Crafting Effective Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences

The video tutorial provides guidance on writing thesis statements and topic sentences for a compare and contrast essay. It begins with an introduction to resources available on Blackboard, emphasizing the importance of accessing these materials. The instructor highlights the significance of creating an essay outline as a foundational step in essay writing. Students are advised to follow a specific order of lessons and assignments to ensure success. Detailed instructions are given on crafting effective thesis statements and topic sentences, with examples provided to illustrate key points. Feedback from peers and the instructor is encouraged before proceeding with the essay.

Where can you find the resources for the compare and contrast essay on Blackboard?

• In the announcements section

• In a new folder outside of Week 1 and Week 2

• Under the Week 2 folder

• Under the Week 1 folder

What is the purpose of the student sample essay provided?

• To submit as your own work

• To use as a template for your essay

• To understand the expectations for the essay

• To copy and paste sentences into your own essay

What should you do before starting the essay outline?

• Watch the video or review the lesson for outlining and drafting

• Skip the lessons and start writing

• Complete the discussion post

• Submit the final essay

What is the purpose of the essay outline?

• To organize thoughts and serve as a rough draft

• To replace the thesis statement

• To serve as the final draft

• To skip the writing process

What is a thesis statement?

• A random sentence in the introduction

• A sentence that identifies the topic and points discussed

• A detailed explanation of each point

• A summary of the entire essay

Where should the thesis statement be placed in the essay?

• At the beginning of the introduction

• In the middle of the introduction

• As the last sentence of the introduction

• In the conclusion

What are the two main components of a thesis statement for a compare and contrast essay?

• The references and the appendix

• The title and the body paragraphs

• The two subjects being compared and the three points of comparison

• The conclusion and the introduction

What should a topic sentence do?

• Summarize the entire essay

• Introduce the subject of the paragraph and expand on a point from the thesis

• Be vague and broad

• Repeat the thesis statement

How should the body paragraphs be ordered in relation to the thesis statement?

• Starting with the conclusion

• In the same order as the points in the thesis statement

• In reverse order

• In any random order

What should you do after writing your thesis statement and topic sentences?

• Skip to the conclusion

• Start writing the body paragraphs

• Wait for feedback from classmates and the teacher

• Submit the final essay immediately