Essay and Paragraph Development Tutorial:
Tutorial #26:
Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences
Creating Thesis Statements
Creating Topic Sentences
Writing Center
English 800 Center
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All notes and exercises can be done on
separate sheets of paper, which you
should bring to your conference with an
instructor in the center.
As you work through the tutorial, make
sure to see an instructional aide at the
front desk in the Writing Center or
English 800 Center if you have any
questions or difficulties.
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I. Thesis Statements
WHAT IS A THESIS STATEMENT?
The main point or controlling idea of any essay is its thesis. It is an arguable assertion—your
opinion or position—on your topic and is, without question, the most important sentence in an
academic essay. Having a thesis is useful to both the writer and the reader since its primary
function is to organize, predict, control, and define the entire paper.
In many cases, a thesis sentence will not only outline the essay’s main point, but also predict and
control the direction that the paper is going to take. The thesis thus serves as a contract between
the reader and the writer because it promises both the central purpose of the essay and the
structure of the paper as well. It gives the essay a sense of unity and helps keep the writer focused
while writing. Generally located at the end of the introduction, the thesis is usually only one or
two sentences (although in a longer paper the thesis may be stated in several sentences).
WHAT IS A THESIS STATEMENT GOOD FOR?
HOW DO I DEVELOP A THESIS STATEMENT?
While the topic is what the paper is about, the thesis defines your opinion or position on that
particular topic. For this reason, it is important to develop a tentative or working thesis
statement early in composing your essay because it will help guide your thoughts and possible
research. When you have decided on your essay’s topic, you can begin to develop your thesis by
examining your topic, perhaps doing some exploratory reading and writing, or reflecting and
pulling from class discussions or conversations with classmates and friends.
A good thesis statement
is more than a statement of fact and makes an arguable assertion about a topic; it states
the position a writer has reached about the topic and is usually at the end of the
introduction
is a complete sentence that expresses an opinion or an idea about a topic that can be
supported or more fully developed in the body of the essay
summarizes the whole essay in one sentence and promises or reflects the essay’s
main purpose or “so what”
provides the structure or unifying framework for the scope, focus, and direction of the
essay
predicts, controls, and obligates and serves as a contract between the reader and
the writer
limits the topic to be narrow enough to make it manageable so it can be fully
supported but not too broad for the scope of an essay
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A writer develops a thesis by asking questions about the topic and by focusing on a basic point
or question which the topic raises. The answer to such a question will be your thesis: what you
think about a specific topic. The topic is your question, and the thesis your answer to that
question.
For this reason, as you write your paper, your thesis statement may change. In fact, in its initial
stages, a thesis statement usually is rough and works only as a tentative planning tool. Writing
promotes thinking. As you write, you will discover precisely what you think about the topic, and
your thesis will probably change. As you continue writing, a more specific, complex, and final
thesis will emerge as you narrow your focus. Remember that writing is rewriting, a continual
process that takes many revisions. As you write and do more research, you might even notice that
you have lost your original thesis as you find evidence that does not support your thesis. This is
absolutely normal since as you write you often reach deeper insights about your topic and realize
that your thesis statement has to be more complex to match the supporting ideas and evidence that
you have provided.
Don’t be surprised if in early drafts of an essay, your thesis statement ends up at the end of a
paper as you attempt to answer your questions about the topic. Such thesis statements can then be
revised, polished, and moved since most thesis statements appear usually at the end of the
introductory paragraphs.
THESIS AS A STRATEGY FOR THE WRITER AND READER
A thesis is both a writer and a reader strategy…
For the writer, the thesis statement is a writer strategy because it
•
serves as a planning tool and one-sentence summary of the writer’s opinions about a
topic
•
helps the writer determine the paper's real focus and lets the writer know if an essay is
wandering off in too many directions
•
becomes an organizational framework for the topic sentences
•
provides the writer with something to define, prove, and develop
For readers, the thesis statement is a reader strategy because it
•
serves as a contract with the writer, engaging and allowing readers to follow through
the paper
•
keeps readers focused on the argument so they know what to expect in the essay
•
allows readers to identify the main ideas and see exactly how each topic sentence
connects to the thesis
•
offers enough detail for readers to grasp the writer’s argument
A thesis, thus, lets your reader know what to expect from your paper and allows your reader to
decide how well you’ve accomplished what you’ve set out to do. In fact, some thesis statements
might even give you an outline for your paper.
