Schools & Countries Classification: Thesis Statement & Essay Writing Guide, Thesis of English Language

Download Schools & Countries Classification: Thesis Statement & Essay Writing Guide and more Thesis English Language in PDF only on Docsity! 1 USKUDAR UNIVERSITY WRITING BOOKLET 2 CLASSIFICATION ESSAY -In a classification essay, you divide a topic into three classes based on an aspect. -You have to give information about the three classes in the same order and importance. You have to follow a certain pattern. - You need to avoid irrelevant and conflicting ideas and information. - It is optional to give ideas about each category, but they have to be relevant and suitable to the general pattern. * Steps to write an effective classification essay: Step 1: Brainstorm and find details 1. Think about the topic below and cross out (X) the irrelevant class. 2. Write down as many information about each class as possible. 3. Then cross out the irrelevant information. schools High school Primary school University Language school 5 Topic sentences • Introduce your categories with clear topic sentences. • You can use transitional signals at the beginning of each paragraph to make it more fluent. Examples of topic sentences: The first category of schools is called primary schools. First, schools can be classified as primary schools. BODY 1 One type of schools is primary schools. The second category is high schools. Secondly, there are high schools. BODY 2 Another type of schools is high schools. The last / third /final category is university. There are also universities. BODY 3 The other type of schools is university. Exercise 4: Write your own topic sentences according to the topics in exercise 1. Try to use the words above. 1. The _________________________ of friends is ____________________. (1st body) 2. Another _______________________________________________________. (2nd body, friends) 3. Friends can also be classified as _________________________________. (3rd body) 4. The _________________________ of holidays is ___________________. (1nd body) 5. Holidays can____________________________________________________. (2nd body) 6. ______________________________________________________________. (3rd body, holidays) 7. ___________________________________ of shoes is ___________________. (1st body) 8. Mobile technology __________________________________________________. (2nd body) 9. __________________________________ of mobile technology ________________. (3rd body) Useful signal words to use in topic sentences: First / Firstly /To begin with / First of all + sentence The first + noun … Secondly, + sentence. The second/Another + noun … Last/Finally/Last but not the least + sentence The third/The last/The final/The other + noun 6 Thesis Statement: • You should rewrite your thesis statement with different words. You can use the same structures with the examples in the thesis statement part. • You should indicate that your essay is finished and you will not add anything else. So, try to use the signal words that imply a conclusion • You can use the synonyms of the words in your thesis statement to create your concluding sentence: according to = based on type = kind = category = class there are = you / we / people have can be classified as = can be divided into we can categorize /classify schools as = schools can be categorized /classified as Exercise 5: Rewrite the sentences below. Try to use the structures above. Then rewrite your own thesis statements. 1. Schools can be classified (into three categories such) as primary school, high school and university. ______________________________________________________________________________. 2. We can categorize schools as primary schools, high schools and universities. ______________________________________________________________________________. 3. There are three types of friends around people which are _________, ___________, and ________. ______________________________________________________________________________. 4. People have many types of holidays, and three of them are ____________, __________, and __________. _____________________________________________________________________________. Outline: In the end, your outline will look like: Thesis statement: There are three types/classes/kinds/categories of schools which are / such as primary school, high school and university (according to educational levels). Useful signal words to use in your concluding sentence: As a result, In conclusion, To conclude, Basically, SENTENCE To sum up, All in all, Eventually 7 TS 1: The first category of schools is called primary schools. Details: _________________________________________ TS 2 : The second category is high schools. Details: ____________________________________________ TS 3: The last / third /final category is university Details: ___________________________________________ Thesis Restatement: Schools can be classified (into three categories such) as primary school, high school and university. Exercise 6: Create your own outline for one of the topics in exercise 2. Step 3: Write your introduction paragraph. • When you start to write an essay, you should draw attention to your topic. • In your introduction paragraph, you should start with a general statement to draw your reader’s attention to your topic. You can: -ask a general question about your topic, -give general information, -find an interesting quotation (a famous person’s sentence) related to the topic, • Then, narrow (specify) the topic to come to the point. To do this, you can: -answer the question if you asked in your general statement, Thesis statement: ________________________________________________________________ ________________________ TS 1: _______________________________________________ Details: _________________________________________ TS 2 : ______________________________________________ Details: _________________________________________ TS 3: _______________________________________________ Details: _________________________________________ Thesis Restatement: _______________________________________________________________ _________________________________________. 