Thesis Statement, Blueprint And

Idea/Evidence Chart for Research Paper

Write your thesis and forecasting statement here:

Writing is much like beauty, it lies in the eyes of the beholder. Although this is very true many would agree that there are certain rules and guidelines that need to be followed in order for it to be perceived as good writing. Good writing needs to contain, but would not be limited to, a strong bold beginning, thought provoking and understandable content, and an ending that will keep the reader anticipating more.

IDEAS EVIDENCE

In the column below, list and number ideas List in this column, and match to the numbers on or pieces of information important to your the left, the evidence you plan to use to support research essay. These are the many points the ideas or pieces of information listed in the left you will be making about your topic in column: facts, quotations, statistics, and so on support of your thesis statement. that you have discovered in your research. List the item and where you found it (i.e., the source you will cite in your paper).

1. Good writing has a beginning that will 1. The book titled, “Conflict, Action, & pull the reader in, as if they were Suspense” written by William Noble and there. It needs to have a “dramatic” published in1994 is where I will get most of start, or no one will want to continue the information about my dramatic beginning. to read. Pg 35 In Chapter 3 (Openings) gives a quick summary of why introductions are so very important. “The opening is the most important segment of the work, not because it may contain extraordinary literary deployment, but because if we lose on readers here, we’ll never get them back, unlike tennis……….”

2. I believe that the best writing often 2. The book titled, “The Techniques of Clear comes about when someone is simply Writing” written by Robert Gunning and trying to express themselves, make a published in 1968 is where I found his point, or just vent. Hence: “Write to expression “write to express, not impress.” In express, not impress!” principle ten he simply states, “You should express your own thoughts instead of trying to impress with thoughts borrowed from others.”

3. I think that having familiar words in 3. The book titled, “THE TRUTH ABOUT any type of writing makes the writing ENGLISH” written by Robert C. Pinckert and more personal to the reader. I think published in 1981 has some witty information that if the reader feels he cannot keep about fancy words and old words. On page 47, up with the author’s vocabulary he the author writes, “Unless you’re aiming at an might become frustrated, and decide unusually simple style, you do well to slip in a to stop reading. Therefore having fancy word from time to time, to wake people mostly familiar words, with maybe a up and show how confident you are.” I like few fancy words would make it more this because it never occurred to me that the personal and interesting. Nobody words you use could show your reader wants to look up a word in the confidence, and then they will be able to see dictionary for every other sentence. your confidence that you have about your writing.

4. I believe one of the major elements of 4. The book titled, “THE WRITER’S WORK”, good writing is to know who your written by Dean Memering and Frank O’Hare audience is. If you know who you are and published in 1980 has some information writing for, you can almost know to back this statement up. On page eleven the exactly what to write, so how could authors have written, “Writing that is directed you not write something well? at no one in particular usually fails.”

5. What is the point to punctuation! It 5. The book titled, “TODAY’S ENGLISH: might sound simple, but punctuation is KEYS TO BASIC WRITING” written by an important part of good writing. If Virginia McDavid and Thomas J. Creswell there was no punctuation you would and published in 1983 is a wonderful never breathe! I always thought that educational book that walks you through all punctuation was so that the reader the steps of grammar, punctuation, spelling, could tell where the speaker was etc. As far as punctuation is concerned, on pausing. It never occurred to me that if page 326 the book states that punctuation’s that were the case the writer would go major goal is to signal to the reader what they comma happy. I know believe that should expect in an upcoming sentence or punctuation tells your reader how you paragraph. “Punctuation marks are to the want your words to be read. reader what highway signs are to the driver.”

6. In my opinion good writing cannot be 6. In the book titled, “How To Write” written by that good without feeling. From my the infamous Gertrude Stein, which was personal experience, just knowing that published in 1940, she (not so clearly) the author was interested makes me emphasizes that she believes that good writing think, “Hey what has his attention, I must stem from thought and what she sees want to know!” Words should flow through her eyes. from the heart through the pen. Unfortunately I don’t have the book at home, so at this time I cannot cite what pages I received this information from.

7. I think that it is really important to 7. The book titled, “Writing Clear Essays” have metaphors in writing. If, at first, written by Robert B. Donald, Betty Richmond someone did not understand what you Morrow, Lillian Griffith Wargetz, and were writing about, but then they Kathleen Werner, which was published in came across a metaphor that they 1992 will be quite useful. On page 178 the understood, voila! Metaphors, I think, book gives a quick history of metaphors, and are a halfway mark, where almost a quotation from Aristotle that I happen to anyone can meet. I think it makes the like. “To employ metaphors happily and person feel as if they are in familiar effectively” was the greatest skill in writing. territory even if they may be Another quote which I like was from a embarking on a completely new idea. contemporary scholar named I.A. Richards Metaphors are wonderful ways to who said, “We all live and speak only through illustrate ideas. our eyes for resemblances.”

