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    CC 2043 EAS-Social Sciences Lecture 3 - Writing Academic Essays II

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    The document provides guidance on writing academic essays, including defining thesis statements, using evidence to support arguments, and organizing arguments effectively. It notes that a good thesis statement should make a clear claim, control the entire argument, and provide a structure. When selecting evidence, writers should choose examples that are relevant, illustrate different aspects of the argument, and come from different sources. Quotations can add weight to arguments if used sparingly and to capture an essence not otherwise conveyed. Organization is important as it guides the audience through the reasoning and demonstrates the writer's credibility.

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    CC 2043 EAS-Social Sciences Lecture 3 - Writing Academic Essays II

    Uploaded by

    Chimey Sailomoon
    72 views5 pages
    The document provides guidance on writing academic essays, including defining thesis statements, using evidence to support arguments, and organizing arguments effectively. It notes that a good thesis statement should make a clear claim, control the entire argument, and provide a structure. When selecting evidence, writers should choose examples that are relevant, illustrate different aspects of the argument, and come from different sources. Quotations can add weight to arguments if used sparingly and to capture an essence not otherwise conveyed. Organization is important as it guides the audience through the reasoning and demonstrates the writer's credibility.

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    The document provides guidance on writing academic essays, including defining thesis statements, using evidence to support arguments, and organizing arguments effectively. It notes that a good thesis statement should make a clear claim, control the entire argument, and provide a structure. When selecting evidence, writers should choose examples that are relevant, illustrate different aspects of the argument, and come from different sources. Quotations can add weight to arguments if used sparingly and to capture an essence not otherwise conveyed. Organization is important as it guides the audience through the reasoning and demonstrates the writer's credibility.

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    72 views5 pages

    CC 2043 EAS-Social Sciences Lecture 3 - Writing Academic Essays II

    Uploaded by

    Chimey Sailomoon
    The document provides guidance on writing academic essays, including defining thesis statements, using evidence to support arguments, and organizing arguments effectively. It notes that a good thesis statement should make a clear claim, control the entire argument, and provide a structure. When selecting evidence, writers should choose examples that are relevant, illustrate different aspects of the argument, and come from different sources. Quotations can add weight to arguments if used sparingly and to capture an essence not otherwise conveyed. Organization is important as it guides the audience through the reasoning and demonstrates the writer's credibility.

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    CC 2043 EAS- Social Sciences

    Lecture 3 – Writing Academic Essays II

    The first two steps of writing: Begin with a ____________, or_________________. Support the thesis with
    _____________________.

    Question to consider? What is a thesis statement?


    Differences between topic sentences and thesis statements

    What are the features of a good thesis statement?


    1. A good thesis sentence will make a claim.
    A claim is an interesting perspective that you can support and defend.
    Like other advanced or developed countries, Hong Kong society shows an increasing disparity of wealth.
    Is this a good thesis?

    The great disparity of wealth in Hong Kong is triggered by the government’s “high-land-policy”.
    Is this a good thesis?

    Structuring Your Writing


    a. You should being with a point or a thesis.
    b. Write your point out in a sentence.
    Common Errors in Writing a Thesis
    ANNOUNCEMENTS rather than statements

    Statements that are Statements that contain more than one idea

    Announcements rather than Statements


    Example: I want to talk about the crime wave in our country. The
    sentence above merely tells the subject of the paper.
    A thesis statement must ___________________ a point about a limited subject.

    A Good Thesis
    A good thesis is neither too broad nor too narrow:

    Crime is a major concern of everyone in our country.

    My parents had only one child.

    A honeymoon is perhaps the worst way to begin a marriage.

    Statements That Contain More Than One Idea


    Example: My parents helped me grow in important ways, although in other respects I was limited.
    In the statement above, the reader is asked to focus on two separate points, each of which more logically belongs in
    an essay of its own.

    Support the Thesis with Specific Evidence


    Write down a brief version of your thesis and then jot down the three points that will support it.

    The Importance of Specific Details


    Develop your supporting points with specific details.

    Provide enough _______________ details to ___________ support the point in a body paragraph.

    Statements that are unverifiable


    Example: The food in my country is the most delicious in the world.
    The statement above is simply an expression of taste or a subjective assertion; it cannot be verified.
    Activity
    Determine which of the following statements can serve as a thesis statement in an essay
    1. More men than women were involved in drink driving.