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For example, it shouldn’t be too much trouble to organize an essay with the following thesis
statement:
Attending a community college like CSM makes sense since the cost is low and the quality of
instruction is high.
TOPIC
OPINION
REASONS OR SUPPORTING
EVIDENCE
Attending a community
college like CSM
makes sense
since the cost is low and the quality of
instruction is high.
With such a thesis, a writer would first discuss the relative low cost and then describe the excellent
education one can obtain at colleges such as ours! This is a common form for a thesis. The writer
first states the topic and then the arguable assertion or opinion about it, then adds the reasons
or supporting evidence. The reasons are usually introduced by joining words such as the
following: for, as, because, since, due to. The supporting evidence answers the “so what?”
Exercise 1
For each of the following thesis statements, identify the topic, the opinion or arguable
assertion, and if applicable, the supporting evidence or reasons.
Example: Cell phone use while driving should be banned, for it creates an unsafe environment not
only for drivers using cell phones but also for other people in nearby vehicles.
TOPIC
OPINION
REASONS OR SUPPORTING EVIDENCE
Cell phone use
while driving
should be
banned,
for it creates an unsafe environment not only for
drivers using them but also for other people in nearby
vehicles.
1. Pornography is harmful to society because it depersonalizes and dehumanizes sexuality
and it is degrading and oppressive to women.
2. Violent video games should be made illegal, for it might incite some people to commit violent
acts.
3. An after-school job can be harmful to teenagers as working not only reduces opportunities
for social and recreational time but also takes time valuable time away from schoolwork.
4. Marijuana should be legalized since legalization would eliminate the black market for that
drug.
5. Welfare benefits for single mothers should not be eliminated, for the benefits are needed to
prevent hunger and poverty among our country’s most helpless citizens—our children.
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THESIS DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES
HOW DO I KNOW A TROUBLESOME THESIS WHEN I SEE ONE?
1. A troublesome thesis usually has no “so what” or main purpose. Instead of providing an
arguable assertion, it is merely a statement of fact. Some writers might confuse factual
introductions to an essay with the thesis.
Example:
Henri Matisse was considered, with Picasso, one of the two
great artists of the twentieth century.
Better:
Henri Matisse is superior to Picasso because of Matisse’s
brilliant ability to shift between realism, abstraction, Fauvism,
and classicism.
2. A troublesome thesis can be too broad or too general. If the writer is trying to write an
essay and not a book, it may be on too large an issue for a writer to develop thoroughly in a short
essay.
Example:
Homelessness in San Francisco is a serious problem in
today’s society.
Better:
The problems with homelessness in San Francisco could
be resolved if the Board of Supervisors would agree on
some of the proposed solutions.
Example:
Crime is too prevalent in our society.
Better:
Our judicial system should give tougher sentences to
criminals who are repeat offenders.
3. A troublesome thesis can be too specific. If your thesis is too specific then you will have
too little to write about. It may be only on one aspect of an issue, one part of a topic, or the first
main point. Examine all your main points for a larger, umbrella sentence.
Example:
Getting into Disneyland on the Saturday during Labor
Day weekend can be difficult.
Better:
Getting into Disneyland can be difficult, depending on the
time of year.
4. A troublesome thesis expresses more than one main idea. If your thesis makes more than
one point, your paper may be confusing to your reader. A thesis which clearly expresses one
controlling idea will focus your paper.
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Example:
The proposed transit system is worth examining, but it has
several weaknesses, so it should be run only on an
experimental basis for a limited period of a couple of years.
Better:
The proposed transit system should be run on an experimental
basis for a limited period of a couple of years.
5. A troublesome thesis is a fragment; a good thesis statement is expressed in a
complete sentence.
Example:
How life is in New York after September 11th.
Better:
After September 11th, the city of New York tends to have
more cases of post-traumatic disorder than other areas of the
United States and rightfully so.
6. A troublesome thesis is in the form of a question instead of a sentence or arguable assertion.
It does not take a position.
Example:
Should an eighteen year old have the right to drink?
Better:
Anyone old enough to fight a war should be old enough to
drink.
7. A troublesome thesis contains phrases such as “I think,” “I believe,” or “in my
opinion,” which weaken the statement.
Example:
GOP candidate Bill Simon and Governor Gray Davis may
appear to be different, but in my opinion they are very similar.
