Chapter 4Chapter 4

The Thesis and the The Thesis and the OutlineOutline

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44a The thesis: a The thesis: Definition and functionDefinition and function What is the thesis?What is the thesis?

What are its functions?What are its functions? -Discourage writers from wandering -Discourage writers from wandering

aimlesslyaimlessly -Chart an orderly course for the paper-Chart an orderly course for the paper -Give the reader an idea of what to -Give the reader an idea of what to

expectexpect

44a-1 Formulating the a-1 Formulating the thesisthesis Thesis: a central idea that Thesis: a central idea that

summarizes the papersummarizes the paper

This idea must be expressed in This idea must be expressed in one sentence.one sentence.

Contrary to the hopes of bilingual-education Contrary to the hopes of bilingual-education advocates, the latest research indicates that bilingual advocates, the latest research indicates that bilingual confuse children and slow them down in achieving the confuse children and slow them down in achieving the goal of learning English. goal of learning English.

44a-2 Rules for wording a-2 Rules for wording the thesisthe thesis Be clear, comprehensible, and directBe clear, comprehensible, and direct

Predict major divisions in the Predict major divisions in the structure of the paperstructure of the paper

Commit to an unmistakable course, Commit to an unmistakable course, argument, or point of viewargument, or point of view

The thesis should commit The thesis should commit you to a single line of you to a single line of argumentargument PoorPoor The Roman theater was inspired by the The Roman theater was inspired by the

Greek theater, which it imitated, and Greek theater, which it imitated, and eventually the Romans produced great plays eventually the Romans produced great plays in their theatrons, such as those by Plautus, in their theatrons, such as those by Plautus, who was the best Roman comic writer who was the best Roman comic writer because of his robustness and inventiveness.because of his robustness and inventiveness.

BetterBetter Because of his robust language and novel Because of his robust language and novel

comic plots, Titus Maccius Plautus can be comic plots, Titus Maccius Plautus can be considered the best Roman comic playwright, considered the best Roman comic playwright, and his plays are still successfully staged and his plays are still successfully staged today.today.

The thesis should not be The thesis should not be worded in figurative worded in figurative language.language. PoorPoor Henry James is the Frank Lloyd Wright of the Henry James is the Frank Lloyd Wright of the

American novelAmerican novel BetterBetter The novels of Henry James have internal The novels of Henry James have internal

consistency because of the way he unifies his consistency because of the way he unifies his themes, patterns his episodes, and orders his themes, patterns his episodes, and orders his images.images.

The thesis should not The thesis should not be worded vaguelybe worded vaguely PoorPoor Smoking is bad for the body.Smoking is bad for the body.

BetterBetter Cigarette smoking harms the body by Cigarette smoking harms the body by

constricting the blood vessels, constricting the blood vessels, accelerating the heartbeat, and accelerating the heartbeat, and activating excessive gastric secretion activating excessive gastric secretion in the stomach.in the stomach.

The thesis should not The thesis should not be worded as a be worded as a questionquestion PoorPoor Who makes the key decisions in U.S. cities?Who makes the key decisions in U.S. cities? BetterBetter Key decisions in U.S. cities are made by a Key decisions in U.S. cities are made by a

handful of individuals, drawn largely from handful of individuals, drawn largely from business, industrial, and municipal circles.business, industrial, and municipal circles.

The thesis should be a The thesis should be a single, concise, easily single, concise, easily understood sentence.understood sentence.

ThesisThesis -single-single -concise-concise -easy to understand-easy to understand

4a-3 Placing the thesis4a-3 Placing the thesis Example:Example:

A quarter of a million babies are born each year with A quarter of a million babies are born each year with birth defects. Only 20 percent of those defects are birth defects. Only 20 percent of those defects are hereditary. Most could have been prevented: They are hereditary. Most could have been prevented: They are the tragic results of poor prenatal care. the tragic results of poor prenatal care. An unfavorable An unfavorable fetal environment, like that produced by malnutrition fetal environment, like that produced by malnutrition in the mother or by her use of drugs, is a primary cause in the mother or by her use of drugs, is a primary cause of many kinds of birth defects.of many kinds of birth defects.

4a-4 Choosing a title4a-4 Choosing a title Example:Example: An Admirable Animal An Admirable Animal Not clearNot clear

The Courage of Turtles The Courage of Turtles Clear Clear

4b The outline4b The outline A ordered listA ordered list

Be useful for writers and readers.Be useful for writers and readers.

4b-1 Visual conventions of 4b-1 Visual conventions of the outlinethe outline Example:Example: II. Main idea. Main idea AA. Sub-idea. Sub-idea BB. Sub-idea. Sub-idea 11. Division of a sub-idea. Division of a sub-idea 22. Division of a sub-idea. Division of a sub-idea aa. Minor idea. Minor idea bb. Minor idea. Minor idea

Example:Example:

I. I. A.A. 1.1. a.a. (1)(1) (a)(a)

4b-2 Equal ranking in 4b-2 Equal ranking in outline entriesoutline entries the same organizing principlethe same organizing principle

Example:Example: p.44p.44

4b-3 Parallelism in outline 4b-3 Parallelism in outline entriesentries Example:Example: I. The uses of the laser in the I. The uses of the laser in the

militarymilitary A. A. ForFor range finding range finding B. B. ForFor surveillance surveillance C. C. ForFor illuminating the enemy’s illuminating the enemy’s

position position

4b-4 Types of outline4b-4 Types of outline The topic outlineThe topic outline

The sentence outlineThe sentence outline

The paragraph outlineThe paragraph outline

a. The topic outlinea. The topic outline a phrase, no introduction and a phrase, no introduction and

conclusion.conclusion. Example:Example: p.45p.45

b. The Sentence b. The Sentence OutlineOutline A complete sentence for every entryA complete sentence for every entry

Questions are allowedQuestions are allowed

Declarative sentences are betterDeclarative sentences are better

Suited for complex subjectsSuited for complex subjects

I .I . A. A. B. B. 1. 1. 2. 2.II.II. A. A. B. B.III.III. A. A. 1. 1. 2. 2. B. B.

c. The Paragraph c. The Paragraph OutlineOutline A complete paragraph A complete paragraph

for each entryfor each entry

A condensed version A condensed version of the paperof the paper

Not for ordinary Not for ordinary college paperscollege papers

I.I.

II.II.

III.III.

IV.IV.

d. Decimal Outline d. Decimal Outline NotationNotation Indenting, labeling Indenting, labeling

and spacingand spacing

Best for business and Best for business and sciencescience

Allowing unlimited Allowing unlimited number of number of subdivisionssubdivisions

1.1. 1.11.1 1.21.2 1.2.11.2.1 1.2.21.2.2 2.2. 2.12.1 2.22.2 3.3. 3.13.1 3.1.13.1.1 3.1.23.1.2 3.23.2

4c. Choosing an 4c. Choosing an outline formoutline form No much detail on the No much detail on the

subject subject Using detailed Using detailed sentence outlinesentence outline

Topic sentence of various Topic sentence of various paragraphparagraph

Details should be used to Details should be used to support the topic sentencesupport the topic sentence

I.I. A.A. 1.1. 2. 2.

Close correspondence between Close correspondence between the outline and developed the outline and developed paragraphparagraph 1.1. The main entry of the outline The main entry of the outline ==

the topic sentencethe topic sentence

2.2. Sub-idea A Sub-idea A == to introduce the to introduce the following detailsfollowing details

3.3. The details are used word-for- The details are used word-for-wordword