THE WRITING PROCESS
Developing Your Thesis Statement
A strong thesis statement usually contains an element of uncertainty, risk , or
challenge (Ramage, Bean, and Johnson 2006:34). This means that your thesis statement
should offer a debatable claim that you can prove or disprove in your essay. The claim
should be debatable enough to let your readers agree or disagree with you.
Ex: 'Women and men are born to perform specific roles
This not a good thesis statement because there is nothing to contest in that statement; it is
just stating that women and men have specific roles to perform. You should give your
thesis tension by introducing ideas that may challenge your reader’s views. For instance,
New: “Although there seem to be specific roles assigned to women and men,
those roles should never dictate nor limit women and men to do other things that are
beyond their assigned roles”
This thesis statement challenges the stereotypical roles assigned to women or
men, and not everyone may agree to it so this is something that you can expore in your
paper. Also, you will have to gather evidence in order for you to back up your thesis
statement.
Organizing Your Paper
Your next task as a writer is to support your thesis statement with
sufficientevidence, data, and examples. Some people think that this is where the "real-
writing begins because this is where you will support your thesis statement and expound
on it as well,
As a writer, your main aim is to organize your ideas in a logical order. Organizing
your ideas means finding the connections of one point to another and establishing a link
from one idea to another.
Some writers start organizing their draft by making an outline. Outlining is an
effective way of ensuing the logical flow of your ideas. You may opt to use the
standardoutline complete with roman numerals and indentions or you may use lists,
diagrams, or maps.
You start your essay with writing the introduction. The introduction for academic
essay provides a background of your topic, poses a question regarding the topic,
explainshow the question is problematic and significant, and gives the writer's thesis
statement.
After this one- or two-paragraph introduction to your essay, develop the body of
your essay. This is where the bulk of the essay is found and where you develop an
answeror propose a solution to the thesis statement that you have given in the
introduction. You can outline your main points before writing the body of the essay. In
the body, you have to support your main points and include the other details that would
support your thesis statement.
Your conclusion should bring together the points made in your paper
andemphasize your final point. The conclusion may also leave a thought-provoking idea
thatyou wish your audience to consider. Do not just summarize your main points; make
surethat you synthesize your main points and emphasize your thesis statement.
Remembernot to open a new topic in the conclusion.
a) Authority
• Are the writer's credentials to write this draft established and clear?
b) Context
• Is the context of the draft clear?
c) Voice
• Does the draft have an individual voice?
• Is the voice appropriate to the subject?
• Does the voice support and extend the meaning of the draft?
d) Reader
•Can you identify a reader who will need to read the draft?
•Are the reader's questions answered where they will be asked?
• Does the draft fulfill the reader's expectations of that form?
e) Structure
•Will the lead attract and hold a reader?
•Does each point lead to the next point?
•Does each section support and advance the meaning?
• Is the reader's hunger for specific information satisfied?
f) Documentation
• Does each reader have enough evidence to believe each point in the draft?
g) Quantity
• Where does the draft need to be developed?
• Where does it need to be cut?