Better:
To the unsuspecting voter, GOP candidate Bill Simon and
Governor Gray Davis might seem to offer a choice in the
gubernatorial race; however, in fact they take very similar
stands on certain issues.
8. A troublesome thesis is expressed in vague language. Try to avoid vague terms such as
“things,” “neat,” interesting,” “nice,” “good,” and “great.”
Example:
Negative things have resulted from religion being taught in
our schools.
Better:
Religion as part of the school curriculum should be avoided
because a person’s religious beliefs are highly personal and
require individual commitment.
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Exercise 2
Keeping in mind the above thesis development guidelines, analyze the following statements
and identify the reason(s) you think they do or do not work as good thesis statements.
Example:
Drug use is a serious problem in today’s world.
Analysis:
Not a good thesis.
Expresses a point that everyone would probably agree with; it
does not state an assertion that anyone would want to argue.
The statement is also too broad, and it contains the vague
phrase “in today’s world.” Avoid using such vague or fuzzy
phrases.
Example:
This has been the worst summer in the world for bad
weather—droughts, floods, and huge fires have besieged the
planet all at the same time.
Analysis:
Not a good thesis.
Merely a statement of fact leaving the writer with
nothing to argue or support.
1. Television has had a serious impact in today’s society.
2. During a recent episode of Law and Order, two people were killed, three were stabbed,
and four were badly beaten.
3. An evaluation of the benefits of Prozac
4. In this essay I am going to talk about the potential problems if the administration
restructures the Social Security program.
5. Have you ever considered why people are so rude when they drive, especially at rush
hour?
6. Christopher Reeves’ physical disability has not prevented him from becoming an
advocate for research on spinal cord injury, and his story should be made into a book.
7. How to grow beautiful orchids.
8. I think it is interesting how many people enjoy horror movies.
9. If you don’t care about spending a little bit more money, I think you’ll agree that dinner
is a much more satisfying experience at The House of Prime Rib than at Sizzler’s.
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10. This paper is an attempt to tell you about how I felt viewing the devastation at Ground
Zero in New York.!
Exercise 3
Again keeping in mind the above thesis development guidelines, analyze the following
troublesome statements, but this time suggest a revision for each of them.
Example:
In Gone with the Wind, Scarlett O’Hara is a proud,
headstrong woman.
Analysis:
Not a good thesis.
Simply a statement of fact.
Better:
Scarlett’s headstrong nature is the primary reason why Rhett
Butler both loves and leaves her.
Example:
Romeo and Juliet die because each one unfortunately thinks
the other is dead.
Analysis:
Not a good thesis.
Another statement of fact that no one would disagree with; it
does not state an assertion that needs to be argued.
Better:
Shakespeare uses Romeo’s and Juliet’s needless deaths as
metaphors to show the pettiness of feuding families and
countries.
Example:
The thesis of this paper is the difficulty of solving our
economic problems.
Analysis:
Not a good thesis.
This is simply an announcement of the subject or topic of the
essay, not a thesis.
Better:
Solving our country’s economic problems is a lot more
difficult than most people believe.
1. Advertisers like to use beautiful models in their ads to sell their products.
2. This paper will consider the reasons why detective fiction is worth reading.
3. I believe that the federal government should give more money to breast cancer
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research.
4. Not much has been done to save the condor from extinction.
5. Writing an essay can be a fairly easy process.
6. In my opinion, the Writing Center at CSM is a great resource for students.
Show that you’ve mastered this skill
In the space below, write in your own words what you’ve learned about thesis statements and
explain how you will use what you’ve learned in your own essays.
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Exercise 4
Choose two of the following subjects and narrow each one down to two topics that might work
for a 3-page essay. Write one possible thesis statement for each topic.
Example:
SPORTS
Topics:
College athletics
Baseball
Thesis statements:
Athletes in college should be required to maintain a decent grade-point average in order
to participate in school sports.
Baseball has decreased in popularity because people seem to be more interested in violent
sports such as wrestling.
1. Terrorism
2. Affirmative action
3. Politics
4. Holidays
5. Pop culture
6. Music
7. Reality television
8. School testing
9. Parenting
10. Nutrition
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II. Topic Sentences
WHAT IS A TOPIC SENTENCE?
