2. AGENDA
• Writing about Literature
• Basic Features
• Analyzing your story
• Annotating your story
• Reviewing your thesis
• Testing your thesis
3. Discuss In Groups
• Basic Features:
Interpreting
Stories
• Analyzing your
story
• Annotating your
story
4. Basic Features
1. An Appropriately Presented
Subject.
2. An Interesting and Clearly
Stated Interpretation.
3. A Plausible Chain of
Reasons with Convincing
Support.
5. Basic Features
1. An Appropriately Presented Subject.
a. A directed Summary: Provides information about the story that
the reader needs to understand your argument
2. An Interesting and Clearly Stated Interpretation.
a. Interesting
b. Arguable
c. Clear
d. Appropriately qualified
3. A Plausible Chain of Reasons with Convincing Support.
a. Textual evidence: quote, summarize, and paraphrase from the
story.
b. Explain: the meaning of the passage and its relevance to the
thesis.
c. Combine evidence and explanation to support and develop your
13. Reviewing your thesis
With a partner, or in groups of three, review each other’s thesis
statements
Writers: Take terns reading your tentative thesis statement
aloud. Then take notes as your partners tell you what your
thesis statement leads them to expect from your essay.
Listeners: As the writer speaks, write down what you think are
the key terms in the thesis statement. Remember that each of
these key terms stands f or an idea or a link in the chain of
reasons arguing for the overall thesis. Tell the writer what the
ideas are that you expect will be developed in the essay. Also
indicate if you think the writer will have difficulty supporting any
of these ideas, if you do not see how the ideas work together.
Point out ideas you think are obvious or uninteresting.
14. Homework
• Read Night
• Draft an introduction to your essay by presenting a
directed summary. Include your revised, tentative
thesis.
• Develop a plan for your draft by composing an
informal scratch outline, a simple list of your reasons
and support in the order you will introduce them.
This is your tentative plan. You may revise as you
make further discoveries about your text.
• Post #24: Your introduction and thesis, followed by
your tentative outline.
