DoNow:

Openuptoyourlimitedtopic(duetoday),ifyoudonthavethisbreakoutthefive
wordsyouwrotedownlastclassthatarecentraltoyourtopic.Shareyourlimitedtopicorfive
wordswithyourseatingpartner.Areyouhappywithit?Howcanyoumakeitbetter?(Partner
Help!)Doesitreadclearly?Ifnotcanyouclarifyit?(3minutes)

Announcements:
Iamfinewithyoumakingaudiorecordingsofclassifyouneedtolisten
back.IdidthisingraduateschoolfromtimetotimewhenIknewanimportantlessonwas
takingplace.Iwilltrustyouasseniorstonotusethisasanexcusetouseyourphone.

Objective:
Obtainknowledgeofhowtowriteyourthesisstatementforyourmonsterresearch
paperandpracticetheartofwritingathesisstatement.

Realworldpurpose:
Yougettocriticallyexaminebeneaththesymbolicfictionofsociety.
Yougetyoutodiscoverthedarkersideofthetruthandintheprocessgetclosertoareal
definitionofwhoweare.Throughtheresearchofyourtopic,followingalineofinquiry,
obtainingfacts,makingconnectionsbetweenseeminglyinvisiblethingsyougettoengagein
thisamazingrevolutionaryprojectofchangingyourselfandwhatyourideaofrealityis.

Method:
Instructionandexplanationofkeyconcepts,practice,groupsharing,revisions,and
reflection.

Differenttopicsrequiredifferenttypesofessays.Inidentifyingyourtypeofessaywe
mustlookatthekindsofquestionsthatariseoutofyourtopicasaguideforpicking
therighttypeofessay.

Itsallaboutthequestion.LorelaiBootsMcNabb(mymentor).Aquestionthat
asksyoutouncoversomethingdeepinsideofusisgoingtoleavealltheroomyou
needtoanswerinadeepand
profound
way.

TypesofEssaysyoumightwrite:

ExplanatoryPaper:

Definition:
Anexplanatorypaperpresentsandexplainsanideasystematicallyandindetail.

Question(monsterpaperspecific):
Explaintherolethatmonsters,eitherfictionalorreal,playinanysocietyorartform.

SampleThesisStatement:Theoverabundanceofslasherfilmsinthelate60sand70sisa
reactionagainstthefeministmovementsofthatsametime.

Thepaperwilllooklikethis:

 Explain,throughadiscussionofhistoryandfilmtexts,howthismovementand
phenomenonincinemaarelinked.

ArgumentativePaper:

Definition:
Anargumentativepapermakesaclaimaboutatopicandjustifiesthisclaimwithspecific
evidence.Theclaimcouldbeanopinion,apolicyproposal,anevaluation,acauseandeffect
statement,oraninterpretation.Thegoaloftheargumentativepaperistoconvincethe
audiencethattheclaimistruebasedontheevidenceprovided.

Question(monsterspecificpaper):
Argue,throughtheuseoffacts,whyaparticularsocialproblemismonstrous?

SampleThesisStatement:Becausetheconsumptionoflobstersisbasedonalackof
understandingoftheiremotionalandintellectualcapacities,societiesactionstowardsthem
canbeconsideredmonstrous.

Thepaperwilllooklikethis:
Presentanargumentandgiveevidencetosupporttheclaimthatlobsterconsumption
isunethicaldespitetheevidencethatmaysuggestotherwise.

AnalyticalPaper:

Definition:
Ananalyticalpaperbreaksdownanissueoranideaintoitscomponentparts,evaluatesthe
issueoridea,andpresentsthisbreakdownandevaluationtotheaudience.

Question(monsterspecificpaper):
Analyzethewayinwhichthemonsterspastplaysasignificantroleinformingtheiridentityas
amonster

SampleThesisStatement:Ananalysisof
Frankenstein
and
IamLegend
revealsthatthe
monsterisoftenshadowedbyatorturedpast.

Thepaperwilllooklikethis:
Itwillanalyzethepreviouslymentionedtexts
Explainhowthemonsterspastinformstheirworldview

Requirementsforthethesisstatementandtheentireessay:
1. NouseofI,me,ormythismeansyouarenotwritinganopinionpaper.However,
keepinmindthatyouwillhavetotakeaside.Indoingso,youmustremembertolet

thefactsandresearchspeakforthemselves.ThereasonIsaythatyoumusttakea
sideisbecauseyouareattemptingtoargue/explain/analyzeatopicthatismonstrous.
NotsayingI,me,ormyintheessaydoesnotmeanthatyouarecompletelyremoved
fromtheequation.Youwanttodiscussbothsidesofanissuebutyouclearlywantto
beononesiderefutingandcriticizingtheother.

Anapproachtowritingyourthesisstatement:

1. Startsimply.Writeyourthesisstatementinasinglesentence.
2. Answeraquestion.Asimpleguidetoaneffectivethesisstatementisananswertoa
question:WhatamItryingtoprove?Thesisstatement=explanationofwhatyour
paperisabout.
3. Narrowyourtopic.Focusyourthesisstatementonalimitedaspect.Remember,we
arecenteringallofthisonmonsters.Whatismonstrousaboutyourlimitedtopicoras
inourpreviouslessonifyouonlyestablishedthecrucialwordsthatareatthecenterof
yourresearch,whatismonstrousinthoseideas?
4. Beflexible.Ifyourresearchindicatesother,strongerpossibilities,itisacceptableto
changeyourthesisstatement.

Classwork:
Thesisstatementconstructionandpassaround!

1. Writeyourthesisstatement
2. Writedownwhatyourpapershouldlooklikebasedonthethesisstatement

Everyoneistoanswerthefollowingquestionsonapieceofpaperthatwillbepassedaround.
Youhave4minuteswitheachpaper.Ifyoudonotfinishwhentimeisupmakeadoubledash
afterthelastword.

Answerstoclassworkquestions(below)aretobewrittenonthethepaperthatispassedto
you(leaveroomforotherstowritewewillswitchpapersaroundasmuchaspossible)(Im
goingtocomearoundandfinishcheckingannotatedbibliographiesandcheckinwithyouon
yourtopic):
1. Isthisaninterestingwayofpresentingthisthesisstatementdoyouwanttoreadthe
paperafterthis?
2. Doesitclearlyexplainwhatthepaperisgoingtobeabout?Tellthemwhatyouthink
therestofthepaperwillfocuson.Ifyoudontthinkthisthesisclear,offersome
suggestions.
3. Ifaclassmatehasnotwrittenathesisstatementbutfivecrucialwordsthatcenter
aroundthetopicpleaseoffersomeadviceastohowtheymightfocustheirtopic,what
theymightuseasasource,orapossiblequestionthatyouvealwayspondered
connectedtothosewords.


Assessment:
Thethesisstatementpaperwithclassmatescomments.5minuteessay.

ExitTicket:
Writethefollowing:1.yournewlyconstructedthesisstatementafterconsidering
yourclassmatescomments.2.Afiveminuteessayonwhatyoulearned.3.Pleaseinclude
anyquestionyoumighthaveaboutsources,thesisstatements,orresearchpapers.