As you know, college students are required in their classes to express their ideas effectively in
coherent, unified, and well-developed essays. Each essay is composed of several paragraphs,
and each paragraph should express a different point or aspect of the thesis. Usually the first
sentence of a paragraph but sometimes the last sentence or in another position in the paragraph,
the topic sentence identifies for the reader the main point of a paragraph. If this sounds
similar to the preceding section on the thesis statement, that’s because the thesis is essential to
an essay just as the topic sentence is the unifying force in a paragraph. An effective topic
sentence must therefore be clearly related to the essay’s thesis statement.
The topic sentence in a paragraph functions much like the thesis does in an essay; it sets up a
reader’s expectations about what the controlling idea is. In fact, topic sentences often act like
mini thesis statements. Like a thesis statement, a topic sentence makes a claim of some sort, but
unlike the thesis which is more general, it attempts to explain only one specific aspect of the
thesis. Also, as in the case of the thesis statement, when the topic sentence makes a claim, the
sentences in the paragraph which follow must explain, describe, or prove it in some way.
WHAT IS A TOPIC SENTENCE GOOD FOR?
A good topic sentence
•
is a complete sentence
•
can be located anywhere in the paragraph (although it is often the first sentence)
•
accurately summarizes the main point of a paragraph in one sentence and
reflects the paragraph’s main purpose
•
serves as a contract between the reader and the writer
•
promises that the writer will stick to the idea it expresses throughout the
paragraph
•
is not too narrow and broad enough to require further explanation or evidence
In a thesis, the writer first states the topic (what the paragraph is about) and then the
arguable assertion or opinion about that topic. Similarly, a good topic sentence usually has
two parts, the topic and the key words that state the writer's assertion or opinion about the
topic. Consider the following sentence.
Racquetball is a superior sport for several reasons.
TOPIC KEY WORDS
In this sentence, racquetball is the topic because it is what the paragraph is about. "Superior
sport" are the key words because they state an opinion about the topic, racquetball. The topic
sentence identifies and limits what will be discussed in the paragraph. In such a paragraph, the
writer would have to identify through personal experience, examples, facts, or reasons why
racquetball is superior to other sports.
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Exercise 5
Directions: Read each paragraph below and select the sentence which best expresses the topic
sentence or main idea. For each topic sentence, circle its topic and underline its key words.
Also notice some of the ways the writers have developed each paragraph through personal
experience, examples, facts, or reasons.
Paragraph #1
…..
1
The best case I ever came across of a compulsive-obsessive person was one of my old
elementary school teachers.
2
She was a person who loved to save things.
3
She had all the Time
magazines that she had ever read since 1950, stacked according to weeks.
4
Each stack was
bound by blue string.
5
She even saved her old toothbrushes.
6
She had her collection of
toothbrushes tucked away in her hall closet.
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She was also a person who liked to label
everything.
8
She’d spend hours putting labels on each drawer, shelf, and closet in the classroom.
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Once someone went into the closet and noticed a shelf with bright orange paper, and there, on
the front of the shelf, was a label identifying it as “Bright Orange Paper.”
Paragraph #2
.....
1
There are several ways for people to view money.
2
First is the person whose dollars
disappear in mere moments.
3
To this person, a savings account is like a straitjacket.
4
The
spender lives only in the present and can't plan ahead financially.
5
Next is the individual who
hoards pennies like rubies.
6
The hoarder may be wealthy but remains unable to relish the
pleasures that money makes possible.
7
This person lives in the future, a future that never arrives.
8
More common is the person who likes to save but can occasionally spend without anxiety.
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This person is rooted in the present but prepared for days to come.
Paragraph #3
.....
1
Basketball is appealing for several reasons.
2
Basketball is fast, exciting, and unpredictable; a
large lead can be lost in a single minute, and many games are decided by a single point.
3
Because
the basketball team has few members, I can become acquainted with each player's personality.
4
I
also love watching a player leap gracefully to the basket and dunk the ball.
5
But most of all, I
love basketball because it gives me a chance to yell at the refs.
Paragraph #4
.....
1
E-mail can suck up much of a person's free time.
2
According to 2001 surveys in MacWorld
and PC Week magazines, eight out of ten people spend more than one hour daily on e-mail.
3
In
fact, one of my friends, a computer aficionado, tells me that she has spent up to four hours per
day reading and sending e-mail messages.
4
One reason for the time drain is that every day tons
of bulk e-mail or spam arrives in most e-mail accounts and must be deleted.