10 2) Then, you should re-write your topic sentences or summarize each category in only 3 sentences (summary). 3) Last, you should give your opinion about the topic (final thought). Your opinion can be about: Which category is your favorite / important? Why? What can be done about this subject? What is your prediction about this subject? Exercise 10: Read the sample conclusion paragraph below and underline the summary part. In conclusion, education is given in three different categories of schools. The first and the most important one is the primary school where our education starts and our life is formed. The second category is high school; we learn many things in more detail and choose our jobs. Also, in the last category, which is university, we get education for our jobs. Therefore, in my opinion, education is very important in all of these three categories, and we should always be responsible at school. Exercise 11: Write your own concluding paragraph for the one of the topics in exercise 1 according to the rules. Try to use the signal words in the box above. Sample Classification Essay Useful structures for summary: As it was mentioned above + sentence Briefly/ In brief, + sentence To sum up / Shortly / In short + sentence Useful structures to give opinions: I think, + sentence What I believe (about it) is (that), + sentence In my opinion, + sentence When it comes to my opinion, + sentence From my point of view, + sentence 11 Brainstorming Outline: Thesis Statement: There are three types of countries according to their economic conditions. Topic Sentence 1: The first category is developed countries. Details: High standard of living, Technological infrastructure Topic Sentence 2: They have also categorized some countries as developing countries. Details: Moderately rich and poor, Low industrialization and human development Topic Sentence 3: Finally, there are underdeveloped countries in the world according to this classification Details: High rate of poverty, Limited resources Thesis Restatement: In conclusion, the countries are divided into three in terms of development. Countries Developed Countries Under- developed countries Limited resources High rate of poverty High standard of living Technological infrastructure Developing countries Low industrialization and low human development Moderately rich and moderately poor 12 The Classification of Countries All the countries in the world have always searched ways to improve their life standards since the beginning of history. They have made discoveries about nature, invented tools to make life easier for their own citizens. Therefore, they have always been in communication with each other because every country needs another country to develop itself. So people have needed to categorize these countries according to their development levels and found that there are three types of countries according to their economic conditions. The first category is developed countries. These countries have completed their development process. The citizens of these countries have high standard of living and high rate of literacy. Also, health, education and technological infrastructures are better than other countries. Hence, birth rates and death rates are low in these countries. The best examples for this type of countries are Australia, many of the EU countries and Japan. They have also categorized some countries as developing countries. These countries are both developed and underdeveloped, so they are moderately rich and moderately poor. Their economies are growing but this process has not completed yet. That’s why some people who live in these countries can suffer from poverty, shortcoming in the area of medical supply, poor nutrition and source of food and water. Turkey, India and Brazil can be some of the examples for this category. Finally, there are underdeveloped countries in the world according to this classification. An underdeveloped country is defined as a nation that is not as economically developed as other nations. These countries are very poor, have very low per capita income and in this type of countries, poverty is widespread. Very little money is spent on health care or education, and there is less industrial activity than developed nations. Afghanistan, Somalia and Yemen are among these countries. In conclusion, the countries are divided into three in terms of development. The developed and developing countries have good life standards and independent economy whereas underdeveloped ones are relatively impoverished. In my opinion, all countries must come together for the improvement of the underdeveloped countries. HOMEWORK Write an essay about types of mobile technology. 15 _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ Checklist: 1. I outlined my ideas and categorized my ideas correctly. 2. I ordered my introduction from general to specific. 3. My thesis statement is grammatically correct and it indicates my main points clearly. 