Writing Resources

Students will have completed at least one full length writing assignment. Two introductory paragraphs from these assignments are selected to be circulated in class. Ideally these paragraphs will each have identifiable strengths and weaknesses.

1. The aims of a thesis statement

• Expresses the main idea or proposition of your essay
• Tells your reader where the essay is going

• A clear position or argument
• Justifies discussion
• Expresses one main idea which governs the essay
• Is specific

Step 2: A handout is distributed which contains the two introductory paragraphs.

Step 3: Students are asked to think about the following questions in relation to each paragraph:

1. What is the thesis?
2. What are its strengths?
3. What are its weaknesses?
4. How well does it meet the criteria for a successful thesis?

Step 4: Provide students with some strategies for thesis revision.

1. Underline all of the generic words – e.g. people, things, societies. Consider more specific substitutes.
2. Underline words or phrases that need to be unpacked. Ask yourself questions to develop these ideas.
3. Examine the verbs. Eliminate linking verbs (is, was, has been, should be) whenever possible and substitute strong action verbs.
4. Check thesis for broad sweeping claims that will be difficult to support with evidence.

Step 5: Ask students to provide specific advice for each of the authors about how they could go about revising the thesis statements.

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  "Writing is not only something to be taught reactively through feedback on drafts, but also proactively using exercises that help students think critically about the choices they will make when constructing papers."