What is a thesis statement?

Outline

Why outline?

How to outline?

What is a thesis statement?

Paragraphs are like rooms:

basic units of any structure

Why construct an outline?

– Aids defining scope

– Logically organizes ideas

– Constructs ordered overview

– Shows hierarchical relationships

• Managing time

• Structuring thoughts

• Detailing logically

Read Reflect

Outline Write

Something to sink your teeth into

Cooked up

• Does it need something?

• Abstract blend

• Homogenized

– watery – thick – chunky

Constructed

• Where’s the beef?

• Solid structure

• Distinct components

• Substance

Burger Outline

• Introduction

• Body

– Topic 1

• tomato

• cheese

• beef

• lettuce

– Topic 2

• tomato

• bacon

• cheese

• beef

• lettuce

• Conclusion

Similar but different

How to

get started

Strategy: outline a plan – Create a timetable – Avoid binge-writing – 60% of writing process Tactic: plan an outline

– Segment complex thoughts – Develop logical statements – Detail topics

Nail down your strategy Think construction

1. Timetable When I must finish what 2. Thesis statement What I’m building 3. Analysis structure How I’m building

Explain

Compare & Contrast

Argue

Introduction

Body

Conclusion

Topic Sentence

Restrictive

Illustrative

Familiar New Expand

Sentence

Paragraph Paper

General

Specific

Form Follows Function

Abstract Introduction

Method Results Discussion Conclusion

General

Specific…focus

General

Introduction

List of Parts Safety Info Ordered Steps

Conclusion

Journal article

Owner’s Manual

How to

draft an outline

1. Brainstorm: List all the ideas 2. Organize: Group related ideas

3. Order: Arrange material from general to specific 4. Label: Create main and subheadings

Tip: It is easier to make changes on your outline, than on your written paper.

Three Main

Characteristics

How to apply to university

I. Visit and evaluate college campuses II. Visit and evaluate college websites A. Note important statistics

B. Look for interesting classes

1. Subordination: Headings general, subheadings specific

2. Coordination: Categories same value

3. Division: Groups divided into 2 or more parts

Tip: 3-5 divisions, but not more than 7

General Outline

•

– Explain the problem

– Provide background information – Frame a thesis statement

• Analyze the subject

– Examine the first major issue – Examine the second major issue – Examine the third major issue

• Discuss and conclude your findings

– Interpret the findings

– Provide answers, solutions, or stance – Restate your thesis and point beyond it

analysis

Scientific structures

Physical Sciences

• Unsolved “mystery”

• Hypothesis

• Test and analyze

• Rigid

Social Sciences

• Solved “mystery”

• Research question

• Explain through analysis

• Flexible

IMRAD for

physical sciences

• I

– Provide background information (references) – Frame a thesis statement or hypothesis

• M

– Describe research plan

– Instrumentation (theoretical/survey design) – Procedure and time frame

– Assumptions and limitations

• R

• A

D

– Interpret the findings

– Provide answers, solutions, or stance – Restate your thesis and point beyond it

Comparative Study for both sciences

• Introduction

– Establish Object A – Establish Object B

– Explain why you analyze the two – Present your thesis statement

• Body (choose one)

– A versus B, relative to subjects 1, 2, 3… or – Discuss subjects 1, 2, 3… relative to A and B

• Conclusion

– Discuss the significant issues – Conclude

• rate the advantage of each object, or

• rank one object over the other

Why Comparison and Contrast?

Defines a complex idea

Understand one thing in terms of another

The difference between force and frequency in concussions Health benefits of raw vs. cooked food

Peace policies that reject conflict vs. those that accept conflict

Shows research - evidence (examples) Structures thought - topics (paragraphs) Reveals insight - evaluates (thesis)

Compare similarities Contrast differences

Parallel logic ^{• Informs}

• Explains

• Analyzes

• Evaluates

Write a

Thesis Statement

• Decide to what extent you will stress

– Similarities – Differences

– Not necessarily balanced

• Thesis statement reflects your decision

Weak Thesis Statements

NORAD and the Red Cross provided Norwegian aid to Haiti.

• They were both somewhat alike and somewhat different.

• One can see some similarities and some differences too.

• Both of them involved only one similarity (no differences).

Stronger thesis

informs……… organization’s objectives explains……….. what they did

analyzes………. how they did it

evaluates……….. why they did it differently

Haitian govt.

NORAD

• long-term

• central fed.

• respond

• desires

Red Cross

• immediate

• local officials

• react

• needs

Relate thoughts

It’s all about relationship

• Connect or Compare

also as

in the same way like

likewise similarly comparable equally in addition

• Change or Contrast

although but

however

on the other hand otherwise

yet still

conversely as opposed to different from whereas

Mystery unsolved

Influence of Politics in Crisis:

Red Cross and NORAD in Haiti

To determine the influence of politics in crisis policy and

practice, NORAD foreign aid and the Red Cross disaster relief are compared regarding their

program objectives and

relationship with the Haitian government.

Mystery solved

Public Aid versus People Assistance:

the Red Cross and NORAD in Haiti

Although both organizations agreed that the Haitian government needed to play a role in emergency relief,

NORAD promoted federal authority to respond to the people’s long-term desires, while the Red Cross

supported local officials to react to the public’s immediate needs.

Thesis defines

objects and subjects

Introduction’s last sentence

To decide which vehicle to buy, the Honda or the BMW, the following criteria were used: price of the vehicle, average mileage, and price of insurance.

To determine which protein source is best suited for fish feed, krill or herring, the following criteria were analyzed: feed

buoyancy, starch content, and Omega-3 concentration.