8. Without smooth transitions, in any 8. In the book titled, “Writing Clear Essays” type of writing, the reader would be (authors and publication date are listed above easily confused about where one in # 7), on page 54 the book gives a wonderful thought ended, and the other began. explanation for why transitions are so very Transitions tell a story all by important. It reads, “As you write the themselves. If you end one paragraph paragraphs, remember that the reader does not correctly, the reader will have some have the outline before him or her and can’t idea about what the next paragraph see the divisions you have set up.” will be pertaining to. 9. I think sentence fragments have to be 9. The book titled, “TODAY’S ENGLISH”, one of the most distracting things written by Virginia McDavid and Thomas J. when you are reading. I don’t know Creswell, and published in 1977 has a section, about anyone else’s reading style, but on page 18 dedicated just to sentence when I read I tend to make a very fragments. I think it would be useful because short pause to myself when I see a it has the rules on how to tell if a sentence is a period. So if I see a period before a fragment or not. sentence has been thoroughly expanded upon, it throws me off. It ruins my train of thought. Obviously, I am stating that fragments, DO NOT play a part in good writing.

10. I believe that a conclusion is probably 10. Our textbook titled, “the BEDFORD GUIDE the most important thing in writing. If for COLLEGE WRITERS,” written by X.J. not number one it’s up there with a Kennedy, Dorothy M. Kennedy, and Sylvia beginning, anyway. I believe this is A. Holladay is very informative as far as true because an ending is what the rules and examples are concerned. I have reader is most likely to remember taken a liking to this book, though, for its because it was the last thing that the interesting content on page 293-294 about reader read. In other words, the ending conclusions. In their own words the authors is the last chance to make an have completely agreed with me that a outstanding impression. conclusion is really important.

11. In my opinion, a thesis statement will 11. Once again, our textbook titled, “the tell a reader whether or not he or she is BEDFORD GUIDE for COLLEGE even remotely interested in that WRITERS,” written by X. J. Kennedy, particular topic. Therefore, a thesis Dorothy M. Kennedy and Sylvia A. Holladay statement has to be an interesting is helpful. On pages 271-275 the authors summary of what the paper will have teach you how to come up with a thesis, to offer a reader. The first impression narrow a thesis down to make the topic more is always the most important specific, and the importance of a thesis. impression.

12. Grammar is rule that many dislike, but 11. In the book titled, “Grammatically it is still very necessary. If a writer CORRECT,” written by Anne Stilman, she were to be careless about his or her gives a very thought provoking opinion, grammar a reader might see that as the which happens to match mine perfectly. On writer not being very serious about the page 201 she explains how bad grammar topic at hand. At the point the reader might irritate a reader, and why the rules of will probably will lose interest grammar are so helpful. I get the feeling because they will get the impression from reading this that she herself is not too that the writer doesn’t even care how fond of grammar, but that she respects the his writings will be judged. rules because they set guidelines and a standard that all writers should adhere to. 13. Good writing is planned writing. To 13. In the video titled, “THE WRITERS’S me, to here that sentence means that PROCESS,” all of the writers agree that the writer has to be prepared before he outlines are essential. They also agree that or she even starts to write. The writer you should leave yourself enough leeway to has to have a love for what they are perhaps, shift from your original outline. doing, and be in the right frame of Having an outline helps the writer get to the mind to be that focused. I believe main point easier and faster, without these things shine through someone’s rambling. writing. The writer needs a sense of direction. Outlines are necessary.

14. One of the most annoying things to 14. The book titled, “The Technique of Clear me, when I am reading is when words Writing,” written by Robert Gunnings are repeated, unnecessarily. This is dedicates all of Principle Four (pgs. 93-106) also another topic that would help the on the art of avoiding unnecessary words. He reader to lose his or her attention in goes into detail about how the use of the material. Good writing is often unneeded words may annoy a reader. When creative writing. An author or a writer, being repetitious you give the reader a of any kind, needs to be creative as far feeling that you think he is not as smart as as word usage. The author needs to you, and that’s why you’re repeating expand his mind to come up with everything. No pun intended. other alternatives for certain words, but at the same time not use too many fancy words.

15. Good writing is inspirational. Good 15. For this particular opinion that I have on good writing will make someone want to do writing, I will be using my interview with something, anything well. When I Sofia E. Somerstein. Her personal story of read something that I have really how writing drastically changed her life was enjoyed, afterwards it will usually very inspirational to me. It made me realize give me a feeling of wholeness. Or a that good writing is much more than just feeling that I want to accomplish words on paper. It is the future, present, and something grand. past. It is happiness, sadness, success, and failure. Anyone can mold writing into what they want. Writing is everywhere, and can mean anything. Good writing is what YOU make it.