Download drafting - ENG 101

“DRAFTING”
ENG 101
1/15/2014
INTRODUCTION
 One paragraph – no more than the first page
 Open with a sentence or two that engage the reader and
introduce the topic
 the “hook”
 Introduce what your source in a sentence or two (MLK)
 Don’t assume your reader is interested in or knowledgeable
about the subject
 State your thesis
 (the book states that you don’t always need/want a thesis, but you do
for this class!)
EFFECTIVE THESIS STATEMENTS
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Cannot be too factual – must be debatable
Cannot be a question
Cannot be too broad or too narrow
Define your terms – for example, if you call something
“ef fective,” what does a piece need in order to be such?
STATE YOUR TOPIC AS A QUESTION
 You may have a topic, such as “gasoline prices.” But that
doesn’t make a statement. To move from a topic to a thesis
statement, start by turning your topic into a question: What
causes fluctuations in gasoline prices?”
(The Little Seagull Handbook)
THEN TURN YOUR QUESTION INTO A
POSITION
 A thesis statement is an assertion —it takes a stand or makes
a claim. One way to establish a thesis is to answer your own
question: Gasoline prices fluctuate for several reasons .
(The Little Seagull Handbook)
NARROW YOUR THESIS
 A good thesis is specific, telling your audience exactly what
your essay will cover: Gasoline prices fluctuate because of
production procedures, consumer demand, international
politics, and oil companies’ prices . A good way to narrow a
thesis is to ask and answer questions about it: Why do
gasoline prices fluctuate? The answer will help you craft a
narrow, focused thesis.
(The Little Seagull Handbook)
QUALIFY YOUR THESIS
 Though you may sometimes want to state your thesis strongly
and bluntly, often you need to acknowledge that your
assertion may not be unconditionally true. In such cases,
consider adding such terms as may, ver y likely, and of ten to
qualify your statement: Gasoline prices ver y likely because of
production procedures, consumer demand, international
politics, and oil companies’ prices .
BODY
 Have thesis in mind first
 Paragraph according to thesis
 Include citations
 (last name page #)
 “…” (King 2).
 If author is named in sentence, you do not need to repeat name in
citation
 King explains, “…” (2).
 Topic sentences
TOPIC SENTENCES
 Topic sentence: A sentence, often at the beginning of a
paragraph, that states the paragraph’s main point. The details
in the rest of the paragraph should support the topic
sentence.
CONCLUSION
 Remind without repeating
 Summarize essay
 “So what?” and “who cares?”
 Discuss topic’s significance
 Reach outward – what are the larger significance or implications of
your argument?
EVALUATING
ARGUMENTS
“In your
reading and in
your own
writing,
evaluate all
arguments for
logic and
fairness” (92).
FALLACIES
 Hasty generalization
 Stereotypes
 Using a small piece of evidence to support a large scale conclusion
 False analogy
 “If we can send a spacecraft to Pluto, we should be able to find a
cure for the common cold”
 Post hoc
 Cause and effect
 Either…or
 Establishes false choice between only 2 options and ignores others
APPEALS
 Ethos, pathos, logos
 Legitimate vs. unfair appeals
 AWR. p. 98
OPPOSING VIEWS
 Does the author acknowledge opposing views?
 If so, how?
 Does he address/present them fairly?
 Why or why not?
 Does he respond to them?
 If so, how?
 What does this tell us about the author/piece?
INTEGRATING
SOURCES
“Quotations,
summaries,
paraphrases,
and facts will
help you
develop your
argument, but
they cannot
speak for you”
(379).
DON’T OVER-QUOTE
 Read AWR p. 380
 Quote when:
 Exact language is important
 When the quote adds credibility/authority
 When using a quote as evidence (for analysis )
 You don’t always need to use the full sentence
 Ellipsis
 Brackets
FRAME QUOTATIONS
 QUOTATIONS CANNOT STAND ALONE AS SENTENCES
 Introduce quote with a signal phrase
 Read p. 382
 King acknowledges that “there may have been a time when war
served as a negative good,” but he emphasizes the need for
nonviolent means and ends (1).
 King advocates “nonviolence in all areas of human conflict, and that
means nonviolence on an international scale” (1).
 He explains, “before you finish eating breakfast in the morning,
you’ve depended on more than half the world” (King 2).
EXPLAIN!
 In the following sentence(s), explain/interpret/analyze quote