May 29

First, we completed the writing into the day about “rules” for a thesis (see PowerPoint slide 32).

Together, we created a class list of “rules” on the board.

• Controlling/main idea
• Proving a point or explaining an idea
• Should be a more broad statement
• Should be at the beginning of the paper at the end of the introduction
• Educated theory
• Be a single statement (even if it is two sentences)
• Explanation of an idea
• Can be a fact or an opinion
• It appears at the beginning of the introductory paragraph
• It needs to be a more specific statement.
• It needs to be broad but give a specific direction.
• States an intention or purpose
• It has three points in it (for a five-paragraph essay)
• It’s an argumentative statement
• You can start with “What I’m trying to say is” and then take that part away later
• It provides direction for the paper
• Sometimes the thesis is delayed to the middle or end of the paper
• It can be restated in the conclusion
• It can appear anywhere in the paper
• It should make an assertion
• You need it when you write an essay
• You don’t need a thesis for a narrative or descriptive essay
• You don’t need it for a personal essay
• You don’t need it for a letter
• You should restate your thesis every so often
• It gives your reader an idea about what he/she will be reading
• Sometimes the thesis is implied isn’t of directly stated

How might you use or not use a thesis to write the definition essay that is coming up?

• You can leave out a direct thesis and put in your different points in the introduction.
• When you use your attention grabber, you can throw in a thesis based off what you are trying to define in the paper.
• You can use topic sentences.
• Your thesis will be your arguments.
• You can write more of an opinion.

How does what you believe about a thesis affect the way you write?

• It affects how many body paragraphs you have if you think you need three points.
• It affects how you go about explaining your ideas in your paper.
• It affects how you will be writing your essay based off how you view your thesis.
• It affects the organization of your paper.  It gives you an outline.
• It affects how your paper flows.  The reader will get confused if you don’t have a good organization.
• It’s a main focus that you always return to.  It’s a reference point.

Then, we discussed the questions on slide 33 of the PowerPoint.

• Using you or your sounds like you are talking to the reader.  The reader might become offended.
• It’s very direct.  It’s unprofessional.
• You are telling the reader what to believe.
• It’s disrespecting the reader because you aren’t letting them form his/her own opinion.
• It implies that the reader should feel a certain way.
• You can replace "you" with “one.” 

• Yes, you can use first person when you are using an example.
• You can use it when you are giving an example of yourself.
• Some assignments call for a personal viewpoint.
• You can use it when you are saying “As I was doing my research…”
• Inappropriate is “I think…”
• If you’re doing anything based on fact, you shouldn’t use first person. 
• Teachers say that first person isn’t necessary because it is inferred that it is you saying it because you are writing it.
• The person can overuse the word “I” or “me.”

We got into four small groups and scanned through the first 5-6 pages of a professional article.  Each group was assigned one article.  As the groups read through the articles, they paid attention to when the authors did or did not use first person.  We tried to figure out when authors choose to use first person and for what reasons.  In whole group, we had the following discussion:

• Every time the author used the word “I,” it was referring to what he wanted to present in the article.
• Used first person during examples.
• All the uses of first person it was more personalized.  It was like he was trying to pull the reader into how he feels about a certain topic.
• When they were referring to introduction of the topic, they don’t use first person.
• When he was trying to engage the readers more, he used second person to present his point of view.
• The writer used “I” to present a personal feeling.  He used it to make the reading more general to a group of people. Sometimes he used “we” to refer to the two authors and other times it was referring to the readers. 

Why can professionals use second person but you aren’t supposed to as a student?

• With their professional level, they know how to appropriately use second person and back it up.  They have given themselves grounds to do it.
• As students, we aren’t ready to use second person.  You need to walk before you can crawl.
• We are capable of using it.  Why not teach us how to use first and second person effectively and appropriately?
• You don’t have to be a professional to learn how to write like that.
• Structure can become an impediment.
• We should be able to learn whatever we need to learn as material is being presented.

Homework:

• Read "Finding Your Voice" by Anne Lamott (on Moodle).