Before you can add a quote to an essay, you must have a thesis statement! A thesis statement explicitly says what your body paragraphs are going to say. A thesis statement will look somewhat like a list A thesis statement is at the end of your introduction paragraph A thesis statement is the backbone of your entire essay. It is super important!
For example… “John Proctor and Reverend Hale each have separate motivations that add to the progression of the play.” Your body paragraphs will talk about 1. John Proctor 2. Reverend Hale
Compare and Contrast Essay: Organization Subject-by-Subject I. John Proctor: a)Point 1. Believes in his own reputation b)Point 2. Feels guilty for his affair II. Reverend Hale a.Point 1. Believes reputation of the town b.Point 2. Feels guilty for his part in the witch hangings.
Compare and Contrast Essay: Organization Point-by-Point I. Different beliefs about reputation a.Subject A: John Proctor: Believes in his own reputation b. Subject B: Reverend Hale: Believes reputation of the town II. Different reasons for guilt a.Subject A: John Proctor: Feels guilty for his affair b.Subject B: Reverend Hale: Feels guilty for his part in the witch hangings.
ANOTHER Thesis Statement Example… Thomas Jefferson’s “The Declaration of Independence” is the most persuasive Revolutionary War text because he effectively uses parallelism, antithesis, and biblical allusion. Your body paragraphs will cover: 1. Parallelism in “The Declaration of Independence” 2. Antithesis in “The Declaration of Independence 3. Biblical Allusion in “The Declaration of Independence”
CEC Claim Evidence Commentary AKA: Making an Evidence Sandwich
Now that you have your thesis, you are ready to write your body paragraphs. You must have evidence in each body paragraph to support your main idea (AKA your claim). Don’t just throw evidence into a paragraph; surround it. Make a proof sandwich. Claim Evidence (quote, paraphrase, summary, data, fact, etc.) Commentary
So now lets make a sandwich! The first part of the body paragraph is your CLAIM.
Claim The claim is where you state your first point of your thesis. Use detail. The claim must connect to your thesis statement. Example: Instead of saying “There are pros to driving at 16.” you should say: “A major advantage in allowing a sixteen year old to have drivers license is that it would give youths the ability to acquire and maintain a job.”
Quote Use any line from the text as long as it backs up your claim. For example,Joshua Linefar states, “Over 90 percent of employers in 2010 only hired students if said student had reliable transportation to the job site. For unlicensed teenagers, this meant the inability to make money” (210).
Paraphrase For example, over 90 percent of bosses in 2010 wanted to hire students only if they had reliable transportation. For any teenager without a license, this meant they would not get the job (Linefar 210).
But why tho? To choose a good bit o’ proof, ask yourself the following question: Significance – What is the significance of this evidence? Does it actually relate to your claim or thesis?
Commentary This part explains how your evidence relates to your claim Make a BRIIIIIIIIDDDGEEE!!!!!!!! The way the evidence fits is clear and obvious to you, however, you need to explain the quote as if you are talking to someone who has never read the story.
Commentary Example: A major advantage in allowing a sixteen year old to have drivers license is that it would give youths the ability to acquire and maintain a job. For example, over 90 percent of bosses in 2010 wanted to hire students only if they had reliable transportation. For any teenager without a license, this meant they would not get the job (Linefar 210). Therefore, if teenagers do not have a drivers license, they would be extremely less likely to become employed. This may lead to trouble in later life due to job inexperience, lack of responsibility, and social interaction in the workforce. Overall, a teenager having a drivers license is not only important in the moment, but can also have long term effects. (Transitions in red)
Individual Task Begin outlining and writing your body paragraphs. Make sure to include: Claim, Evidence, Commentary, Transitions Body Paragraphs must be written by Tuesday/Wednesday classes.