Why is a thesis statement important?
Prior to beginning work on this assignment, review the instructions for the
Week 5 – Final Paper
. For your final paper, you will analyze how one of the five themes discussed during the course is explored in at least two works from different writers read during the course and in at least one non-literary work (e.g., painting, sculpture, mixed media, music, dance, film, graphic novel, etc.; you may choose a non-literary work found in the course, or one found on your own that is not referenced in the course).
For this assignment, you will create a formal, detailed outline of your paper. You must integrate a minimum of two scholarly (secondary) sources into the draft, (you will integrate a minimum of three scholarly sources into the final paper for Week 5).
In your paper,
· Compose an introductory paragraph that presents your topic or theme and the three works you will discuss in the paper.
· Propose a tentative thesis statement that asserts a central idea about the significance of your chosen theme in two literary works and one non-literary work. (Remember that the thesis statement should give purpose and direction to the paper.)
· Outline at least five topic sentences that support the thesis.
· Include at least two subtopics that elaborate on each topic sentence.
· Integrate two scholarly sources into the outline.
Outline Structure
· Introduction
· Thesis: Indicate your topic, your main point about that topic, and the points of discussion for that topic.
· Body Paragraph 1: Topic sentence goes here.
· Supporting evidence: A paraphrase or quote from one of your sources goes here, along with an in-text citation.
· Explanation of the meaning of the supporting evidence.
· So what? A direct statement on how the supporting evidence does in fact support the claim made in the topic sentence.
· Body Paragraph 2: Topic sentence goes here.
· Supporting evidence
· Explanation
· So what?
· Body Paragraph 3: Topic sentence goes here.
· Supporting evidence
· Explanation
· So what?
· Conclusion:
· Rephrased Thesis Statement: Rephrase your thesis.
· Strong Closing: Close your paper with the significance of this discussion. Why is this discussion important?