    2. Marriages between people of different cultures often present lots of obstacles.

    3. I prefer jazz to social dance.

    4. A person’s spending a lot of time on work can usually get sizable remuneration, but s/he at the same time
    leaves other aspects of his or her life undeveloped.

    2. A good thesis statement will control the entire argument

    Your thesis sentence determines what you are required to say in a paper. It also determines what you
    cannot say.

    3. A good thesis will provide a structure for your argument

    a. For example, you are going to argue that “The great disparity of wealth in Hong Kong is
    triggered by the government’s “high-land-policy” and the existing tax system.”

    b. Your readers will know that you have two points to cover and you will mention high-land-policy first before
    discussing the current tax system.

    Alternatives to Thesis Statement


    Sometimes, the purpose of a piece of writing is to raise questions or to inspire the reader to create his or her
    own position.
    In these cases, the thesis sentence might take other forms: the thesis question or the implied thesis.

    Structure your argument


    Building a persuasive argument usually involves the following three stages:
    Present a particular point of view
    a. Provide reasons for maintaining the view
    b. Give evidence to support these views/ claims

    Activity
    Read the excerpt and discuss the following questions with your group-mates:

    Thinking and feeling are rival instruments of decision. Both are reasonable and internally
    consistent, but each works by its own standards. Jolandi Jacobi (1968) says that
    thinking evaluates from the viewpoint “true-false” and feeling from the viewpoint
    “agreeable-disagreeable.” This sounds like a thinker’s formulation. “Agreeable” is too
    pale a word for the rich personal worth of a feeling evaluation.
    The important point to recognize is that each kind of judgment has its appropriate field. To
    use feeling where thinking is called for can be as great a mistake as to use thinking
    where feeling is needed.

    Thinking is essentially impersonal. Its goal is objective truth, independent of the personality
    and wishes of the thinker or anyone else. So long as the problems are impersonal, like
    those involved in building a bridge or interpreting a statue, proposed solutions can and
    should be judged from the standpoint “true-false,” and thinking is the better
    instrument.

    But the moment the subject is people instead of things or ideas – and some voluntary
    cooperation from those people is needed – the impersonal approach is less successful.
    People (even thinkers) do not like to be viewed impersonally and relegated to the status
    of “objects.” Human motives are notably personal. Therefore, in the sympathetic
    handling of people where personal values are important, feeling is the more effective
    instrument.

    Questions for discussion:


    1. Where is the thesis statement? What is the claim of the passage?
    2. Are there reasons/ elaborations to support the claim?
    3. What should the writer do to improve the overall persuasiveness of the passage?

    The Importance of Using Evidence to Support Your Argument


    Pay attention to the following when selecting and using evidence:
    1. Be selective. Cite examples that have the most relevance or the most far-reaching implications.
    2. Draw on a range of examples to illustrate the different aspects of your argument.
    3. Select examples from different sources.
    4. Work from the general to the particular.

    Specific examples should be used to support general arguments.

    Selecting evidence – using empirical evidence


    a. Empirical evidence: evidence from research or from systematic observation.
    b. Such evidence is considered as more convincing than lay observation because it comes from verifiable
    investigation.

    Selecting Evidence – using maps, diagrams and numerical data


    Judicial use of data and diagrams help you draw readers’ attention and make your argument become more
    convincing.

    Adding weight to your argument


    a. If used sparingly, quotations as a source of evidence can make your argument become more solid and
    convincing.
    b. Be selective in using quotations. Cite only significant quotes that can support your argument. Don’t just
    quote everything!
    Ask this question before placing any quotations:
    Can I use summaries or paraphrases instead?
    Use ______________ only when both summaries and paraphrases fail to capture the essence of the quotes.
    c. Ask these questions before placing any quotations:

    Do I need this quotation to make my point?


    Have I explained why I am using this quotation?

    Explain the rationale of using the quote by discussing it in an analytic and purposive way, rather
    than a descriptive manner.
    a. Adopt the appropriate form to incorporate your quotes:
    b. Always reference the source
    c. Quote materials ________________
    d. If you alter the original quotation, identify the changed expressions by placing them in brackets or in
    ellipsis if you delete any words.

    Why is organization important in building an argument?


    Guides an audience through your reasoning process
    Offers a clear explanation of each argued point
    Demonstrates the credibility of the writer

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