4. I presented each category in separate paragraphs. 5. I wrote a clear topic sentence at the beginning of each body paragraph. 6. I re-stated my thesis in conclusion. 7. I made a clear summary. 8. I gave my opinion clearly. 9. I checked my grammar and punctuation mistakes and corrected them. 16 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES ESSAY Advantages and disadvantages essay questions when you are told to assess whether the benefits of something outweigh the drawbacks. In this type of essays, you are given a statement to comment on the advantages and disadvantages of the topic. As an example, we will use a topic of tourism in modern world. Basically, in all advantages and disadvantages essays, your task is to describe positive and negative sides of a given topic and to give your opinion. Producing ideas for your answer Before you start writing your essay, you should always spend 1-2 minutes on producing ideas for your answer in the brainstorming part. This way, you’ll know what to write about and your answer will be more coherent and well-structured. In case of advantages & disadvantages essay, you need to think of 2-3 advantages and 2- 3 disadvantages of the given issue. Let’s think about advantages and disadvantages of tourism in the modern world. A lot of places in the world rely on tourism as a main source of income. Unfortunately, tourism can also be a source of problems if it is not managed correctly. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of tourism in the modern world. Do you think that benefits of tourism outweigh its drawbacks? 17 Brainstorm Advantages vs. Disadvantages Write two columns and label one as "advantages" and the other as "disadvantages" and write all the ideas that come to mind beneath each section. You should then add some details and examples under each idea, and ideally, you should decide on which advantages and disadvantages are the most crucial to your argument. ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES Advantages of tourism: boost in country’s economy due to increased spending new job opening for local people opportunities to discover new places for individual travellers Disadvantages of tourism: destruction of popular tourist destinations by large numbers of tourists development of illegal economic activities local people can experience loss of privacy Now, after we’ve collected some ideas, it’s time to use them in our essay. Here is the summary of what you are expected to write: Introduction or Introduction Body paragraph 1 – advantages Body paragraph 1 – advantages Body paragraph 2 – advantages Body paragraph 2 – disadvantages Body paragraph 3 – disadvantages Body paragraph 3 – disadvantages Conclusion Conclusion Outline: Thesis Statement: This essay will examine the advantages and disadvantages of tourism and prowide a logical conclusion Topic Sentence 1: The main advantage of developed tounsm industry is boost in country’s economy. Details: services, income Topic Sentence 2: The next important advantage of tourism is that itincreases the level of employment by bringing new jobs. Details: employment, new job opportunities Topic Sentence 3: Tourism also has some major disadvantages like destruction of popular tourist destinations. Details: destruction of tourist destinations, environmental problems, overexploitation Thesis Restatement: One can state afew advantages of tourism along with disadvantages.  21 Other Ways to Say "Advantages and Disadvantages" Although you'll be writing an advantages and disadvantages essay, you'll want to try and find other vocabulary words to describe this. There are plenty of other ways to say "advantages and disadvantages," and it's a good idea if you can use these other terms as much as possible in your essay in order to add some variety: • Pros and cons • Benefits and drawbacks • Nice parts and not-so-nice parts • Good and bad aspects • Pluses and minuses • This outweighs this The Advantages and Disadvantages of Tourism Tourism has become a major sector for many countries. Nowadays it generates a significant portion of national income for many people, but it has certain drawbacks too. This essay will examine the advantages and disadvantages of tourism and provide a logical conclusion. The main advantage of developed tourism industry is boost in country’s economy. Tourists spend money on a wide range of services, including hotels, amusements, transportation, food and medical services. This way, tourism yields an additional income, greatly supporting the countries’ economies. One can state that there are many countries such as the Maldives and the Bahamas which only depend on tourism as their main source of income. The next important advantage of tourism is that it increases the level of employment by bringing new jobs. In this way, a large number of new job openings appear for the local people. For instance, the influx of tourists results in a larger demand in restaurant workers, tour guides, hotel staff and employees of retail services, exhorting business owners to hire more people for these positions. On the other hand, tourism also has some major disadvantages like destruction of popular tourist destinations. Ancient buildings, temples and monuments struggle to cope with a vast amount of visitor’s traffic and get damaged. Also, the large number of tourists can cause environmental problems. To give an example, some famous touristic destinations such as Venice suffer from pollution after they started to be visited by a lot of tourists from all over the world. In