5
In addition,
wading through old e-mails for important instructions or information can also involve hours.
6
I
myself have found that e-mailing friends and family is so easy that I tend to write many
unnecessary messages to many more people than I would write otherwise, spending free time
with e-mail rather than going to the movies or reading a book.
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Exercise 6
The Headless Paragraph
Paragraphs without topic sentences are “headless” paragraphs. While they may contain a lot of
details and supporting evidence, they are difficult to follow because we don’t know what point
the writer is trying to make.
Below are several “headless” paragraphs. Add a topic sentence for each paragraph and be sure
that the “head” or topic sentence is general enough to sum up the paragraph’s main points yet
specific enough to be appropriate for the supporting details.
1.
Getting there in itself was an ordeal because there was a lot of traffic on 280. Once I got there,
I drove around the campus for what seemed to be hours looking for a parking space. Next I had
to figure out on the campus map where I was and which direction I should go to find my first
class. When I found the room in Building 16, I noticed a sign on the classroom door saying that
the class had been moved to another building, which I couldn’t find on the campus map. After
asking another student for directions, I finally found the building. Stumbling into the
classroom, I noticed some students were already getting ready to leave because class was over.
I haven’t felt so lost since I was five on my first day of kindergarten.
2.
My sociology text at the campus bookstore was $75. The same book online was
$55. The textbook required for my psychology course was $69.99 at the campus bookstore
but only $52 online. Similarly, my biology text online was $12 less than I would have paid
for it at the bookstore. It’s mind-boggling to me after finding such deals why everyone
doesn’t purchase their books online.
3.
First of all, the prices for tickets to rock concerts used to be much cheaper. For example, I
remember seeing the Rolling Stones at Candlestick Park in the late 70’s when the tickets were
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only about $20 apiece. Nowadays, a ticket to see the Stones on one of their “final” tours costs
over $100. Back then, I was able to see Mick Jagger up close since I was on the field. Recently
after spending so much money, I was surprised to find that I was seated in the Coliseum in one
of the worst seats to see anything. Concert t-shirts are also much more expensive than they used
to be. In the 70’s, I bought a couple of shirts for $5 apiece. At the Stones’ last concert, I spent
over $35 for a shirt. Finally, and most importantly, the music can be a disappointment. Back in
the 70’s, concerts were more exciting since bands would play cuts from their new albums. At
the Stones’ recent concert, although the band came back for an encore and played most of their
greatest hits, there were few surprises since they haven’t released a new album in some time.
Unfortunately for me, as Mick once said, I know it’s only rock n’ roll but I like it. So I’ll
continue to go to concerts, but they sure don’t offer the same experience they once did.
4.
When her child is hungry, she must make sure food is available. When her child is later tired
and grumpy, a mother makes sure a nap or bedtime occurs. When her child is sick, she must
monitor the child’s fever and dispense the appropriate medicine. But beyond these physical
needs, when a child expresses a desire for independence or affection and reassurance, a
responsible mother monitors her child's psychological health and responds with wisdom and
balance.
5.
One day my father told me to do the laundry and vacuum the house. I did not hear exactly
what he said, so I asked him to repeat it. At this point he burst out angrily, "Are you deaf?"
Another time he asked my mother to go the store and purchase groceries with a fifty-dollar bill;
he insisted that she spend no more than twenty dollars. She spent twenty-two dollars. As soon
as he discovered she had exceeded his limit, he refused to speak to her for the rest of the day.
My father even gives my older brothers a hard time with his irritable nature. One day he
ordered them to return home from their dates by midnight. When they arrived back at our
house ten minutes late, my father informed them that they were grounded for two weeks.
Exercise 7
Write precise topic sentences for possible paragraphs on the following topics. Be sure to
provide both the subject and the key word(s).
Example:
Teenagers and drugs
Topic
Drug addiction has caused a huge increase in crimes of
violence by teenagers.
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1. Writing an essay effectively
Topic sentence:
2. Food service at CSM
Topic sentence:
3. Television coverage of disasters
Topic sentence:
4. Movie
Topic sentence:
5. People who irritate you
Topic sentence:
6. A favorite teacher
Topic sentence:
Exercise 8
Choose one of the following topics and write a detailed paragraph (one-half page
minimum). Make sure the paragraph has an effective topic sentence and that the
paragraph has enough specific details to fully develop the topic sentence.
