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Welcome to KU 121 Unit 4 Seminar

Louisa 11FordyceLfordyce@kaplan.eduIM use ID: LRFordyceOffice Hour by appointment.

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Remember that if you have problems during seminar, either being bumped out or lack of audio, you need to call Tech Support at 866-522-7747

Option 2, then Option 0

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THERE IS NO PROJECT FOR UNIT 4

Post your outline with thesis statement and answer the three questions for Unit 4’s Discussion.

In your own words, define a thesis statement and how you create one.

What three components are required in a thesis statement? What is the thesis for your autobiography? How does your thesis identify the main goal of your autobiography

and hint at how you will achieve that goal in your writing?

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Unit 4’s topics: Thesis statements and outlines

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But First Unit 4’s Quiz: 5 Questions, T/F Know the position of a thesis statement in your

paper Recognize the qualities of a good thesis

statement Know why creating an outline is a good practice

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First Question Class, what is a thesis statement? Please type responses now.

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Thesis sentence -- A single sentence with an essay, located at the end of the introductory paragraph. The thesis sentence functions as a "signpost" to signal to the reader the main ideas to come later in the essay.

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Your first step is to identify your thesis by reflecting on the following:

Limiting your subject Your attitude toward that subject Your plan of development for the

body of the essay

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Constructing a thesis statement A good thesis statement should be

concrete, concise, and address all of the parts the essay will cover. Start with your topic and then expand on that.

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Class, what is your overall topic for your project for this class?

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Writing your autobiography about your dream job.

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Question Where will your thesis statement

appear in your essay?

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Answer Your thesis statement will

appear at the end of your opening paragraph.

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Parts of a thesis statement Today, we write thesis statements

that have three components. Start with the topic, in this case your

dream job. What three things do you need to do

to obtain your dream job?

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Example: A woman can dress well on a limited budget if she shops at discount stores, factory outlets, and consignment shops.

Topic: a woman being able to dress well on a limited budget

Ways to do that: shop at discount stores, factory outlets, and consignment shops.

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Brainstorming Now we’re going to brainstorm

about how to write your own thesis statement.

You have a topic, your dream job. Class, what are some things you

need to do to obtain your dream job?

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Possible answers Complete your education Start at an entry level in your

desired occupation Previous job experience Personal experiences Family support Whatever works for and fits with

your dream job.

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Everyone, if I were writing an autobiography such as the one for this class, here is a sample 3-part thesis statement. This would be located at the end of the first paragraph.

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Louisa's personal, professional, and educational background enable her to join Kaplan University as a department chair in English and Composition.

Notice that my thesis statement is only one sentence and contains 18 words.

A tight thesis statement should be 25 or fewer words.

Class, why do think this is?

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Now I will have a paragraph about my personal life, a paragraph about my professional experience, a paragraph about my educational background that includes awards, and a concluding paragraph that wraps this all up.

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Hints for Writing a Good Thesis

Name the specific topic of the essay in the thesis.

Make the topic small enough to be treated completely in the essay.

Predict the specific supporting ideas or the way you'll arrange supporting information.

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Write a declarative sentence rather than a question.

Use a complete sentence. Provide an inference or opinion, not a fact. Identify a specific audience and write to that

audience.

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Use a vocabulary that is appropriate for your writing abilities, the paper's content, and the audience.

Use specific vocabulary to describe exactly what you intend to say.

In some instances, a thesis may contain more than one sentence. BUT NOT FOR YOUR PAPER!

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Question: What is an outline?

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And the answer is Outline -- A tool from the writing process

that you use after brainstorming to sort and organize main ideas. When you use an outline, you can more easily keep control of how your essay functions. Outlines are usually written with Roman numerals where letters stand for numbers like this: I = 1, II = 2, III = 3, IV = 4, V = 5