Objects: vehicle or feed Subjects: criteria

Pre-writing Chart

Number of boxes depends on subject criteria

Object Price Mileage Insurance

BMW

$67,000 28 mpg $ 1,200

Honda

$34,000 34 mpg $ 685

Block Method Outline

• Column or row = Headings

• Boxes = Subheadings (or paragraphs) Object based

• Object A versus B

• based on subjects 1, 2, and 3

Subject based

• Subject points 1, 2, and 3

• sequentially applied to objects A and B

Column 1 Row 1 Row 2

Column 2 Row 1 Row 2

Column 3 Row 1 Row 2

Object Headings

3 paragraphs

Object Car

Subject 1 Price

Subject 2 Mileage

Subject 3 Insurance

BMW

Honda

2

3

1

Subject Headings

4 paragraphs

Intro. heading Price

heading Mileage

heading Insurance BMW

Honda Civic

3rd paragraph

4^th

paragraph 2^nd

paragraph 1^st

paragraph

Structure

Object

I. Introduction II. BMW

a) Price b) Mileage c) Insurance III. Honda Civic

a) Price b) Mileage c) Insurance IV. Conclusion

Subject

I. Introduction II. Price

a) BMW b) Honda III. Mileage a) BMW b) Honda IV. Insurance a) BMW b) Honda IV. Conclusion

Unsolved issue

Influence of Politics in Crisis: the Norwegian Red Cross and NORAD in Haiti

Thesis statement: To determine the influence of politics in crisis management, NORAD foreign aid and the Red Cross disaster relief will be examined using the following criteria:

program objectives and relationship with the Haitian government.

•Introduction

•Program Objectives in Haiti

•NORAD

•Democratic development

•Long-term development

•Respond to desires for future growth and stability

•Red Cross

•Disaster relief

•Immediate assistance

•React to needs for health and safety

•Relationship with Haitian government

•NORAD – political

•Promoted central govt. to encourage political stability

•Responded with government planners to people’s needs

•Red Cross - apolitical

•Supported local officials need regardless of political issues

•Reacted to the public’s needs

•Conclusion

•Relate to thesis statement

•NORAD is for the people; the Red Cross is for the public - not the same

•From the people comes political support or opposition – political term

•From the public comes appreciation and commercial patronage REFERENCES

Solved issue

Public Aid versus People Assistance: the Red Cross and NORAD in Haiti

Thesis: Although both organizations agreed that the Haitian government needed to play a role in emergency relief, NORAD promoted federal authority to respond to the people’s long-term desires, while the Red Cross supported local officials to react to the public’s immediate needs.

•Introduction

•NORAD

•Program Objectives in Haiti

•Democratic development

•Long-term development

•Respond to desires for future growth and stability

•Relationship with Haitian government

•Political

•Promoted central govt. to encourage political stability

•Responded with government planners to people’s needs

•Red Cross

•Program Objectives in Haiti

•Disaster relief

•Immediate assistance

•React to needs for health and safety

•Relationship with Haitian government

•Apolitical

•Supported local officials need regardless of political issues

•Reacted to the public’s needs

•Conclusion

•Relate to thesis statement:

•NORAD is for the people; the Red Cross is for the public - not the same

•From the people comes political support or opposition – political term

•From the public comes appreciation and commercial patronage REFERENCES

Standard Symbols

I.___________________ first major heading

A.___________________ subheading of first degree

a.________________ subheading of third degree b.________________

(1)__________ subheading of fourth degree (2)_________

(a)___ subheading of fifth degree

B. ___________________ subheading of first degree

Standards

• Detail direction

– I, A, 1, a. (1), (a) – Decimal

– Symbols

• Sentence explains group

• Key word identifies topic

1._ Sentence __________

1.1._Sentence___________

1.2.______________

1.2.2.______________

1.2.3.______________

2.______________

Why Detail?

Count the Fs

FINISHED FILES ARE THE RE- SULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIF- IC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS.

We look at the subject and do not see the details.

Hidden Topic

• Details can lead to discovery

• Revolving door

– Has individual compartments – Made of glass to see through – One or more push it

• Breaks stereotype thinking

– Pushing it creates energy – Energy can be harnessed

– Harnessed energy can be used

What do they have in common?

George Westinghouse

Paul Cezanne

Phrases detail information

• Noun III. Eye

A. Receptors 1. Rods 2. Cones

• Noun phrase III. Eye function

A. Receptors and light

1. Rods of the retina 2. Cones of the retina

• Verb phrase

III. Eye sensing light

A. Receptors sensing different light 1. Sensing dim light

with retina rods

2. Sensing direct light with retina cones

1. Introduction

a) Traditional methods b) New methods

2. Method

a) Minimal growth conditions b) Under-cooled conditions c) Low temperatures

i. Organ cultures ii. Callus cultures

1. Introduction

a) Traditionally, plant germplasm is stored in seed conditions and arboreta (Bow, 1995) b) New methods of storage now being

explored are based on tissue culture.

2. Method

a) Maintenance of tissue cultures under minimal growth conditions appears promising.

b) Cooling plant cells/tissues to -40^o C holds possibilities, but information is limited (Jones, 1993; Hye 2001.)

c) Low temperatures appears most promising, based on…

i. Storage in liquid nitrogen has been successful with organ cultures from 10 species (Smith et al. 2007).

ii. Callus cultures from 4 other species have also been successful (Ose, 2007).

Sentences

Familiar New Expand

Sentence Advantages

Shows logic: establishes direction of thought

Reveals problems: disorganization is evident

Improves writing: demands clear direct style

Speeds writing: drafting topic sentences

Review

Form follows function

 Establish your purpose

 Evaluate your evidence

 Organize your thoughts

 Create a thesis statement

 Draft an outline