkners Barn Burning is about a boy
   who disagrees with his father.
2. William Faulkners Barn Burning is about a boy
   who is in the process of self-discovery.
3. In Barn Burning young Starty has to choose
   between showing loyalty to his father whi is
   breaking the law and doing what is just in the
   eyes of the law. The conflict between Sartys
   conscience and his loyalty to his father suggests
   that societys laws are more important than
   remaining loyal to family.