1. Discuss what you believe are the most important traits of a good leader, explaining why
these characteristics are essential.
OR
2. Should the purchase of handguns be regulated? Explain why.
OR
3. Considering the specific requirements that must be fulfilled, do you think it is easy or
difficult to obtain a driver's license in California?
OR
4. Discuss the specific steps that students must complete before they can attend classes at
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the College of San Mateo. Is it easy or difficult to begin college at CSM?
OR
5. Describe the best musical concert you’ve ever attended and why it was so special.
OR
6. Using examples that you have observed, explain how parents differ in their attitudes toward
their children.
OR
7. Describe the most frightening, saddest or proudest experience of your life in a very
detailed paragraph
OR
8. Describe how to extend the life of a car or motorcycle, showing how each step is
important.
Exercise 9
Now that you have completed and corrected all of the written exercises in this tutorial, Thesis
Statements and Topic Sentences, it is time to show what you have learned. In the following
essay, circle its thesis statement, and with each paragraph, underline its topic sentence.
Although I’m happy to be in college, college life does have its drawbacks. For one thing, I can
see that passing all my classes will require a lot of hard work. In addition, going to college can
be expensive. Another unpleasant part of going to school is that I have to miss out on things I
would love to do. But perhaps the worst part of attending college is living in the dorms. In fact,
many unwitting freshman eventually discover the many troubles with living in the dorms.
For one thing privacy is a very precious commodity. Ever since I was ten, I have had my own
room to retreat to whenever I needed to be alone. So it’s difficult adjusting to sharing a tiny
cubicle with one other person. My roommate always seems to be around. So if I want to listen
to the new No Doubt album, I have to ask whether it’s okay first. But if she’s around, I usually
can’t enjoy the music because I know that she only likes hip hop and shows her resentment and
judgment of my taste in music.
Another problem with living in the dorms is that such close quarters can always result in
friction between roommates especially if personality clashes exist. For instance, my roommate
is a big slob while I’m known as compulsively neat. So I am so tired of having to step over her
piles of clothes littering the floor and hunting for my books and papers among her empty soda
bottles, banana peels, and candy wrappers that are always scattered all over our desk. I’m fed up
with spending any time or energy arguing with
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her about having to clean up her messes when I could be using this valuable time getting
schoolwork done.
Equally as bad as sharing a room with a sloppy roommate is living in a dorm with paper- thin
walls through which we can hear everything going on in adjacent rooms. It always seems to be
before a big test or exam that my neighbors on one side always manage to turn up their music
after midnight, have all-night noisy and romantic interludes, or have a loud argument at the
strangest times. Begging them for quiet and even banging on their walls don’t seem to help
much. And unfortunately for me, the next morning my frustration and growing anger make it
more difficult for me to concentrate on anything in class.
Worst of all, especially for someone who enjoys good food, is the experience of eating in the
dining halls. First of all, the lines are usually so long before class that I usually end up not
eating any breakfast. And when I do wait in line, the waits are definitely not worth it. It is
difficult for me to even order the stale, dry sandwiches, the soggy and wilted salads, and the
tasteless and sometime unidentifiable main courses. If I want to have a good meal, I end up
having to go off-campus.
Yet despite all the problems with living in the dorms, I still feel that I’m accomplishing
something worthwhile going to school. My only hope is that when I’m a junior, I’ll be able to
find a small off-campus apartment of my own. In the meantime, I guess I just have to put up
with the myriad troubles with living in a dorm, and pray that in the upcoming semester, my
fellow dormies don’t like to party too much.
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Exercise 10
Instructions:
1. Review an essay where your teacher has indicated that you have to work on thesis
statement and/or topic sentences. Can you fix your thesis and/or topic sentences now?
2. Look back at the principles and exercises in this tutorial and make notes on a separate
sheet of paper. You will bring these notes and the essay to your conference.
3. Make an appointment for a conference with an instructor in the Writing Center (18-104)
or English 800 Center (18-102). To make this appointment, stop by the Centers or call
(650) 574-6436. During this appointment, the professor will make sure you understand
the concepts covered in this tutorial, answer any questions that you might have, review
your answers to these exercises, and check to see if you can incorporate the skill into
your writing.
Reminder:
For this appointment, bring
• any notes about the tutorial that you have taken
• your completed tutorial exercises
• and the essay