addition to this, when places of interest are overcrowded, natural resources often become overexploited. In conclusion, one can state a few advantages of tourism along with disadvantages. As it was mentioned above, although tourism has certain disadvantages like destructive effects on environment, it has an extremely positive impact on country’s economy and provides a large number of new jobs for the local people. I believe that these benefits of tourism outweigh its drawbacks. /328 words 22 Sample Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Subject: What are the advantages and disadvantages of owning a car? The Advantages and Disadvantages of Owning a Car In our lives, we travel from one place to another for a great variety of reasons and while travelling we greatly depend on cars, whether it is a private car or a public bus. The number of car owners is increasing every day because every person expects the freedom to travel and comfort while travelling. And that is why most of us want to own a car. However, owning a car has many advantages and disadvantages as well. The main advantage of owning a car is it gives the freedom to travel. If you have a car then you don't need to be limited to fixed routes and timetables. Moreover, a car-owner can take his/her family members with him/her and other necessary goods whenever he/she wish which might have been impossible otherwise. In addition, personal cars give comfort while travelling on the contrary to the public buses which are so crowded and uncomfortable. You can read books, listen to music or even can play with kids while you are in your own car but those all seem impossible in a public transport. On the other hand there are many disadvantages of owning a car. The first disadvantage is financial because owning a car is very expensive. There are a lot of expenses of a car such as the price of the car, the cost of the tax, insurance cost, fuel cost and maintenance. All must be considered before buying a car and that is why it is out of reach of the middle-class people. Moreover, owning a car has some environmental disadvantages. Perhaps the major disadvantage of cars, in general, is the huge damage they do to the human health and to the environment. As the number of cars increases on the roads, traffic jam occurs. More cars mean more air and noise pollution. The environmental pollution is a serious issue today and at any cost, we must reduce the amount of pollution and if we consider it then owning a car is never a good idea. In conclusion, owning a car has many drawbacks besides benefits. In brief, having a car gives someone freedom while it is expensive and environmental-unfriendly. In my opinion, if public transportation system is easily accessible, safe and efficient, then the idea of buying and owning a car should be abandoned. 25 _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ Checklist: 1. I found the advantages and the disadvantages of the given topic in the brainstorming part. 2. I outlined my ideas correctly. 26 3. I ordered my introduction from general to specific. 4. My thesis statement is grammatically correct and it indicates my main points clearly. 5. I presented the advantages and disadvantages in separate paragraphs. 6. I wrote a clear topic sentence at the beginning of each body paragraph. 7. I re-stated my thesis in conclusion. 8. I made a clear summary. 9. I gave my opinion clearly. 10. I indented the first line of the paragraphs. 11. I checked my grammar and punctuation mistakes and corrected them. 27 ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY What is argumentation? Making an argument, expressing a point of view on a subject and supporting it with evidence, is the main aim of academic writing. Argumentation is important in academic writing where writers try to convince their readers to accept their ideas. What are the goals of argumentative writing? 1- To present an opinion to the reader 2- To explain, clarify and illustrate that opinion 3- To persuade the reader that the opinion supported in the essay is valid: To move the reader to action, a. To convince the reader that the opinion is correct, or b. To persuade the reader that the opinion is at least worth considering; 4- To support the opinions by giving facts, examples, physical description, support of authority and statistics; and 5- To represent counterarguments to the thesis and to refute them respectfully and critically. How do we write argumentative essays? An argumentative essay is of six parts: Introduction (3-4 sentences – from general to specific statements about the topic) + Thesis Statement (what you are going to write about) Body 1: Pro/Con Argument 1 (your strongest opinion with supporting details) Body 2: Pro/ Con Argument 2 (your second strongest opinion with supporting details) Body 3: Counter argument and refutation (what others think about the topic and refuting those ideas with justification) Conclusion Thesis Restatement + a brief summary of your body paragraphs + Final thought The Argumentative Thesis Statement The thesis statement should define the scope of the argument and make an assertion that is open to debate. For example, something like “Some people ruin things for everyone” does not clearly state the write’s idea. Likewise, “Asparagus tastes great” is something that cannot be debated. A statement like “Our agricultural agent should encourage valley farmers to plant more asparagus” presents something to debate on. Study the good and bad examples of argumentative thesis statements below: Examples of bad thesis statements: The study of music is an important part of a liberal education. The metropolitan opera presented five concerts in Cleveland during 1990. A rose is more beautiful than a daisy. 