August 26, 2013 You just did the background work or research for your first writing piece…

1. August 26, 2013You just did the background work or research for your first writing piece… • You read several different texts and analyzed them using guiding reading purpose questions. You generated a response for each.

2. Seem familiar? • You then took the ideas from those responses and wove them into a rough draft for an essay. Does this remind you of something you did last year?

3. Yes, it’s similar to a DBQ Analysis • You did a document based question analysis with a language artsy twist.

4. Now it’s time to refine your thesis and add key ingredients to your writing piece… • The overarching question has been: How does a person’s perspective/point of view impact his or her attitudes and beliefs about learning, education, and success?

5. Your answer to that question is your thesis • It should be based on the texts you have read and your own personal response (that’s the cool language artsy part) • Your thesis might consist of two sentences

6. Find that thesis… • So look at your messy drafts. • Read through your responses to each text (the body) • Find the common thread. That should be your thesis

7. Now, you just have to do some revising… • Intro paragraph includes: - Hook or lead - Brief background information - Your thesis (which is the controlling idea for the entire writing piece)

8. Body paragraphs… • Begin with transitions • Include evidence from text (except for your personal perspective) • Have a closing thought

9. Concluding paragraph • Wraps up controlling ideas and draws some conclusions about the issues presented. Leaves the reader with something to think about. What is the larger lesson to be learned from the texts?

10. Polish it • If you are repeating words, find an alternate word or phrase • Add transitions to begin paragraphs and make your sentences flow • Reword awkward phrasing • Read back over for spelling errors, omissions, fragments, etc.