Week 5 Review

A thesis statement:

• is a person, a place, a thing, or an abstract idea.
• identifies the central idea for the piece of writing. It usually highlights a special condition or feature of the topic, expresses a specific claim about a topic, or takes a stand.
• allows you to arrange main points and essential details in an appropriate diagram or chart.
• is a more formal method of arrangement in which you state each main point and essential detail as a sentence.

A sentence outline:

• is one of the most important elements in any composition and should accomplish at least 3 main things.
• identifies the central idea for the piece of writing. It usually highlights a special condition or feature of the topic, expresses a specific claim about a topic, or takes a stand.
• allows you to arrange main points and essential details in an appropriate diagram or chart.
• is a more formal method of arrangement in which you state each main point and essential detail as a sentence.
• engages the reader, establishes a direction, and gets to the point.

A graphic organizer:

• is one of the most important elements in any composition and should accomplish at least 3 main things.
• acknowledges other views within a topic.
• allows you to arrange main points and essential details in an appropriate diagram or chart.
• is a more formal method of arrangement in which you state each main point and essential detail as a sentence.
• is a phrase that shows location and time, compares and contrasts, emphasizes a point, concludes or summarizes, or adds information for clarity.

Basic Essay Structure:

• is one of the most important elements in any composition and should accomplish at least 3 main things.
• acknowledges other views within a topic.
• allows you to arrange main points and essential details in an appropriate diagram or chart.
• is a more formal method of arrangement in which you state each main point and essential detail as a sentence.
• is composed of an opening section or introduction, the middle or main section(s), and the ending section or conclusion.

The opening paragraph (or introductory paragraph):

• is one of the most important elements in any composition. It should engage the reader, establish a direction, and get to the point or claim.
• reasserts the main point.
• develops the main points of the topic and how these topics are related to one another.
• builds coherence in the topic.
• is composed of an opening section or introduction, the middle or main section(s), and the ending section or conclusion.

The middle section (main sections) of the essay

• is one of the most important elements in any composition. It should engage the reader, establish a direction, and get to the point or claim.
• lets the reader know what the topic of the paragraph will be about.
• is a phrase that shows location and time, compares and contrasts, emphasizes a point, concludes or summarizes, or adds information for clarity.
• is where the writer conducts the "heavy lifting" by developing the main points and sub-points that support the thesis or claim.
• is composed of an opening section or introduction, the middle or main section(s), and the ending section or conclusion.

The conclusion:

• is optional in APA format papers.
• lets the reader know what the topic of the paragraph will be about.
• is very important for tying up loose ends, clarifying key points, or signing off with the reader.
• is where the writer conducts the "heavy lifting" by developing the main points and sub-points that support the thesis or claim.
• states the thesis and explains what will be supported in the essay.

The introduction or introductory paragraph should accomplish what three main things?

• urge the reader, test ideas, establish a direction.
• build coherent structure, use different levels of detail, establish a direction.
• reassert the main point, advance the thesis, hook the reader.
• state the thesis and explain what will be supported in the essay.
• engage the reader, establish a direction, and state the thesis or claim.

The topic sentence:

• is a phrase that can show location and time, compare and contrast, emphasize a point, or conclude and summarize.
• is located in the beginning of each paragraph and lets the reader know what the topic of the paragraph will be.
• is located in the middle of each paragraph and lets the reader know what the paragraph before was about.
• is a sentence that includes two conditions. The completion of the second condition depends on the completion of the first.
• engages the reader, establishes a direction, and states the thesis or claim.

Transitional sentences

• ask questions.
• make statements with intense description.
• are sentences that state two conditions. The completion of the second condition depends on the completion of the first.
• can show location and time, compare and contrast, emphasize a point, conclude and summarize, and add or clarify information.
• engage the reader, establish a direction, and state the thesis or claim.