30 Task 3 For each of the thesis statements below, write down as many supporting reasons as you can think of. Then exchange papers with your friend and try to refute your friend’s supporting reasons. 1- Animals should not be used in medical research. Supporting statements: ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Statements that refute the above arguments: ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 2- Computer hackers should be prosecuted as common criminals. Supporting statements: ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Statements that refute the above arguments: ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 3- Individuals have the right to educate their children at home rather than in schools. Supporting statements: ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Statements that refute the above arguments: ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ 31 After brainstorming the pro and con arguments, it is useful to make an outline. See the example below. OUTLINE Thesis Statement: Pro Argument 1: Pro Argument 2: Counter argument and refutation: Conclusion: Study the example outline below: Introduction: Thesis statement: School uniforms are the better choice for three reasons. Body 1 – Pro argument: 1- Wearing school uniforms would help make students’ lives simpler. • no need to make decisions on what to wear • no need to waste time by deciding what to wear • no stress while dressing Body 2 – Pro argument: 2- School uniforms influence students to act responsibility in groups and as individuals. • message that school is a special place • feeling of unity among students • positive effects of school uniforms on violence Body 3 – Counter argument and refutation: • Counter argument: The opponents of mandatory uniforms say that students who wear school uniforms cannot express their individuality. • Refutation: it is important to remember that school uniforms would be worn only during school hours. Students can express their individuality in the way they dress outside of the classroom. Conclusion: In conclusion, there are some benefits to implementing mandatory school uniforms for students. 32 Now look at the essay and study how the outline (on p. 5) has been used to write the essay. The School Uniform Question Individualism is a fundamental value in the United States. All Americans believe in the right to express their own opinion without fear of punishment. However, this value is coming under fire in an unlikely place which is the public school classroom. The issue is school uniforms. Should public school students be allowed to make individual decisions about clothing, or should all students be required to wear a uniform? I believe that school uniforms are the better choice for three reasons. First, wearing school uniforms would make students’ lives simpler. Deciding what to wear every morning is a time-consuming thing. If students wore uniforms, they would no longer have to decide what to wear every morning, sometimes trying on outfit in an effort to choose. Uniforms would not only save time but also would eliminate the stress often associated with this chore. Second, school uniforms influence students to act in responsibility in groups and as individuals. Uniforms give students the message that school is a special place for learning. In addition, uniforms create a unity among students. For example, when students do something as a group such as eating lunch at cafe, wearing the same uniforms would create a sense of community. Opponents of mandatory uniforms say that students who wear school uniforms cannot express their individuality. This point has some merit on the surface. However, school is a place to learn, not to Show wealth and fashion. Society must decide if individual expression through clothing is more valuable than improved educational performance. It is important to remember that school uniforms would be worn only during school hours. Students can express their individuality in clothing outside the classroom. In conclusion, there are some benefits to implementing mandatory school uniforms for students. Students learn better and act more responsibly when they wear uniforms even though wearing uniforms may sometimes be seen negatively. Public schools should require uniforms in order to benefit both the students and the society as a whole. 35 Study the outline below and write an essay of 280-300 words on the following topic. People should get married before they are 39 years old. Do you agree or disagree? Thesis Statement: AGREE A. Topic: Flexibility in character Support 1: Easier to adjust to your partner’s way of life Support 2: Easier to change your habits if they affect your partner negatively B. Topic: Starting a family when you are young Support 1: To understand children better Support 2: Few health problems C. Topic: Support from partner Support 1: Financial Support 2: Personal DISAGREE A. Topic: Achievement of personal goals Support 1: Education Support 2: Career B. Topic: Stability in life Support 1: Financial independence Support 2: Developed character C. Topic: Starting a family Support 1: Better financial conditions for a child Support 2: Psychologically mature Concluding Sentence: Essay: ________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ 36 _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ 37